CBP

Anyone fish these areas and if so where are the best launch sites? Also, are motored boat excluded on parts of the Parker River, near the refuge? Ive got a flat bottom skiff and I'd like to get up into the upper waters with the old flyrod. Any first hand info on good striper spots would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for the help.

gf

There are no fish in these rivers so stay at home!



OK, just kidding. There are several of us here on THT who live and boat in this very area.

The only public ramps in the area are the Ipswich town landing



and Perley's Marina in Rowley. There is a ramp on the Parker River in Newbury



but it is limited to town residents only (like me).

There are no restrictions to powerboats in the area, although there are several no wake zones that need to be adhered to.

Alternatively, you can access Plum Island Sound about 2 hours either side of high tide via the Plum Island River from the Merrimack River. You could launch from Salisbury State Park or Cashman Park in Newburyport. In a shallow draft boat like yours you may be able to stretch that to 2.5 hours either side of high tide.

The Ipswich River is navigable all the way up to the dam in the center of Ipswich, the Rowley River peters out just upstream from Perley's Marina off Warehouse Lane. The Parker River is tidal all the way upriver to the waterfalls at Central Street in Byfield, the low bridge at Middle Road in Byfield, near Governor Dummer Academy, is passable only by small skiffs. I have to stop at this point in my 20' center console.



All 3 rivers have an active herring/alewife run in the Spring which leads to great early season striped bass fishing. I have caught my first bass of the season on the Parker River on May 1st the past two seasons.

All 3 of these rivers experience 7-8' tide variations so local knowledge is definitely a good thing when traversing them for the first time. The Ipswich River, in particular, has several rocks that are exposed at low water and partially covered - ouch! - at mid-tide.* The Rowley and Parker are generally muddy so there is less worry about grounding.

CBP

Thanks for the info gf, should there be any action up there through mid Oct.? Also, do you do any duck hunting in that area? Thanks much.

gf

There will still be fish around through mid-October. You'll have better success on the ocean side of Plum Island than the back side by then, however.

I do not hunt but there is a sea duck season in the area.

I copied this from www.newenglandgameandfish.com:

"North of Gloucester are two of the top coastal hunting areas in the state. On the north side of the Merrimack River is Salisbury Marsh in Salisbury. The 4,662-acre Parker Wildlife Refuge in Newbury is on the south side of the river. A new ramp at Salisbury Beach State Reservation is an all-season, all-tides landing that should stay ice-free into December. There is also a small landing inside the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge gate on the Plum Island side.

The Parker River Refuge is accessible by boat or by foot, which is a bonus for hunters who do not own a large number of decoys or a seaworthy craft. The refuge entrance gate and parking lot opens one hour before shooting time. Expect crowded conditions on weekends.

The Parker River site is divided into areas A, B and C. Each portion has special restrictions. In Area A, for example, access is by boat only from the refuge boat launch, which is opposite Lot 1, where you must park. Or hunters may access Area A from off-refuge sites. If possible, plan to hunt around high-water times to avoid being stranded in the marsh at low tide.

Area B may be reached by boat from the refuge ramp, from off-refuge sites or by walking from Lot 8 off Newbury Neck Road and Marsh Avenue. Duck hunting is permitted only in spots designated by Public Hunting Area signs. Area B is one-third of a mile to the left of the trail's end from Lot 8. Jump-shooting is not permitted here, and hunters must rig at least a half-dozen decoys and hunt within 50 yards of them.

Area C, also called Nelson's Island, is accessible by foot only and is a good choice if you don't own a duck boat. Park in Lot 9 off Stackyard Road. Hunting is not allowed within 150 feet of the parking area. If you are new to the area, obtain DeLorme's Massachusetts Atlas & Gazetteer, Map 19, for more access details.

Massachusetts's waterfowl seasons and bag limits will be posted on the MassWildlife Web site at www.state.ma.us/dfwele/dfw/*.**Seasons and bag limits should be similar to last year's. Maps of all state WMAs and boat launches can also be found there."

CBP

you're a good man gf