Massachusetts Fishing Report - August 8, 2024

Topping the list of the many attributes that make striped bass beloved by so many is that the species has always been an equal-opportunity pleaser. The opportunistic striper is often just as at-home on an offshore bank as it is crashing the combers of Cape Ann. This year, however, the deck has been firmly stacked for the boaters, for whom it has been among the best of times. The hope for surfcasters is that winds of change will be ushered in by Tropical Storm Debby – and there are some signs that that may already be happening!

Massachusetts South Shore and South Coast Fishing Report

Not all is striped bass or bust, of course. Another week has passed, and with it another anecdote of hot haddock fishing inshore courtesy of Captain Mark Rowell of Legit Fish. In the hopes of this week’s report not reminding of Groundhog Day, I pressed him a bit further for specifics and he said that there a number of haddock honey holes about halfway between Scituate Harbor and Stellwagen Bank. The money depth has been about 200 feet, and what gives away the good spots is distinctive “rip” lines that form over structure early on during the turn of the tide. Where he finds the water moving first in combination with a muddy bottom is where he finds the haddock. On top of ledge or near gravely bottom is where you’re more inclined to find cod, and there’s no shortage of them out there. A sizable flat among lumpy bottom could hold a halibut. When the haddock are harvested, they generally are chock full of “Maine” shrimp (small). Bait with clams to your heart’s delight as dogfish have not been a problem. Pink/white Berkley Gulp grubs have been haddock killers.

Captain Rowell is also getting his stripers by targeting feeds on South Shore beaches with mackerel and trolling plugs in deeper water. Depth edges such as by the commuter boat channels have been giving up reliable striper acton while trolling plugs, with 35 feet of water the strike zone. Just be aware of those commuter boats and give them a wide berth, as they have the right away. Blues have been pummeling pogies near the power plant in Plymouth.

As much as I’ve been fortunate enough to be part of many of his trips, what Captain Jason Colby does with a few hours aboard the Little Sister still amazes me. A window into a recent charter included easily limiting out on black sea bass for the crew and then setting their sites on tautog with limits achieved. Then just to knock off any newly formed rust out on some of the spinning reels, how about a few drag-pulling runs, thanks to bonito? If you know anyone who hands their patrons are more varied bag of fillets when all is done, I say, “care to get a witness? If you’re taking for granted the incredible black sea bass bite on the Westport side of Buzzards Bay, then maybe you should reconsider because the season ends September 4, which will get here faster than you think.

According to Pete from Belsan’s Bait and Tackle in Scituate, pure bedlam has been taking place just east of the Scituate Harbor bell as whales, dolphins, and tuna have been busting up bunker schools. More than a few brave big bass have been found feeding among the fracas as well. The Minot area has been featuring feeds also, with some describing the schools of 40-inch-plus fish as looking like wolf packs as they scatter the pogy schools.

Greater Boston Fishing Report

I’m never surprised to hear of Captain Brain Coombs putting a hurt on big striped bass. But, lately it has all been a deepwater affair, which doesn’t do anglers much good who can’t make it out there, so hearing of an inshore bite was refreshing. His latest report just might be a diamond tossed our way by Debby as east winds/warmer water might have blown in those big bass that seemed to stall offshore. On Wednesday, the clash of bait and bass took place as close as the Anchorage and the feeds so ferocious foam was camouflaging the mayhem. During times like these tossing a big spook, such as a Doc, into the fray can be lethal. Tuna have been spotted as close as Castle Island and gator blues have become a factor on the outer edge of the harbor. With a bluefish presence by the Boston Humps and Debby bearing down on us, bet the house that it’s only a matter of time before those choppers come a lot closer. There’s a far bigger chopper among us, according to Lisa from Fore River Bait and Tackle in Quincy, as there have been great white shark reports by George’s Island. Pogies are plentiful in the Town River, but there are not always stripers with them. The bridge spanning the Weymouth Back River has been holding stripers with some catching them on pogies and eels. The tube-and-worm has been working by Bob’s Bass Triangle. The shop is moving a lot of Yo-Zuri Hydro Poppers as anglers target busting bluefin between Graves Light and the BG Buoy.

While on the subject of all things tube, Pete Santini of Fishing FINatics told me that the Tuscano version of the Santni tube continues to catch well for inshore anglers with the Schrafft’s Building area being one spot that’s been hot. Provided that you have leadcore line at the ready, trolling tight to the pillings at the Reserve Chanel can also be effective. Pete took a busman’s holiday aboard Dan Herman’s “Akiba” with action of big bass up to 45 pounds spread out among the North Channel, Seal Harbor, and Broad Sound. Seal Harbor has been the scene of bluefish finning on the surface of the water. While those fish can be finicky, a rapidly worked bucktail jig will usually catch them.

Crystal Lake in Newton has been giving up numbers of impressive largemouth bass. Recent rains have drawn rainbows out of Horn Pond and stacked them up by the culvert.

Massachusetts North Shore Fishing Report

Tomo from Tomo’s Tackle in Salem said that fly fishers tossing their wares into the rocks of Baker’s Island have been doing well with stripers. Spin fishers casting the same stretch (and beyond) are doing well with Fish Snax XLs. With all the big bass euphoria, what’s getting lost among the high-fives is the lack of smaller fish, which is concerning. However, Tomo told me that he’s been seeing/catching 25-inch fish lately. Those schoolies have been hitting macks off the Beverly Coast as well as Nahant’s East Point and the “Funny Humps”. Pogies and blues have been found off Beverly with the latter very unpredictable. For squid, Gloucester Harbor has been the place.

For more on Gloucester, TJ from Three Lantern Marine said that finally Gloucester Harbor itself has been hot which is probably attributable to the inshore appearance of mackerel. He even told me that anglers working eels at night between the Blynman Canal and the Annisquam River have been catching big bass: that’s about as inshore as you can get. Anglers trolling pogies along the backshore of Gloucester continue to catch also. The few who are still fishing for flounder have been finding them at Cripple Cove and off Wingaersheek Beach.

The surf fishing for patrons of Surfland has been by and large disappointing, but the overall hunch is that that’s about to change. Tropical Storm Debby is expected to bring on a steady stream of easterly winds, which should really liven up the Plum Island Surf. Liz from Surlfand also feels that the Merrimack River flats as well as Plum Island Sound should see a signifiant uptick in linesider landings. As for the ocean front, parking restrictions on the refuge are due to end any day now, which will free up miles of prime beachfront from which to shore fish. In anticipation of this, anglers have been incessantly calling the shop for what they hope is good news. Meanwhile trolling plugs intended for stripers are getting occasionally mugged by blues but the action remains inconsistent. A few flounder can be found in the Merrimack River as well as off Crane’s Beach.

Fishing Forecast

Bass continue to push pogies on the South Shore and sometimes even onto beaches with anglers fortunate enough to be there having predictable results. Trolling mackerel or swimming plugs along channels has been effective when fish are not so obvious. Should you need a break from bass, consider haddock, which can be found about halfway between Scituate and Stellwagen in 200 feet of water. Buzzards Bay is offering up a buffet of bonito, black sea bass and blackfish. Closer to the Hub, east winds have moved big bass in as close as the Anchorage and I suspect even farther in with East Boston Bay as well as inshore of the Tobin Bridge both worth a look. Should those big bass be belting bunker, then a big spook walked over the top of the melee should get their attention. The rippling affect of the Debby-induced east winds should also continue benefitting Gloucester and Newburyport with the harbor hot in the former, likewise the kicked up surf in the later.

 

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