Joppa Flats, spreading out at the mouth of the Merrimack in Newburyport, is some of the most storied striped bass flats fishing in New England. It is famous for its spring worm hatch, when clam worms swarm on the tide and bass feed on the surface, a fly-fishing spectacle that draws anglers from all over.
The ground
Fish the flats and the channel edges as the tide moves bass across the shallows. During the worm hatch, fish key on the swarming worms and can be maddeningly selective.
How to fish it
This is fly-rod and light-tackle water. Match the worm hatch with worm-imitating flies, and otherwise fish small soft plastics and flies to visible fish on the tide.
Tip During the worm hatch, match the hatch exactly. Bass gorging on swarming clam worms will refuse everything else, so fish a worm fly of the right size and color, drifted naturally, and be patient with the takes.