|
powered by blogger
design(c)maystar designs
|
|
Fish have shifted into a feeding pattern in preparation for southern migratioins and to put on an extra layer of fat to protect them during the coming winter months. As the fishing season winds down. preparations should be made for switching targets from stripers and bluefish to bass and pickerel.
The third fishing season of the year has begun. Stripers have captured the interest of fall fishermen. The action has been strong and the bass actively feeding in preparation for their southern migration. Good sized stripers have been caught along sandy beaches and rocky shores from Plum Island to Boston with some of the best catches made along the sandy beaches and rocky shores of North Shore waters. Big bass have been taken throughout Nahant,into Manchester and Magnolia. Reports have been heard of trophy bass being caught at the Deer Island Rip on large plugs drifted into the rip during plus night tides. Trolling tube and worms have also attracted good sized bass. This is a good time for bait fishing from the beaches. Devereux Beach has always been a great beach for fall activity.
Bluefish action has been strong throughout local waters and continue to blitz from Salem to Gloucester to Boston. Many of the blues that have been caught have weighed between five and ten pounds. Last week, bluefish blitzed Salem and Marblehead creating a lot of excitement among local fishermen. Blitzing bluefish savagely attacked swimming plugs, poppers and bait. The most successful bait was mackerel chunks and strips.
During the past week or so there have been limited reports of a few mackerel caught in local waters. The bulk of the mackerel are still in northern waters and are due to arrive locally at any time. Once the mackerel arrive be prepared for some fast action with big numbers of mackerel landed. This is a popular time of year for live lining mackerel and being rewarded by the heaviest stripers of the year. tandem rigged mackerel jigs and herring rigs will generate the best catches.
although the off shore waters continue to give up the largest of the cod, cod have started to move closer to inshore hills, bumps and ledges. Reports have filtered into the shop about limited cod activity taking place at Tinker's Ledge, Newcomb's Ledge, the 101 Hill and Cole Ridge. Most of the inshore catches have been market sized or sub legal. The most productive bait for both inshore and off shore cud have been generous offerings of sea clams.
Now that local water temperatures have dipped into the mid to upper fifties, fishermen have been reporting increased numbers of flounder. Some individual flounder have registered weights close to three pounds. Fishermen have been talking about catches of flounder close to limit numbers. Some of the best catches have been made along the mouth of Manchester Harbor and along Marblehead Harbor. A few flounder have been caught between Winter Island and Marblehead. Sea worms have attracted the greatest numbers of flounder.
Fall trout stockings are set to begin this week and are scheduled to continue until the middle of the month. Look for trout action to be spiced up as the State deposits its precious fall cargo. Expect the most utilized trout ponds to receive an additional shot of trout. Sluice Pond in Lynn. Baldpate Pond in Boxford, Pleasant Pond in Wenham and Horn Pond in Woburn are generally among the ponds that are on the stocking list for the fall months. October trout generally respond to power bait, salmon eggs, trout worms and meal worms that are rigged with a marshmallow.
Largemouth bass have responded positively turning on the feeding machine. It appears that the cooler waters have signaled the coming of winter and triggered a feeding urge to put on extra fat layers in preparation for the winter decline in food sorces. As waters now dropping into the fifties, shiner fishermen have been scoring steadily as they present all sizes of shiners along drop offs, ledges and structure of any kind. Look for some of the best action to take place during the late afternoon into evening. On average, captured bass have been tipping the scales at between one and two pounds. Trolling swimming plugs and working spinnerbaits have proven to be top fish getters among the artificials.
Fishermen have been reporting a marked increase in panfish activity. Yellow perch have been actively seeking out baits with the most sought after being night crawlers and shiners. Some of the yellow perch that have been caught have tipped the scales at close to two pounds. Crappie action has been strong at Putnamville Reservoir and Chebacco Lake. Preferred baits have included crawlers, shiners and small jigs. Sometimes, crappie respond best to small jigs that have been tipped with a small strip of bait. Look for some of the best action to take place during mid day and again during dusk.
The fishing has been as hot as the weather for the past week. Stripers, bluefish and tuna have been on a strong bite. There aren't many weeks of the year that are as good as this week has been. Fish have been striking all over, make sure you take advantage of the great fishing.
Schools of 30 to 80 lb. tuna that have inhabited the waters just east of Thatcher's Island continue to keep anglers pumped up and reaching for gold. Anglers continue to present all sorts of baits from metal to trolling lures and poppers with limited success. Those anglers that do hook up experience the fight of a lifetime. With warm water still well established the action should continue for a while. For the most part, it appears that metal entices the greatest numbers of tuna.
Striper fishermen have scored consistently on schoolies and keepers all week long. Numerous baits have attracted stripers from Gloucester to the Cape. Hungry bass have been quick to devour offerings of mackerel, herring, squid and sea clams. Chunked and strip baits have worked well in local waters while sea clams have proven their worth along Plum Island. Good numbers of stripers have remained along the Breakers, the Gooseberries, Ram Island and the Pigs. Stripers have remained in the Danvers River and have been caught by anglers trolling sea worms.
This has been another active week for bluefish anglers, Numerous blitzes have taken place all along Marblehead Neck and Devereux Beach. Schools of bait were cornered along many coves along Marblehead, Manchester and Magnolia, Small bluefish have been cruising the waters of Salem and trapping bait along the Willows and Winter Island. Drifting bait works extremely well as does trolling five inch plugs. Poppers have brought about dynamite action from bluefish to eight pounds.
Fishermen have been starting to report limited numbers of tinker mackerel being found in limited locations offshore. Those fishermen that are targetting mackerel have been working herring rigs. Catches have been spotty but are sure to improve.
Cod fishermen continue to travel to the offshore banks and ledges for decent catches despite the extreme cost of fuel. Good catches made by offshore bait and jig fishermen seem to take the curse off fuel prices that seem to be much higher than need be. Many fishermen find that the cost of a trip offshore on a party boat is well worth it and the return on your investment in cod and haddock tips the balance in your favor. Cod into the thirties have been common along with ten and twelve pound haddock. Now is the time to start stocking the freezer for winter.
Water temperatures are still running in the mid sixties, not the best for flounder catches. Successful worm dunkers, with some hard work and numerous moves, managed to eek out a few flats from the waters off West Beach and along Manchester and Magnolia. Flounder fishing should start to improve as soon as water temperatures start to moderate. Look for improved flounder catches as soon as water temps drop into the fifties.
Largemouth bass fishermen have put in a good week scoring on good sized and hard fighting fish. Inflated crawlers drifted on the surface during dusk have triggered explosive hits by aggressive bass. Many of these dusk explosions have been caused by trophy sized bass. Present your offerings around rocky structure and submerged branches and logs. Shiner fishermen have scored consistently on mediun to large fish when they presented shiners along submerged structure that have had their pectoral fins clipped. Spinnerbaits and buzzbaits have also been effective when presented along weedlines and in quiet water.
Trout fishermen have been tantalizing by hungry trout. First light anglers have been reporting good early morning action with many of the trout that have been caught in the seventeen to twenty inch range. Early morning anglers score much better that those anglers that prefer to start their fishing activity after breakfast. Successful fishermen have found that drifting worms along currents and rocky stretches of bottom. Fishing the Ipswich River in deeper pools and under overhanging tree branches is a method for success for many bait fishermen. Fly fishermen score best during the late afternoon into dusk.
Warm water continues to keep schools of panfish on the move searching out forage. Kids have scored nicely when they cast night crawlers and shiners to working schools of bait. Yellow perch and crappie have been feeding heavily with perch being far more aggressive. Look for the best action to take place in the smaller "farm" ponds while the best crappie have been found in the larger bodies of water like Chebacco Lake and Putnamville Reservoir. Along with shiners and night crawlers, small spoons and spinners take their fair share of the catch.
The great fall fishing continues and it has always puzzled me as to why anglers give up on fishing as soon as Labor Day comes and goes. There is so much great fishing yet to come. Get out and enjoy it!
As word gets out about the SBFT that have been the most exciting thing to happen to the North Shore since the advent of the spinning reel, more and ,ore fishermen have been trying their luck at attracting these power filled bombshells. The more fishermen acquaint themselves with this new fishery they are starting to catch better numbers of these prized fish. Anglers are learning the signs of their presence and what it takes to hook up. Good numbers of SBFT have remained just off Thatcher's Island and have been caught on various metal lures. Kastmasters and Hopkins are favorites.
The third fishing season of the year treats striper anglers to a host of activity including some of the best striper fishing of the year. Big cows will be caught in surprising numbers and many of them will come from local waters. Anglers have scored and will continue to score along Marblehead Neck's rocky shores. Ram Island and the Pigs will remain a pair of local hot spots. One of the most popular locations during the harvest moon period is and will remain the Deer Island Rip. This popular location is best fished during the night tides with the largest plugs available. In the past, large Stan Gibbs and Goo Goo.Eyes were among the most favored.
Huge schools of bluefish have been exploding just offshore in the middle of schools of peanut bunker. Trolling 5 and 7 inch diving plugs generally yields good numbers of bluefish. Many times, bluefish action mimics the days of the 70's and 80's when blues were active, ferocious, explosive and deadly to bait often times leaving the water with a reddish tinge. As they slashed through schools of bait. Limited shore action has kept anglers casting chunks of mackerel, herring and pogies to the night surf.
Cod fishermen need to bypass the inshore fishing grounds and head offshore for water depths in excess of 150 feet. Although jig fishermen have done quite well, bait fishermen seem to hold the edge. Cod in the twenty and thirties have been tallied. Cod have remained to the eastern side of Stellwagen. Jefferies and Tillies anglers report the troughs of the mountainous terrain have yielded the best catches. Look for more inshore action as water temperatures cool down approaching the magical 50 degree mark.
Flounder fishermen have been reporting fairly sporadic action from Marblehead to Manchester. Successful anglers have told of a inconsistent bite along the hard bottom of Manchester and Magnolia. Limited numbers of flats have been taken just inside Marblehead Harbor. When flats are finicky, don't be stingy. Present a good sized portion of sea worm, enough so that a tail can wiggle beyond the hook. This movement helps to attract hungry flounder. It also helps to cast in a circular pattern around the boat, you will cover more ground.
Largemouth bass have once again captured the attention of bass anglers from the Cape to western Massachusetts. Catches of trophy sized bass have been common when anglers present live shiners along any submerged or emergent vegetation or structure.. Although bass action has been good throughout the day, the best action takes place during the evening hours. For night crawler fishermen, try inflating your crawler by using a football needle and present it on a sliding sinker rig. Also for the night fisherman, inflate your crawler and let it free float on the quiet surface of a popular bass hole. Be prepared for an explosive strike.
Trout fishing remains stalled except for some limited action during the early morning hours and in the shaded and secluded pools of the Ipswich River. Drifting trout worms, dillies and crawlers along the edges of pools during the pre dawn through sunrise hours will produce limited numbers of trout. A minor active period occurs again as sunset turns into dusk. This is a prime period for fly fishermen. Many of the trout that have been caught have tipped the scales at right around a pound. Rainbows rule
Local panfish activity has remained strong encouraging kids to cast a wide assortment of both artificial and live baits. Small ponds with Red'd in Marblehead leading the pack supplied some fast action for these young anglers. Perch and sunnies have led the pack of most sought after species. Pout have been actively feeding on an assortment of stink baits and worms. The most active time of day for pout has been right around dusk. When fishing for pout, make sure you have been well lathered with bug spray to make sure you don't become supper for EEE laden and hungry mosquitoes. It is also important to rid your hands of all bug spray before you bait your hook. Fish are very sensitive to unnatural smells.
Now that Labor Day has come and gone, the third fishing season and by many accounts the best season is now underway. This is the time of year that big fish are common and freezers must be filled. It is a great time of the year.
School tuna continue to capture the attention of large numbers of anglers. Good sized schools of tuna remain three to five miles east of Thatchers Island. They move regularly so the exact location might shift by a couple of miles. Metal continues ro be a positive presentation for anglers. Make sure that you switch hooks to a stronger hook rather than fish with the supplied choice. A good choice is a 7/0 siiwash hook. Trolling green machines, psychobeads and smoker baits are all good choices. Some fishermen have told of hooking up with feather jigs. A hook up results in the fight of your life.
Plenty of schoolies are still being caught in good numbers along the Danvers River. The best method for attracting hungry bass in the river is to troll sea wprms behind spinners. Trolling the edges of the channel and along the points has been very productive. Presenting chunks of bait along the rip rap at the mouth of the river and the rail road pillings has been a very productive way to attract bass. The mouth of the river seems to be most productive during the night tides. Presenting mackerel and herring chunks along Marblehead Neck and the outside islands yielde bass to the mid thirties. Trolling tube n' worm combinations works very well around the Breakers and the Gooseberries. Bait and artificials work well with bait holding an edge at Tinker's Island Gut, Ram Island and the Pigs.
Bluefish anglers have been more than satisfied with the local action. Huge schools of bluefish have been terrorizing the waters just outside the islands, dropping inside during early morning to chase bait. Fishermen have caught good numbers of bluefish by trolling most any plug or plastic. Drifting chunks of bait have attracted bluefish to the mid teens. Some fishermen have tallied numbers of bluefish into the mid to high teens. When a school is found finning, present poppers along the edges of the school and be prepared for some fast action.
Inshore cod activity remains very quiet with the inshore hills and bumps remaining barren. Offshore fishermen have reported a slight increase in the number of cod that have been caught. Although jigs remain a staple in the cod fishery, bait, preferably generous portions of sea clams continue to be choice of deep water cod. Most cod have been caught by offshore fishermen fishing in two to two hundred fifty feet of water. The jig fishermen that have been successful report teasers catch the most fish.
Flounder fishermen were disappointed with the action over the holiday weekend. Although the were a few flounder caught along Manchester, Magnolia and Marblehead, the numbers tallied were far from what was expected. Water temperatures have started to drop so flounder fishing should start to improve very soon. Those fishermen that did manage to catch a few flounder reported using small, whole sea worms as bait. The anglers that baited their hook with a bit of a worm failed to attract any flats.
Although a fair to good number of bass have been caught during the day, especially by shiner fishermen, the evening silence has been repeatedly broken by the splash of bass busting fish responding to surface baits. Anglers have been consistently scoring on baits presented on the surface. Besides swimming plugs and poppers, live baits presented on the surface have been deadly. It appears that the most productive bait presented on the surface has been inflated night crawlers. Inflating the night crawler and presenting it on the surface waters near structure is irresistable to a lurking bass. Bass to four pounds have been taken by this method. It seems that the best bass action has taken place along the small "farm" ponds.
Early morning trout fishermen continued to be among the most successful trout fishermen. Presenting trout worms seemed to be the best approach for attracting hungry trout at local trout ponds. Ipswich River fishermen reported scoring when they drifted trout worms and dillies along the edges of the currents that flow close to the edge of a shaded and secluded pool. Fly fishermen have scored on a wide variety of sparsly tied patterns when presented early in the morning and during the period of dusk. Some artificials have performed well. The smaller offerings seem to attract the greatest numbers of trout.
For another week, yellow perch have kept kids busy casting all sorts of baits to lily pads and weed patches hoping to draw out hefty perch. For the most part, the kids have been very successful casting night crawlers beneath floats. Good sized perch have been attracted to most kids offerings. Not only have worms worked well at attracting perch but small spinners cast and retrieved along the edges of the weeds attracted good numbers of hefty perch. Reports indicate the best time to fish for perch seems to be late morning. Catches numbering into the dozens have been common.
Looks as though we are in for a perfect weekend. The weather promises to be in our favor and the fish are hungry. Even though Labor Day marks the end of summer it is also the beginning of the fall season. This is rated as best by many anglers. There is still plenty of great fishing ahead, take advantage of it. Remember, you can't catch fish from the couch!
The sheen numbers of juvinale tuna that have inundated our area alone demands the attention of all residents not just fishermen. It is quite a sight to see a school of tuna slam through schools of bait. Tom see them rise out of the water with bait hanging from their mouth is breathtaking. Anglers that have hooked up and had the chance of fighting one of these powerhouses are hooked as if these cannonballs were a hit of speed. Fishermen try trolling and casting into the schools in order to score. Fishermen must work the edges of the schools as these fish spook easily. Once hooked up they are in for the fight of their life. Metal attracts good numbers of school tuna.
Stripers have started to move into their fall feeding patterns taking advantage of every feeding opportunity that is available. Large stripers have started to move towards feeding around shoal areas searching out rips and confused schools of bait. Live bait when available proves to be best at attracting hungry bass, Cut bait, when cut to give it maximum movement so it looks live is the next best offering. Fishermen have started to make fair catches during the night tides at the Deer Island rip. Most anglers continue to score along the rocks and deep water structure.
Schools of renegade bluefish have been busting pods of bait leaving behind only scraps of bodies and water tinged in red. Hungry bluefish have been observed rising in the middle of pods of bait creating chasos among the attacked. Successful bluefish anglers troll deep diving plugs and are at the ready with spinning rods and poppers for any surface action that catches their attention. The bluefish seem to average between eight and ten pounds with some blues reaching into the teenxs. Watch the birds to locate busting bluefish. Work the outside edges of the school rather than launch your plugs to the center of the school. This only spooks the fish and sends then down.
Small boat cod fishermen have reported only a very limited number of cod being caught around the inshore cod grounds. Limited numbers of cod have been caught at Tinker's Ledge and the 101 Hill. Offshore fishermen do decent at the offshore banks while party boat anglers report some good fishing as the party boats have been fishing east of Stellwagen Bank. Both jigs and bait have been working with generous portions of sea clams holding an edge over metal. Some catches into the twenties and thirties have been caught.
There is a reason why this time of the year is known as the "Dog Days of Summer". Flounder fishing continues to frustrate many anglers as catches have remained flat, seldom giving up a fish or two. Those persistent anglers that have managed to squeek out a limited catch of flounder like to keep their fishing spots close to the vest. Limited reports tell of a few flounder off Manchester along hard bottom. Some yellowtail flounder have been caught off Marblehead Neck by the beach. Once again, persistence pays off.
Largemouth Bass anglers have gone "back to basics" and have been rewarded for their efforts. Presenting shiners along immergent and submerged structure have rewarded anglers with some impressive bass catches. Plastic worms dragged along the bottom where structure is plentiful generally yields decent catches. Surface lures work well during dusk into dark as bass strike with extreme power. Inflated night crawlers presented along weed lines have proven to be deadly. Bass to five pounds have been tallied.
Persistent anglers that are on the waters early in the day have reported fair numbers of trout in their creels by breakfast. Presenting trout worms, dillies and the numerous trout baits that are available along drop offs and deeper waters proved to be a successful tactic. Anglers must be on the water by sunrise as fishing for trout is all but over by sunrise. Light leaders are mandated as are sliding sinker rigs. Persistence pays off. Limited numbers of trout have been caught in the quiet and deeper pools along the Ipswich River in Reading and Topsfield.
Pickerel fishermen have been reporting fairly good action along the low water weed lines. Most fishermen patrol these areas while presenting live bait. Shiners have been attracting powerful strikes and strong battles. Pickerel have also responded positively to presented spoons retrieved in an erratic manner. We have weighed pickerel in that have tipped the scales at slightly better than three pounds. At times plugs will attract hungry pickerel. Try fishing Pillings Pond and Brown's Pond.
Yellow perch have been the mainstay of many fishermen. The action has been good and sometimes, fast. Many perch fishermen have been reporting some impressive catches with individual perch weighing in at a respectable two plus pounds. Most of the perch have been drawn to the wiggle of a crawler suspended below a float and presented alongside weed patches. Some perch have been drawn to the struggling action of a shiner impaled by a fishing hook. Look foe improved activity as fall cools down local ponds and lakes.
|
|
