Massachusetts Fishing Report 7-31-14

The most successful anglers have been getting their striper fix one of three ways. There has been the offshore method of trolling mackerel. In rivers where river herring fry aggregate, bass have been numerous and then there’s the “see what the birds belie” mindset. Increasingly, however, sharpies are relying on the tried-and-true peak of summer bait – eels – and not surprisingly some of the bigger fish are being caught with them.

Massachusetts South Shore Fishing Report

In Marshfield, Green Harbor’s bluewater specialist Scotty Sinclair had me practically panting over canyon reports. Results from the recent Oak Bluffs Bluewater Classic tournament indicate a world class fishery with a reality that for most is beyond comprehension. Scotty said that is seemed as if every other boat drew a white or blue marlin into their trolling spread! Additionally, the canyons gave up albacore, yellowfin tuna as well as the occasional bigeye tuna, the latter of which won the event. Scotty suggests that pelagic hopefuls employ rigged ballyhoo, Joe Shute heads, and Canyon Gear Dredge heads in their trolling spread. There have been a number of giant bluefin taken from Jeffreys Ledge as well as Platts Ledge. Closer to the coast, stripers are being taken with the tube-and-worm, especially by the Brant Rock/Bluefish Cove area. Kids on school vacation are doing quite well dragging tubes right in the harbor. Those craving a cow should concentrate at the South and North Rivers with mackerel. In some cases, a whole dead mackerel is outfishing a live one as peak water temperatures have made the bass less active.

Joe from Belsan’s in Scituate said that a 10-pound fluke was recently landed from the North River on a mackerel chunk. While chunking is not the preferred method for fluke, doormats tend to defy conventional wisdom; a big fish such as this needs a big meal. And speaking of big meals, snapper blues have arrived which are a favorite prey of the larger fluke. Snappers tend to congregate in estuaries/marshes especially by inlets and marinas. Snappers are not fussy and will fall for everything from a Sabiki rig to a small streamer fished below a float. Rig snappers with a sliding sinker rig and drift or cast among shelves, drop-offs or channel edges in estuaries, bays or river mouths. Joe told me of 8-pound tog which have been taken by spear fishermen among inshore rockpiles off Scituate and Cohasset. Mackerel are sporadic from the 21 Can and beyond. Try trolling the macks at the edge of state waters or try inshore among Third and Fourth Cliffs.

Greater Boston Fishing Report

Rick from Fore River in Quincy confirmed that snapper blues have taken up residence in the Quincy/Hull area. While the Boston area is generally considered the domain of the “other” flounder, there are more fluke around than most realize. Last week while fishing with Mike Dumais, he told me that he recently caught and released a racer-thin 18 ½” fluke in Hull that appeared to be emaciated from its migration northward. Every year about now I target them in earnest. Top a livewell off with snappers and check out the Pemberton Pier area, Wollaston Beach, Long Island, Revere Beach (by the breakwater), Lynn Harbor and Lynn Marsh. The rivers remain one of the most consistent striped bass producers thanks to herring fry. David Do, who is a regular of Fore River, has been catching stripers in the Back River with lures such as the Queen Cochahoe which simulate the prey. You’ll also find no shortage of anglers most every evening chunking at the mouth of the Neponset River, a hint that the bite is on there is that the same vehicles tend to be parked there night after night! This season remains a stellar one for squid with the Nut Island area the hub.

I was not surprised to hear that flounder were still cooperating from Laurel at Hull Bait and Tackle. Patrons of the shop have had no problem drifting among the Rainsford Island area and reaching limits. Stripers continue to be taken by the shoreline of the James Ave. area as well as the Neponset River. Herring fry are also gathering at Marina Bay, the Charles River locks and the stretch between the Amelia Earhart Dam and the Alford Street Bridge. Early mornings are best when the bass ball up the hapless prey. Pogies remain no problem but the reality is you can usually expect long hours live-lining or chunking them before you find an interested bass.

Massachusetts North Shore Fishing Report

Tomo from Tomo’s Tackle in Salem said that there have been some surface feeds with mid-30-inch fish in the mix by Misery Island. White “boy” Waxwings have been a winner. Mackerel are spotty in the Salem area but I did hear of a quick dozen taken just this Thursday off Shag Rocks in Nahant. Flounder can be found in Swampscott, Manchester Harbor and off Magnolia. Squid fishing remains sizzling off Swampscott and Nahant with boats lit up like a tall ship attracting the most squid.

Surfland recently weighed in a 44 ½-pound striper! Where you benefit from this news is the manner from which it was caught – an eel up close among the rocks! Kay Moulton told me that commercial anglers who frequent the shop are almost exclusively trolling or casting eels along the shoreline, especially where there are rock formations, and they are catching quite well! The Merrimack and Parker Rivers are also productive, maybe due to herring fry amassing.

Pete from Fin and Feather said that there are schoolies in the Essex River while surfcasters working the effluence where the rivers meet beaches are scoring slabs at night with eels. He mentioned Cranes Beach and Coffin Beach as good bets. Forage consists of sand eels, mackerel, sea herring and river herring young of the year. Bluefish are a slash and dash species with the most consistent location being Halibut Point off Rockport.

Fishing Forecast

On the South Shore stick to the South and North Rivers with mackerel by day and eels at night. Another option is to jig up snapper blues and see if you can find a few fluke between The Spit and the New Inlet Buoy. If you’d like to target the non-toothy flounder, drift some seaworms by Rainsford Island. If you’re hankering for stripers in the harbor, try a Queen Cochahoe at the mouth of the Back River, Neponset, Charles and Mystic Rivers where the bass are feeding on baby herring. Up north, Salem Sound has been the scene of some surface feeds for mid-30-inch fish, but for something more likely to be measured in pounds try pounding Cranes Beach, Coffin Beach and Plum Island after sunset with eels.