Massachusetts Fishing Report- May 9, 2024

Befitting a fish which is an equal opportunity pleaser, most of the striper action is happening in the shadows of the shoreline. While warmer water temperatures and a surplus of bait is the main draw for the schoolies and slots dominating the catch, the appearance of mackerel may be an indicator that far larger will be foraging offshore soon.

Massachusetts South Shore and South Coast Fishing Report

The opening comment from Pete from Belsan Bait and Tackle in Scituate was as expected – the striper action is mainly inshore with the fish ranging from schoolies to slots.

Ellisville Harbor, the Eel River, the Town River, Green Harbor as well as the South and North Rivers are all habitually early season producers and should all be holding fish and happy anglers. However, never discount the early big bass phenomenon in open water. Back during the river herring hysteria days when we were able to dip net and fish this striper candy we would pass on the crowds live-lining the alewives/bluebacks in the rivers and seek the lonely and still chilly early May surf. There were times when we were not dressed properly and after an hour of not much happening other than shivering, we’d be feeling frozen and foolish. But then there’d be an almost imperceptible bump on the bait and we’d be euphoric in that our first striper of the year was a drag-puller while the other guys would be high-fiving each other over schoolies. Not every big bass spawns – holdovers are exhibit 1 – and some join junior and the gang in an early migration. Many of those bigger bass will be cruising by beaches and it becomes a matter of priorities – do you just want to scratch that first-of-the-year striper itch or want to yell out to your friend, “I may need a hand landing this one?”. Obviously the river herring are in can’t-touch-this status, but those herring eating bass are there. It’s up to you to find something which interests them. To that end, Pete offered up Burke’s Beach, Rexhame Beach, Hummock, Egypt and Peggotty as all possibly places where you can make that happen.

Out of the starting gate Captain Jason Colby of Little Sister Charters struggled in his pursuit of flounder out of Sesuit Harbor – sub-50 degree water temperatures and stiff winds which lead to a too-fast drift speed will do that every time. But what a difference a week makes! The skipper is now totally dialed in and achieving limits more often than not! Some of the fish have been 18” robust blackbacks which would make most any generation of Hough’s Neck flounder hunters jealous! The skipper is expecting an occasional tautog to be part of the catch soon. Regarding tog, a few have been caught on the South Shore with Maryann Rocks, Manomet Point, Bryant Rock and Black Rock Beach all spots which have given up May tautog in the past. Crabs may be tog candy but this time of the year they will hit seaworms and clams with equal readiness.

Greater Boston Fishing Report

Pssst…there’s big bait around!
Mackerel have arrived just in time for the traditional yarn of – they are here…from Mother’s Day to Father’s Day! Oh, and there are even a few schools of pogies in the estuaries! The herring runs are jammed with herring and striped bass now making them prime places to toss mackerel or even a pogy!

Lisa from Fore River Fishing Tackle in Quincy told me that on Wednesday an angler was in the right place at the right time by the bridge at the Weymouth Back River when a slug of stripers moved in providing him with a banner outing. SP Minnows did the damage that day. There has also been action off Wollaston Beach by Black Creek as well the Hummocks. The Squantum area is holding stripers as well. Mackerel can be found off of Hull and out to Boston Light. Seaworms are moving well which is a sure indication that fishers are finding flounder in Quincy Bay and possibly doing well with stripers on the tube-and-worm. As to the latter, I’d drag that around Jackknife Ledge, Veazie Rocks and Sunken Ledge.

Captain Brian Coombs gear is beginning to get a workout thanks to mackerel. The tough parts is removing the ubiquitous mackerel scales plastered on the Sabiki rods, the sweet part is that those mackerel will be the key to catching cows aboard Get Tight Sportfishing once they round the corner into the harbor. Graves Light through the BG Bouy has the bait but no reports of bass on them – yet. A better bet for those with mackerel is near the Charles River locks as well as the stretch from the Tobin Bridge through the Schrafft’s Candy Complex and out to the Amelia Earhart Dam. Should you spot one of those pogy schools, drop a few into the livewell and try bridling and trolling them near Faun Bar or Seal Harbor or Revere Beach. I have a hunch there will be wet-suiters testing their tackle any night now in those spots.

Captain Paul Diggins of Reel Pursuit Charters is back with the OTW band and he told me he’s been spotting stripers swimming just off his slip in the Constitution Marina in Charlestown. Herring coming and going into the Charles River is the draw there. Paul’s first trip will be this Tuesday and from here on out he’ll be deploying mackerel, mojo rigs and umbrella rigs for Boston bass. Book him while he has openings.

The annual Zobo Flounder Tournament will be held this Saturday and will be centered around the JJ Grimsby Restaurant in Stoneham. Pete Santini of Fishing FINatics in Everett is the creator of this fun, family-oriented tournament and in addition to flounder, there’s always a cause and this year it’ll be to honor the late Barry Gibson who wore countless hats including charter captain, outdoor writer, editor and fisheries management recreational representative. Ironically I just happened to bump into last year’s winner of the Zobo Tournament – Antoine Scott – as he was exiting the shop clutching a handful of Zobo Rigs. Antoine not only is regularly in the winner circle of this event but he fishes exclusively from shore! In addition to sticking with the Zobo Rig, his other tip is to consider just north of the harbor – Lynn, Swampscott, Marblehead and Beverly.

Massachusetts North Shore Fishing Report

Tomo of Tomo’s Tackle in Salem said that his shop is now carrying lugworms to accommodate anglers fishing for flounder as well as employing the tube-and-worm for stripers. Those focusing on flounder are finding them off the Beverly Pier, as well as outside of the mooring fields of Salem and Beverly Harbor marinas, Manchester Harbor and Gloucester Harbor.

Kayak anglers as well as boaters are catching schoolie-through-slot stripers with the tube-and-worm in the Danvers River. Mackerel are beginning to become a fixture with the BG area in outer Boston Harbor among the more consistent spots. Haddock have moved in closer with some anglers getting them as near as Thatcher Island. It’s game on for stripers in the Plum Island area according to Kevin of Surfland! One of the most anticipated events there is when fresh bass bunch up at the mouth of the Merrimack River and it seems as if the bite there is on with fish up to 29” reported. Outgoing tide fishes best there with all manner of jigs, soft plastic stick baits and paddletials among the favorites Those wading the surf are catching as are anglers fishing Sandy Point and Plum Island Sound. Mackerel have moved closer with Kevin recommending the Speckled Apron, Breaking Rocks and Hampton Shoal Ledge all good spots to try for macks.

• Want to get in on the bite? Find an OTW-approved Charter Fishing Captain for Massachusetts

Massachusetts Freshwater Fishing Report

Regarding the Chu, is it time to swap out the Kastmaster for the Zara Spook? With smelt moving out onto deeper water, the easy pickings are over at the Chu for those looking for lake trout.. That’s not to suggest it’s a fools errand to even try but utill the thermocline sets up and the fish settle into deep holes – sometime this summer – the opportunity to catch lakers in close will be tougher. Again, that’s going to change by the end of next month when lakers will be foraging in close among drop-offs. Smallies however have taken up the slack and moved in with purpose. Some anglers are even targeting them with topwater lures which has caused Eddie of B&A Bait and Tackle Co. in West Boylston to scramble to keep spooks in stock. This past Tuesday all I managed there was one small laker on a shiner but I did fish a topwater which showed promise! On the Gate 35 side of the reservoir I unloaded every lure I had in my arsenal, but the only response came courtesy of a Megabass POPMAX which I put on once the Chu got choppy. That thing moves a ton of water and casts like a bullet; I can’t wait to launch that thing when water temperatures are up.

• May 11: Free Bass Fishing 101 Class in Lunenburg

Learn how to target bass from the pros—spaces still available, register now!

According to Gerry from Crack of Dawn Bait in Phillipston the big news regarding Quabbin is that the bass are beginning to move onto their beds. Channel cat fishing has been good in the Connecticut River and shad are stacked below the Holyoke Dam. Josh from The Fishing Hole added color to that report when we spoke along with specifics on the shad with green, pink and purple darts and willow leaf spoons working best for the shad. As always the bite improves when the lure is worked close to the bottom. If you’re not donating an occasional lure to the snag-gods then you’re not fishing correctly.

For fish with more horsepower stripers are being taken on chicken scratch Daiwa SP Minnows as well as Yo-Zuri Hydro Minnows while phenomenal Connecticut River carp fishing can be had with small yellow carp hook baits and corn. In sum, they are having a heck of a spring along the South Hadley section of the Connecticut River!

Massachusetts Fishing Forecast

Call them marshes, sloughs, estuaries, rivers – you name it – the striped bass home court right now is an inshore game where the water is warmest and bait plentiful! However once you check off that first bass box, set your sites on something that is potentially bigger off area beaches. Regarding bigger, with mackerel now in abundance things are lining up for that first batch of breeders to be migrating (and feeding!) along established routes such as Minot Ledge, Thieves Ledge, Three-and-one-Half Fathom Ledge and the humps and lumps inside of the B Buoy. Farther north, the Danvers River has been productive and the mouth of the Merrimack living up to its reputation as a May highlight! Flounder are feeding well off Cape Cod Bay, Quincy Harbor, Lynn Harbor, Beverly, Manchester and Gloucester. Not far out from Gloucester, haddock are in tight and from all accounts – they are big!