| July 31, 2009 |
| Merrimack River Report |
| TThe heavy rain last Friday put considerable runoff into the estuary to shutdown the flats for several days. Joe W. fished the night tides with just one striper during the middle of last week. The river water was quite stained and warm, running upwards of 75 degrees. We fished the rivers mouth and flats Monday and Tuesday with a few stripers each day. There were a few blues mixed in as well. Also had a report that football tuna were spotted at the rivers mouth at some point last weekend, we didn’t see any. I did in fact see two tuna boats trolling at the rivers mouth on Tuesday, presumably trying to catch some bluefish for use as live bait for giant bluefin. There is still substantial sandeels at the mouth and out front of Plum Island so let’s hope we get another push of stripers shore wise. I have heard a few rumors of stripers up at Hampton and Portsmouth Harbors, but I can’t substantiate for sure.
I have also heard reports of a few com fisherman taking good hauls of stripers beyond the 3 mile line and if it is true, we all hope you get caught!! There is enough pressure on stripers right now and this unethical fishing needs to be dealt with.
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