Striped bass and surf fishing go together like pizza and mozzarella cheese, and right now it’s their moment. After a challenging season for the long-rod caster, building seas, plenty of bait and a favorable calendar have resulted in some of the more consistent catching of the season. Fortunately boaters and kayakers fearing the rollers have sheltered options.
Massachusetts South Shore and South Coast Fishing Report
Prior to the swells anglers all along the south shore were enjoying banner bluefish and bass fishing. Pete from Belsan Bait and Tackle in Scituate told me that rolling schools of peanut bunker from the Three Bays through Hull were the catalyst for big blue and bass action which only happens this time of the year, There are plenty of protected areas inside of Plymouth/Duxbury as well as the South River/North River which should help finding stripers as well as bluefish easier and safer while making handwringing/sea-watching not mandatory. Pogies maybe less of a factor but their pint sized prodigy are more than making up for it. While on the subject of peanut bunker those mini-menhaden have been doing some serous growing with some anglers reporting better action with larger – 4”-5” – baits than the very small stuff which was the calling card a few short weeks ago. Be leery of the impostor when looking for feeds. That “impostor” I’m referring to is big mackerel which will pound peanuts with the blitzes initially looking as if they are the work of linesiders, when in reality, it is the result of a mack attack. Don’t abandon the bait ball completely but fish the structure/shoal side of the feed where bass are more likely looking to herd/ambush the prey. The same thing can be said for a bluefish/bass feed. If you’re catching nothing but blues (not that there’s anything wrong with that!) but you have your sites on stripers, seek out the side of the pogies, peanuts or mackerel close to islands, ledge, bridges or shallows. Bass are less efficient at dispatching evasive prey in open water so they instinctively hug structure.
Captain Mark Rowell of Legit Fish Charters said that a friend of his has been zipping around Scituate traveling from beach to beach on his battery-powered bike and catching among all kinds of feeds! Predator and prey remain on the move making most anywhere you look potentially productive. As for groundfish, haddock have been hanging on the eastern edge of Stone Ledge, while the western edge has cod. The skipper emphasized that bottom composition matters with gravel good for haddock, rock ideal for cod and mud preferred by flounder. That last reference to blackbacks took me aback so I asked for clarification. Captain Rowell knows of anglers who are actually targeting flounder among soft-bottom sections that far out. Just beware that sharks are omnipresent. The Legit Fish crew recently played a 6’ Mako to boat side which engulfed their groundfish while others were grappling with porbeagles. As for tuna, Captain Dave took a 60” at slack tide on a mackerel at Middlebank.
Tog are supposed to go on a tear in the fall, but if results aboard Little Sister Charters matter, it happened early! During a Tuesday trip Captain Jason found small, medium and large crab-crunchers at every waypoint he visited. As good as the tautog fishing is, it’s easy to get distracted between the Westport River and Buzzards Bay with busting bluefish, bass and – bonito all attracted to anchovies, peanut bunker and the plethora of other prey species which make this place so special. If patrons prefer bass, Captain Jason is offering the option of casting plugs and other lures around a rip-line/ledge he’s familiar with. I’ve fished that area with him multiple times through the years and it never ceases to amaze me how many boats cruise right by such prime water unbeknownst to its potential.
Greater Boston Fishing Report
Laurel from Hull Bait and Tackle has a few options for those looking to ride out the swells yet still catch stripers. The bay side of Hull through World’s End and the Weir River has been steadily giving up quantity and quality of striped bass. The same can be said for Hingham Harbor and Spinnaker Island. Once the seas settle, anglers may be able to resume the killer cow and blue bite that has been happening from Sandy Beach out to Doctor’s Island. The tube-and-worm has been crushing it with one couple catching over 40 bass and blues which were all over 33”! Nantasket Beach by XYZ Street has been giving up big bass on clams. Another method which has been paying dividends is trolling Blue Water Candy Rock umbrella rigs.
Lisa from Fore River Fishing Tackle in Quincy also recommended the tube-and-worm, or more specifically the Santini Tuscano tube, trolled by Slate and Grape Islands. The Marina Bay Area has been holding pogy schools along with bass and blues with those who have a slip there having a short boat ride. Shore anglers are doing well off Point Allerton, Hull Gut and Wollaston Beach. The shop continues to move small Sabiki Rigs for smelt seekers.
Pete Santini of Fishing FINatics in Everett told me that the Santini tube continues to wrack up both blues and bass off George’s Island, Spectacle Island, Long Island, the Five Sisters, Seal Harbor and Cherry Bar. Bass and blue blitzes have also been popping up off Revere and Winthrop Beach. A few are targeting outsize cunner among the breakers, boulders and kelp jungles in the area.
Captain Paul Diggins of Reel Pursuit Charters said that an abundance of bait – peanuts, herring fry, silversides – between the Charlestown Marina through to the casino is resulting in consistent surface feeds. Dragging one of his umbrella rigs has been getting it done.
Massachusetts North Shore Fishing Report
Tomo of Tomo’s Tackle in Salem said that there are still pogy schools present inside and outside Salem Sound and he’s been finding bass from 30-35” with the bait. Live-lining those pogies recently resulted in a dozen fish outing for him. Others have been doing well with big spooks like the Doc. With North Shore water temperatures hovering around 63/64 degrees and all that bait not surprisingly bluefish are still in the mix with Tinker’s Island terrific. Bakers’ Island has been the scene of bass and blues blitzing on baby bunker. Cod continue to be found in close from Dread Ledge up through Magnolia with kayakers catching 30” specimens on live mackerel! Bass, blues and tuna aren’t the only fish fond of mackerel in these parts with everything from cod to halibut following the schools.
TJ from Three Lantern Marine and Fishing in Gloucester did not have to dig too deep to find inshore options to ride out the rollers since anglers were already catching there! Inside of the Blyman Canal out all the way through Wingaersheek Beach have all been good, The area behind the Gloucester High School has really stood out. Manchester Harbor as well as Gloucester Harbor are also choices to consider if the ocean front gets kicked up. Prior to the surf concerns, Good Harbor Beach, Long Beach, Cape Hedge Beach and Pebble Beach were all fishing well. Boaters had been experiencing peanut bunker blitzes off the backshore and out through Halibut Point. Mackerel acquisition is a given with some reports even putting them inside of the Cape Ann Harbors.
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Kevin from Surfland Bait and Tackle in Newburyport told me that finally the Plum Island area has been infused with peanut bunker. Not surprisingly baits which mimic the mini-menhaden have been the go-to lures with the Hogy Peanut Bunker Jig really sticking out. The surf has been hot but so has the Plum Island Sound as well as Joppa Flats with the tube-and-worm as well as eels working best. There are still boaters burning trolling plugs through Ipswich Bay at the mouth of the Merrimack.
Massachusetts Fishing Forecast
Boaters and kayakers may bemoan the recent rollers but surf fishers have been in their element. Warmer water, bait, bass and blues have all been blown in with the boomers. Long Beach, White Horse, Burkes Beach, Rexhame, Peggotty and Egypt have all been hot with anglers able to view multiple choices doing the best. Peanut bunker imitators have been working well with the tube-and-worm also having it’s fans. Stone Ledge continues to give up cod with the eastern edge more favorable tor haddock. Regardless of where you fish for groundfish whether it be Stellwagen Bank, Fisherman’s Ledge or Stone Ledge you can expect to encounter sharks of all sorts so be prepared to hook onto a few apex predators. Hull has been among the hotter harbor spots with the bay area out through Hingham Harbor relatively tranquil yet still holding bass and blues. Slate and Grape Island have been good for those trolling the tube-and-worm while Broad Sound blues and bass have to watch their backs as bluefin make inshore sorties. Pogies remain in abundance along the Salem/Beverly coastline with live-lining and big topwaters all working. Should Cape Ann combers be too tough to handle out front check out inshore areas such as Manchester Harbor, Gloucester Harbor and even deep inside by the Gloucester HIgh School. The kicked up surf of Plum Island has hardly been a deterrent for surf casters up there who are finding their moment thanks to mini-menhaden and lucres with imitate them.