Massachusetts Fishing Report – September 17, 2020

The wicked winds and rough surf of the past week were challenging but those who found a window in the rough stuff we’re treated to some interesting fishing. Foremost of what was found was incredible tuna action. Finally surf fishermen have something to boast about as well and the catching is not limited to striped bass.

Massachusetts South Shore and South Coast Fishing Report

Every year at about this time whiting cruise into Cape Cod Bay and following along are an unlikely duo – trawlers and tuna, and those tuna are giants! The phenomenon of putting a line in front of these pelagics as close as a mile or two from Provincetown or Plymouth is an incredible opportunity and the bite is happening right now with boats as far away as Gloucester getting in on the action.
 
Captain Mark Rowell of Legit Fish Charters knows this fishery well and advises those who are trying to take advantage of this unique chance to catch a killer Charlie into “downsizing” fluorocarbon leaders from the typical 150 pound test to 130 or even 120! Those wise old giants are nothing if not stealthy especially when that close to shore. While whiting are the draw should you find a few pogies for the livewell the bigger bait stands a better chance at getting their attention.

While Captain Mark Petitt of Fire Escape Charters has bluefin on the brain as well, he’s more inclined to chase more “manageable” tuna which are more preferred by patrons. He’s been doing very well east of Stellwagen and one hint of a bait option is in his report that there are lots of pogies and blues in the Three Bays. For slot-fish, the captain suggests Duxbury Beach, especially High Pine Ledge, Green Harbor and Provincetown. There have even been bonito in Cape Cod Bay.

Pete Belsan, of Belsan Bait and Tackle in Scituate, summed up the current conditions as a classic New England surf environment and he is so right. Big rollers and stiff NE winds may give pause to boaters and kayakers but for the wading folks, things are just about perfect. White water up against rocky shorelines are prime spots for stripers on the move to fill the tank for the duration of the fall run. Chunkers, eel throwers and artificial aficionados can all cash in now because bass right now will be ravenous. The flip side of that is estuarial eeling at night. Those marshes, rivers and estuaries which were much too hot to sustain much a month ago are prime right now for striped bass cruising upstream looking for a midnight snack. While in the spring I’m looking for an outgoing tide to lure in linesiders with warmer water, now it’s the inverse as an incoming tide brings with it oxygenated water, bait and ideal temperatures. If you’re eeling or casting soft plastics or needlefish, picture a big cow staged just downstream of structure looking to ambush. Random casts are a waste of time, fish-holding structure and current is what you’re looking for.

This is precisely what Captain Colby is adding to his already varied repertoire aboard the Little Sister as he is offering charters casting for eel sessions in the Westport River followed by cod, black sea bass and tautog trips. I’ve partook of those eel endeavors in the past and the action is often hot!

Captain Brian Coombs of Get Tight Sportfishing continues on his temporary sabbatical from all-things-striper and is pounding false albacore, bonito, black sea bass and Spanish mackerel from Buzzards Bay out through Vineyard Sound. The action is often furious for double-digit false albacore with those fish sometimes competing for bait with other species. The captain has been combining can’t-miss black sea bass outings with hardtail trips and in some circumstances he’s experiencing the bass battling it out with the little tuna for the same forage and hitting the same epoxy jigs!

Greater Boston Fishing Report

For mid-September there is an amazing amount of diversity in Greater Boston. Every once in a while you’ll hear of a hickory shad or two in the harbor, but Tracey and Paul Cuzzuppee frequently fly rod their way to double-digit landings of these acrobatic, plus-size herring while aboard On The Rocks. Clousers are the key and it helps to have current and marina dockage in the mix. Low light conditions don’t hurt either!

Regarding diversity of species, Lisa from Fore River Fishing Tackle in Quincy informed me that the the smelt bite is on at the Summer Street Bridge in South Boston. Traditionally now is when anglers would start catching smelt but the Fore River/Town River fluke reports I’m receiving are highly unusual. The rapid warm up in Massbay water temperatures early in the summer was a trigger for more fluke to move north of Buzzards Bay in quite awhile, in fact I’m still hearing of keepers still being caught as far north as Plum Island!

Captain Paul Diggins of Reel Pursuit Charters has been taking advantage of an uptick in inshore mackerel numbers and adding live bait to the X-Rap and Mojo Rig methods which have served him well over the summer. Macks or mixed sizes can still be found between the 2 Can and Flipp Rock. Stripers and blues are on the move between Egg Rock and the deep water Harbor Humps. Inshore blitzes are the handiwork of schoolies and snapper blues pounding peanut bunker while full-size bunker can be found off Wollaston Beach still.

When there has been a break in the blow, Captain Sam from Boston Saltwater has been finding a fun plug bite of 27” stripers at West Gut. When the opportunity to obtain bait becomes available, the crew has found macks between the Humps and the 2 Can. Sam found big bass with those macks in the Nahant area and a mixed bag of blues and bass from the Revere side of the North Channel to Finns Ledge.

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Massachusetts North Shore Fishing Report

Liam from Tomo’s Tackle told me that backwaters are fishing favorably for big bass at night. Not surprising sales of serpents have been brisk! The Danvers River has been good as has inner Salem Harbor. Off the beaches from Lynn through Cape Ann, shad baits and other peanut bunker imitators are working well for mixed sizes of stripers as well as blues which are averaging about 6 pounds. Mackerel have moved in close and in some cases can be caught from shoreline piers in Marblehead, Salem, Beverly and Gloucester. Those same piers which are favorable for macks during the day are holding some squid at night.

TJ from Three Lantern Marine in Gloucester said that the shop is selling eels at an amazing rate which is evident of a solid nighttime striper bite. He mentioned Halibut Point as one of the hotter locations as well as Magnolia. Rivers and estuaries are also getting their due with the Annisquam, Little, Essex and Parker all providing good action. Regarding tuna, most have been hauling out to the whiting grounds in Cape Cod Bay to take advantage of the sizzling action there.

As I talked to Liz from Surfland Bait and Tackle an angler chimed in about recent fluke catches in the Plum Island area. Drifting a jig/squid strip or piece of Gulp on an outgoing tide in Plum Island Sound or Joppa Flats just might get you a toothy flounder before they depart for southern environs. As for the other toothy species, bluefish action is the best it’s been all season long with shore casters from the Parker River Wildlife Reservation raving about double-digit catches with fish ranging from snappers to gators! The beach buggy brigade has been doing well from the surf of the reservation with clams working best. Big bass are still hanging in the North Shore as evidenced by a 45” fish which was taken off the jetty recently. The shop is having no problem getting fresh macks which is a sure indicator that they are in close.

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Massachusetts Fishing Forecast

With a north to northeast wind expected to crank for much of the weekend, you’ll have to pick your spots but if tuna is on your agenda the Cape Cod Bay Charlie-chasing-whiting phenomenon is not one to miss. Surf casters can always find sanctuary from a stiff wind at the Eel River, South River and North River. Toss in the effects of the New Moon and eels among the estuaries of Greater Boston should be very productive. When weather permits you should have no problem finding mackerel in close from Nahant through Newburyport and with the fall run in full swing finding willing stripers should not be a problem either. Bluefish are often a barometer as to what stage we are in at this time of the year and with reports of the best bluefish bite of the season trickling in from Plum Island it’s obvious that we have a long ways to go!