[Fish Bones]

New England Striper Report - 5/25/05
By Jack Gartside

This has been one of the dreariest, coldest months of May that I can recall. And anyone living in New England will be sure to agree with me. As I write, the temperature is in the low 40's and the rain is falling sideways, blown by wind gusts up to 60 mph, a real Nor'Easter that is sure to cause some coastal flooding problems up and down the coast. And more nasty weather is predicted for the next few days.

For anyone crazy enough to go fishing in this weather, however, the fishing is actually darn good right now in Boston Harbor and also up north, from Ipswich to Newburyport, especially. Last week I fished the Merrimack and caught so many stripers that I had to quit once I reached 40; my arms just couldn't take it any more. Is that a sign of incipient old age? Apart from the aches, it was a glorious outing, with my friend Katie and I catching the vast majority of fish on Gurglers, always a special delight early in the season.

In between high winds and rain I've been fishing inside the harbor (high surf on the outside is only welcomed by surfers) and doing very well there. The fish aren't quite so surface-oriented as they seem to be up North but on the whole are quite eager when presented with a well-fished fly, a Chartreuse or White Depth-Chargin' Soft Hackle Deceiver, fished along the edges of drop-offs.

The Memorial Day Weekend is coming up and the weather looks to be improving towards week's end, so I hope that you all get out and enjoy a stormless—but fishful--day.

Report courtesy of Jack Gartside at www.jackgartside.com

For more information on this report contact Jack at gartside@concentric.net