Massachusetts Fishing Report- May 16, 2024

Arguably the best news I heard this week was that of a silvery, striped favorite that has been pleasing a lot of anglers! If you think I’m referring to striped bass – nope, that’s old news – but rather the spotlight is on haddock, which are close enough to be reached by kayak! As to those multi-striped silvery fish, from Plymouth to Plum Island, there are now tackle-testing stripers in abundance.

Massachusetts South Shore and South Coast Fishing Report

Captain Mark Rowell of Legit Fish Charters said that he’s been finding haddock as close as one mile from shore on the South Shore. According to him this is no anomaly because in most years those fish move in tight for a few weeks and then gradually move onto the SW Corner of Stellwagen and then head northeast. Clams are working nicely but so will mackerel chunks/strips. The sweet spot has been 70 feet of water. These fish are not the monsters they are catching farther north but are a convenient catch for those who launch locally. Striped bass are blitzing on sea herring, river herring and silversides in the Three Bays, Green Harbor and off area beaches. Odds of catching a mid-to-upper 30” striper bump up dramatically when targeting herring runs and nearby embayments. Also look for bigger birdies – black backs and herring gulls – as opposed to terns and smaller gulls the former of which is an indicator of larger prey which is easier to match.
 
Pete from Belsan Bait and Tackle in Scituate said that when weather permits anglers are gearing up for the next “phase” of the migration – deep water trolling! With mackerel readily available, trolling them up along Flatt Ledge. Davis Ledge, Minot Ledge and the plethora of ledges off Hull will be for many there first chance to connect with a cow.

For a few of us this week – our world was flat! Aboard Captain Jason Colby’s Little Sister we shoved off from Sesuit Harbor to fish for flounder in Cape Cod Bay. For a born-and-bred Bostonian it was foreign territory, akin to dribbling a basketball on a skating rink. While the lack of islands and obvious structure seemed odd, the fishing was nostalgically familiar as the flounder bite piled up. At times we drifted and other times we anchored and chummed. Regardless of the method we caught flounder, had plenty of laughs and left clutching fillets which many feel are among the most delectable available. That good cheer and scrumptious eats are the genesis of flounder fishing and while numbers wane elsewhere it’s good to know there’s a place where ol’ blackback still thrives!

Greater Boston Fishing Report

While many peg the pogy as the most valuable prey species which swims, for those really dialed into the harbor it’s arguably herring. Sea herring and river herring are responsible for some of the better Boston blitzes at the moment. It’s not easy but Captain Brian Coombs of Get Tight Sportfishing is telling his crew to cool their jets and resist bombing the first blitz that they happen upon, because often just around the corner – it’s better. Having sophisticated electronics helps as does an understanding of the local food chain. Terns and smaller gulls squawking and diving away mean that bass are pushing smaller bait that is difficult to imitate with an artificial. However when the big aerial predators such as herring gulls, blackback gulls and cormorants are in for the kill than the bass tend to be more frenzied and less selective. What’s been working for Brian is big spooks, flutter spoons and a new prototype Al Gag’s lure that shows a lot of promise. The rivers and nearby embayments will remain hot well into June when herring numbers begin to fizzle out and that’s when the shift occurs more to the Boston Humps with mackerel and sea herring on the menu.

It was one heck of a debut for Captain Paul Diggins of Reel Pursuit Charters this week as he and his family tallied stripers up to the mid-30” range. Paul’s preferred offerings are his custom umbrella rigs that he trolls around surface feeds and marked fish. His honey hole has been between Castle Island and the Hilton Hotel.

Lisa from Fore River Fishing Tackle in Quincy told me that there are pogies in Quincy Bay along with the tributaries but those live-lining them aren’t finding anything big enough to dispatch that big bait – yet!

The tube-and-worm is doing the trick around Wessagusset Beach and off Wollaston Beach and I would expect by Slate, Grape and Bumpkin Island. A few kayakers such as Tommy O’Brien are doing especially well. In addition to the rivers, anglers casting from beaches, such as Nantucket and Wollaston, are getting fish on the same lures most boaters are picking them up on – Daiwa SP Minnows, Jumpin Minnows and 5” Savage Sand Eels.

Flounder fishing has been fantastic even from Nut Island Pier where some anglers have nearly limited out. Pete Santini of Fishing FINatics told me that the annual Zobo Flounder Fishing Tournament was a smashing success with the winning fish caught by kayaker Rob Bartolini in Winthrop Harbor. That a shore angler can catch the winning fish last year followed by this year’s top fish coming from a kayak underscores how special these fish are. Proceeds from the event went to the Boxford Little League in honor of Barry Gibson. On another note, Pete told me that mackerel can be taken by Flipp Rock, the 2 Can off Nahant and out by the harbor humps.

Massachusetts North Shore Fishing Report

Lynn Harbor has been going off but the small bait that is attracting the mayhem is tiny so fly fishers or spinners working a teaser just ahead of their main lure should do well.There are stripers up to 40” being taken off Lynn, Swampscott and Marblehead Beaches. Slug-Gos and their host of imitators are working well as are metal lips and spooks such as the 247 Lures Molly.

Dave from Tomo’s Tackle in Salem said that the shop is moving a lot of flounder tackle as well as lugworms. Lynn Harbor, Swampscott Harbor and Beverly Harbor are all spots where flounder frequent. Mackerel chasers will have to roam around to find them but willing sea herring are making up for it for anglers looking for live bait. Blitzes have been common and anglers trolling the tube-and-worm by Tinker’s Island and Castle Rock have been catching stripers from schoolie to slot-plus fish.

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TJ from Three Lantern Marine said that many are targeting flounder among shallow, muddy coves and flats. Cripple Cove, Niles Beach and Wingaersheek are a few that get the nod. Stripers are as close as right behind the shop! Some surface feeds are springing up in Manchester Harbor and Gloucester Harbor and the rivers such as the Essex, Little and Annisquam Rivers are holding plenty of fish. For a consistent mackerel pick anglers should target the area northeast of the Salvages but as water temperatures rise expect them to come in closer to the Groaner.

Martha from Surfland Bait and Tackle in Newburyport told me that the outgoing tide is still good at the Merrimack River. Run-and-gunners casting NTA Custom pencils and spooks as well as Surfland’s signature halfbeak and pilchard Jumpin’ Minnows are doing really well. Both sides of Sandy Point are producing fish up to 37” for chunkers. Nothing doing yet in Joppa Flats but that’ll change as more river herring move downstream of the Lawrence Dam after spawning and are ambushed by stripers in the flats. Regarding the Merrimack, I had the pleasure recently to fish with Jamiel Ortiz at the upper part of the river. It was heartening to see what a steward he is of this unique watershed and superb multi-specie fishery. In addition to catching some awfully nice mid-May striped bass it was heartening to see him lead by example by picking up trash and educating others on conservation and catch-and-release practices. To further that cause consider joining him this Saturday in the 8th Annual Salt Addiction Fishing Tournament at the Pemberton Park Boat Ramp.

Massachusetts Freshwater Fishing Report

In spite of salt water hysteria there are some interesting freshwater alternatives. Wachusett Reservoir has seen a precipitous drop in pressure now that many have turned to chasing striped bass. That leaves the few drifting crawlers by the causeway for salmon very happy. Additionally smallmouth bass are now in tight and in spawn mode with multi-fish trophy trips a reality. There have also been some impressive rainbow trout taken in the Stillwater River. Out west the Conneciticut River is killing it with carp built like tanks, shad, stripers and smallies big enough to take down a striper lure!

Massachusetts Fishing Forecast

Haddock which have moved within a mile of the South Shore are among the biggest news on the South Shore. While stripers up to the mid-30” are still keying in on river herring in the Town River as well as the North River, deepwater bigger stripers should be hunting down sea herring and mackerel among offshore ledges. The tube-and-worm is an effective alternative in the islands and ledges of Quincy Bay while sharpies in the harbor are being selective about surface feeds they pursue knowing that big bait often translates to not only bigger fish but more willing fish. North Shore rivers such as the Danvers, Annisquam, Essex and especially the Merrimack have the highest concentration of fish still but look for that to change as river herring runs wane.