Massachusetts Fishing Report - August 27, 2015

If there were a theme to this forecast, it would be to pay homage to the almighty number three. Whether it’s regarding a triple, a hat trick, a trifecta, or triumvirate, what’s not to like about the number three? Recently on Stellwagen, a skilled skipper hooked up to three tuna at the same time and landed them all! To roll the number three a little longer, a Greater Boston father and sons team they call the “Triple Threat” had their way with three impressive stripers off Hull.

South Shore and South Coast

With the black sea bass season coming to a close, many who enjoy groundfishing along the South Coast will be looking for an alternative. Captain Jason Colby of Little Sister Charters may have found it along the Westport side of Buzzards Bay, namely fluke up to 8 pounds. Expect to pick your way through shorts in the shallows but deeper sections – 50 feet plus – may have a more limited bite but the fish will be memorable. Good baits are killies, squid and strips of most any fish you catch.

Pete from Belsans Bait in Scituate is practically celebrating the appearance of “serious” stripers! Easterly winds are often the catalyst and the recent spate of rollers has been no exception. As usual, mackerel help a lot but they are not an easy find. Some of the more consistent mackerel catchers are out on the water before dawn and become chumming machines once they clear Minots Ledge. One such accomplished angler brought in a bucket full of macks to the shop as gratuitous proof! Bass appear to be in pre-run mode and can be found by Bar Rock as well as closer to the coast spots such as Black Rock Beach, Strawberry Ledge, Smith Rocks, The Glades and Second Cliff. Pete is seeing a lot of angling accounts of “fun” fish of 36 inches and up! Under the unusual category are the fluke and tautog being taken by Damon’s Point in the North River. The tog they are talking off are purportedly well over 20” while the fluke are a respectable 18” fish. If you find yourself at the mouth of the North River, keep one eye peeled for a sinister presence – there’s been a great white shark on the prowl there!

Scotty from Green Harbor Bait and Tackle gave a shout out to Captain Greg Ares who on anchor at Stellwagen tripled up to tuna and miraculously landed a 78” and 88” while still anchored up! They did give chase to a third Charlie which taped out at 98”! The bait was live mackerel, which are easy to obtain should you make the trek out to Stellwagen. Blues are still pounding bait and occasionally topwater plugs by the Pilgrim Power Plant. Increasingly the bait factor is composed of the blessed pogy, which is dovetailing nicely for this time of the year.

Greater Boston

There’s nothing wrong with a little friendly competition and Lisa from Fore River doesn’t mind being the conduit. Tiring of hearing about the accomplishments of one of the Harbor’s top tube-and-worm specialists, Donny and Bobby, the Gray Gang consisting of Dad, Dan and his three sons conspired to put a beat down on the tube tandem. They “macked-up” off Three-and-One-Half Fathom Ledge on Saturday, cruised back into Hull and put the hurt on a 36”, 41” and 43” striper! It looks like the game is on! While the jury’s still out on whether that’s good news for “D&B”, the good news for the rest is that the suddenly scarce mackerel can still be found in deeper water and for those who are adverse to sleeping in.

Another bait option is harbor pollock, which for at least on patron of Hull B&T appear to be plentiful. Laurel reported that a recent outing for a regular resulted in 50 pollock! Pollock congregate closer to structure so check in close and nearer the bottom of ledges as well as Graves Light and Boston Light. Squid remain a viable option for bait as well as table fair off Nut Island as well as piers/wharves throughout Hull. Those who live-line the squid or cast out the fresh bait are being rewarded with stripers up to 40” Nut Island gives up an occasional flounder still and some are 16” fatties!

Bass blitzes throughout the Harbor remain the norm with Bob’s Bass Triangle the recent hotspot. Increasingly anglers looking to target fish larger than the ubiquitous schoolies are finding fish up to the mid-40” range lurking below the bird/bass raucous. Shore guys should try Deer Island, Winthrop Beach and Revere Beach: all places which are seeing an increase in surface feeds.

North Shore

Congratulations to Al Williams of Gloucester on his 53.8-pound striper! The nifty-fifty was weighed in to Three Lantern Marine and is the odds-on favorite to win the shops’ season-long bass derby. The fish is hardly a fluke as Al has carved out a decades-long reputation for being one of Cape Ann’s more accomplished anglers. In addition to this cow, a number of significant stripers – up to 46 pounds – have been caught recently between Gloucester and Manchester Harbor. The sudden appearance of mackerel may have something to do with it. Drop a Sabiki rig down as soon as you clear the Groaner and you should find mackerel! The backshore of Gloucester is also worth a look for both mackerel and eels. Keep on the look for pogies, I have recent Intel about them in Salem Harbor so they may be in Cape Ann as well. Blues have been bashing tackle off Halibut Point.

Tomo from Tomos Tackle told me that the premium bait of all baits – the beloved pogy – is frequenting the area between Forest River and the mooring field of Salem Harbor. A tip from Tomo is to take those pogies, provided that there are no bass on them, and live-line them by Misery and Baker’s Island. You might want to consider Newcomb’s Ledge, Castle Rock and Tinker’s Island as well. Squid are spotty with Swampscott being the most consistent at the moment. While squid may not be steady off Salem Willows and Beverly Pier, some feel that the reliable mackerel are making up for it!

Brandon from Surfland said that bluefish are the big news in Newburyport. The timing could not have been better with the opening of the Parker River Wildlife Reservation. The blues are brutes of 8 to 16 pounds! Chunk mackerel has been hot but there has also been a topwater plug bite as well. The mouth of the Merrimack has been magic for blues as well. Not surprisingly with all those yellow-eyed killers around, mackerel are now in short supply. There have been a few respectable stripers taken throughout the mouth of the Merrimack River on the flooding tide.

Fishing Forecast

The calendar may read August, but it’s beginning to fish like September! If you’ve always wanted a doormat fluke check out deep water on the Westport side of Buzzards Bay. Find the mackerel on Stellwagen, set out a spread and you may find yourself in a bit of a bluefin “fire drill” with multiple hook-ups! Haul out to the ledges of Hull, chum like heck and you should find mackerel. Try bringing the mackerel in off Point Allerton, Toddy Rocks or Hull Gut where the bass bite has improved. Possibly your best bet for a big bass is to fish Cape Ann. The recent cow caught there by Al Williams should give you about “53.8” reasons to consider.