Fishing Newburyport, MA

Big Merrimack River stripers from two happy anglers. Photo/Summer Jobs Fishing Charters.

Deep channels, expansive flats and plenty of manmade structure make for great fishing in and around Newburyport.

A striper gets weight in at the shop. Photo/Bridge Road Bait & Tackle.

Merrimack also features loads of great striper spots. Check out a chart and you’ll see plenty of holes, rocks (eg, Half Tide Rocks, Badgers Rocks) and pilings that hold fish throughout the season.

Summer Job Fishing Charters says that winter flounder action can be quite good in the early season. He says that the bottom around the GC “3” buoy, off the south jetty at the mouth of the river, can be productive. Here, anglers can “hunt and peck” in 20 to 30 feet of water for flatties using sandworms. Best bet is to fish around slack tide, when the current is light. Expect the flounder to bite through May and well into June before moving offshore.

Haddock, hake, pollock and other bottom fish can be taken at these same spots, as well as over smaller lumps and wrecks that dot the bottom off the Merrimack River. To catch them, get a stout conventional outfit loaded with 50-pound braided line then send down some clams on a standard high-low cod rig weighted with a large sinker or metal jig. The local tackle shops listed below will be more than happy to set you up with everything you’ll need and point you in the right direction.

Bait & Tackle:

♦ Surfland Bait & Tackle (978-462-4202)

♦ Hudson’s Outboard (Salisbury) (978-462-8192)

A young angler braves the weather to land a solid striped bass off Plum Island, proof that great fishing waits for all ages on the Merrimack. Photo/Summer Jobs Fishing Charters.

♦ Bridge Road Bait & Tackle (978-465-3221)

♦ Crossroads Bait & Tackle, (978-499-8999)

Charters:

♦ Scott Maquire, Summer Job Fishing Charters (978-465-2307)

License Requirements

A Recreational Saltwater Fishing Permit is required to fish the marine waters of Massachusetts out to three miles from shore. Cost is $10 for both residents and non-residents. The permit expires on December 31.

Exemptions:

No permit is required for the following individuals:

♦ Persons under 16 years of age.

♦ Persons fishing on a charter or partyboat.

♦ Persons who possess a saltwater fishing license from Connecticut, Rhode Island or New Hampshire.

♦ Persons who, regardless of age, otherwise meet the definition of a disabled person.

The permit fee is waived for anglers 60 and older; however, these individuals must still register with the state. A small fee will be charged by the vendor to process the permit if purchased online.