Massachusetts Fishing Report - July 12, 2018

Just as you are feeling more spry and spirited from the spate of cooler temperatures, so are the striped bass! That wind from the east has been an elixir, and if you can spare me one more Letter E alliteration, there’s another word that describes how one of the skippers did Thursday morning: Epic!

On Wednesday, Captain Jason Colby and I had a meeting with David Pierce, Director of the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF), along with Melanie Griffin, who is the agency’s Fishery Policy Analyst. These two also hold prominent positions in other governmental agencies that oversee our fisheries and are two individuals who can get things done. This meeting, arranged by Jason, was intended to highlight the alarming trend we are seeing in winter flounder stocks. This year continues the flounder’s freefall that began in 2013.

We believe that this downward trajectory is a direct result of the DMF enacting emergency regulations in November 16, 2012, that doubled the trip limits for winter flounder for commercial interests. This was obviously in response to pressure from the fishing industry due to the collapse of cod. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the motive was to focus on flounder because commercial fishermen can’t cash in on cod because they’ve nearly wiped them out.

After this reckless action, the fleet began turning their nets towards the winter flounder, which had just begun to rebound. The fleet knows when the breeding blackbacks begin migrating into bays to spawn, and they are pounding them into oblivion. So that Mr. Pierce and Ms. Griffin didn’t merely take our word for it, I provided the names and businesses of nearly every shop from Plymouth to Plum Island that has felt the brunt and endured the loss of revenue from the lack of flounder. North of the Cape, other than striped bass, flounder are all we have left for a viable inshore species.

I believe that the DMF representatives now “get it” and I’m hoping they act swiftly to avoid an environmental catastrophe. If given the chance, flounder will make more flounder, but not if they are swept up in nets before being able to do so. We’ll keep the pressure on and I’ll keep you posted.

Massachusetts South Shore Fishing Report

Fresh from the Canal going off, Pete from Belsan’s Bait & Tackle in Scituate is hoping for some of those 30-pound mackerel-eating cows to head north a bit. It’s amazing what a difference a few degrees of cooler water temperatures and an east wind will do because I’m hearing of better action nearly everywhere. With word of more mackerel now inshore and pogies aplenty, it appears as if the bait tinderbox has been lit. From Plymouth Bay through High Pine Ledge and into Scituate, find a pogy school being harassed and stick with it. The bass will shadow the school, so even if you have a pogy on the hook, keep one eye on the movements of the bait. If they move out, go with them.

Rowell is also skilled at putting patrons into a shark bite; in fact, he’s gearing up for this weekend’s Monster Shark Tournament, where he’s hoping to improve on last year’s fourth-place finish. Scituate Harbor has had schoolies and pogies, but could the east wind have pushed cows in there as well? There’s only one way to find out.

Boston Harbor Fishing Report

The package from Hogy that arrived on Wednesday at Captain Brian Coombs’ house was quite timely. Inside were some impressive new stickbaits/spooks that ended up getting quite a workout the very next morning aboard Coombs’ Get Tight Sportfishing center console. That east wind blew in bait, bass and even tuna just north of Nahant. Ironically, the plugs came with tuna-grade hooks, as if the Hogy folks knew what was in store. In the middle of a big bass-on-bait party, Charlie the Tuna (and company) came calling, and one of them promptly spooled an angler! In spite of the tuna, the crew still landed 26 fish between 40” and the upper 40s – pounds, that is! Suddenly, there are some serious fish around.

Captain Paul Diggins of Reel Pursuit Charters had been trolling macks in deep water between the BG Buoy and the B Buoy, but with the news of the sudden surge in inshore big bass, he’s probably going to be hitting the harbor instead. Even if bigger fish don’t come closer, you can bet the harbor will still have plenty of schoolie surface feeds.

Herring fry are already beginning to stage at the mouths of rivers. Surf-fishing spots close to those herring runs will begin to pay dividends soon, making them good choices for the casting cadre. Matt from Monahan’s Marine mentioned the deep-water possibilities, especially when a pogy is on the line. Point Allerton, Toddy Rocks, the outer Brewsters, Brewster Spit, and Calf and Little Calf islands are all choice locations.

Dan from Bobs Bait Shack said that pogy schools have moved inside Winthrop and all the way in through the East Boston Yacht Clubs, and the striped bass have found them. For flounder, he suggests a deep-water trip to the outer islands or past Hull since there isn’t much going on inshore. Regarding flounder, my last trip aboard the Little Sister proved acceptable for the targeted species, but what really stirred things up was an 8- or 9-pound tog that had me briefly thinking I had a world-record flounder on the line!

We released that white chin and are expecting similar-sized fish soon enough in Westport. Many don’t think of tog until late summer or fall, but last year Captain Colby and I found an impressive pile in August, so stay tuned!

Massachusetts North Shore Fishing Report

Tomo from Tomo’s Tackle said that prodigious numbers of pogies are commonplace between Nahant Bay through Beverly, and the anglers catching the most are hunting for balled-up schools. Some follow their noses for the “aroma” given off when bass are feeding on oily fish such as herring or pogies – it has been described as melon, albeit a melon you’d be wise not to eat!

The improved striper bite, thanks to cooler temperatures, extends all the way into Plum Island, according to Martha from Surfland. In fact, she described it as “flipping a switch”. Joppa Flats has been jumping with good bass at night with eels, and there has even been decent fish caught during the day on poppers.

Strangely, the sizzling striper bite has not translated to Gloucester, according to Skip from Three Lantern Marine. He said that while there is no shortage of pogies, most can’t find cows with them. Maybe the intel there is lagging, and better bass have been blown in unbeknownst to most. What Skip did say was that there were schoolies present in Manchester and Gloucester harbors, and he even heard of some bluefish activity.

Captain Chris Valaskatgis of Manolin Charters echoed what most have been saying, namely that the last 4-5 days have been really good fishing. He uses a trolling motor that slows down the presentation substantially, which he thinks makes a huge difference. Stripers prefer not to chase a speedy pogy, but one that’s obviously impaired will be singled out.

Chris suggests moving between different pogy schools from the Merrimack out through the beachfront until you find a school that’s being mugged. He knows of beachgoers who are catching 20 pounders with eels at night. Plus, there have been pelagics scaring the heck out of bass fishermen in water as shallow as 30 feet!

Massachusetts Fishing Forecast

The winds of change have blown in better bass fishing! If Plymouth through Scituate has not been producing size for you in spite of plenty of bait, those bays/harbors are now worth another look. Cooler temperatures and the east winds seem to have blown in bigger fish just about everywhere. Winthrop Harbor through East Boston has pogies and bass on them, but that’s not to suggest deeper water is to be ignored. There are others doing quite well on mackerel and pogies off Hull toward the outer islands. If you throw a topwater to bass from Nahant through the Plum Island, make sure you have a spare spool of line!