When a long-term shop owner opines that right now it’s easier to catch a cow than a schoolie or slot it’s pretty obvious that these are strange days indeed! The beat goes on: find the pogy schools, hook one and hold on! Football fever continues with some Charlies not content with remaining offshore and they are crashing pogy schools within view of the shoreline.
Massachusetts South Shore/South Coast Fishing Report
While like many of you, striped bass will always be my favorite fish. Howerver, at about mid-summer, after week after week of viewing shot after shot of stripers, I tend to get a case of bass-burnout. Don’t get me wrong, keep those pictures of those cows coming but you know what they say about variety! And so it was with great interest that I opened up an email from Captain Colby after a recent excursion on Coxes Ledge aboard his Little Sister . Lo and behold the crew caught keeper cod, big winter flounder and knothead black sea bass! The hope is on that water temperatures will top 70 degrees, and should that happen, expect mahi mahi to be lurking by the high-liner lobster pot buoys or most anything else floating on the suface. I recall one time fishing on that boat when we stopped and wondered what was up with the lack of highliners when an alert angler pointed to something and said, “what about that blanket?” Sure enough there was a blanket bobbing around on the surface and the very first cast revealed that mahi mahi had found a home!
According to Captain Mark Rowell of Legit Fish Charters, cooler waters have moved much of the football biomass off of the Middle bank and more towards the southern edge of Stellwagen and Peaked Hill Bar. While there are a multitude of ways to catch these 80 pound fish, the skipper has been finding the squid bars have been most effective at catching these schooling fish that are always on the move!
You would think that with such a large aggregate of pogies that blues would eventually sniff them out and according to Pete from Belsan Bait and Tackle in Scituate that’s exactly what finally has happened. The peripatetic predators may not last long but recent reports put them off of Enos Ledge, Egypt Beach and Minot. As for stripers, the routine hasn’t changed in the least, follow the pogy schools or just look for the boat show and the rest is easy!
Greater Boston Fishing Report
The sad truth for the future of our striped bass fishery is that in spite of regulations which ban “snag-and-dropping” – “everyone” is doing it! We are definitely mortgaging the future to enjoy the present because there is an alarming lack of year classes of striped bass out there. The volume of pogies and ridiculously large striped bass is unprecedented in the modern era and those breeders are taking a horrible beating. A typical scenario in Boston Harbor and the South Shore plays out such as this: the commercials snag-and-drop until they fill their 15 fish quota kill which usually doesn’t take long and then the recreational anglers snag-and-drop the rest! We are all implicit in what may be a disturbing lack of striped bass in the future!
Captain Brian Coombs of Get Tight Sportfishing has been finding that a weighted pogy on the requisite circle hook fished below the mayhem has been accounting for his biggest fish. And obviously those released fish are faring far better then cows which have a 9/0 weighted treble ripped from their innards. He’s also taken to casting plugs with their trebles swapped out for single hooks as well as jigs/soft plastics which also have single hooks. I know of a number of anglers whose primary goal seems to be shaking free of a caught bass so they can get back in the game to catch another of the same size! I have news for those who are recklessly handling those breeders – a 30/40 pound striped bass is not hero-worthy now! Everyone is catching them! A better bet is to take a deep breath, do your best to crank in that snagged pogy as quickly as possible with the goal of putting it on a circle hook and should a bass inhale the bait during the retrieve take your blessed time in the release to give that big girl a chance to swim away! Tote along with you a high quality hook removing tool and learn how to use it; in experienced hands they can be a benevolent asset. Just because we currently live in the land of plenty that doesn’t mean the we have to be gluttonous!
For a diversion, consider fluke which every year about now are taken off Peddock Island, Pemberton Pier and throughout Hull. Lisa from Fore River Fishing Tackle in Quincy has a few anglers who are finding them. The shop continues to move a lot of squid jigs and unquestionably it is a better-than-average year.
Pete Santini of Fishing FINatics in Everett told me that the non-toothy version of the flounder can still be found by diehards off Finns Ledge as well as the Triangle. I would not be surprised if a few winter flounder weren’t hunkered down near Calf Island, Little Calf Island as well as the Brewster Islands. Pete told me that for awhile the shop couldn’t’ keep up with demand for those Vella Rigs but they are back in stock! Regarding conservation, the Santini tube with its single siwash ensures a clean catch and release most every time and many are employing it around the pogy schools.
• Want to get in on the bite? Find an OTW-approved Charter Fishing Captain for Massachusetts
Massachusetts North Shore Fishing Report
John from Tomo’s Tackle told me of a few bluefish encounters in Nahant Bay recently with reports even coming at night when anglers are fishing for stripers! It’s little wonder that the bay always produces since it historically holds a squid forage base! Regarding squid, in addition to Nahant they can be caught off Swampscott, Beverly and Cape Ann. Unable to resist the call of Charlie, John sailed out towards offshore and went two-for-two in the pass-and-completion football category. The 50” fish were dispatched on light tackle with a 6000 spinning reel and 2 ounce Hogy Epoxy Jigs.
Pogy schools from Beverly Harbor through Cape Ann are holding big bass but maybe not quite the volume as in Boston Harbor and the South Shore. Mackerel are present from Halfway Rock through the Groaner with chummers at first light doing better than most. Most who are putting in the time to procure mackerel are then heading offshore for tuna.
John from Three Lantern Marine told me that southern Jeffrey’s Ledge is holding tuna just like Stellwagen. The former also harbors some impressive thresher sharks! For tuna, John’s tip is to jig up some of the ubiquitous whiting and stagger a few along drop-offs.
My buddy Steve Pappows of Gloucester sent me a picture recently of a pal of his with a nice beach-caught-bass, proving that surf fishing is not dead! After viewing photo after photo of boated bass, a shot from the suds is like a breath of fresh air! His friend has been doing well off Cape Ann beaches with one of my favorite plugs – the RM Smith Jigsmith.
Martha from Surfland Bait and Tackle said that pogy schools close to the shore along Ipswich Bay have been drawing fire from footballs and occasionally bigger! The whir of line-winding machines in the shop shows no signs of abating! Those pogy schools are also holding some of the bigger bass on the North Shore. Ocean front nighttime serpent slingers are scoring slab stripers as well. These guys opt for the biggest eels they can find which gives them a casting edge and just as importantly is noticed more easily by nearby stripers. It only stands to reason that a big profile bait, sending off more vibration will lure then in from farther off. Anglers are succumbing to bite-offs which is most likely the handiwork of bluefish but those encounters have not been confirmed!
• Want to get in on the bite? Find an OTW-approved Charter Fishing Captain for Massachusetts
Massachusetts Fishing Forecast
The 2022 season continues to smash the paradigm on big striped bass fishing. While some diehards are still slipping away under cover of darkness to fish for cows, most are getting their fill during daylight! Much of Massbay is like a cow pasture with little more effort required than to find a pogy school, We are blessed; consider returning the karma by ensuring the big bass you catch live to fight – and breed – another day! For a change consider a South Coast trip where black sea bass make for a nice diversion and should you have the ride for it, Coxes Ledge cod are calling! Football season certainly started early this year with some crashing pogy schools as close as the Boston Humps. It continues to be a good year for squid with lit piers from Quincy through Cape Ann all producing fish. Winter flounder off Finns Ledge is an unexpected mid-July find while their toothy cousins have been encountered between Quincy Bay and Hull. Ipswich Bay pogy schools are holding big bass as well as brutish bluefin. Shore serpent slingers continue to do their thing off the Plum Island ocean front.
Where are the environmental police to nab the rats who are illegally snagging stripers with treble hooks. Everybody knows it is going on but enforcement is not being done.
Ron, great report, especially the fact that those year class fish that are usually providing us with those epic surface feeds on baby sea returning herring are absent. The fact that the glut of big breeding fish are being caught readily by both commercial and recreational is indeed worrisome. These big fish require a substantial amount of time to recover from all the lactic acid build up from a long enduring fight. Without that recovery time they will most likely die. That mortality rate coupled with the commercial slaughter of breeding females added to the absence of year class fish makes the future of striped bass pretty grim. I hope im wrong , but the trend over the last 2 decades speaks for itself. Is this the last hoorah? Thanks Ron for shedding light on this most valuable resource and its imminent demise .
The snag and drop recreation fishing is a problem.. everyone is doing it is not an understatement. Put that thing on weight and circles and get a removal tool please. A weighted treble left in a bass is a death sentence
There has to be more regulation as well as cooperation from all fishermen (which there won’t be) to preserve an outstanding fishery, it sadden’s me the glutinous practice of snag and drop,I was under the impression that it is illegal to employ treble hooks when fishing for striped bass
circle hooks only
Thanks for talking about the people that continue to snag and drop treble hooks. I was in a gaggle of boats the other day off of White Horse in Plymouth fishing the pods. I would say 80% or more of the 40+ boats (charters included) that were on the pods were snagging and dropping on trebles. I will also say that I outfished all of them by switching my baits to a circle hook after snagging them. And I was in a kayak. If I can do it in a kayak, by myself in open water, you and your buddies can surely do it from the comfort of a center console. Have some respect for the fish and don’t be so shortsighted.
Really !!! Reallyour worried about snag and drag !!!???
Ron why don’t you and your magi. Report to us know it all fishermen about how Tthe State of Massachusetts just bought left over commercial New Jeresy left over state quota. Cause all the pogies are up here in New England. Some how these giant schools we have here escaped from NJ. Sorry now the commercial pogies industry here in Massachusetts got an extra 2 million pounds to kill pogies.
Enjoy you cow fishing
It’s gone next year. So I wouldn’t give up fishing an epic season of striped bass and bluefin tuna for wormy cod fish on coxes ledge.
WTF??????
Advercate conservation
Safe realize of Stripers this magizen outfit does. But won’t talk about the real truth.
Just tried of the crab and phonies
Done reading this magazine!!!
Last thing !!! Real report….
Awesome sea cow fishing bass on Billingsgate big schools of sand eels showed up . I mean big schools like the olden days
No blues just bass.
Tube and worm use
Troll 24 to 37 feet deep.
About week old report from me. Nothing North from there. A lot of boats but be patient. No one hooked up with using pogies. Mackerel there in 50 feet or so. But bass not looking to eat those either. Be safe on the water
Life jacket on the ready or wear them worth it. Heard a lot of capsize boats and unmanned reports ok Kayla’s. On the marine radio!!!
On last thing…..
Last weekend Sunday.
Fished Billingsgate
Big schools of sand eels arrived. Like back in the day.
Big bass fat feeding
Using tube and worm.
27 to 38 feet deep. No blues just bass. Of course lots of boats but be patient.
Boats using pogies didn’t look the productive or using Macs
Ma real in about 59 ft or so.
Plus no seals around. Nice!!!
Again week old report. At the time nothing to the North
Up to the East-end of Canal.
Herd a lot of capsized boats and unmanned kayaks. On the marine radio. Be safe out there.
I can’t believe it that’s 7 million pounds of pogey quota just Massachusetts alone. These fish. Still need to head back to the South.
Hurry up and kill the lost one. Line your pockets up . Scumb bags. Even the striped Bass committee has a pogey commercial guy on the board as well. Saying and doing nothing no one!! Is.
Bass will suffer again.
The pogies around and the Canal fishermen see few big fish this season. Bass out eating pogies.
. Catch a fish then try to tack hook out and then make sure you hold for picture. fish is dead because your ego is bigger than your gut! STOP posting pictures,they might get a clue
Hard to follow your string there Cape but if you’re advocating for protecting the pogies….100% with you. Outrageous that they can be vacuumed up so callously. At the same time, I heartily commend Ron and OTW for being willing to speak the truth about the role that WE ALL play in protecting fish populations for future years/generations.
Environmental police enforcement is non existent and unfortunately nothing is stopping the snag and drop and nothing will. With respect to the charter boats every single one I have seen is snag and drop so if it’s continues there , a well intentioned and accurate opinion piece will
Not change anything. Start with the charter enforcement, drift a MEP boat in the area and start enforcing the policy they put in place. Only
Chance for a change regarding the snag and drop.
Ron, thanks for driving home the importance of considering the future of this mighty striped bass in our waters.We in Boston have been spoiled with the enormous amount of large breeders over the last few years.We are also responsible for doing our part to ensure
their healthy future.There are a number of ways to implement safe catch and release but their needs to be some teeth in the restrictions.Just like the happened last year when we were required to change to circle hooks if using live bait a new regulation could be to eliminate the use of the snag hook completely.Anglers would need to work harder to catch pogies to use for bait but this practice could manifest itself into a large positive for the healthy future of our striped bass population.Yes, people will complain initially, but will get used to it. Just like when we had the striper moratorium, people were upset but did something else. Also, in reference to the policing of illegal practices, there are far too few people to cover the vast amount of water and boats. while fishing in a kayak last year on a commercial night, and I counted 28 boats, the environmental guys were checking every single boat including mine asking me if I was a commercial guy. Hopefully our issues won’t fall on deaf ears this off season. We need to make sure we give these big yes they are best opportunity to survive after our catch. The release takes quite a while if done properly and I would add you could relish the catch while taking the 5 to 10 minutes to revive the fish and see it swim away healthy.
Agree on the vast coverage area , however, just like fisherman find the schools/ boats
Same can be said
For MEP , a few targeted enforcement events, a few people getting in trouble for breaking the policy and word of mouth may help
Start change. No enforcement of the policy now is not worth the paper its written on. Snag and drop was done by most all of us growing up and until recently legal for all to use as a tactic so this is going to be hard to change.. I also believe its almost impossible to enforce unless enforcement is done as it happens in the moment. Its a complicated situation.
Bridles work well but lets not kid each other here the snag and drop far out performs circle hooks. Without a change in attitude as the author and you refer to this will
Continue en mass..
The striped bass fishery is absolutely screwed because of morons like Dan Mckiernan (head of DMF) and loser commercials that couldnt do anything better with their lives other than drop an eel right infront of a Stripers face after they find them on their good ol sonar crap. How pathetic do you have to be to ruin what should be a game fish fishery for 2 bucks a pound you lamo’s. Its 2022 get a real goddam job.
Hey John. You sound like you are having a tough time fishing. Just because some people have a boat and prefer fishing bait does not make them inferior fisherman. If you catch one on an artificial with no sonar it does not make you are better fisherman or a hero. No one cares. Its all for fun.
John, agree that there is NO reason or purpose for a commercial SB fishery. None of us are entitled to earn a living the exact way we’d prefer. Can we not have ONE species free of unrelenting commercial pressure?
It is an absolute disgrace what complete and utter lack of disregard for the pogies has become commonplace in this town. FURTHERMORE… if you want to blatantly disrespect international water LAW…. YOU CAN SHIP IT DOWN TO FKN FLORIDA WHERE NOBODY GIVES A FCK ABOUT PROCEDURE. Thank you take care buhbye. Love you!