New moon rises over epic week
Like teenagers who use the word “awesome” to describe anything remotely positive, fishermen are guilty of a little word abuse. The trend is to describe any above-average outing where the fish actually cooperate as “epic.”
No doubt, it can feel epic when you’re in the middle of a bluefish blitz, or when a 20-pound striper swipes your topwater plug.
But, when is fishing truly “epic?” That question was answered this week on the Cape Cod Canal.
Veteran “Canal Rats” are saying the five-day blitz that occurred around Monday’s new moon was the best in decades. Countless fish from 30 to over 50 pounds ranged from end to end, gorging on mackerel and at times chasing bait onto the rocks. They smashed topwater plugs, Magic Swimmers, and all manner of jigs, filling social media with photos of new “personal bests.”
By Thursday morning, the Canal was lined with huge crowds catching huge fish and wearing huge smiles.
Bad news is that the strong moon tides that sparked the bite are waning fast; good news is that the next set of strong tides occurs around the full moon on Sept. 6. It’s hard to imagine that the fishing will be as good as it was this week, but anything short of epic should still be pretty great.
South Shore
If the blitzes in the Cape Cod Canal have died down by this weekend, jigs, like the Savage Sand Eel in mackerel pattern, will out-fish topwater offerings. Fishing live eels at night around the tide change from west to east is also a good bet.
Cape Cod Bay looks promising for boaters, with plenty of peanut bunker and schools of mackerel likely to attract the attention of any bass that leave the confines of the canal.
Inshore striper fishing has continued its hot streak on the South Shore. Browns Bank, High Pines Ledge, and Brant Rock are all fishing well. Live mackerel and tube-and-worm rigs are the top techniques. There have been some bluefish in the area as well.
Mackerel have been plentiful and effective on bass from First Cliff to Fourth Cliff and on the inshore ledges off The Glades.
The tuna bite died down around the new moon tides and strong winds kept most boats inshore this week. Start your search near the Southwest Corner with some choice live baits.
Boston Harbor
Keep an eye on the menhaden schools inside the harbor. It was around this time last year that big bass moved in overnight and the fishing took off. That action hasn’t occurred yet, as the bass seem content to stay outside the harbor and focus on mackerel. Most Boston bass fishermen have been heading north to Broad Sound where the bite has been far better.
Winthrop has been good for shore fishermen, with chunk mackerel fished from Deer Island producing good fish.
North Shore
Action in Broad Sound has been excellent with bass to 48 inches falling for live mackerel. Shore fishermen are turning up a few bass with chunk mackerel off Red Rock in Lynn. Better catches are coming from boat fishermen focusing on deeper water with live mackerel.
Mackerel have been easy to find in deep water off Nahant and outside Salem Sound off Satans Rock and Misery Island.
The New England Kayak Fishing tournament last weekend proved that you don’t need a big boat to catch big bass. Kayakers fishing with live eels at night turned up numerous bass from 40 to 48 inches fishing Winthrop, Nahant, and Marblehead.
Shore fishermen have been doing well fishing chunk mackerel and clams off Plum Island. Night fishing has picked up with bass falling for live eels.