Massachusetts Fishing Report | October 9, 2014

Ordinarily angling effort drops off in October but this year it has been a free-fall. That makes it a long offseason for those giving up the game but fishermen still at it aren’t complaining about feeling lonely they’re too busy keeping company with fish!

South Shore/Westport/h2>

Tog have a well-deserved reputation for being one of the scrappiest species in the Northeast. If you’re not onboard than you haven’t had a 9-pounder pull 35 pounds of drag which is what happened to me last Saturday out of Westport aboard my buddy Captain Jason Colby’s Little Sister. If you’re looking for crabs they have them at Westport Marine, if you’re looking for crab-crunchers poke around rockpiles and wrecks among the Westport side of Buzzards Bay, as water temperatures drop below 60 degrees the bite is only going to get better. Lately we’ve taken to tossing eels among the marsh banks of Westport River and are starting to find bigger bass. On Sunday Zach Silbert had a cow shrug off his stout outfit with 50-pound braid and proceed to half hitch him all over a mooring line and break him off. It looks as if tautog aren’t the only species getting bigger here!

Pete from Belsan’s in Scituate said that while historically cod appear to be down for the count, inshore in about 70 feet of water some are achieving limits of fish up to 10 pounds! Diamond jigs under 10 ounces with red tube tails have been the ticket to hauling in the cod. The most consistent cow-catching in these parts has been a case of find the pogies in Duxbury Bay and odds are big bass will not be far away! At first light “flips” are the indicator, later in the day look for sections of nervous water, purple patches or if they are over shallow muddy flats you’ll sometimes see roiled, almost coffee-colored water as they stir the bottom up.  As usual the graveyard shift striper seekers are using serpents to do their dirty work in the North and South Rivers as well as tributaries.

Greater Boston

The overall lack of striped bass compared to a few years ago has resulted in increased numbers of some inshore members of the herring family. Hickory shad have been making more of a splash in the Hub according to Paul from Bob’s Bait Shack in Winthrop. These super-sized herring are just the antidote for those looking for big bait for big bass. From dark through first light is the best time to find them and they will often frequent marinas where they can be seen surface feeding on baitfish or shrimp. A big Sabiki Rig with a slim-profiled jigging spoon will catch these acrobatic shad. The question may then become: does one catch them for the fun of it or use them as striper bait, because on a light rod with a small spoon they are a blast. Check out the myriad of marinas in the Winthrop for those hickory shad especially where there is a light source. Often the splashing and popping is the tell-tale sign that they are there. You might want to try live-lining them by Snake Island, Deer Island, Spectacle Island and Governor’s Flats

Carl Vining and Dave Panarello have been into double-digit days with mid-20-inch fish while bouncing SPRO jigs on the bottom of the Lower Middle in the Harbor. Other anglers tying on a teaser a few feet in front of the jig are doing at least as well. There has been surface feeds throughout the Hull/Quincy area. Smelt have been slow but for those panting for the silver streakers check out the North Shore report.

North Shore

There’s a lot to appreciate about Tomo’s Tackle in Salem and from my perspective I appreciate the last minute call he gave me on Wednesday evening to tip us off to a melee in Marblehead Harbor which involved stripers up to 40” pounding sea herring and mackerel! The action was steady and the question is whether these fish have remained or are now off Lynn or Revere? It might be a good time to try for smelt off the Marblehead Commercial Street Pier or the Beverly Pier since I got recent word from Joey of The Fisherman’s Outfitter that folks are “killing them” off the state pier in Gloucester! Shrimp is the best bait and some of the guys are using nothing more than sliced up supermarket fare! Joey himself has been practically glued to his new Shimano Ultegra/Tiralejo 9’6” combo which is part of Shimano’s vaunted new Long Distance Surf System and it is enabling him to hit fish on the feed a ways off the backshore of Gloucester. Baitfish consists of peanut bunker and mackerel which makes the baby Waxwing/Orca duo deadly! The bite has been good among Good Harbor Beach as well. Linesiders can also be found among the Little River as well as the Annisquam River.

Kay from Surfland told me that angling effort is uncharacteristically down even though it’s not even mid-October which all practical purposes is prime time! Those still at it are still catching among the jetties, beach front and Parker River Wildlife Reservation. Something can said for fishing upstream however! While resident fish habitually depart estuaries and rivers throughout late September and through October, migratory fish are all too happy to fill the void. Some of Surfland’s most accomplished sharpies are slinging eels upriver of the Parker and Merrimack Rivers, at night of course. Kay even talked about luck upstream of the Route 95 Bridge!

Freshwater

A little bit of rain goes a long way when it comes to a cold water fishery in the fall. Just ask Eddie of B&A in West Boylston. The flow from the rainfall has brought on a lot of buzz among the Wachusett watershed. There’s the 2 ½ pound white perch which slammed a crawler among the Gate 30 side of the res’, and how about the 4-13 landlocked salmon which also jumped on a crawler among the Quinapoxet River. The current has brought breeding-bound landlocked salmon into the Stillwater Basin where many anglers are catching and releasing them with flies, spinners and worms.  For lakers bounce a spoon behind the Fire Station, Bull Rock, The Ledges, Tahanto Point, Sawyer Bluffs and by Scar Hill Road. A tube dragged along the bottom of any of these places could result in a big bronzeback.

Anglers often wait in line for hours to rent a boat or launch on opening day in Quabbin Reservoir but that most likely will not be the case when this gem closes for the season this Saturday. Rod from Flagg’s even suggested there’s a real possibility of hooking a salmon right from the shoreline of Gates 31 and 35. There hasn’t been sufficient rain to lure the salmon into spawning tributaries but because they feel the urge they are cruising in numbers close to the shoreline. You don’t have to get fancy here – a basic medium shiner under a float should do! Other options are Lake Mattawa which is teaming with freshly stocked rainbows and the Miller River which just received 1000 brown trout. For the former Rod recommends by the boat launch while the Wendell Depot gets the nod for the latter.

Best Bet for the Weekend

If you found a lantern and out popped a genie at your beck and call then if you’re addicted your wishes may include spots with few other anglers, feeding fish and comfortable weather thrown in the equation for good measure. Well stop wishing and get fishing because that’s what we have.  Tog are tearing apart crabs among the Westport side of Buzzards Bay while bigger bass are prowling among the marshes. Cod continue to crush jigs/teasers among the Scituate/Minot area with the pivotal depth around 70 feet. Hull has been hot near the Harbor but as a backup plan try jigging the Lower Middle. Those bass that were causing all the buzz among Marblehead on Wednesday are probably still around but may have moved southerly to Lynn, Revere or Winthrop. For bass you may find the Backshore of Gloucester best, but if it’s been too long since you jigged up a smelt set your sights on the State Pier of Gloucester, especially at nightfall.