Massachusetts Fishing Report- September 21, 2023

In hindsight there was something to like about Lee. Ordinarily as Labor Day looms and after a long season, boaters begin to pull their ride. Toss in a storm as hyped as the recently departed Lee and that effort is increased to the nth degree. While you’re likely to find less anglers you may find more productive water as estuaries/rivers have become hot again.

Massachusetts South Shore/South Coast Fishing Report

Hot items at Belsan Bait and Tackle in Scituate continue to be Rapala CD18s, tubes and soft plastic paddletials. The Rapala swimmers are just the thing for blues from the Gurnet to the Glades while in the bays, harbors and estuaries the tube-and-worm is living up to it’s reputation as a fall favorite for both bluefish and bass. Peanut bunker from the Three Bays through Cohasset are the fuel for surface feeds making similarity shaped soft plastics deadly. I wasn’t surprised to hear Pete Belsan say that the North River was hot but apparently that’s been the case all season long with now especially so. Some surf sharpies have been having their way with South River stripers while employing shad baits only to walk the short distance to Rexhame Beach to find willing bluefish on poppers! With all the inshore predators, mackerel are a non factor but cod continue to be caught just past state waters at the edge of numerous nondescript wrecks and ledge.

For a better bead on where cod are congregating I consulted Captain Mark Rowell of Legit Fish Charters who told me that the western edge of Stone Ledge in about 204’ has been the sweet spot. If while pounding lead or jigs on the bottom, the unmistakable “suction” sensation of mud is being transmitted through your line than you’re in haddock territory, if you’re jig is coming up with chips/divots marring it’s finish than more likely you’re going to find cod. The fish have been full of shrimp making pink teasers hot! As for stripers, not surprisingly they are on the move with previously quiet estuaries/rivers reloaded with life.

One such South Coast area to consider is the Westport River which has been serving up a nice prelude of stripers for Captain Jason Colby prior to his tautog trips. On Tuesday he put his Little Sister patron Jim Wright into a pile of stripers up to 36” which were hitting SP Minnows around a rockpile/rip in the river. As for the intended target – tautog – the fishing has been lights out silly stuff with easy limits of 18-21” fish with bigger breeder females released! There aren’t many charter captains who cajole their charters into releasing big fish but the skipper is nothing if not a steward of sustainable fisheries.

Greater Boston Fishing Report

Most would not be pleased with finding pogies but not many bass, but according to my friend Dave Panorello – it was an awesome day. After working over a pogy school in Crystal Cove in Winthrop with no apparent bass, the captain sped off to find non-stop topwater bluefish action between Deer Island and Long Island. Some anglers in Quincy Bay did much better on the bass front according to Lisa from Fore River Fishing Tackle in Quincy. Lee appears to have been a cow catalyst in Captain’s Cove as bass and blues pushed pogies right up against the docks with anglers catching both species right next to tethered boats! The area between Mound Beach, Avalon Beach and Bay Point Marina continues to be good for shore anglers, kayakers and boaters. Trigger fish have been observed swimming around the Fore River Bridge. Peanut bunker blitzes have been going off by George’s Island and as far in as Grape Island. From shore, anglers are doing well off Point Allerton as well as Hull Gut. The shop continues to move squid jigs which is and is a surefire indicator of success off Nut Island Pier.

Pete Santini of Fishing FINatics in Everett told me that Vella Rigs continue to be popular and productive for anglers fishing for stripers among the plethora of parks springing up in Charlestown and East Boston. According to Pete, panic among alarmists regarding the storm was unfounded as recent outings for stripers have been hot off Long Island with red Santini tubes doing the trick. The catching of that one glorious cod along with a smattering of other groundfish is proving fruitful between Graves Light and the Dumping Ground. Not everything is saltwater or nothing and as a reminder Pete pointed out that usually next week begins the stocking of rainbow trout throughout the Bay State.

Massachusetts North Shore Fishing Report

Prior to rock hopping/fishing off the rocks of Nahant my buddy Dave Flaherty usually accompanies a friend on leisurely walks with her doggies along the picturesque shoreline. Considering the bass, bunker bedlam he witnessed from above, I have a hunch he wished his friend had galloping greyhounds in their prime! Coves throughout the North Shore are featuring impressive feeds thanks to hordes of peanut bunker which are attracting stripers and blues.

According to Tomo of Tomo’s Tackle some of the better spots for striper action have been Lynn Harbor, Preston Beach, Phillips Beach, Devereux Beach, Castle Rock and Beverly Harbor. The bait is generally small making small 4” offerings highly effective. However, if your gut tells you that there’s bigger bass shadowing the mayhem than consider working a bigger soft plastic stick bait below the action. There are times when mackerel, pollock or whiting will be joining in on the feeding free-for-all and the biggest bass of the bunch will turn the tables on them. Marty who is one of Tomo’s shop mates told me that mackerel can be found near humps beyond Baker’s Island.

TJ from Three Lantern Marine said that increasingly anglers are revisiting rivers for stripers now. Cooling water temperatures along with bait have made the Essex, Annisquam and Little Rivers worth a cast or three again. Shore anglers are catching with topwater plugs while boaters trolling the tube-and-worm just outside of the mouths of those rivers are catching well. Recently an angler stopped by the shop to pick up some gear and got to test it out right behind the shop as stripers were going off!

Martha from Surfland Bait and Tackle in Newburyport also weighed in on the better upstream fishing, pointing out that the Parker River has been holding nice striped bass with anglers working Strike King and 247 Lures needlefish working especially well. Catching aside, Martha mentioned how unique and gorgeous the late September through October surf is compared to the spring/summer months. The air is crisper now, the water generally cleaner – storms aside – and anglers working the surf will largely have it all to themselves! Besides the aesthetics, historically a lot of big bass have been landed in the latter days of September; for proof just check out the shop photos!

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Massachusetts Fishing Forecast

Blitzes, whether they be in the Three Bays or the Westport River, belie a sense of urgency as both bass and blues are in binge mode. South Shore rivers such as the Eel River, Town River, South and North seem suddenly infused with bait and bass. Cod as well as haddock have been held up in deep water on the western edge of Stone Ledge as well as the Dumping Grounds. Boston’s best bet for a big bass may be deep inside Quincy Bay where the pogies are schooled up. That could change however should bass move onto all those pogies in Crystal Cove in Winthrop. Blues continue to binge on baby bunker schools off Deer Island. Recent bass-on-bunker feeds have been taking place off Devereux Beach as well as Beverly Harbor. The rocky Cape Ann coast continues to hold quality stripers but options now have expanded to include rivers such as the Essex and Annisquam. Continuing with the uptick in the upstream bite is news from Surfland about the Parker River going off. Of course something can be said for just taking in a sunrise or sunset while wading the Plum Island surf; but don’t get flat-footed some of that area’s biggest bass have been caught this time of the year!