Massachusetts Fishing Report – August 24, 2017

Pictured above: Ned LaVallee landed a big Boston Harbor bass this week.

The months of September and October are glorified among the striper-obsessed as crunch time, the period of the almighty “run,” but the truth is that bass begin stirring in the latter stages of August. For proof, you need look no farther than the results of last weekend, which were quite possibly the best of the season so far for big bass. If you can distance yourself a bit from striper mania, there’s another striped phenom in our midst – bonito! But, before you make haste to get in on those finned rockets, you should ask yourself one question…does my reel have a good drag?

Massachusetts South Coast Fishing Report

It’s not often that Captain Colby of Little Sister Charters decides to pass on a nighttime excursion of “eeling” for bass for something “more interesting.” But, things change quickly when the buzz is on about bonito. And if ever there were words, which summed up bonito, “quick” and “buzz” are accurate. I was fortunate to be aboard the Little Sister for the first concerted effort to hook one of these little missiles, and as I dropped into my tackle bag an assortment of what is considered requisite offerings for bones – slim-profiled metal spoons – I had one eye on my go-to lure for run-and-gun sorties off all types, namely Shimano’s Waxwing. Recent intel suggested that a wave of peanut bunker had invaded the area, and if ever there was a ringer for those little pogies, then the bunker Waxwing 88 is it. The problem on this day was getting the lure past the hordes of voracious 6- to 9-pound blues. The upside was that if there ever was a test for the durability of this 3 ½-inch bait, this was it. It survived the blistering bluefish assault andl finally I was able to thread the Waxwing past the blues and hit paydirt – bonito. Now that they are here, many of you will be swept up in the Buzzards Bay bonito blizzard, make sure you pack along lures such as the Waxwing that cast far and can be ripped through the water quickly without losing their aplomb.

The flip side of our outing was a quest for the first tautog of the year in spite of the near 70-degree water temperatures. (Tautog fishing is far better once the mercury dips below 60 degrees and the fish school up and become aggressive.) The blackfish fishing could have been better, but another “black” fish more than made up for it. Humphead black sea bass provided non-stop action and a learning moment. As is usually the case, we opted for Tidal Tails Jig’z for the tog, but we did not have any crabs. Instead, we offered the tog clams, knowing that when they are aggressive and shoaling, they will not pass on a clam dinner. We can’t say whether or not tautog were present because seconds after dropping the jig/clam combo, near the bottom we would be tight to a black sea bass. We now have a very attractive alternative to the typical clumsy, “two leader hook with heavy sinker” terminal rig many employ for black sea bass. The only swap I would make is to substitute fresh strips for the clams, which will catch just as well and not require constant re-baiting. But while the bonito may stick around awhile, you had better strike soon if you want a black sea bass because the season ends August 29.

Massachusetts South Shore Fishing Report

It’s not often that clues of a disappearance begin with forage, but according to Captain Mark Rowell, that may explain the sudden dearth of tuna. Just prior to the exodus, one of the principle baits was halfbeaks and those fast-moving baitfish tend to lead tuna out of town, kind of like a pelagic pied piper. The Legit Fish Charters skipper said that the good news is that the tuna should be back soon enough. What’s very interesting is the appearance of peanut bunker. We saw swarms of them the other day in Buzzards Bay and it seems that the South Shore, from Plymouth through Cohasset, has them also. For those who live for blitzes, there are few accelerants to massive surface feeds like a parade of peanuts. And, as if on cue, the fish have been responding. What’s also interesting is that spike mackerel have sniffed out the peanut bunker and with all those bite-sized morsels, combined with moderating water temperatures the harbors should be explosive. The fuse just may be lit on a very good fall run, the likes of which we haven’t seen in years. If it happens we can thank the peanut bunker.

Already, according to Pete from Belsan Bait in Scituate, a precursor of what may come is taking place in Scituate Harbor and in front of the North River where surface activity involving fun-sized 10- to 15-pound stripers has been a regularity during the morning and especially the evening. For better bass though the rap remains the same – eels at night among the rocks or mackerel by day in the same areas.

Massachusetts Greater Boston Fishing Report

Wow, was this past weekend a winner, with four of my friends catching spectacular stripers. The common thread they all share, other than being absolute gentlemen, is that they all employed proven big bass baits and they all released their fish to fight another day.

Tops was Carl Vinning’s 50-pound striper he caught on Saturday on a fresh-dead mackerel, which was described by two very experienced salts as “the biggest bass I’ve ever seen.” Steve Langton took first place in the open category of the NEKF striper tournament with a 49” beauty and right behind Steve was my neighbor Bill Eiker with a 48 ½” fish that won the “Barbie Rod” division and placed second in the open category. Every bit as impressive was my buddy Dave Flaherty who bested a paunchy 40-pounder among rocks, barnacles and bubbleweed that would give the Flying Walendas fits. Steve and Bill’s big bass were caught on eels at night and Dave’s cow pounded a magnum-sized Sebile Magic Swimmer. None of these guys were tossing out light stuff – they all went for it and caught great fish.

Mackerel continue to be the most sought-after bait and you can find them off Boston Light, Graves Light, Flipp Rock and Nahant. While pogies are plentiful, many are passing on them and instead going for the sure thing – the mighty mackerel. But not all are seeking the instant gratification which comes with mackerel. One of Boston’s historically best commercial catchers, a guy who is no stranger to the nifty-fifty club and shuns the spotlight, is completely all in with the pogy as soon as they become available. Again, this guy is nothing if not taciturn but he is an acquaintance of my friend Captain Jason Colby who informed me that he’s still doing his thing, which is catching very big striped bass on pogies. Regarding Jason, he told me a long time ago to stick with big baits—eels at night and pogies by low-light—wherever you know of 30-pound plus fish being caught. Not 20-pounders, but genuine 30s…and sooner or later you’ll catch that 50. When a guy who has caught 60-pounders talks I usually listen.

Massachusetts North Shore Fishing Report

With peanut bunker quite possibly ready to bear down on us, water temperatures dipping daily and the calendar now into the last week of August, it’s time to keep on the lookout for blitzes. As usual Tomo of Tomo’s Tackle in Salem is ahead of the curve and is already talking them up. While I’m not sure about the bait source there have been surface feeds by Ram Island, Preston Beach, Devereux Beach and Pig Rocks. Recent big tides brought in big weed off Egg Rock but some such as Captain Brian Coombs of Get Tight Sport Fishing were able to thread a mackerel through the gunk and catch fish up to 40 pounds. Brian does not employ trebles while trolling like so many others do but goes the conservationist route with circle hooks giving his charters the option to release their catch unharmed. Salem and Beverly seem to have some of the bigger mackerel around, in fact they are the perfect size for those that target tuna. Some are live-lining or trolling them and catching nice stripers by Satan Rock as well as Misery Island. Marblehead Harbor has been solid too.

Adam from Three Lantern Marine told me that there are plenty of pogies in Ipswich Bay but most are complaining that there aren’t often bass with them. Stripers don’t do well chasing evasive quarry in 40 feet of water, especially during daylight, but won’t completely abandon such an abundant bait source. Try live or chunk pogy among nearby upwellings, shoreline, ledge or other prominent structure where bass may lie in ambush. Some of the better local bass are being caught by Ten Pound Island as well as near the Dogbar Jetty.

Liz from Surfland said that a lot of small stripers have moved into their environs as of late. You should have no problem catching them by the dozens from the Merrimack all the way to Sandy Point and they are not fussy. The commercial catchers naturally are fishing differently and drifting the rivers or Plum Island Sound with eels. There has been little word on Joppa lately but many are taking to fishing the Wildlife Reservation with the larger SP Minnow a favorite there. For groundfish, my friend Captain Tom Ciulla has been targeting Tillies Basin where cusk, haddock and “catch-and-release” cod are cooperating.

Freshwater

Things are hopping for Captain Patrick Barone of Early Rise Outfitters – literally. An abundance of grasshoppers along the banks of the West Branch of the Swift River means that the need to fish with infinitesimal offerings is over, at least for the time being. The flip side of Patrick’s charter service at the moment is treating patrons to the panoply of gamesters which swim throughout the Connecticut River and Lake Buel such as pickerel, pike and bass. One of his go-to baits right now are chartreuse spinner baits which he works at the edges of weedlines where those ambush predators lie in wait.

Massachusetts Fishing Forecast

It’s rare that such a little critter can make such big waves, but then again, the extraordinary usually takes place once peanut bunker arrive and from the South Coast through the South Shore they are pushing into bays and harbors and the result is blitzes of blues, bass and even bonito. For those hyper little tuna, keep on the lookout by the mouth of the Westport River and for South Shore stripers keep watch in Plymouth and Scituate harbors. Greater Boston just delivered a bang-up weekend for cows. Fish smartly as those who caught them did with eels at night, mackerel or pogies by day and big plugs during low-light. The North Shore has not been immune to first-stage-of-the-run blitzes either with beaches off Swampscott, Marblehead and Newburyport all best bets.