September 22, 2005

And the beat goes on

Frank Dwyer
September 22, 2005

The Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Tournament and is in full swing and will run through October 15th. If you’ve never participated in this annual event, you don’t know what you’re missing! Have a look at http://www.mvderby.com/ and consider making the trip!

The North Shore continues to please anglers as bluefish, striped bass and tuna catches have all increased over the last week. Several bluefin tuna over 500 pounds have been landed by anglers off the North Shore and school bluefin tuna continue to please anglers searching for these prolific fighters.

Marblehead: (4 hooks) Anglers fishing the rocky coastline of Marblehead Neck have landed keeper-size bass on both bait and lures. Cut bait has worked quite well for bait fishermen, while spin anglers using large popping plugs like Skitter Pops and Danny Plugs.

Salem: (4 hooks) The Danvers River continues to produce good sized bass as they continue to feed for their migration south. Anglers trolling tube-n-worm rigs as well as casting soft baits have had good success. Anglers fishing off Bakers and Childrens Islands have found good numbers of bass and blues.

Beverly: (4 hooks) West Beach and the Islands just off shore have seen terrific bluefish and bass action and lot’s of topwater activity this past week. Popping plugs offered by both fly and spin fishermen have been working quite well, as are metal lures. Bait anglers report decent action for keeper bass at night from the beach and fishing pier.

Cape Ann: (4 hooks) Surface feeds off Kettle Island and just outside Magnolia Harbor have kept anglers smiling. Larger bluefish have made their way to the waters around the Cape and 15 pound choppers are not uncommon at this time of year. Good bass action from most of the area beaches, especially at night for bait fishermen. Tuna dreams continue to captivate anglers in search of these speedy fish. Anglers continue to find schools of tuna off Thachers Island as well as off Halibut Point. If the fish are not evident, trolling is the best bet, but nothing gets the heart pumping like casting to a pod of tuna on top. The Annisquam and Essex Rivers are also fishing quite nicely as fish have been chasing bait into the river systems. Party boats have had good action for cod, haddock, cusk and wolf fish.

Ipswich: (4 hooks) Ipswich Bay has been alive with bait and stripers and bass in pursuit. Surface feeds have been seen off Great Neck and off both Crane and Pavilion Beaches. Fly fishermen and spin casters alike have had good luck as the fish chase bait within easy casting distance from shore.

Newbury: (4 hooks) The Beach Buggy crowd has been out in force along the beaches of the Parker River NWR, and for good reason. Early morning has seen good numbers of bluefish and bass in close to shore and taken an assortment of baits and lures. Plum Island Sound has been quite lively with bass and blues as it has been at the mouth of the Rowley River as well.


Newburyport / Plum Island: (4 hooks) If personal experience is any indication, the fishing in Newburyport has been great this week. Sunday had only a few boats in the mouth and large bluefish and stripers carousing in the choppy waters. We landed several large blues and bass with the largest going to my friend Don, coming in at 46” and just shy of 40 pounds.

All fish were taken on green and silver Skitter Pops. Bait anglers continue to have success from Plum Island Point and I saw many keepers landed there this past week. Joppa Flats has been somewhat spotty as the water was quite murky for much of the week. Party boats report good ground fishing with good numbers of cod and haddock being taken.

Salisbury: (4 hooks) As the sun has come up this week each morning, bass and blues have been feeding on bait quite close to shore on Salisbury Beach. The State Reservation crowd has also had good action for bass and a few bluefish on the end of the outgoing tide and the beginning of the incoming tide.

Seacoast, NH: (4 hooks) No shortage of fish or bait along the Seacoast as anglers from Hampton to Portsmouth have had good luck in pursuit of bass and bluefish. The entrance to Hampton Harbor has been alive with fish as bait funneling through is easy picking for the blues and bass. Fishermen working the beaches and shoreline around Rye report good bass action close to shore, especially at night. The Great Bay area and Piscataqua have also been fishing well as has the area around the Isle of Shoals.

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