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The striper fishing has improved over the past week. The Little River in Gloucester has produced some very nice early season school size bass. I have made a point of fishing every day to determine numbers of fish and their size. I am pleased to report that the fish size is indicating first year migration fish mixed in with 2 and 3 year old fish. All the stripers I have landed and released this week appear healthy and all have had sea lice on their skin (indicating that the fish are fresh in from the open ocean). The size range has been 12” to 26”. There has been a good number of fly and light tackle anglers out on the sand bar and fishing from the marsh grass banks. Everyone I have observed and talked to have landed a few fish. The light tackle anglers have hooked fish on hard top water baits and jigs with soft plastic tails.
If you plan on fly fishing, I recommend using a 200 or 300 grain sink tip line on an 8 to 10 weight rod. Use a leader length of 9 feet tipped with 12-15 lb test material. An intermediate WF line will also work well.
This is good time to get out there and enjoy the early season action. The map below outlines the Little River access point and parking. Please do not park in the Nichols Candy shop lot without permission. There is parking on the traffic island opposite the candy house and along the roadway. As you make your through the marsh area, be aware of many sink holes. Trust me; you don’t want to step in one! Also, do not attempt to wade (too deep for hip boots) out to the sand bar until the tide has run out for at least 3 hours. A good indicator of safe water level is the rock pile situated at the south end of the sand bar. When the water level has dropped below the tops of the rocks, it is safe to venture out onto the mud flat. Again, be careful when walking the mud flat, the clam diggers do not back fill their dig-outs.
The sand bar fishes well from three hours out and for about an hour or so after the tide turns back in. I have had very good success fishing the south west corner (note X’s on map) of the marsh grass area. This is best fished from the bank two hours either side of high tide. I have taken many stripers casting flies or using a light tackle assortment of surface plugs and soft plastic jigs.
The Little River will remain fishable well into June. Don't be suprised if you hook a snapper bluefish as the water temps warm.
     
Captain Skip Montello |
