The one given for surfcasters is that blitzes will be just beyond the reach of your cast yet close enough so that you can see boaters tearing them up. But the playing field becomes much more level come late September, especially if you’re not afraid of serpents and things that go bump in the night.

The open ocean is often a gamble with levels of striped bass abundance tied to schools of baitfish. But that’s not the case in the skinny water of estuaries, marshes and rivers. These environments teem with a bass buffet and stripers instinctively travel upstream into them, especially from now until the final waning wave of bass leaves our coast in late October/early November. For the striped bass, eels are the ideal nightcap.

Find a bridge at the gateway of such an inshore habitat, preferably one with some sort of light source which will cast a shadow line and sling eels, bucktail jigs/Sea Rind or a metal-lip plug that throws a big wake and vibration and odds are good you’ll find an interested striped bass. You don’t necessarily need to be on the bridge if the shoulder allows you to access current. While current is desirable, there is too much of a good thing so aim for a few hours either way of the top of the tide or slack low.

South Shore Massachusetts Fishing Report

Pete from Belsan’s in Scituate said that it was surfcasters who made the headlines this week. Some caught cows up to 35 pounds on bunker chunks at Fourth Cliff; others did well with 25-pounders on chunk as well as with eels off The Glades and Sand Hill Beach. Cod are cruising within a short haul from shore around inshore rockpiles and ledge. There has been a recent appearance of squid around dockage in Scituate Harbor as well as “the cliffs”. There just may be some cephalopods in Cohasset Harbor as well.

Dave from The Fisherman’s Outfitter in Green Harbor told me that the hot water surging out from the Pilgrim Power Plant is not the only thing that is hot – so is the blue fishing. Trollers with tubes/worms as well as those with swimming plugs are all scoring fish up to double-digit size. There are still mackerel just beyond The Gurnet and some are catching stripers by live-lining or trolling the macks among ledge inside the bays or off High Pine Ledge. A couple other options are MaryAnn Rocks, Manomet Point or Flag Rock.

According to Bob from Green Harbor Bait and Tackle, the giant bluefin tuna bite has improved from Stellwagen in through Cape Cod Bay. Most are catching them on live bluefish, whiting or mackerel. The latter which are numerous about 3 miles out from shore. Live macks are accounting for some fine fishing off Burke’s Beach, Rexhame Beach and Humarock Beach. Anchor near bars or ledges, tie-off a small balloon and float these baitfish near the structure to see what’s home.

Greater Boston Harbor Fishing Report

Pogies are around, but you’ll really have to work to find them. These things can change in a tide but right now the numbers are disappointing. Some are going to great lengths at the usual spots such as Wollaston and Winthrop because they know that a live pogy in late September is pay dirt. A better bet may be to jig up some mackerel, which, thanks to the lack of significant bluefish, are still around! I have heard of them by Martin’s Ledge, by Graves Light the BG Buoy as well as off Nahant. I would take those mackerel to Moon Head Island, Faun Bar and especially between Deer Island and Crystal Cove in Winthrop. Even though it’s hardly a boon with the bunker, bass will still have them on the brain and will not venture far from even small schools. Show them a live mackerel and they just can’t resist.

One place you probably can’t resist visiting especially during off-hours is Hull Bait and Tackle, which has a 24-7 outdoor vending machine chock full of every type of bait imaginable, and is crammed with tackle from steel leaders to SP Minnows! The shop’s owner, Laurel, recently fielded a question from a young patron who was wondering if the ubiquitous snapper blues were good bait. She gave him a big thumbs up and he soon returned with a 37-inch striper that he took at Cohasset Harbor on a snapper. The rocks at Point Allerton for both surfcasters and boaters continue to be hot. Rick from Fore River Bait and Tackle in Quincy had little word having just returned from an overseas jaunt, but he did repeat a word many would like to hear – smelt! They are starting to catch a few sliver streakers off Nut Island Pier.

North Shore Massachusetts Fishing Forecast

There has been some serious blitzing at dawn off Revere Beach and in Lynn Harbor. Some shore casters cashed in on 40-inch fish off the causeway in Nahant. I’m also hearing of pogies in Lynn Harbor, which might explain some of the blitzing and big bass. Don’t sail into these spots without a backup plan; there’s plenty of mackerel from the 2 Can off Nahant up to Egg Rock. Toss these among the breakwater off Revere Beach, Kelly’s Rocks or Red Rock off Lynn Beach. Another alternative is near the Swampscott shoreline; the bass seem to be orientating near the shoreline – you’ll do best in close.

Macks are also easy pickings by Salem Sound, try Bakers and Misery Islands for mackerel or Halfway Rock. Tomo from Tomo’s Tackle recommends live mackerel or a tube/worm by Fifteen Foot Rock and the first red and green nuns at the entrance of Marblehead Harbor. Schoolies have been busting bait by Rams Horn Rock in Salem Sound. Squid numbers were down last week at Salem Willows and Beverly.

Tomo also has word of a few inshore cod taken by those poking around lumps, humps and clumps just outside of the harbor. From Pete of Fin and Feather in Essex came news that 30-inch fish are schooling up in the Essex River and have been susceptible to flies and plugs. Time or tide seems to be irrelevant as patrons of the shop have been catching in the middle of the day. Pete recently went on a tuna trip out by Jeffreys Ledge and while Charlie was in short supply, he did comment on the incredible amount of groundfish that were there. He used the term “could fill up the boat” to describe the level of fish.

Martha from Surfland said that there are obtainable numbers of mackerel out by Breaking Rock. A high-percentage technique with live mackerel is to drift through the mouth of the Merrimack River. Another good bet would be to slowly troll the breakwaters and out along the reservation and to Sandy Point. The bait brigade continues to pick away at teen-sized stripers along the Plum Island beachfront, especially by the Parker River Wildlife Reservation. One angler took a 20-pounder on seaworm in the middle of the day off parking lot 6 in shallow water. Martha mentioned the 1A Bridge which spans the Parker River along with Plum Island Sound as possible good spots to work eels at night.

New Hampshire and Southern Maine

Chad from Dover Marine called the saltwater fishing in the Granite State as feast or famine. Stripers are schooled and following the feed. While in one location it can appear to be an empty sea, the angler just around the bend may be arm weary. One recommendation is to do a “drive-by” along Rt.1 from Odiorne Point in Rye through Seabrook. The point is not to just look for birds but to envision a bass at the end of every cast. Stop periodically and comb the shoreline with a favorite offering or two. The effluence where Square Creek joins Great Bay has been good, one angler recently tallied 17 schoolies there. There have been a few giant tuna taken with anglers following the tuna that are following the whiting trawlers and using whiting for bait. If you can’t find the boats, find the 220’ contour line by New Scantum/Old Scantum and troll whiting or mackerel along it.

Ken from Saco Bay said that cooling water temperatures and migrating river herring fry have brought bass back into the Saco River. You can also find sporadic blitzes off Pine Point, especially by Fortune’s Rock. Most of these fish are schoolies which are taking bait by day, but there appears to be a better class of fish – mid-30” – at dark and they are feasting on eels. Outside of Wood Island there are monstrous mackerel which make mighty fine tuna bait. Speaking of which, two giants were brought back into port in Saco Bay on Wednesday night with both crews claiming that they were taken but a short ride beyond the bay and most likely on mackerel. Groundfishing continues to be great with The Fingers section of Jeffrey’s Ledge fishing especially good in about 200’ of water. Blue sharks seem to be everywhere and are not hard to find once you get a good chum slick going.

Best Bets for the Weekend

You could do far worse than sling eels most anywhere you can wet a line along the South and North Rivers on the South Shore. For a toothy thrill, plug just outside of the Pilgrim Power Plant in Plymouth. Mackerel remain an awesome bait source; jig some up between the outer islands of Boston Harbor and Egg Rock in Nahant and take this terrific bait source into Lynn Harbor, Saunders Ledge or off Red Rock and see if you don’t score stripers. On the North Shore, Marblehead Harbor is good for the tube/worm and a live mackerel. Farther north try plugging the Essex River or eeling the Parker at dusk. In New Hampshire the bass are balled up and on the move from Rye to Seabrook. A cooler Saco River has made for hot striper action but for something really sizzling try your turn at tuna just outside of Saco Bay where giant-slayers are taking them on mackerel.