Massachusetts Fishing Report - August 17, 2017

Picured above: Dave Flaherty duped this nice North Shore bass under low light conditions on a white Sebile Magic Swimmer.

While not teachers, some of the shop owners have been giving out grades. And for the season, most are saying that stripers have made the honor roll. But not all patrons are giving those bass a pass, as they complain of too many swings and misses due to fussy fish. Some, however, are focusing more on flatfish, be it fluke out of Westport or their far larger cousins offshore.

Many of those who have an appreciation and deep-seated reverence for our New England fisheries consider the quintessential catch above all to be the Atlantic Halibut – the king of the flatfishes. Kevin Cheung is certainly among them. When he is not fishing he is usually in the act of coming or going from a trip. It’s little wonder that the profession he chose was that of a fisheries biologist. With images of those legendary depictions of dories overflowing with giant halibut swimming around in his brain, he, along with Captain Jim Walsh (of the American Classic out of Lynn), decided to do something about it. Fast forward and 60 miles from port they, along with a few other friends, found themselves aboard the the Captain Lady III over Fippennies Ledge.

I’d wager that no banter is as colorful as that among a sleep-deprived and shower-deprived headboat crew, especially when it comes to bragging rights regarding the pool. Kevin was getting skewered by his friend and partner in the pool Hector because he wasn’t keeping up with the catching; in fact, he wasn’t even jigging. But, far from being preoccupied with pollock, Cheung stuck with what he knew worked for their inshore, smaller fluke cousins, he bounced fish strips on the bottom.

With time waning, Kevin called out “Bottom of the 9th” and then the drag-puller thumped the bait. The fish not only took drag initially but sounded again at the surface. Kevin was ready to have a conniption because blue sharks were all around the boat and one was having its way with Hector’s fish while Kevin struggled with his. However, this 41 1/2”, 32-pound halibut would not be shark bait, but instead would be lipped, celebrated and win a pretty impressive pool.

Captain Walsh put his arm around Kevin and said, “You pulled a Tom Brady.”, since he caught the winning fish with only 10 minutes to spare. While no disrespect to TB12, a more appropriate comparison might be to Big Papi, after all Kevin did call it “Bottom of the 9th.” In addition to that keeper, there were other undersized halibut caught on the trip, but regulations are such that allow only one fish per vessel at a minimum of 41 inches is allowed per trip. Regardless, it’s heady stuff to think that halibut are miraculously making a comeback and one could be in your future.

Massachusetts South Coast Fishing Report

While they might not be halibut, some of the fluke Captain Jason Colby’s crew are pulling aboard the Little Sister are impressive flatties in their own right. His biggest fluke so far, was a nice doormat taken by Mike Dumais a nanosecond into the first drift outside of the Sakonnet River. The fat flattie was the just desert for Mike since he tipped off the skipper as to where they should start. For more a more consistent catch, the crew has been taking the steam out to Nomans Island where limits for fish up to 5 pounds have been a regularity. One heck of a consolation prize has been the knothead black sea bass they are limiting out on.

At the risk of traumatizing those who will soon be hitting the books, the South Shore gets an A- grade according to Pete from Belsan Bait in Scituate. Bass continue to hang up tight among rocks and ledges with mackerel being the preferred entree. Some are theorizing it’s all the pollock schooled up among the structure that is keeping the stripers in so close. My theory is that once resident stripers set up in a location, they aren’t likely to move until compelled by the “run”. Fortunately, we have a ways to go before that will happen. The fish have been averaging between 15 and 20 pounds, punctuated by the periodic 28-pounder. Tuna fever has taken hold of many including Captain Mark Rowell of Legit Fish. It’s little wonder, the pelagic bite on Stellwagen, the Middle Ground as well as Jeffrey’s has been sizzling hot for giants. The crew has been able to troll up 60-inch size fish on a squid bars. When asked for specifics Mark mentioned Peaked Hill Bar and the western edge of Stellwagen.

Massachusetts Greater Boston Fishing Report

In lockstep with the increasing numbers of pogies, more and more anglers are finding bass with the bait. Hull through Hingham had such a spectacle recently as has the Fore River through the Town River. Wollaston has the bait but not always willing stripers. Lisa from Fore River said that for more consistent catching she recommends a tube-and-worm or a Cape Cod spinner in close among Jackknife Ledge, Veezie Rocks, Sunken Ledge and around Hangman Island. Some of the bigger bass (up to 40”) have been taken by inner and outer Bumpkin Shoals. I can only imagine how you’d do in the same area at night with eels.

Darlene from Bobs Bait Shack in Winthrop told me that pogies have been pushed into Winthrop Harbor with periodic bass blowups by Crystal Cove and Cottage Park. Bite-sized snapper blues have appeared among East Boston Yacht Clubs. These make awesome fluke bait and while this species is not often targeted in Boston, we do have them and a baby blue on the line will cull out the best fish. For fluke consider Wollaston, Beach, Long Island, Revere Beach and Lynn Harbor.

Captain Paul Diggin’s of Reel Pursuit Charters continues to find mackerel between Flipp Rock and the 2 Can and in turn treats his patrons to solid striper outings in Nahant Bay with the epicenter being Egg Rock.

Massachusetts North Shore Fishing Report

For about as long as it takes for a cup of coffee to cool down, we had a bluefish bite in Massbay. Bluefish do travel offshore in August to spawn so that may partially explain the untimely departure. However, with blues busting bait just off Swampscott and Marblehead that just may be changing. While not a banner year for squid, there has been more action off the piers of Marblehead, Beverly and Salem during the last couple of weeks than all season so far.

File this one in the unexpected category: anglers have been catching black sea bass near Bailey’s Hill off Nahant. Squid can be found off the Dogbar Breakwater at the mouth of Gloucester Harbor at night. For mackerel you need steam no farther than the Groaner but their numbers definitely dwindle much after daylight.

Bass are no problem in the harbor according to Skip from Three Lantern Marine, with most fish in the 27” to 31” bracket. The bar at Thatcher’s Island on a moving tide has been good for bigger bass.

Martha from Surfland told me of a 51-pounder that was taken by a commercial sharpie on an eel at night. Other anglers are also catching much better by boat and from shore at night on eels, especially now that the Parker River Wildlife Reservation is open and nighttime permits are being issued. If you fish at sunup be prepared to get a lot of “looks” from large linesiders but not many takes, such is fishing for stripers when water temperatures have peaked. That will change in a big way next month however. Naturally this does not apply to schoolies which are still swarming throughout Ipswich Bay, Plum Island Sound, the Merrimack River and through Seabrook New Hampshire. Pogies are still hanging in there and mackerel are no problem among humps and ledges just offshore.

Massachusetts Fishing Forecast

“Junior” may shudder at the thought that soon grades will be his reality, but anglers should revel in the fine marks shop owners are giving the bass bite. On the South Shore, stick to the ledges with a live mackerel such as Stone Ledge or the rough stuff off Egypt Beach. Boston bass have moved in on pogy schools between Castle Island, the Lower Middle and Logan Airport. Plum Island has pogies and plenty of schoolies but for a shot at bigger, you could do worse than sling an eel at night.