BOSTON BASS

For anglers chasing extra-large striped bass, there is no better destination than the rich, rocky waters of Boston Harbor, where from mid-june through August, Capt. Brian Coombs pays undivided attention to trophy stripers, which he says have enjoyed a recent resurgence in Massachusetts waters. “We are lucky to have a very healthy population of striped bass.”

After procuring the necessary supply of live bunker, Coombs fishes the schools of menhaden holding around structure or along channel edges. “I look for the darkest schools,” he says, explaining the blue-black knot of menhaden indicates striped bass are herding bait. Then he cases out the bait pods with side-imaging sonar. Once he finds one hosting striped bass, he drops a live menhaden on a three-way rig just outside or below the school. After he lands a fish, he simply returns to the same bunker school and repeats the process.

When stripers are feeding aggressively, Coombs switches to large topwater lures and soft-plastics. “The bass will spray through schools of bunker,” he says. Coombs positions the boat as far as possible from the school and makes a long cast to avoid spooking the fish. He changes treble hooks for heavy-duty single hooks to survive the hard pull of a 50-pound striper.

Boston Harbor is a reliable place to find striped bass all summer, with many 50-pounders in the mix. But Coombs says visiting anglers need to exercise caution. “There are only two public boat ramps, and they can get crowded.” On the water, he stresses the value of accurate charts and an attentive skipper. “Depth can go from 60 feet to just two in a matter of a few yards.” But the boulders and underwater cliffs that make navigation challenging also make Boston Harbor one of the best striped bass destinations on the entire Northeast coast.

BASS TIME: Warm water, rocky lairs and forage draw stripers to Boston Harbor in summer, top, including trophies, above.