How bad in the mouth of the Merrimack for boats?

[*chris*]

Last year I bought a 17' Whaler for the sole purpose of taking my 6 year old out and catching some blues and stripers. Everyone keeps telling me how dangerous the mouth of the Merrimack is and I may not want to try to get out of the river in such a small boat. I have boated for 30 years most of the time in Long Island Sound and have gone up the Housatonic River countless times. The mouth was always choppy and rough, but if you maintained forward speed and were careful, it wasn't too bad. Looking at the chart, the mouth is 1000 feet wide, is it really that crazy rough?

My first trip out there this weekend, I am leaving the son behind, but I am wondering what others with more experience think.

Chris

 

[el duderino]

I wouldnt worry too much with that boat, just follow traffic out. Around this time you may have better luck for stripers inside the mouth.

 

[*chris*]

I wouldnt worry too much with that boat, just follow traffic out. Around this time you may have better luck for stripers inside the mouth.

Yes that was what I was told. My co-worker who has a boat there said head out of the river early in the morning, catch some herring and go back into the river for fishing. I will give it a try.

Chris

 

[Kicker96FS]

It looks worse than it is, really.

You have what we always called the "standing waves", they sit there and churn and hardly move at all, 4'-6' tall, but all you do on the way out is go slowly out into the ocean, on the way back in you go even slower, the boat climbs the wave and down the other side you go.

In boating, everything is slow. Duke and would go out in his 17" center console every week, just stay out of the middle, the waves are a bit taller there, we would go on the left side on the way out, and come in at the same place.

The other factor is if the tide is coming in going out, or slack. High tide is best, low tide is FUN, but never did we have any problems.

Overcome your fear and do it. Just cinch up the life vest a bit.

 

[Fixxah]

Herring? Not sure about that one.
Years ago they shut down the herring run on the canal. Thouhght it was still off limits to use them. Then again......

Sent from the Hyundai of the droids, the Samsung Replenish, using Tapatalk.

 

[JimB]

i would strongly wearing a good life vest.

 

[bbarer]

Be very careful there, if you do not have the experience or confidence find someone that has been through there before to go with you the first time. It is very tricky and if you do not know what your doing, or if you loose concentration you can get in real trouble. Just listen to VHF Ch16 on any saturday or sunday and hear all the distress calls to the CG from boats going through there. It's like most difficult passages all it takes is just a little local knowledge of how to get through and then noooo problem. Wear your PFD's!!!!!

 

[Billsail]

The incoming tide pushing against the outgoing river current is what creates the standing waves. Look at the tide charts and plan your trips anytime there is a slack tide, or during the ebb. The mouth will be relatively flat, except for wind generated waves, if any, coming off Ipswich Bay. If you plan accordingly, you can spend many hours out in the bay, and return with little problem. And yes, if you keep your wits about you, and have a reliable boat and motor, you can navigate the mouth at any tidal state.

 

[M1911]

Last year I bought a 17' Whaler for the sole purpose of taking my 6 year old out and catching some blues and stripers. Everyone keeps telling me how dangerous the mouth of the Merrimack is and I may not want to try to get out of the river in such a small boat. I have boated for 30 years most of the time in Long Island Sound and have gone up the Housatonic River countless times. The mouth was always choppy and rough, but if you maintained forward speed and were careful, it wasn't too bad. Looking at the chart, the mouth is 1000 feet wide, is it really that crazy rough?

When the tide and wind are just right, yes, it can be crazy rough and more than a few smaller boats have been sunk.

 

[dixidawg]

When the tide and wind are just right, yes, it can be crazy rough and more than a few smaller boats have been sunk.

This.

Conditions at the mouth can change incredibly fast.

I have been out many many times without any real problems. Except for the last time. We had no problem at all going OUT. . But coming back in an hour later was a completely different story. I had a 19' Grady, and I honestly didn't think we were going to make it. That was quite few years ago, and I will not go out the mouth in a small boat again.

As someone has already mentioned, if you are striper fishing, there really is no need to go out. Plenty of fish in the river.

 

[*chris*]

This.

As someone has already mentioned, if you are striper fishing, there really is no need to go out. Plenty of fish in the river.

Ok, without giving out any super secret fishing spots, where should I look for stripers in the mouth? Just follow the boats? I looked at a chart and it seems like the most of the mid/southern part of the mouth is super shallow.

 

[M1911]

Ok, without giving out any super secret fishing spots, where should I look for stripers in the mouth? Just follow the boats? I looked at a chart and it seems like the most of the mid/southern part of the mouth is super shallow.

Look for structure. If the tide is going out, try the mouths of small tributaries -- the stripers may hang out at the mouth trying to ambush bait that flows out of the tributary.

 

[Ski]

I've seen locals fish the mouth in 14 footers alone standing up running tiller motors.
crazy.

I would say other boaters in big moving boats are more a problem.
Definately more choppy on the plum island/mid side....


Troll drifting live maks on the Salisbury side incoming seems to put em in boats
From the Jetty along the State park.


You'll be fine.
Earlier the better.

good luck!

 

[dixidawg]

They come into the "basin" on the back side of the island with the tide. Eels are effective in here. Tide comes and goes quick there so be careful you don't get stuck in the mus. (Don't ask how I know)

 

[el duderino]

I like the flats,can use a spinner or worm and catch some good size stripers. Or on the north side of the river around the grass beds. Printout a depth chart, it'll come in handy.

 

[Harleynut]

I have been through there several times and once in a 14 ft whaler. At the time all was well and not a big deal. If the conditions are right it cad be horrible and change fast. I went with my daughters 6 grade class as a chaperon to tour the coast Gard and museum there years ago and they had movies of when it was bad. It can be one of the worst places in the country to get through if conditions are right other times its uneventful. They showed some of their boats flipping upside down and they automatically turn themselves up again but being strapped into a boat upside down in cold water at night must be terrifying. At times they don't allow traffic through there till they improve.
Found this on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLXsKeybUeA

 

[M1911]

Found this on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLXsKeybUeA

I believe that is one of their 47' motor lifeboats.

 

[mark2]

It can be nasty and it can be nice. If you want to go out, just don't linger there, too much boat traffic and a 17ft boat is easily swamped in the confused waves and wakes. Plus there's no guarantee the biggest boats even have a clue what they're doing, making it much more dangerous for small boats. Too much traffic in full summer. Sure, guys do it in 14 footers (I've personally fished 2 out after their boat sunk) but if it even looks sloppy it's likely worse than it looks. Why tempt fate? Great fishing to be had inside on Joppa Flats or anchored out of the way by Badgers. On a high tide try the salt marsh areas and run up the creeks, plenty of water and great scenery. Just avoid the mouth on a dropping tide and an east wind. If it looks calm then just keep tight to the north jetty and you'll be fine, once out it's a piece of cake.

 

[*chris*]

Man, I think I just got lucky, but the mouth of the Merrimac really isn't that big of a deal. Granted, there was little to no wind and I was playing around low tide, but it was easy. The only issue was the BSDs in their ego-extension boats running full throttle through the channel. Had a great day on the water, only ran into one school of blues in the mouth, but I couldn't land anything. Ramp wasn't bad, of course it was full of goofballs that shouldn't own a boat.

I am not looking forward to an incoming tide, I can imagine that is when it is really bad.

Thanks for everyone's encouragement!

I wasn't the smallest boat out there, there were a few nuts in tin boats.

Chris

 

[Billsail]

Buy a book of tide tables. You'll have all the information you need for an entire year, for short money. Hell, the local papers publish the height and times of tides, daily.

ETA Take Coast Guard Auxillary, or U.S. Power Squadron boating course. Even with all your experience, you'll gain a wealth of knowledge. Plus if you get a boat that's worth insuring, assuming you have at least, liability ins. You should get a discount with your certificate. Some states now require it for operation. How much could you pay if you put a hole in the side of a million dollar yacht?

 

[*chris*]

Buy a book of tide tables. You'll have all the information you need for an entire year, for short money. Hell, the local papers publish the height and times of tides, daily.

ETA Take Coast Guard Auxillary, or U.S. Power Squadron boating course. Even with all your experience, you'll gain a wealth of knowledge. Plus if you get a boat that's worth insuring, assuming you have at least, liability ins. You should get a discount with your certificate. Some states now require it for operation. How much could you pay if you put a hole in the side of a million dollar yacht?

Bill:

Great advice, thanks. Tide tables and charts are on my iPhone. I took the power squadron course with with Father back in High school. I also have one of the first state of CT boating licenses ( I think around #468 or so.)

My boats are already insured under a multi-million dollar umbrella policy. FIL is an attorney, so he keeps me safe from stuff like that

Chris

 

[john m]

I Went camping at Salisbury this weekend. There were a lot of boats hanging 40yrds. off the shore. I caught a striper. It did look rough.

 

[Kicker96FS]

Man, I think I just got lucky, but the mouth of the Merrimac really isn't that big of a deal. Granted, there was little to no wind and I was playing around low tide, but it was easy. The only issue was the BSDs in their ego-extension boats running full throttle through the channel. Had a great day on the water, only ran into one school of blues in the mouth, but I couldn't land anything. Ramp wasn't bad, of course it was full of goofballs that shouldn't own a boat.

I am not looking forward to an incoming tide, I can imagine that is when it is really bad.

Thanks for everyone's encouragement!

I wasn't the smallest boat out there, there were a few nuts in tin boats.

Chris

See? I told it wasn't as bad as it looks and people make it out to be!