By Tim Moore:
Expect July to provide some excellent fishing opportunities along New Hampshire’s coast for species such as striped bass, black sea bass, and even a few flounder. The stripers will be chasing mackerel and squid and we won’t be far behind them in the kayaks. Look for stripers working birds along shorelines or holding in 30’ – 40’ of water on structure along the immediate coast. This is a great time to get over the big girls that are laying just below steep drops and vertical jig with 2.8 ounce diamond jigs and 2.8 ounce elite jigs from Daddy Mac Lures. Also, don’t disregard cloudy or rainy days that will bring flounder back into shallower water. Clouds or rain will provide cooler inshore water temperatures that will encourage flounder to sneak back into local harbors in hopes of an easy meal.
My kayak fishing clients and I will be in hot pursuit of black sea bass in some of my regular spots, but anglers can find them almost anywhere in 30’ – 60’ of water where there are structures such as rock piles or bridge pilings where the black sea bass can hide. My absolute favorite lure is the 1.4 Elite Deluxe from Daddy Mac Lures. Bait rigs with squid work too, but you will need to bring plenty of squid with you to get through all the bait-steeling cunner. The 2.8 Elite Deluxe is a black sea bass slayer, with no bait. Drop it to the bottom, reel it up a crank or two, and bounce your jig really fast to make it dance. Braided line is especially helpful for feeling some of the more subtle bites, or the bottom. Make sure you keep your jig near the bottom. If the current sweeps your jig out to the side, reel in and drop it back down to stay as vertical as possible.
July is a great time to target walleye in the New Hampshire section of the Connecticut River. That’s right, walleye. There is no shortage of them and they are by far one of the best eating fish out there. They have white flaky meat with very mild flavor, and they are excellent fried. We regularly target walleye in kayaks, but this season we are offering boat charters for walleye and northern pike. I know where and when to find walleye almost any time of day in July and this month offers some of our most consistent fishing. It’s never too late to book a fishing trip with us, so if you’re interested in a coastal kayak fishing trip or an inland fishing trip email us at info@TimMooreOutdoors.com.
FORECAST BY: Tim Moore is a nationally recognized professional angler and owner of Tim Moore Outdoors LLC, offering NH kayak fishing charters and Lake Winnipesaukee ice fishing charters. He is a pro staff member for several local and national companies, and the producer of Tim Moore Outdoors TV. Visit www.TimMooreOutdoors.com for more information.