The buzz-worthy striper scuttlebutt has now taken a quantum leap from mere slots to those in the cow category! While rivers and estuaries still have plenty of action some of the bigger bass are being caught along established deepwater migration routes.
Massachusetts South Shore/South Coast Fishing Report
According to Pete from Belsan Bait and Tackle in Scituate, stripers up to 30 pounds have been caught off the ledges of Minot and Hull by those trolling mackerel. There are also some signs that some of those big fish have spun off their migration routes and made it inshore and are pummeling river herring in such places as the North River. The “other” herring – sea herring – are being pushed into area beaches and bays and the topwater action has been awesome. Some of the lures which are really moving out of the shop are Daddy Mac Wigglers, Albie Snax, Rapala Skitter Walks, Storm Chug Bugs, and alewife-colored 9” Slug-Gos. Flounder fishing among the flats of Scituate Harbor as well as other South Shore harbors and bays continues to be great. With a larger feeding window now, look for those flatties to become fatties! Haddock remain inshore of Stellwagen but continue to keep on the move; chumming helps draw them in and tends to keep them in place!
Captain Mark Rowell of Legit Fish Charters is finally mixing in a little fishing while breaking in his new 30’ Hysucat center console. He found haddock among rockpiles in 100’ of water between Cape Cod Bay and Stellwagen. What he also encountered, and released, was a thumper 15-20 pound white belly cod! The Three Bays, Green Harbor and Scituate Harbor intermittently seem awash with schoolie to slot stripers. For shore casters, the jetty at Cedar Point at night is a good bet for a better bass!
Greater Boston Fishing Report
If at all possible, Captains Dave Panarello and Tom Cronin just might be having too much fun! It’s been bombs away with some serious bass blitzes from Hull Gut to Quarantine Rocks with SP Minnows accounting for fish up to 40”! The fish appear to be feeding on medium sea herring making the bone SP a killer facsimile. Tom’s grandson, Aedan, has been the high hook so far with that 40” fish.
A possible harbinger of hot harbor fishing to come came courtesy of my weekly conversation with Captain Brian Coombs of Get Tight Sportfishing. Just south of the Cape he’s been slamming gator double-digit blues with regularity! The source of their ire has been pogies and squid. Black sea bass and the ubiquitous slot stripers are making for an enviable trifecta for the captain’s charters! He also had some very interesting news about local striped bass that are bigger than you would expect this early in the season!
All signs are pointing to this flounder season as special. When conditions are favorable, Captain Jason Colby is limiting out patrons aboard the Little Sister. The exception being a stiff NW wind which is always challenging no matter what you fish for. Slot stripers are making for an interesting bycatch with the blackbacks. While on the subject of “black-ish” fish, blackfish seem to be more plentiful this year. That’s not totally surprising after the exceptional fall we had last year for tog among the wharves of the inner harbor. I’ve been tapped by the captain to see if we can actually target them on Thursday and will report on our findings with photographic proof!
Pete Santini of Fishing Fishing FINatics in Everett said that by boat, by kayak and by shore anglers are having a blast catching flounder! The “Scotts” have been doing well right from the Lynn Heritage Park pier! Zobo rigs are selling briskly. Mackerel remain a tough inshore find although some have had success finding them near Martin’s Ledge.
One of Lisa’s (of Fore River Fishing Tackle in Quincy) go-to regulars, Guido, got a 39” striper at Bare Cove Park. Squid are plentiful from Nut Island Pier and not surprisingly wherever you find scads of squid you’ll find black sea bass and now they are part of the catch.
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Massachusetts North Shore Fishing Report
The fantastic flounder fishing extends into the North Shore according to Tomo from Tomo’s Tackle in Salem. Some are even nearly achieving limits right off the Beverly Pier. Kayakers and boaters are also doing well on flatties in both Salem and Beverly Harbors.
As to where the bass are hitting, a more appropriate question might be – “where aren’t they hitting?”! Blitzes and surface feeds can be expected, especially if you’re out there early. Mackerel have become more numerous but if you’re striking out with them consider doing what my friend Dave “the Dude” Flaherty is doing! He’s been filling up his Sabiki with gulp-size pollock and having a blast with the bass off the rocks! This is fun fishing to say the least since you’re catching twice – once with the bait and with the follow-up – the bass! I don’t care how you fish, the sight of a bright orange styrofoam float completely disappearing after a striper engulfs a pollock is intoxicating! While mackerel are more pelagic, pollock will associate with ledge, kelp forests and islands.
Matt from Three Lantern Marine in Gloucester said that he’s moving seaworms by “the pound”, a surefire indication how well the flounder are biting in Gloucester and Manchester harbors. Some on the hunt for haddock are finding them as close as 4 miles from shore! Regardless of that inshore luck, Tillies Ledge has been more consistent for haddock along with the bonus of cusk, pollock as well as “catch-and-release” cod and wolfish.
Martha from Surfland Bait and Tackle said that the striper size has bumped up to 40”! Additionally, this holiday weekend is shaping up nicely and with low tide coinciding with false dawn to dawn, everywhere from the mouth of the Essex River to Plum Island Sound to the mouth of the Merrimack should be hot! Joppa Flats is jumping as is Sandy Point and the oceanfront. Friends of the shop who supply mackerel are heading south to find them but not working as hard to fill up the cooler as they had been. For flounder, Cranes Beach/southward is fishing best.
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Massachusetts Fishing Forecast
Dovetailing nicely with the unofficial kick-off of Summer is the arrival of 40” striped bass and bigger! Macks trolled off Minot and the Hull ledges should account for many anglers’ first encounter with a big bass! Rivers from the North River to the Weymouth Back River are holding 40” fish looking for a herring snack. Blitzes of slot to slob stripers have been daily occupancies in Boston Harbor with the south side yielding bigger! The strong year for flounder continues with even a shore bite in such places as Lynn Harbor and Beverly Harbor. Farther north anglers are anticipating a banner weekend and with an additional day to take in a tide along with ideal conditions in Plum Island, who could ask for more?
Fished the graveyard shift last night, 1 32-inch fish on the second cast, and then nothing for 2 hours. Time for some much needed sleep
Tight Lines
Honestly, these reports confuse me so much. I have been up and down the North Rivers and in the Hull area and haven’t seen a single nibble. It’s my first year fishing for striper in the Metro North and South coming from RI and I am struggling to figure out the waters here. I’ve been skunked for over a month. Super discouraging. I hope my luck turns around.
Travis these reports are over a week to two weeks old. I believe they are embellished big time. A lot of fishermen lie to make theme selves to be heard. It’s a hype!!!
Best bet for you
Take a chance at the Cape Cod Canal. Fish 1 hour before the tide all the way though to 1 hour after the tide. Earlier the better less boat traffic.
Look for birds working on the water to. That’s a great indicator.
Sorry these guys don’t help as much as they should.
You can use lures or cut chunk bait like mackerel or pogies. Mack’s should be in the Canal by now. So use Mack’s. Check with the guys at Red Top Bait. They won’t stair you wrong.
Good luck. Keep your sprits up. A day on the water is better than a day at the office!
Oh Travis I for got to tell you watch the Canal Rats riding their bikes. These guys live on the Canal you will learn from them by just watching them. Take a day of spying on them with what they use to fish with. Need a long rod to cast out there. Yea take a lunch and watch them. Very nice down on the Canal.Some Canal Rats are nice and helpful. Canal
Is a nice easy place to learn about bass and blues.
Travis, I feel your pain and I’m sure you will work your way out of your slump and be the better angler because of it. At this time of the year stripers are fast moving until they settle into summer haunts so a lot of times it’s hit or miss. You can stack the odds in your favor by fishing at dusk and dawn or overcast days. While marshes and rivers – especially those with herring runs – still hold fish, the bite is beginning to transition to beaches and other open ocean locations. Bring a long some bone SP Minnows and pearl Al Gag’s Whip-it-Fish and be patient a little longer and I’m sure you’ll start catching! Good luck, Ron
Travis, What I like to do, if I am going to fish a new area, is scout at dead low tide. Look for holes, structure, pinch points for fast water and any other spot that might serve an ambush hunter well. Then come back and fish these spots mid-tide up. Good luck.