We have had some reports that the fishing has picked up some in the Essex River. Some fresh stripers have arrived this week which is a good sign after a slow start. You know they are fresh by the sea lice found on them. The Merrimac is fishing real well which it does this time of year. Some reports of big bass caught and released on the Beach front of Crane Beach this past week on small 2-1/0's flies. The Essex river had a good spring run of stripers and then it slowed down quite a bit. As usual more fish are due to arrive through the first week of July. Look for the fishing to pick up in the weeks to come.