Massachusetts Fishing Report- July 9, 2026

Anglers in the know have shifted from temperature watchers to wind watchers. A meteoric rise in water temperatures which peaked over the weekend kept bass on the move and when found in many cases proved lethargic. Fortunately the remedy has arrived in the form of an east wind which should lower temperatures and bring in more bait and bass. 

South Shore and South Coast

Not everyone had an issue with skyrocketing water temperatures. Just ask Captain Jason Colby who because his fish finder temperature gauge flirted with 70 degrees made him entertain thoughts of – mahi mahi!  If the idea of launching from port in the South Coast of Massachusetts with a reasonable expectation of catching mahi mahi, during a morning trip no less, seems far-fetched than obviously you’ve never been on such an excursion aboard the Little Sister. 

I’ve been fortunate enough to be on a few of those “pinch me, I must be dreaming” trips with last year the best yet. Thoughts of those leaping pelagics danced in my head last week while chasing Massbay stripers in 68-72 degree water temperatures. While in the past August was when those Gulf Stream exotics would move in,  I couldn’t help but think – could it be happening already? This prompted me to make a pitch to Captain Colby to find out if there’s even the remotest possibility of any mahi magic going on out there.  Jason reached out to a friend who replied that offshore eddies from the Gulf Stream have not spun off and brought those pelagics in closer – yet. If the heat stays on, mahi mahi just may arrive earlier than usual and if anyone is going to have a bead on those bioluminescent acrobats it’ll be Captain Colby! 

Meanwhile the pedestrian players along the Westport side of Buzzards Bay – black sea bass, fluke and striped bass – are more than filling the void. In spite of the heat, stripers of all sizes are still present in the river. When the bait is of sufficient volume, bass will forego comfort for forage – proof of that are holdovers which last throughout the winter – and there are times when the South Coast looks like one big ball of bait.

There are some signs that the shift in wind direction to a more easterly direction has blown in cooler temperatures and a hotter bite off the South Shore. Captain Mark Rowell of Legit Fish Charters said that while Race Point was still productive, the area off Scituate has picked up a lot. In addition to more favorable water temperatures the ultimate big bass bait – bunker – have moved in. Areas off beaches are holding schools of bunker and they are even present in Scituate Harbor.

Pete from Belsan’s B&T told me that finally the rivers are finished as few if any fallback herring are keeping stripers in check. Taking up the slack is a burgeoning bass bite in tight to rocks/ledge. Lobstermen are reporting that “bass bugs” commonly shed their shells now and hunker in tight to structure while they are vulnerable. The theory is that the process gives off a scent and striped bass pick up on it. Anglers are taking advantage of this by pitching tinker mackerel in tight to structure.  A few of the spots where this is working are Farnham Rock, Peggotty Beach, Fourth Cliff, Minot, The Glades and Egypt Beach. Mackerel remain plentiful with plenty of tinkers in the mix. Others are doing well by targeting striped bass offshore a bit in 80’ of water. Trolling bait and X Raps has been effective as has casting to intermittent surface busting stripers.

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Greater Boston

Captain Brian Coombs of Get Tight Sportfishing is betting that the wind from the east will bring in a few Boston beasts. The rapid increase in water temperatures to on-average 70 degrees last week took its toll with many finding lethargic striped bass. The more favorable wind pattern should drive down that temperature and push in the acres of pogies which have been staging just offshore. The captain has also been seeing signs that Charlie has come to town so he’ll be stowing tuna-tested tackle to go along with the bass gear. 

Just in from Lisa of Fore River B&T in Quincy is that blueish have arrived in Quincy Bay and most principally off Wollaston Beach. While no-one is yelling out “gators, gorillas”, there’s no denying that the 18-21” cocktail blues are fun on light spinning gear. Many also consider them the best eating size.  Butterfish are a recent bait player in the area with Fore River the epicenter. Butterfish are a staple on canyon-running headboats and make for great striper bait as well. 

Blues aren’t the only thing interesting anglers off Wollaston Beach as surf anglers have gotten in on the striper action with topwaters getting it done. Pogy schools have been present at Marina Bay with patient anglers catching stripers with them near the breakwater. The tube-and-worm as well as eels have been effective off Wessagusset Beach, the Neponset River and Carson Beach. The strong squid season continues with numerous piers throughout the Hull through Quincy area serving them up, Many a pier throughout the harbor also holds mackerel with some having luck live-lining squid and mackerel for bass.

Pete Santini of Fishing FINatics in Everett said that for many the first order of business is to procure a sufficient amount of mackerel. Flipp Rock through Nahant’s 2 Can out towards East Point are starting points. Anglers have been deploying those striper snacks to good effect by trolling them throughout Broad Sound. Kelly’s Rocks and Cherry Bar have been productive for slot size and bigger. There have even been a few feeds courtesy of that rarest of striped bass – schoolies! Tog can be seen cruising among the pilings of the reserve channel while anglers working small jigs are coming tight to 8-10” whiting by the Black Falcon Cruise Terminal. Laurel from Hull B&T told me that the tube-and-worm has been killing it with Gunrock Beach, Doctor’s Island, Toddy Rocks and Peddock Island among the better bets. 

North Shore

A few days ago my buddy Captain Tom Ciullia and I carved up Massbay from far east of the Harbor out through Cape Ann and into Ipswich Bay playing the find the right water temperature game. It wasn’t until we located a pocket of mid-60 degree water off Gloucester that we found stripers willing to make a snack out of our macks. Even then those bass did not blast the premium bait as they ordinarily would; a fate that we attributed to the rapidly rising water temperatures which a cold blooded predator such as a striper takes a while to adjust. One of the highlights of the trip was hooking a beautiful young cod on my sabiki rig. While briefly admiring it before the release it was a reminder of what a cool fish Massachusetts state fish is. Many of us can’t wait until the limited harvest is allowed for cod from September 1st through the end of October. 

Tomo from Tomo’s Tackle in Salem said that there have been a few bite-offs on mackerel as they were fished near the Marblehead side of Salem Sound. Most likely the toothy encounters were the result of marauding bluefish which echos the Wollaston Beach report and is proof that blues are a possibility. The most productive pattern for stripers is for anglers to take advantage of cooler water which has been blowing in on the eastern wind. To compound your chances for striper success fish the incoming tide as well. Anglers jigging up mackerel around Misery Channel are coming up with both short fin and long fin squid. Squid can still be found off prominent piers in Salem and Beverly. The gateways of both harbors have been good for stripers. 

Martha from Surfland agreed that finding the right slice of striper water temperatures matters greatly. Some anglers have been duped by diving terns which is merely proof that sand eels are present. After a few unsuccessful casts into just such a raucous it’s best to move on. Obtaining mackerel in the Plum Island area has been easy with anglers having luck trolling them while searching for marked fish. Thanks to the east wind the surf has been up which has brought along a better ocean front bass bite. 

Massachusetts Fishing Forecast

Anglers who are paying rapt attention to their electronics and have found that sweet spot for stripers — 55 to 65 degrees — are having the most luck. Along the South Shore the easterly winds have been an ally having brought in bait and bass to beaches such as Peggotty and Egypt. Mackerel tossed in among rocks and wrecks are hooking bass which are in there for a lobster dinner. Along the South Coast surging water temperatures are having some thinking of exotic visitors such as mahi which at some point this summer will cruise in close on Gulf Stream eddies. 

Meanwhile the willing black sea bass, fluke and stripers out of Westport are nothing to complain about. The big Boston news just might be the appearance of bluefish as well as a surf bass bite off Wollaston Beach. A fallback is the tube-and-worm off Peddock island, Toddy Rocks. Cherry Bar and Kelly Rocks. Odds are that the next time you are out you’ll find more favorable results thanks to the onshore wind which should blow in the hat trick of bait, bass and more ideal water temperatures. Bluefish have become a factor with anglers hooking up from Quincy through the North Shore. There are cows cruising Cape Ann which you can outfox by playing the temperature game.