While always fun, blues from the beach have historically been what the fall run was all about. From the South Shore through the North Shore, bass and blues have been herding bunker in close enough to be reached by the caster. Rivers are still running hot as herring fry are providing fuel for feeds.
Massachusetts South Shore and South Coast Fishing Report
The deep offers a level of excitement unmatched by most of what happens inshore. During a recent haddock excursion in Cape Cod Bay, the Legit Fish Charters crew boated a monstrous whiting in the middle of a solid haddock bite. While for many a 36” whiting would be the catch of the day, Captain Mark Rowell had other designs for the big groundfish. Out came a magnum-sized outfit with the whiting deployed 60 feet down in the hopes of attracting a sea monster of sorts. Not long after the bait was set, the rod went off with a thunderous bang as something wicked took down the whiting. After briefly pulling drag, the fish reversed direction and charged the boat. Slack is kryptonite to the best laid plans, and despite a furious attempt to take up the line, the angler found it impossible to keep tight, and the hook popped out. When asked if his group was devastated, Captain Rowell said the feeling was just the opposite. To an angler, the crew was awed by the spectacle and the brief fury of the fight. There really is no substitute for a trip offshore.
When not mixing up with monsters of the deep, Legit Fish is finding a solid haddock bite in 185’ of water on Stone Ledge. If you’re pounding mud with your jigs/sinkers, then you’re in the haddock zone. If you’re wares are coming up chipped and dented, expect to be catching cod and cusk. Heavily scented Gulp Alive grubs on the top hook are working really well, while clams are what the haddock are hitting on the bottom hook.
The blitzkrieg of blues inshore has made finding mackerel a dicey proposition. Three to four miles out, the macks are common, but they are avoiding what would surely be an inshore massacre. The stripers are often hit or miss, depending on which bait they are feeding on. When sand eels are on the menu, and unless you’re offering matches the forage, you may find more frustration than fun. When pushing herring, pogies, or mackerel, the bass are usually less fussy. Hummock and Rexhame Beach have been two of the best bets, with even shore anglers getting into it.
Pete from Belsan Bait and Tackle in Scituate told me that as we spoke, it was going off right “behind the shop” at Sand Hills Beach. Bass and blues have been belting bunker among the suds, which is reminding some of the halcyon days of yore. The Three Bays, as well as Scituate Harbor, are holding slots and bigger bass with feeds pointing the way. As for cod, numerous humps, bumps, and lumps within 3 miles of the shoreline are giving up keeper-size rock cod.
Captain Jason Colby of Little Sister Charters continues to offer “pick ‘em” trips, which feature bonito, bass, blues, and blackfish. Some of the action is even taking place in the Westport River, and that includes – tautog! With the expected downpours, look for the river to run less salty and less fishy until the rainfall flushes out. The sweet spot for tautog has been between 40 – 50 feet of water, but the bite isn’t always on. Conditions that cause those crab-crunchers to chew are dropping barometric pressure and gentle seas. A cold front with blustery conditions or a storm-roiled bottom sometimes gives the fish lockjaw.
Greater Boston Fishing Report
Lisa from Fore River Fishing Tackle in Quincy told me that there has been surf activity off beaches such as Nantucket and Wollaston. Chunk mackerel has been effective, but surf fishers whose timing was just right were catching with pencils and spooks. Pogy schools have been the source of much of the action. Rivers remain red-hot options as herring are keeping the bass in check. The tube-and-worm continues to catch from World’s End through Bumpkin Island. Fishers are coming up with cod off the ledges of Hull and even as close as Boston Light. As water temperature drop, Toddy Rocks deserves a look. While in its infancy, the smelt season continues to be promising, with interest up. Patrons of the shop are catching from the James Street Pier, the A Street Pier, the Hull Public Pier, Pemberton Pier, and Hewitts Cove. Smaller pogy schools are still around, but not every pod has bass and blues, so be prepared to search.
Pete Santini of Fishing FINatics in Everett said that he’s been selling eels to anglers deploying three-way rigs and drifting at night throughout West Gut and Hull Gut. Eels have also been effective off Faun Bar as well as the harbor side of Spectacle Island. Doctor Alt has been doing equally well off Spectacle with live mackerel, which he’s been finding at Flipp Rock. Blues and bass have been pounding pogies off of Revere Beach, with a few lucky surf fishers getting in on the action. Orange Santini tubes have been doing the trick from the Amelia Earhart Dam and out beyond the Alford Street Bridge. On an outgoing tide, especially when the locks are open, the fish tend to be tight to the dam. Groundfishing has been good for haddock in the Boston Harbor shipping lanes and cod off Martins Ledge, Thieves Ledge, and Three-and-one-Half Fathom Ledge. Pink Pelican Teasers have been hot for haddock, while the same bait in green is getting it done for cod. Corker cunner have been an unsung hero among many of those same ledges, which was the inspiration behind the shop’s latest masterpiece – the Cunner Killah! Pete knows a thing or two about “sea perch” having caught them up to 18” in the past.
Massachusetts North Shore Fishing Report
Tomo from Tomo’s Tackle in Salem told me that bluefish have been all the buzz this week. Revere Beach exploded as have Marblehead and Salem Sound. Anglers have been searching out roaming feeds from Devereux Beach through Castle Rock and into Marblehead Harbor. Macks have not been a problem around Misery Channel. Ledge off Eagle Island and Bakers Island, as well as the Cape Ann shoreline, have been reliable as of late, with boaters tossing mackerel into the whitewash doing very well. Mackerel and squid can be caught from the Beverly Pier and Salem Willows.
Those searching for mackerel in Cape Ann should start with a sabiki rig drop or two in Gloucester Harbor, where you may find mackerel and harbor pollock. Live lined macks have been getting it done at the mouths of rivers from the Annisquam through the Essex and out through the Parker River. It shouldn’t take much effort to find cod once you clear 50’ of water off Rockport and Halibut Point. Magnolia should give up a few cod in close as well. For haddock, check out Tillies Ledge or the northeast rim of Stellwagen Bank.
The wait is on for stripers to move en masse into the Merrimack River, according to Martha from Surfland Bait and Tackle. Bait consisting of herring and shad is already in place, and with water temps on the drop, the arrival of better numbers of fish should be imminent. There are no such worries in Plum Island Sound, where the fishing has been solid with live mackerel and eels the choice for many. Macks can sometimes be caught right off the jetty and even the ocean front. More consistent choices for the bait are Breaking Rocks as well as Hampton Shoals Ledge. In addition to stripers, hickory shad have been fair game from the surf.
Massachusetts Fishing Forecast
The bedlam of bass and blue blitzes from the South Shore through Boston has some feeling nostalgic for a bygone era. Rivers are running hot throughout the harbor as fry provide the fuel for impressive feeds at rivers from the Weir through the Neponset and out to the Saugus River. Peanut bunker and mackerel have attracted both bass and blues, with solid reports coming from Revere Beach, off Marblehead, and Salem Sound. Anglers working mackerel in tight to Eagle Island, Bakers Island, and the backshore of Gloucester are finding a feed embodying what the fall run is supposed to be about. Not all is bass and blues or bust, however with Westport tog on a tear and hot haddock fishing inside of Stellwagen Bank.
Hobbs hole was lit up Monday morn two hours into the incoming. Fly rods were bent for two hours with big fish 36” in three fow! Tight lines.
Glad you’re enjoying a hot hook at Hobbs Walleye! Nothing like getting them in skinny water. Are you guys seeing a bump in sand eels numbers as other areas are?
-Ron