Massachusetts Fishing Report – May 13, 2021

As stripers fill in, “slots” are now joining the micros. More fish means more habitat where you’ll find them, with beaches and herring runs leading to bigger-than-average bass.

A few friends and I each year tempt fate and hop aboard Captain Jason Colby’s Little Sister on Mother’s Day for a little flounder fishing. In addition to catching fish the priority is not to tick off the special women in our lives and make it home at a reasonable time. The bite in Quincy Bay started off slow but as typical of flounder fishing as the sun crept higher in the sky and conditions got more comfortable, the flounder began feeding. We achieved half limits, had a lot of laughs and reveled in what a difference a year makes as last season something like this would not have been possible. It’s been a tough year, but there’s good news on many fronts not the least of which is the flounder are back! Additionally, there was a nice little striper blitz going off nearby with only one boat in on the action!

Massachusetts South/Boston Fishing Report

Mother’s Day also signals the start of the mackerel season and Captain Bruce Calvin of Strike II Charters out of Fairhaven says he’s been finding them. He’s stocking up for shark trips which he expects to pursue in earnest beginning in June. When asked which species will be in his sites, he said porbeagles and makos! Additionally he’s been finding a good little scup bait in Buzzards Bay and also a nice pile of black sea bass, the latter season of which begins on May 18th.

Pete from Belsan Bait and Tackle in Scituate said that anglers are now finding plenty of striped bass up to the mid-20” range. The Three Bays have them as does Green Harbor. Shore casters are catching fish off the Green Harbor Jetty as well as wherever they can get a toehold in the North River. Little Harbor in Cohasset has been good also. The shop will be carrying eels soon for those who believe it’s never to early to sling serpents. I for one am in that camp, in fact I’ve been known to keep a few on life support all winter long! A few are trying but flounder reports in Scituate Harbor could be better. The haddock bite continues to be good within the “triangle” of Stone Ledge, the Muscle Beds on Stellwagen and the B Buoy.

Captain Mark Rowell of Legit Fish Charters is planning on finally be on the water within the week. He expects to make up for lost time in short order now that mackerel are in Cape Cod Bay. As for “flounder” an associate of his sent him a pic recently of an impressive halibut he hauled in from the edge of the bank.

Greater Boston Fishing Report

In addition to finding feeding flounder again, Captain Jason Colby continues to make short work of haddock within 9 miles of the shoreline! What enables charters aboard the Little Sister to reach limits in incomparable time is that the captain does what almost no-one else does in deep water – he chums! His Minn Kota Spotlok trolling motor helps him stick with a spot as he drops a chum bag to the bottom and lures most every haddock within sniffing distance in!

Captain Pete Santini of Fishing FINatics in Everett told me that those who are sticking to herring runs and fishing at night are now catching striped bass up to 40”! Whether those fish are holdovers or freshies is academic once the drag starts singing. Folks are finding a few flounder off the Deer Island Pier finally. Area beaches have come alive with anglers trolling Santini tubes along Wollaston Beach, Winthrop Beach and Revere Beach. It’s never too early to begin thinking of larger linesiders, May can surprise you with some impressive fish because not every bass big enough to breed sticks around to do it, some simply begin the spring run not long after schoolies depart. Pete also said that there so many tigers prowling around Horn Pond, he’s surprised he hasn’t heard of Joe Exotic lurking around! Of course the tigers are tiger trout and Horn has a lot of them.

Lisa from Fore River Fishing Tackle in Quincy told me that ink stains on Nut Island Pier say it all – squid are in! Patrons are putting a hurt on fresh schoolies as well with good reports coming in from the Weir River/World’s End area as well as Webb Park, Great Esker Park and Bare Cove Park. Black Creek on an outgoing tide has been good also with this spot being on of those early season big fish producers as well.

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Massachusetts North Shore Fishing Report

It was my lucky day on Wednesday as I got a Tomo’s Tackle report, from the man himself – Tomo! Schoolies to “slots” are common throughout the North Shore off Lynn, Swampscott, Marblehead and up into Cape Ann. Anglers working worms in the surf of Devereux Beach have been getting better fish on average! There is also promising news on flounder from Lynn through Gloucester. Some have been caught around the Kernwood Bridge area as well. It is not unheard of to catch a tautog off that bridge with this being the month to do it!

Matt from Three Lantern Marine in Gloucester said that mackerel have appeared with reports coming from The Groaner and out to the Salvages. Schoolies are in Manchester Harbor as well as Gloucester Harbor but for a surer shot try the Little and Essex Rivers. Flounder have been caught off the Dogbar Breakwater and even the dock by the shop! There have been good reports of flounder from Rocky Neck as well.

Martha from Surfland Bait and Tackle said that typically of this time of the year, the fishing at the mouth of the Merrimack is hot or cold. Some will report a banner morning which left their soft plastic collection in taters, while others don’t do nearly as well. Regardless, paddletails by Al Gag’s, Z-Man, Storm and Bass Assassins are the go-to baits. Worms off the ocean front are working well for bait soakers and there have been a few fish taken from Joppa Flats. There is more good news from the flounder front as patrons of the shop targeting flatfish are catching in Beverly Harbor, Gloucester Harbor and Crane’s Beach.

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Massachusetts Fishing Forecast

Swarming schoolies in rivers, marshes and estuaries are making it easy to get a striper fix but should you desire larger than focus on herring runs such as the Town River in Plymouth, the Weymouth Back River, the Charles, Mystic, Saugus Rivers and beyond. Beaches such as Rexhame, Nantasket, Revere and Devereux are good platforms to intercept migrating fish some of which may be breeder-size fish that never stuck around to spawn and began the northward trek early. What is very promising is the uptick in flounder reports from Quincy Bay up to Cranes Beach! While striped bass will always be the number one draw, it’s nice to have the winter flounder as a fun option. There are some interesting freshwater options as well especially in the panfish category. On the Route 70 side of Wachusett white perch have moved in and can be caught on a blown-up crawler. While most think of salmon and lake trout when Quabbin Reservoir is brought up, Rodney Flagg told me an amazing crappie bite close to the shoreline of Gate 31. One guy brought into the shop a 5 gallon bucket full of some real slabs. When asked what his reaction was Rod said that he couldn’t wait to cook a few up!