Massachusetts Fishing Report – October 22, 2020

If you’re ride is cloaked in white and tucked away until spring, maybe you should read no further! For the rest of you, tautog, tuna, haddock and striped bass are all cooperating. For the forlorn who have bid their boats adieu, one question, “Do you have any friends whose boats are still in?”!

Massachusetts South Shore and South Coast Fishing Report

I expected to hear of a blistering blackfish bite this week but from the South Coast and certainly not the South Shore! But according to Pete Belsan of Belsan Bait and Tackle in Scituate there are enough tautog being caught in the Scituate/Minot area that he’s planning on trapping green crabs! Striper reports are more positive than last week and in addition to the prevalent schoolies there are a few 17-20 pounders in the mix as well. As for a hint as to what’s working, Pete told me he has to order more eels! Pogies, both big and small, remain the fuel for the fall feed from the Three Bays through Cohasset. Tuna fishing is nothing short of sensational, with a fair amount of “manageable” 55” fish in abundance. Even for tuna, the schools are fast-moving with reports coming in from the SW Corner of Stellwagen to Peaked Hill Bar.
 
Like most of the skippers who have contributed to this column over the challenging last few months, Captain Mark Rowell of Legit Fish Charters is done for the season but he did have a few tips to pass along. East of the shipping lane, the bluefin bite is on fire and the bird shows are giving away the best action. Additionally, the haddock fishing remains hot as close as Stone Ledge. And he’s hearing of a terrific tautog bite in Buzzards Bay.

That makes the ideal segue for Captain Jason Colby’s report aboard the Little Sister. Jason continues to jam the whitechins, minutes from clearing the Westport River. There are times that the tautog are on such a tear that the crew is tossing back anything under 18”! I just had to ask if the boat has registered a double-digit crab-cruncher yet to which captain informed me that while he’s weighed in several 9 pound and change tog, he hasn’t had one cross that trophy line yet!

Greater Boston Fishing Report

Pardon the lack of linesider pictures this week. From my personal perspective, it wasn’t from a lack of trying. Around noon on Wednesday, I had a beast pull drag and take my Hobie for a sleigh ride for the longest time. I had to bob and weave around a boat mooring, pull with everything I had to keep it from reaching a dock and just as I had it free and coming to hand – the hook pulled free! In spite of the late date, there are still some major striped bass in our realm and with good reports still trickling in from the north, you don’t have to think about giving up!

According to Lisa from Fore Fore River Fishing Tackle in Quincy with all the peanuts and macks around it only stands to reason that the fishing for stripers would continue to be good. Latest bass, bait and even blue blitzes have occurred at Thompson, Spectacle and Long Islands. Much thanks to Devin O’Shea who just happened to be in the shop when I called and said that he’s been finding fish off Point Allerton and mackerel near Boston Light. Blitzes on peanut bunker by the inner harbor Coast Guard Station have been the handiwork of bluefish. Some have been taken to trolling a tube and worm over Governors Flats and Deer Island Flats and doing well. If there ever was a fish that was small and stature but big on historic appeal it is the smelt. Ziggy, who is the shop’s most dedicated smelt fisherman, is touting better smelt action off the Summer Street Bridge than in 10 years!

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Massachusetts North Shore Fishing Report

According to Sam from Tomo’s Tackle in Salem for those who don’t have “quit” in their vocabulary there are still plenty of striped bass to catch. Anglers just have to be prepared for the occasional surface feed interloper. For the remainder of the season while we have peanut bunker off our coast, expect other predators to be pushing them in addition to striped bass. Mackerel and even swarms of harbor pollock – up to 16” – have been observed massacring the mini-menhaden from Marblehead through Magnolia. Much of the rocky coastline is holding these pollock which are a blast to catch on a fly rod or light spinning gear.

Matt from Three Lantern Marine in Gloucester said that the bass are still plentiful off the Back-shore. Occasional slot-stripers and bigger have been caught in addition to the predominant schoolie. The bigger bass have been falling for mackerel which can be found just outside for the breakwater. The GOM groundfishing remains strong with the ratio of keeper haddock versus shorts weighted towards the cooler with the bite spread out between Jeffrey’s and Stellwagen.

The biggest news from Liz at Surfland Bait and Tackle was the recent appearance of a big school of pogies which looked as if they were being chased onto the shoreline, which had some thinking it was the result of Ipswich Bay tuna! Peanut bunker are still common and mackerel remain in close making the forage factor favorable for the really good striped bass fishing which persists. The “refuge” is the most consistent for striped bass with all manner of offerings – from worms to swimming minnows – catching stripers.

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Massachusetts Fishing Forecast

Popping foliage and Halloween decorations don’t usually go hand in hand with striped bass fishing but from all accounts, the fishing is still pretty good in spite of the visuals! The other exception that is late October is that there is the possibility of booking a big one even in the middle of the day. Pogies have moved out from Duxbury Bay and odds are the school should hold a shadowing cow or two. Tog on the rocks is a Scituate surprise as well as a Buzzards Bay best bet. Schoolies along with some bigger bass and even a few blues have been pushing bait from Long Island through the inner harbor. Pollock inshore, as well as haddock offshore, are interesting North Shore options. For those who think they are running out of time in the striper sweepstakes – relax – Plum Island anglers are still slaying them!