Massachusetts Fishing Report - August 13, 2015

Like a cool breeze coupled with a cool beverage, relief for the summer doldrums came calling this past week in the form of 20 pounders…a lot of 20 pounders! The answer of where they were caught was evident in the sudden inshore appearance of charter captains who either make it or break it depending on whether they put patrons on fish.

South Shore/South Coast Fishing Report

Between now and Thanksgiving, expect to see plenty of information about what’s catching in the Westport area. My friend Captain Jason Colby’s boat Little Sister is now berthed at FL Tripp Marina, so I’ll have a personal window into what’s going on there. With black sea bass, fluke, tautog, the occasional “funny fish” as well as run-of-the-mill striper and bluefish, it really is a different world down there. The season began with a bang as eels in Westport River were “greeted” by 20-pound stripers, chubs were wolfed down by hungry fluke in Westport Harbor, and our favorite black sea bass lure – the Shimano Lucanus – was getting nailed by keeper black sea bass where the harbor meets up with Buzzards Bay. And that’s just the first week!

Scotty of Green Harbor Bait and Tackle said that the South Shore was hardly immune to “20-pound fever”! Boaters have been tossing mackerel into drop-offs and bars off Burkes, Duxbury and Rexhame beaches and finding fish that can pull drag! Shore anglers casting chunks at dusk have been doing well also. For blues, your best bet is by the Pilgrim Power Plant.

For a bit of tuna trauma, Scotty recommends that you “fly a kite.” At least two 75” to 80” fish have been caught at Crab Ledge. Heartbreak has befallen a few Charlie chasers in the SW Corner as there have been a few breakoffs. Anglers are floating both mackerel and bluefish under the kites.

According to Pete from Belsan’s the beaches in the Scituate area have come to life. A number of (you guessed it!) 20-pounders have been taken on mackerel off Egypt Beach, Peggotty Beach, The Glades and the stretch between Rexhame Beach and Beetle Rocks. Third Cliff and Fourth Cliff have also been good, as has Briggs Harbor. You may have to work your way out to Minots Light to catch your mackerel fill, but most are finding the effort well worth it. Some are hitting the heretofore spots with a tube-and-worm and doing well also.

Greater Boston Fishing Report

For much of this season, what has been lacking has been any semblance of big fish consistency and this has impacted how many charter captains have had to go about their business. Most patrons don’t see value in chasing around schoolies, and experienced skippers understand this. So prior to last week, they were making the haul to Hull to fish the offshore ledges and spending a lot of time east of Graves Light. But, that has all changed as both bass and those who keep daily tabs on their whereabouts have come inside the Harbor where the small-boat owner, kayak fisherman, and just maybe even the surf fishermen can share in the good times!

A friend saw proof the other day that more pogies have arrived. There, in a cooler at a local bait shop, were fresh pogies and the owner hinted that they were netted at Wollaston Beach. Meanwhile most are making the haul out to the Nahant area for mackerel and those mackerel have been responsible for fish up to 40 pounds during the last week! According to Lisa from Fore River, catching nice bass does not necessarily begin and end with live mackerel. Patrons have been having their way with 20-pound stripers as close as Bumkin Island, Sunken Ledge and Jackknife Ledge. With the wave of good bass taking up residence it might be a good time to snoop around both sides of Moon Island as well as the nearer section of Long Island.

There have been some blues caught in the Town River, and shore fishermen are picking up some impressive bass behind the Hull High School as well as Hull Gut: all on mackerel! The blitzes, which have been practically a daily occurrence in the Lower Middle of the Harbor, now have bigger, keeper fish below the schoolies! Kayaks and shore fisherman have been picking up stripers from Yirrell Beach out to Short Beach. Some of the fish available that the kayak anglers are picking up are some serious slabs. As evidence of the emergence of inshore fish, anglers are reporting that fish they are catching are full of crabs, lobsters and other inshore critters.

The Nahant area is one of the more reliable for mackerel with increasing numbers of squid latching onto Sabiki rigs. Anglers drifting mackerel in Lynn Harbor, the East Point, Short Beach and Lynn Beach are finding fish to 20 pounds or more! The “gut” off Egg Rock is a nice alternative spot for stripers.

Massachusetts North Shore Fishing Report

Tomo from Tomo’s Tackle in Salem told me that it is beginning to feel as if it is the turn of the shore fishermen! Solid stripers have been taken among the surf of Devereux Beach, Preston Beach and at the Lead Mills on an outgoing tide. Boaters are trolling mackerel and tubes by the mouth of Marblehead Harbor, Tinker’s Island and the Piglets and catching well. Schoolies along with the occasional keeper are busting up the surface of Salem Sound.

Skip from Three Lantern Marine said that there’s no problem catching all the schoolies you could want in Gloucester Harbor. For larger, bait up with mackerel which are frequently in the harbor and live line them among ledge, rockpiles and mussel beds. If you’re not having much luck catching macks in the harbor give it a go at the Groaner. Even if you can’t catch the macks you should have no problem finding harbor pollock which make mighty fine bait also. Just make sure you keep the pollock from burying in weed by either using a float or a slow troll. Blues have been found off Halibut Point. Squid are child’s play at most any lit pier or dock in Gloucester Harbor!

Tom from Surfland told me that odds were good for most if not all of the Parker River Wildlife Reservation to be open to the public starting next week. Mackerel are spotty with some claiming they’re making a killing by the Speckled Apron and others have not been doing very well. The striper fishing is just as spotty with Plum Island giving up few decent fish. However, there have been some schoolies taken at the mouth of the Merrimack as well as the beach front.

Fishing Forecast

Anglers are breathing a sigh of relief, even as they are struggling to catch their breath from hooking what for many are there first challenging stripers of the year! Jig up some mackerel by Minot’s Ledge and try hitting the Cliffs of Scituate or Egypt Beach or Rexhame Beach. Pogies numbers have bumped up at Wollaston Beach and should you procure a few send them in the direction of Moon Head Island or Long Island. Mackerel seemed to have moved in for good off Nahant. Top off the livewell and drift through Lynn Harbor, Lynn Beach or check out Egg Rock. Salem Sound has been super for schoolies. Although Plum Island action could be better, anticipation is high as many await the fish opportunities which go with the imminent opening of the entire Parker River Wildlife Reservation as soon as next week!