Without any semblance of a sustained striper bite, when there is a blitz, the auspicious anglers are beginning to look like the proverbial desert-walker blinking and wondering whether the oasis up ahead is real. And for the most part, by the time you believe your eyes, the party’s over. But, folks are catching, and there are some patterns which are working better than others.
Massachusetts South Shore Fishing Report
Dave of the Fisherman’s Outfitter in Plymouth has the same take most everyone who has a feel for what’s going on has – it is a real gamble out there and the “house” is winning a lot. Regardless, there are momentary surface feeds of “gypsy” bass that are hard to predict. There have been recent blow-ups by Clarks Island, Warren Cove, High Pine Ledge and Manomet Point. If running and gunning the surface shows doesn’t cut it, try trolling mackerel near the feeds. Troll with no weight but have a rod at the ready with an egg sinker and be ready to drop a mackerel below the feeds should one appear boatside. While not as numerous as a month ago, if you chum in open water you should be able to find some along with a few pollock and sea herring. Upsize your sabiki teasers for maximum visibility now that mackerel are scarcer. Some blues have been bulldozing swimming plugs outside of the Power Plant.
Bob from Green Harbor Bait and Tackle in Marshfield told me that the macks are still king but their “kingdom” has shifted to where some anglers are traveling all the way out to Stellwagen to load up the live well! While you’re out there, you may want to drop one down to the bottom near the Double LLs since cod catches are on the upswing. Bob suggests you try trolling those mackerel about as soon as you enter state territory since much of the bass population seems to be inhabiting deeper water than in years. Try two rigs with one up by the surface and another with a minimum of 4 ounces of weight; amazingly, some of the bigger bass have been close to the surface in 100 feet of water, even during bluebird, daytime trips.
Joel from Belsan’s Bait in Scituate said that out beyond Minots Light is your best bet for besting a bass and mackerel remain the mark. Others that are catching are drifting mackerel or harbor pollock near The Spit, Fourth Cliff and by Third Cliff. Upstream in the North River look for river herring fry sprinkling the surface and odds are you’ll find bass from 16 inches to 16 pounds. State water remains steady in the cod category with anglers locating humps and offshore ledge beginning in 60 feet of water catching and occasionally even limiting out.
Greater Boston Harbor Fishing Report
Mike Bousaleh of Ave Maria Charters has been quietly steering away from the fleet, jigging up mackerel (albeit with more difficulty now) and finding willing fish among deepwater ledges east of Hull. During one recent stretch, he was averaging a 40-pounder a day until a “big one” hit and broke him off. And make no mistake, there are some colossal cows out in deep water – as deep as 110 feet. Captain Jason Colby took a trip out there to see what he could find and while he only encountered the skunk, the glassy surface gave way a sunning striper of such proportions that its departing swirl was as wide as the beam of his boat!
Regarding Captain Colby, he ended his 2014 flounder season Thursday morning in stunning fashion with charter Scott Filion boating a monstrous, 19 ¾-inch, 4-pound 12-ounce blackback! This is only two days removed from a 4-11 caught aboard the Little Sister! It’s almost inconceivable flounder this big this late in the season. What may also seem inconceivable is that the skipper pulled his boat immediately after the trip for the trek to Westport where it will remain until the end of November. The Westport move is a wise one since in spite of the monster flounder the bulk of fish are migrating out to deeper water and striped bass are anything but a slam dunk for even the most erudite skipper out there. The mélange of Westport consists of black sea bass, fluke, tog, scup, “funny fish” as well as the usual bass and blue spurts. I’m chomping at the bit to sample the goods down there and you can bet I’ll be using the forecast as the forum to fill you in. Meanwhile your 5-pound flounder waits for you and the bite has been best by Quarantine Rocks, the Hull side of Peddocks and sporadic spots throughout Hull. Drift, don’t anchor up, and while we generally clamor for the clam as a big blackback bait, clams tend to spin while drifting making the seaworm the best bet.
Captain Rob Savino of CJ Victoria has been defying the experience of most in the harbor by putting patrons into slobs as big as 45 pounds! It has not come easy however even to this relentless skipper and he’s had to work for mackerel between Nahant through Graves Light and out to Martins Ledge. Rob has been finding roving small schools of mid to upper 30-inch bass putting on surface displays from the North Channel out through Egg Rock. His best tip is to slowly approach blow-ups and then drop a live or fresh dead mackerel overboard and let it settle on the bottom for the cow clean-up crew!
The other option remains the river herring fry/striper slaughter. My friends Dave Panarello and Carl Vining allowed me to pedal my Hobie Revo 13 along amidship of their “Mudflat” tin boat as they racked up a 20 striper outing with fish up to 36” long in muddy, hot “dirty” water that is loaded with linesiders because they are snacking on the almost limitless bounty of river herring fry. When I asked a DMF biologist about this phenomena he said, “Why would they leave with all that bait”! Carl and Dave were kind enough to pull their lines for a while to let me even catch a few. Soft white Sebile Magic Swimmers were working for me while those guys caught on a red tube-and-worm. Most any river in New England which has a river herring run will have fry gathering now and some will linger into early winter! And migrants and holdover stripers will never be far away!
Massachusetts North Shore Fishing Report
Arguably the most consistent cow-catching location north of Cape Cod has been Nahant; it seems that not a day passes when someone isn’t enjoying a blitz of bass. And the feeds often consist of teen-sized to 35-pound fish! It’s the close proximity to deep, cool water and the plethora or prey with all the squid, pollock, sea herring and mackerel which are ebbing and flowing throughout this place. Boaters should stake out Nahant Harbor for the sizzling squid bite. Shore folks would be wise to spend some time by Swampscott as well as piers, docks and wharves around Gloucester.
Tomo of Tomo’s Tackle in Pickering Wharf in Salem said that there has been refreshingly good rock cod action among irregular bottom outside of Salem Sound beginning in 50 feet of water. Shore slingers are catching stripers up to 30” from the Lead Mills as well as Short Beach, Lynn Beach and Kings Beach. Peter from Fin and Feather in Essex expects the bass bite to remain productive where the Essex River meets up with Cranes Beach. Eels are a staple and for a stable of artificials try the Daddy Mac DM Minnow, white Rapala X-Raps as well as the Ocean Lure SP.
Brandon from Surfland in Newburyport said that the Plum Island Ocean Front has been best with surf guys tossing eels at night and boaters drifting the just offshore doing very well. Mackerel are a good day time alternative and it may take some doing but you can find them between Breaking Rocks and Hampton Ledge. Joppa Flats has no shortage of fish but they are extremely skittish and have a short feeding window. Winter flounder can be found in 30 feet of water sporadically from the mouth of the Merrimack out to Sandy Point.
Fishing Forecast
Obviously if there’s a bird and bass show you have to give chase anywhere you see it in the Plymouth area, but stash a few live or fresh mackerel at hand in case the feeds don’t remain still. Hull remains heaven for big flounder, and with Captain Jason Colby relocating to Westport, the next one that is caught may be yours. Drift West Gut and outside of Hull Gut and poke around nearby islands – there are monsters still around. Egg Rock has been excellent for striped bass surface shows with Red Rock and the Lead Mills shore alternatives. For eel casting, try Plum Island and Cranes Beach, especially on an outgoing tide near the rivers. Joppa Flats is a challenge with plenty of resident stripers but few caught. Maybe it’ll be you that solves the Joppa puzzle?
Absolutely crushed them on the second incoming at splitting knifes in the three bays! Lucky I guess, but if you do you’re homework and watch the wind, tides and bait patterns(silver-sides) you will have a blast. We caught 50 plus fish with plenty of keepers mixed in on sebile sticks shads (with modified single hooks) 9 inch white sluggo’s, and Panther Martin swim baits with crushed barbs. All this action was in 2 foot minus waters, and the fish were cart-wheeling and jumping like tarpon! Tight-lines!
Love linesiders in shallow water, they definitely push the panic button when hooked. Which Stick Shadd do you prefer Walleye?
Awesome to hear Walleye!!!! My father and I have had to get into any good action like that this yet in the three bays. It has been a struggle!
Tight Lines
Walleye,
Did you get any fish out of all those bird piles in Plymouth bay this evening??? We only could get a few small ones.
P.S- I was the kid who spoke to you and you commented on my lobster pot platform. hahah.
Tight Lines
Hey H.T, we slayed them after you guys left, plenty of schoolies, but plenty of keepers to 38 inches below them. We through white sebile stick shads and Al Gags in white pearl to get below the schoolies. They never stopped feeding from Hobbs Hole to Splitting knifes!
*Threw…Tight lines H.T!