Boob tube commercials are beginning to tout the lethargic Dog Days fast approaching in order to sell. Fortunately for Bay State striped bass fanatics before things turn canine, they get bovine – as in cows! And right now those cows are making a lot of racket!
Massachusetts South Shore Fishing Report
Anglers fishing the Scituate area are pinning their hopes on a wall of 25- to 30-pound striped bass that delighted Canal casters over the weekend and seem to have slipped out of the Ditch via the east end. The feeling is that the arrival of those fish is imminent of not immediate. Before that pined-for bass bedlam occurs, Pete from Belsan Bait in Scituate is suggesting that Scituate anglers rise early and jig up some mackerel by the SA Buoy and have at the small to keeper sized stripers which are swarming the South and North rivers. Drifting those macks by day or eels at night by the Third and Fourth Cliff is not too shabby an idea either. Pete has a contingent of kayakers and boaters who are scoring pretty good bass off the ledges of Cohasset. The tube-and-worm has been a winner as well as a host of artificials. Flounder are hanging in there and now are less in the harbor and beginning to migrate out to deeper, cooler water off Egypt and Peggotty beaches.
Captain Mark Rowell of Legit Fish Charters has been continuing to treat patrons to an enviable combination of haddock on the bank and bass at the point! Haddock have drifted off to the east side of Stellwagen but they are still in light-tackle friendly 100 to 110 feet of water. Drop a Sabiki rig toward the bottom and you’ll find the bank to be crowded with mackerel. Regarding crowds, Race Point is hardly lacking during commercial days as hundreds of boats jockey for position trying to fill their quotas. Captain Mark advises anglers to stick to edges of drop-offs for the bigger bass (up to 46”!) and head toward the shallows for possibly more fish but smaller. Mackerel and diamond jigs have been the ticket for the Legit Fish crew in the sweet spot of between 70’ and 90’! The skipper has also been finding that better bass have moved into the confluence of the North and South Rivers, especially on an outgoing tide. For closer mackerel, the skipper suggests Stone Ledge.
Greater Boston Harbor Fishing Report
Pssst…on the sly, there are pogies and big bass on them in the harbor! Customers of the Fore River girls are finding them in the Wollaston Beach area. If you drive by and see a kayak being towed around manically you now know why. Lisa from Fore River also told me that black sea bass can be found in Hingham Harbor and especially by Hewitts Cove. Far from an aberration, a black sea bass devotee is actually targeting them here! If they are here, they are probably at the West Gut, Rainsford Island and Hull Gut. Flounder are beginning to migrate out to deeper water. Captain Jason Colby has been trailing and catching them as they begin their pilgrimage to offshore. Flatties can most likely now be found by Boston Light, Point Allerton, Green Island and the “Calfs”. Mike from Bob’s had a kayak angler tow into the shop a slab striper which was only 6 ounces shy of 50 pounds! On Sunday “Steve” showed the big girl who was boss via a tube and worm off Short Beach in Revere. Snag hooks are starting to move off shop shelves. It is time to start early recon trips in search of pogies throughout the harbor and when you find them, you’ll not have to worry about schoolies. There’s also increasing buzz and nervous looks from patrons who want to keep a lid on things about big bass off Deer Island, Yirrell Beach, Winthrop Beach and Revere Beach.
Massachusetts North Shore Fishing Report
Three Lantern Marine in Gloucester could be nicknamed “trophy town” with the volley of big bass that are being hauled in there lately. Tops in that category was a 52.65-pound monster caught by Al Williams who has been one of fishtown’s top trophy bass catchers for years. Al is a pogy-first guy and rightfully so he goes about his business at night! Big bait under darkened skies are always a winning combination. The shop also weighted in a 47.55-pounder! According to Skip from Three Lantern, the catalyst to catching those cows is the appearance of pogies, which are somewhat around Gloucester but more numerous in Ipswich Bay. The harbor still holds flounder but the interesting news is the number of reports of cod being taken almost as soon as you clear the Groaner. The hottest cod spot at the moment is just off Halibut Point.
Tomo from Tomo’s Tackle in Salem said that the commercial fleet have been making quite the killing live-lining mackerel among deep water ledges such as Newcombs. The most recent reports however are of a surge of 27” to 36” stripers which have moved into Marblehead Harbor by Peaches Point! Mackerel and squid remain spotty off Willows Pier; a more reliable shore species/location is flounder from the Fisherman’s Beach pier in Swampscott. Noel from Bridge Street said that pogies have been spotted off Winter Island. Noel has also heard that Marblehead was hot, in this case fish up to 46” on live mackerel between Castle Rock and Tinker’s Island. The ends of Devereux Beach have been productive for the spike-the-rod-in-the-sand/chunk cadre.
Captain Chris from Manolin Charters put his newfound freedom from the “books” this week to good use as he is now putting patrons into bass up to 38 inches. His charters generally hop aboard, steam out to the mackerel grounds and then put a hurt on the bass throughout the Merrimack River. While mackerel are the magic aboard the Manolin, the skipper has as of Thursday just started sinking a weighted treble into some pogies. So now there is a bigger fish option available. First light usually features a surface feed so clients inclined to that sort of thing can indulge.
Bigger fish are now also fodder for the shore slingers according to Mugsy from Surfland! On Monday, the shop weighed in a 43-pounder that engulfed a mackerel chunk off the Ocean Front. There has been a spike in 20-pound class fish by boat and by boot off the river mouth and beach front, especially by Sandy Point. The hot tip for tuna guys is that just this Thursday morning off Salisbury a regular in the shop reported seeing bluefin blowing up on a school of pogies and it was only 1 mile offshore.
Massachusetts Fishing Forecast
The fate of striped bass fishermen in the Bay State has improved dramatically within the last week with Boston and the North Shore both producing 40- and even 50-pound bass! The hedge on the South Shore is that bigger bass that were thrilling anglers in Buzzards Bay and the canal have made it to the shores of Scituate by this weekend. Mackerel remains the magic and if you can’t get them by the SA Buoy, check out Stone Ledge. Flounder in the harbor is beginning to mean a haul out Boston Light as well as the outer islands as the summer lengthens. Keep your eyes out for and your hooks into pogies and your odds of catching a 25-pound bass skyrocket in the harbor. Try trolling or chunking those pogies from Deer Island through Revere Beach for a potential 40-pounder or bigger. However, it’s the North Shore that gets the nod right now for big bass. For fish up to 46” check out Castle Rock or even the harbor of Marblehead. Look out for pogies in Ipswich Bay and chances are if you find them you’ll have some cow company!
Have to say, it’s been along time since I have seen this many fifty
Pound fish being caught with this regularity! Tight lines!
Are there any signs of bluefish?
Blues cruising around the three bays. Some corkars hang around the north end of clarks island . The plant has few five pounders cruising also. Tight lines.