FishCondishMerrimack River, MA Fishing Report & Live Conditions
Merrimack River, MA fishing report
The Merrimack River mouth is a productive stretch that fishes differently through the year. Striped bass arrive with the spring bait run, often chasing herring and smelt through the jetty current, and hold here well into fall. Bluefish show up in summer, sometimes crashing bait schools on the surface flats. Fluke bury into the sandy bottom of those same flats once water temperatures climb into the mid-60s. Tautog work the jetty rocks in spring and again in fall. Weakfish and kingfish are less predictable but show up during warmer stretches, often mixed into the same sandy-bottom zones as fluke.
Work the jetty edges during moving tides, especially the last two hours of the outgoing when baitfish funnel through the channel. Stripers stack behind current breaks along the rocks — soft plastics on jigheads, bucktails, and live eels at night are reliable producers. For fluke on the flats, drift bucktail and Gulp combinations along the sandy drop-offs. Bluefish respond to fast-retrieved metal lures or poppers when they're pushing bait to the surface. Onshore winds can muddy the shallower flats and push fish deeper toward the channel edges, so read water clarity and adjust depth accordingly.
Merrimack River, MA tide times
The closest NOAA tide station to Merrimack River, MA is Plum Island, Merrimack River Entrance (station 8440452), about 0.5 miles away. The mean tide range at this station is 8 ft. Predictions below are referenced to MLLW in local time.
| Date | Tides |
|---|---|
| Sat, Aug 1 | ▲ High 1:44 AM 8.6 ft▼ Low 8:05 AM 0.2 ft▲ High 2:13 PM 7.9 ft▼ Low 8:17 PM 0.7 ft |
| Sun, Aug 2 | ▲ High 2:25 AM 8.5 ft▼ Low 8:43 AM 0.2 ft▲ High 2:53 PM 8.1 ft▼ Low 9:01 PM 0.6 ft |
| Mon, Aug 3 | ▲ High 3:08 AM 8.3 ft▼ Low 9:24 AM 0.3 ft▲ High 3:36 PM 8.3 ft▼ Low 9:49 PM 0.5 ft |
| Tue, Aug 4 | ▲ High 3:56 AM 8.1 ft▼ Low 10:09 AM 0.4 ft▲ High 4:22 PM 8.5 ft▼ Low 10:42 PM 0.4 ft |
| Wed, Aug 5 | ▲ High 4:48 AM 7.8 ft▼ Low 10:57 AM 0.6 ft▲ High 5:13 PM 8.6 ft▼ Low 11:38 PM 0.4 ft |
| Thu, Aug 6 | ▲ High 5:45 AM 7.6 ft▼ Low 11:51 AM 0.8 ft▲ High 6:09 PM 8.7 ft |
| Fri, Aug 7 | ▼ Low 12:38 AM 0.3 ft▲ High 6:46 AM 7.4 ft▼ Low 12:49 PM 0.9 ft▲ High 7:08 PM 8.8 ft |
| Sat, Aug 8 | ▼ Low 1:42 AM 0.2 ft▲ High 7:50 AM 7.3 ft▼ Low 1:51 PM 0.9 ft▲ High 8:11 PM 9 ft |
| Sun, Aug 9 | ▼ Low 2:45 AM 0 ft▲ High 8:54 AM 7.4 ft▼ Low 2:53 PM 0.8 ft▲ High 9:13 PM 9.2 ft |
| Mon, Aug 10 | ▼ Low 3:46 AM -0.2 ft▲ High 9:54 AM 7.6 ft▼ Low 3:54 PM 0.6 ft▲ High 10:12 PM 9.5 ft |
Tide predictions from NOAA CO-OPS, regenerated daily. For the live water level, wind, and today's fishing score, open the Merrimack River, MA dashboard.
What's biting near Merrimack River, MA
The species most likely to be feeding the river mouth, the jetties, and the flats: striped bass, fluke (summer flounder), bluefish, black sea bass, tautog, weakfish, and kingfish. FishCondish grades every hour of the day for Merrimack River, MA and gives each species its own bite forecast, so you can see which window is worth fishing before you load the truck.
Merrimack River, MA fishing FAQ
What fish can you catch at Merrimack River, MA?
The species bite forecast for Merrimack River, MA covers what's likely feeding there, including striped bass, fluke (summer flounder), bluefish, black sea bass, tautog, weakfish, and kingfish — and updates with the live conditions.
What's the best time of day to fish Merrimack River, MA?
Dawn and dusk are usually the strongest windows at Merrimack River, MA, especially when they line up with moving water around a tide change. FishCondish grades every hour of the day so you can pick the best one.
When is the best season to fish Merrimack River, MA?
Spring and fall typically bring the most active fishing along the river mouth, the jetties, and the flats as fish migrate and feed heavily, with summer steady for warm-water species. It varies year to year, so check the live score before you head out.
How do I know if it's a good day to fish Merrimack River, MA?
FishCondish combines wind, tide movement, water temperature, pressure trend, and moon phase into a single 1–10 fishing score for Merrimack River, MA, updated in real time — a quick go/no-go read before you make the trip.
Fishing tips for Merrimack River, MA
New to these waters? Start with these beginner-friendly guides: