new england saltwater fish species

 STRIPED Bass



Other Names: Striper, Rockfish, Rock, Linesider

Scientific Name: Morone saxatilis

Lifespan: 30 years

Estimated Size: Up to 59 inches and 55 to 77 pounds

Identification: The striped bass is currently the most sought-after coastal sportfish species. This highly migratory fish moves north from the mid-Atlantic area during the spring and back southward during the fall, spending roughly the months of May through October feeding on Great Bay’s abundant food resources, including river herring, pollock and silversides. The Chesapeake Bay and Hudson River estuaries contain the major spawning and nursery areas for East Coast striped bass. Spawning typically takes place during April and May in the freshwater tributaries of these estuaries. Almost all females are mature by the time they reach 36 inches in length and 5 to 9 years in age. The striped bass has a large mouth and sharp, stiff spines located on the gill covers, anterior dorsal fin and anal fin. A full-bodied fish, the striped bass is bluish to dark olive dorsally, with a silvery belly and sides. Several dark, lateral stripes, reaching from the gills to the base of the tail, are the most prominent features distinguishing the striped bass from other coastal species.

General Information: Striped bass can be taken from shore and from a boat while casting, trolling and drifting. Fly fishing for stripers has become increasingly popular in recent years. Popular striped bass fishing spots include shorelines, bridges or docks with nearby drop offs, holes, or strong currents. Striped bass fishing is especially good during an evening or early morning tide, as stripers are nocturnal feeders. Live or natural baits are effective, especially live eels, pogies (menhaden), and chunks of mackerel, squid or herring. An 8- to 10-foot surf rod and reel spooled with 30- pound test or a medium to heavy spinning rod with 12- to 20-pound test line is preferable, depending on fishing location. Effective lures include the spoons, poppers, lead-head jigs and swimming plugs. Effective flies include streamers that look like bait fish. A particularly good one is Lefty’s Deceiver.

 Bluefish


Other Names: Snapper blues

Scientific Name: Pomatomus saltatrix

Lifespan: 9 years

Estimated Size: Up to 24 inches and 20 pounds

Identification: The bluefish is a favorite quarry of recreational anglers along the Atlantic coast because of its great fighting ability and its schooling behavior. Since bluefish run in schools, when you catch one, you will often catch several more soon afterwards. The bluefish is most abundant from Cape Cod south to Argentina. During the summer, however, large schools of adults migrate up into the Gulf of Maine. The best time to catch bluefish in waters is from the end of July to the beginning of September. The bluefish has a stout body, a forked tail and a large mouth with numerous large sharp teeth. It has two dorsal fins: the first one is composed of seven to eight short spines; it is followed by a second dorsal fin that is twice as high, made of soft rays, and is similar in appearance to the anal fin. Coloration is a sea-green on the back, fading down the sides to a silvery color on the belly. Bluefish spawn in the offshore areas of the continental shelf in two major locations: southern Florida to North Carolina in the spring, and the mid-Atlantic to southern New England in the summer. After a few months, the young bluefish migrate shoreward into the coastal estuaries. In two years, bluefish will grow to about 18 inches and be sexually mature.

General Information: Most bluefish caught range between 18 and 36 inches, although occasionally anglers may encounter a school of “snapper blues” (young fish less than 12 inches long). Bluefish are caught by anglers fishing in Great Bay and its tributaries, along the coast and at the Isles of Shoals. Anglers can catch them from a boat or from shore on rocky outcroppings, jetties, bridges and piers. Equipment will vary depending on the type of fishing preferred. Fly fishing, spinning or trolling with bait are all good methods for catching bluefish. When spin fishing, a medium- to heavy-duty rod with 10- to 40-pound test line is recommended. Regardless of the equipment or the technique, wire leaders are a must: bluefish have sharp teeth that can easily cut through most monofilament lines. Swimming lures and drifted bait are effective for catching bluefish. Chunks of pogies (menhaden), mackerel, herring and live eels are good baits. Effective artificial lures for casting or trolling include poppers, spoons and plugs. Effective flies include Clouser minnows and foam-bodied poppers

 Atlantic Mackerel


Other Names: tinker mackerel (small mackerel)

Scientific Name: Scomber scombrus

Lifespan: 20 years

Estimated Size: Up to 12-18 inches and less than 3 pounds

Identification: The Atlantic mackerel is a fast-swimming species that often travels in large schools. It has a slender, streamlined body and a long, pointed head. The mackerel is easily identified. It has a wide, deeply forked tail, striking black bands on both sides of the body, and finlets running on both the dorsal and ventral sides from the rear edge of the dorsal and anal fins to the tail. Most Atlantic mackerel caught by anglers are 12 to 18 inches in length and weigh less than 3 pounds. Mackerel range from Labrador south to North Carolina.  The more southerly contingent arrives in early summer from spawning grounds off the New Jersey and Long Island coasts. The northern contingent of mackerel moves inshore to the southern New England coast by late May, migrates north to spawn in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and then passes through coastal New Hampshire again in September-October on its way offshore to overwinter in deeper waters. Mackerel are sexually mature by the time they are 13 inches long. The mackerel is a popular recreational species because of its schooling habit and voracious feeding behavior. In the Gulf of Maine they can be caught from late spring through fall, although mackerel fishing is best in early June after spawning or during the fall when they are fattened following a summer of feeding.

General Information: Atlantic mackerel can be found inhabiting the upper 10 to 25 feet of the water column almost anywhere along the New England coast. They are most often caught from private or party boats, but shore-based anglers catch them as well. A medium spinning rig spooled with 15-pound test line is best for casting with a single, 1- to 1-1/2-ounce mackerel jig. However, any small jig or shiny metal lure can be used with good results. Effective bait includes worms, clam necks and squid. Effective lures include diamond jigs and mackerel trees.

 Winter Flounder


Other Names: blackback, Georges bank flounder lemon sole, sole, flatfish, mud dab

Scientific Name: Pleuronectes americanus

Lifespan: 15-20 years

Estimated Size: Up to 23 inches and around 8 pounds

Identification: The blackback is a rightsided flounder, which means the dark-colored side where the eyes are located occurs on the right side of the fish. It is distinguished from other right-sided flounder by its very small mouth, relatively flat lateral line and the presence of scales between the eyes. The color is highly variable and can change to mimic the bottom habitat. Winter flounder populations occur in most bays and estuaries, from Newfoundland down to Chesapeake Bay. In the Gulf of Maine, winter flounder begin moving into the bays and estuaries from offshore areas during late winter in preparation for spawning, which occurs in April or May in New Hampshire. After spawning, blackbacks in the Gulf of Maine remain in the bays, harbors and near shore areas throughout the summer before migrating to offshore waters in the fall. All females are sexually mature at a size of 14 inches (generally 2 or 3 years old). Tagging studies have shown that winter flounder generally return to the same estuaries to spawn year after year.

General Information: Fishing for flounder in New Hampshire begins in May and generally continues through September. Anglers can fish for flounder from jetties, piers and bridges, but those fishing from boats near the mouths of estuaries and harbors are more successful. Light to medium tackle rods are used, equipped with 1- or 2-ounce weights and long-shank flounder hooks attached to “spreaders.” In most instances, lures are ineffective in catching flounder; bait is best. Favorite baits for flounder include clam worms, blood worms and clams. Chumming is a common tactic for attracting flounder to the location you are fishing.

 Rainbow Smelt

Other Names: Saltwater smelt

Scientific Name: Osmerus mordax

Lifespan: 7 years

Estimated Size: Up to 12 inches and 3 ounces

Identification: The rainbow smelt is a small, tasty fish highly sought by winter estuarine anglers. Abundant in inshore coastal areas from the southern Canadian Maritime provinces south to Massachusetts, rainbow smelt congregate in bays and estuaries in the fall to feed on crustaceans and small fish. In March, as water temperatures rise and ice breakup occurs, smelt spawn in areas of high water flow and rocky bottoms in estuarine rivers. The rainbow smelt is a slender fish with a large, toothed mouth, pointy head and small adipose fin. A deeply forked tail, presence of teeth on the jaws and tongue, and green color on the dorsal side distinguishes smelt from most other small fish caught by smelt anglers in Great Bay. Sexual maturity is reached at a length of about 7 inches. Most landed smelt are 7 to 8 inches in length, but some “jack” smelt can exceed 12 inches in length.

General Information: The smelt begin to gather in the bay and near the mouth of tributaries in late fall and winter in anticipation of their spring spawning run. These smelt are often larger than those found in inland water bodies because they spend their life feeding in the rich marine environment, where food is plentiful. During late fall, smelt are occasionally caught by anglers fishing from docks and along the shore in New Hampshire’s coastal harbors and tidal rivers. However, smelt fishing begins in earnest with the formation of ice in the Great Bay Estuary and its tributaries. Smelt fishing is best a few hours on either side of high tide, and catches are most often greater at night. Many anglers use short two-foot-long fishing rods, while others simply tie their fishing lines to cross beams, placing them over the holes in the ice in their ice shanties. Smelt anglers will have success using a variety of gear, whether it’s a small spinning outfit or a handline. A very light line, 4-pound test or less, is essential. Clam (or sea) worms and small local bait fishes like mummichogs are effective using a size 6 to 10 hook and a small sinker. Since schools of smelt can move vertically in the water column while they swim, the depth of a baited hook is critical to successful smelt fishing. An effective lure is a small silver or metallic-colored jig.

 Atlantic Codfish

Other Names: Rock Cod

Scientific Name: Gadus morhua

Lifespan: 25 years

Estimated Size: Up to 79 inches and 212 pounds

Identification: Atlantic codfish are distributed throughout the North Atlantic, with well-known stocks situated in the area of the Grand Banks and Georges Bank. Smaller stocks exist closer to shore in southern New England and in the Gulf of Maine. In coastal New Hampshire, codfish of various ages are found near the Isles of Shoals, and both juveniles and adults are caught along Jeffrey’s Ledge. Cod can occur from surface waters to depths of 1,200 feet, depending on life stage and season. Most frequently they are found at depths of 200 to 300 feet, living within a few feet of the bottom. Adapted for bottom feeding, cod inhabit rocky bottoms, but may occasionally feed on herring in the water column. Codfish in the Gulf of Maine spawn during February or March, and all females are mature by the time they are 23 inches in length. The most distinguishing physical characteristics of cod are the three rounded dorsal fins and two equally rounded anal fins. The head is large with a blunt snout, large mouth, and chin barbel. The body is marked by a distinct lateral line that is pale in color and arched over the pectoral fin. Coloration varies with the surroundings, but is often dark brownish- black dorsally, with yellowish to bronze marbling on the sides. The back and sides are also marked with many brownish-reddish spots and the belly is invariably white. Average size of codfish caught near shore ranges from 6 to 12 pounds; occasionally anglers may encounter 20- to 30- pound adults.

General Information: Most cod-seeking anglers fish on offshore grounds from private or party boats using fresh bait or jigs with teasers. Opportunity exists, however, for anglers to catch this fish from shore, as well as from boats in near-shore waters. Popular baits include clams, sand eels, squid and shrimp. Cod fishing is at its best in spring and fall when water temperatures are changing. Diamond jigs and other jig-type lures are effective hardware for catching cod.

 Haddock

Scientific Name: Melanogrammus aeglefinus

Lifespan: 25 years

Estimated Size: Up to 43 inches

Identification: Best known as fine table fare, haddock range from the southern end of the Grand Banks in summer to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, in the winter months. This member of the cod family prefers deep, cool water and gravel or smooth rock substrates. Haddock migrate seasonally and are most abundant in coastal New England during summer months in the shallower waters of the Gulf of Maine. Spawning occurs in March and April. Eastern Georges Bank is the most productive haddock spawning area in the Northwest Atlantic. Areas east of Nantucket Shoals and off the coast of Maine are also haddock spawning locations. Like other members of the cod family, haddock are distinguished from other New England coastal species by three dorsal fins and two anal fins. A black lateral line and a large dark spot over each pectoral fin set the haddock apart from cod, pollock and tomcod. Most females are sexually mature at 17 inches. Few haddock exceed 24 inches or weigh more than 3 to 5 pounds.

General Information: The haddock resource has declined dramatically since the late 1960s, despite implementation of management strategies for stock recovery. Nonetheless, haddock can occasionally be caught in New Hampshire from spring to fall in deep water areas from private, charter, and party boats fishing for other groundfish. A medium action 8-foot boat rod is effective for haddock fishing. Unlike cod, haddock have soft mouths that gently tap at a baited hook. These are felt as light bumps to the angler, thus requiring a sensitive rod. Lures are ineffective in catching haddock. Fresh clams, shrimp and squid are the best baits.

 Pollock

Scientific Name: Pollachius virens

Other Name: American pollock, Boston bluefish

Estimated Size: Up to 42 inches and get to 46 pounds

Identification: American pollock are distributed along North American continental waters from Labrador to North Carolina. Attempts to define distinct breeding stocks within this expansive western Atlantic range have, so far, yielded inconclusive results – thus, the entire U.S. pollock population is assessed as a single unit. Within New Hampshire waters, pollock are found offshore, near the coast, and in the harbors. The pollock is an active fish living at all depths, depending on the food supply, which includes small invertebrates, shrimp and baitfish. Some generalized distribution of pollock by size class is evident. Larger fish tend to be found deeper and farther from the coast, while small pollock (often called “harbor pollock”) are more likely to be near the surface. The pollock is a late fall, early winter spawner. All females are sexually mature by the time they reach 27 inches in length. Pollock are identifiable by their olive green color, three dorsal fins and small chin barbel. Distinguishing pollock from its two close relatives and sometime associates, cod and haddock, is easily done by looking at color and external markings. Pollock caught by hook may range in size from 10 to 16 inches (harbor pollock), with up to 2- and 3-foot fish encountered offshore.

General Information: Recreational anglers, casting with light spinning gear, may take small harbor pollock from inshore waters near breakwaters or other structures. Larger pollock may be taken offshore in deeper waters. Pollock are caught with either artificial lures, such as diamond jigs and mackerel trees, or with bait, such as clam necks and clam worms.

 atlantic herring
Scientific Name: Clupea harengus         

Other Name: Sea Herring, Sardine

Estimated Size: Up to 19 inches and get to 1.1 pounds

Identification: Atlantic herring (sea herring) travel in large schools, feed on plankton and migrate into New Hampshire’s offshore waters during the summer. Unlike the river herring, which travels into freshwater for annual spawning, the Atlantic herring spends its entire life at sea. The body is elongate and laterally compressed, and its head is relatively small and pointed. Dorsal coloration is greenish-blue to blue and blends into a silvery belly. Adult sea herring are sexually mature at 12 inches and rarely exceed 19 inches in length.

 Atlantic Salmon



Scientific Name: Salmo salar         

Other Name: Sea Salmon, Black Salmon, Kelt

Estimated Size: Up to 30 inches and get to 12 pounds

Identification: The Atlantic salmon is an anadromous fish that spends one to three years in freshwater streams after hatching before migrating to the sea. Following a period of one to three years at sea, the adult salmon returns to spawn in the river where it was born. The Atlantic salmon differs from trout in that it has a smaller mouth, a narrow caudal peduncle and a forked tail. The upper jaw is slightly longer than the lower, and barely extends to the back of the eye. Adults and smolts are silver with a brown, blue or green coloration on the dorsal surface that is marked with black spots. Juvenile salmon are stocked in various coastal rivers as part of several restoration programs.

 Sea-Run Brown Trout



Scientific Name: Salmo trutta         

Other Name: Salter

Estimated Size: Up to 39 inches and get to 44 pounds

Identification: Known as a fish difficult to catch, the sea-run brown trout is characteristically shy, wary and rare in New Hampshire. Efforts to establish a small population in Berry Brook in Rye have provided anglers with occasional excitement with catches of fish weighing between 1 and 5 pounds. Sea-run brown trout retreat to salt water to feed for the spring and summer before returning to fresh water for fall spawning. They have a long head, a large protruding lower jaw and a broad square tail. Coloration of the sea-run brown trout is light brown to tan dorsally, with halo-enclosed black spots on its silvery sides.

 Ocean Pout



Scientific Name: Macrozoarces americanus

Other Name: eel pout, congo pout and mutton fish

Estimated Size: Up to 39 inches and get to 14 pounds

Identification: The ocean pout (or eel pout) is easily identified by its long, slender body and broad, heavy head. The dorsal and anal fins extend the full length of the body to the pointed caudal fin. Coloration ranges from muddy yellow to reddish-brown. Females are sexually mature when they reach 20 inches in length. Although there is no direct fishery for ocean pout, they are often taken incidentally while groundfishing on semi-hard to rocky bottoms. The most common length of ocean pout caught by New Hampshire anglers is about 16 to 28 inches

 tautog



Scientific Name: Tautoga onitis

Other Name: Black fish

Estimated Size: Up to 36 inches and get to 22 pounds for a large fish

Identification: The tautog is a stout fish with a blunt nose and thick lips. Large conical teeth at the front of the mouth recede to flat crushing teeth used for eating hard-shelled prey. Coloration is dark green to black dorsally, mottling to a lighter background color on the sides. Adults average 1 to 1.5 pounds and are sexually mature at 10 inches in length. The tautog is an occasional catch of New Hampshire anglers who are fishing along our rocky, inshore waters. Anglers who catch a tautog will find it is excellent table fare.

 Longhorn Sculpin