It’s not uncommon for me to have plenty of photos of 20- to 30-pounders at my disposal, but instead of stripers, this week they were cod! You’re liking the loosening of the cod reigns, aren’t you? And the best of all, some of those cod have come from less than 30 feet of water. *Note that cod season in state and federal waters closes on Monday, Sept. 30.
Massachusetts South Shore and South Coast Fishing Report
Of course it’s still September, and for Captain Mark Petitt of Fire Escape Charters that means blues and bass as well as “brown bombers”! The cod have created a quandary as there’s now a decision as to which species to target during a tide. Not far from clearing the Gurnet, Cape Cod Bay is giving up nice inshore cod among irregular bottom. There is a distraction among the Three Bays however, as blues and bass are busting bait.
While Captain Mark Rowell of Legit Fish Charters has been encountering bluefish, they are hardly the toothiest species he’s been encountering. On a recent groundfish charter just east of the shipping lanes, an unforeseen adversary kept relieving the crew of cod. The skipper turned the tables on the protagonist, broke out the shark gear and caught an 8-foot portly porbeagle that was pretty close to 400 pounds! Mark said that there is no need to travel that far for cod or haddock as both can be found as close as Stone Ledge. For bass a local best bet is Scituate Harbor where schoolie feeds are par for the course.
Pete of Belsan Bait in Scituate said that customers are jigging up some impressive cod up to 30 pounds a short steam from their South Shore slips. Flatt Ledge was mentioned as one of the better bets and he also mentioned Stone Ledge. Schoolies are making up the bulk of bass reports but there is hope for better fish. Far bigger bass were encountered this week off Point Allerton and by now could very well have migrated to the South Shore.
Limits of tog are now a reality for Captain Colby of Little Sister Charters out of Westport and some are beasts. Last week while out with the skipper with limits a foregone conclusion I began throwing back 7-pounders, since I was looking for a double-digit white chin. I may have had such a fish on as a brute buried my jig into it’s lair and broke me off. One of the advantages of the Tidal Tails Jig’z we use is that every fish is lip-hooked making a safe catch and release possible. The captain is also offering a combo of pre-dawn casting eels for stripers followed by a tog trip during daylight.
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Greater Boston Fishing Report
Pogies have re-emerged in the harbor according to Captain Brian Coombs of Get Tight Sportfishing. While not as voluminous as a few weeks ago, there is enough for snagging purposes, especially inside of Deer Island. While there were no bass or blues with the bait, there were plenty of both recently in Nahant Bay with some of the blues impressive gators to 15 pounds! The area between Boston Light and Point Allerton has been good also with commercial guys reaching their “selling” limits on honey mustard Santini tubes.
Mackerel have been plentiful just beyond Boston Light out to Martin’s Ledge as well as the ledges off Hull. Lisa from Fore River Fishing Tackle told me that while she was loading up on macks at Three-and-One-half Ledge, an honest-to-goodness great white breached the surface not far from the boat! Not surprisingly, mackerel along with most everything else became in short supply thereafter! Pogies, however, are plentiful inside the Fore River and Town Rivers in Quincy.
Captain Paul Diggins of Reel Pursuit Charters has plans for the foreseeable future to load up on macks between Boston Light and the BG Buoy and target fast-moving schools of bass and blues in the Nahant area. The North Channel could go off too. Paul said that pogies have moved into the Constitution Marina area recently. While there is no news about stripers with the bait, inshore pogy schools should not be ignored this time of the year as odds are good that sooner or later bass and maybe blues will find them.
Massachusetts North Shore Fishing Report
Tomo of Tomo’s Tackle in Salem said that there are still reports trickling in about big bluefish, especially in the area between Nahant and Marblehead. A chunk of mackerel fished at night from a spiked surf rod off Devereux Beach, King’s Beach or Long Beach is one of the better options for catching a late September bass or blue from the suds. Like big bass, big blues are nocturnal feeders.
A few mackerel can still be found off the piers of Salem Willows, Beverly and Swampscott. Inshore anglers are finding plenty of cod among humps and bumps of the North Shore.
Matt from Three Lantern Marine in Gloucester said that groundfishing is the big news off Cape Ann. Rigs, rods, reels and bait have been moving swiftly as private boat owners and head boat patrons are all taking advantage of the cod liberalization. I know that weeks ago we were catching cod by accident while jigging for mackerel between the Groaner and Halfway Rock and some were keepers. Of course Jeffreys Ledge and Tillies Basin offer a cornucopia of critters to catch as well as a shot at a far bigger cod.
Liz from Surfland said that inshore areas such as Joppa Flats and the Parker River have been attracting a lot of attention from kayakers and surf fishermen. The former are trolling tubes and casting eels while the shore jockeys are tossing topwater plugs. The ocean front near the shop all the way to Sandy Point has been good with seaworms the bait of choice. Mackerel have been found as close as Breaking Rocks and some anglers are using them as bait effectively. Some of the most comfortable surf fishing conditions of the year are upon us and many are taking advantage of it.
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A harbinger of good things to come can be found just across the border, along the Maine coastline. While effort has lessened the hardy up there who are still at it are catching plenty of stripers to over 40 inches. But for now, on the South Shore, Stone Ledge has been good for haddock and cod. The Three Bays have blues and bass with surface feeds belying the bedlam. Hull has been hot for bass and blues with the tube-and-worm the go-to offering. Pogies are once again plentiful among the inner harbor in the Fore River, Deer Island and by the mouth of the Charles River. Remain patient if you don’t find predators with the bait and sooner or later your perseverance will be rewarded. On the North Shore, surf fishers and the beach buggy crowd alike are reveling in spiking a rod in the sand and enjoying what are quite possibly the most comfortable nights of the year.