Outer Cape throwing around heavyweight tuna
This week's rundown of fishing reports from around the region:
Area A: In the freshwater areas, largemouth and smallmouth bass are off their beds, but remain in a post-spawning pattern. To the north, there are high water levels and the temps are good. Trolling is working well for trout and salmon in the Saco River, Pittsford, N.H., and Rangeley Lake in Maine. Saltwater action is also heating up with stripers and bluefish near the Saco. There have also been sightings of bluefin tuna near the shoals and ground fishing has been consistent; a group out of Perkins Cove in Ogunquit, Maine, recently bagged a halibut weighing more than 80 pounds.
Area B: Jellyfish have been plentiful in the Four Point Channel and that means the smelts have arrived, with the longest around 9 inches. Stripers have been scarce, but get toward the back of Bayside Expo Center to bag a few of those. A few 10-pound bluefish have also been caught near Castle Island. Plenty of bass off Lovells and Georges islands with flounder by the Hospital Shoals and near Long Island. The southwest corner of Stellwagen has seen some hot tuna fishing recently, some in excess of 70 inches.
Area C: The stripers have moved to the north edge of the Billingsgate Shoals, around 35 feet out and in 50 feet of water. The heaviest volume is on the east side of the edge, up toward Great Island and the Gut. Both bass and bluefish are in abundance off Brewster Flats. You can get bigger fish in 30-35-foot water, but be prepared to work for them. Other hot spots include Wood End (stripers on shad rigs, low troll) and Long Point near Provincetown.
Area D: Fishing has been rather slow lately in this area, particularly in the Canal. However, average-sized bluefish can be found there, as well as bass in the early morning hours. For better fishing, check out Buzzards Bay, where some keeper-size sea bass have been caught with squid bait. You can also find plenty of fluke.
Area E: Plenty of fish on the northern shores, with lots of blues on the back side of Nantucket and at the east beach off Chappaquiddick. You can also find lots of stripers on the surface, but they haven't been very accommodating as they are currently chowing on sand eels. Edgartown Harbor has seen good surface fishing for the blues, as one of the charters got a 13 1/2-pounder outside the harbor.
Area F: It seems everywhere near the Outer Cape is alive right now. Major amounts of tuna (particularly bluefins) are east of Chatham and north of Stellwagen Bank, some topping 100 pounds. Stripers are all over the place, stretching from Race Point all the way to Dennis. The bigger ones are near Chatham and the Sound, some in the 40-pound range.
The Fishing Academy is holding its Safe Summer Kickoff Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event, in which at least 50 children will do some saltwater fishing, will start at Boston Harbor Shipyard Marina in East Boston. All boats are being donated by the Northeast Charterboats Captains Association. A cookout and awards ceremony will be held afterward. Contact the Academy's Jon Hoffman at 617-782-2614 or visit thefishingacademy.org for more information.
