SOUTH SHORE TO MAINE REPORT

ISSUE 38, November 22, 2018

by Capt. Greg Metcalf
 
BEST BETS FOR THE WEEK
There are still good numbers of both school and keeper size stripers on both sides of the Amelia Earhardt Dam in Boston if you are looking for some striped bass action. You can catch them from a boat trolling tube and worm rigs or by casting soft plastics, metal or bucktails. These fish should stay active and hang around for most of winter.
 
TASTY TREATS FOR THE BEANTOWN WINTER
If you just can’t stand the winter fishing hiatus, there are still plenty of options if you don’t mind the cold. Anglers that fish along or off the piers in Charlestown, East Boston, South Boston, Winthrop and Saugus will find plenty of species to keep their rods bent during the winter months. Fishermen using light tackle with Sabiki rigs or sea worms will pick up nice catches of smelt, tommy cod, flounder, sea perch, cunner, pollock and even some mackerel well into cold weather months. It is great way to catch some food for the table, get some fresh air and dream about 2019 fishing season.
 
SCITUATE
Jake from Belsan’s Bait reported striper fishing is pretty much over. Mackerel and pollock are still around as well as a few smelt inside of Scituate Harbor. Trout fishing has been good in Plymouth’s Long and Little Ponds.  Bass and pickerel fishing have been excellent in the Cohasset Reservoir.  The store is still open seven days a week.
 
GREEN HARBOR
Scott from Green Harbor Bait and Tackle told me all the buzz this week was the second reopening of the commercial blue fin tuna season and the bad weather predicted for Monday through Friday. Day 1 had great live bait action on the Southwest and the Northwest corners of Stellwagen Bank. The best catch of the day was from a close friend of the shop and a life time member of the shops tournament team, Rob from Plymouth on his boat Roblo tailing a 509 pound giant tuna, his best of the season. The bite remained consistent in both areas through Friday despite the horrible weather and sea conditions.

There were rumors of two trolled fish of over 100 inches on Stony Ledge by the crew of Shadow Line. Captain Scott has all the details on that catch. Come on in any Thursday through Sunday for a peek at the official log of this season’s incredible tuna fishing. Scott did manage get away from the store this week to fish for a few days of the hot action and did bag a few more bluefin tuna to finish off his season.
 
Captain Rich from Black Rose Fishing Charters reported he fished for haddock fishing is still very good. His crew was able to catch enough fish to be assured plenty of fillets for the whole winter on their last good weather day. Pollock, redfish and hake make a nice a bycatch on these outings. The action for these fish will be hot until the boat is off the water on December 10th. The tuna season is due to another short opening in December so let’s hope for some good weather.

EVERETT
Pete from Fishing Finatics told me there were many giant bluefin tuna taken out of Boston this past week.  Fishing was excellent on all areas of Stellwagen producing bluefin tuna on live mackerel and herring fished deep. Haddock, pollock cusk, whiting and fishing redfish is just excellent east of the bank. Smelts are in biting on sea worms and shop has a good supply. Try fishing the piers in Charlestown, East Boston, South Boston, Winthrop and Saugus. There are also plenty of mackerel that are still around. Schoolie and keeper stripers are crushing young of year herring as they pass the Amelia Earhart Dam. 

The Mystic Lakes Dam in Medford is loaded with white perch, yellow perch, smallmouth, largemouth bass and some stripers. Rainbow trout are going crazy for real salmon eggs and Power Eggs in Walden, Sluice, Pond, Jamaica, Whites and Houghton's Ponds. The Wachusett Reservoir giving up lake trout on metal lures along with a few rainbows on inflated crawlers as well. The shop is open every day until Christmas.  Come on down to get a gift certificate, rod and reel, lures or whatever the angler in your life needs.
 
WINTHROP
Mike from Bob’s Bait Shack reported smelt fishing has been picking up in Winthrop Harbor and East Boston Sea worms are selling well out of the vending machine that is stocked daily with bait and terminal tackle. There are still some mackerel around as well. The store is changing their schedule for the winter. Please call ahead for their hours of operation.
 
SALEM
Jack from Tomo’s Tackle told me fishing has been very slow but the mackerel fishing in Beverly and Salem Harbors is still pretty good. A few tube and worm fishermen were in this week and reported they caught some schoolie stripers in front of the Amelia Earhardt Dam. The store will remain open seven days a week until Christmas.
 
GLOUCESTER 
Emma from Yankee Fleet told me anglers had another great Marathon Thursday slamming good numbers of monster pollock, haddock, hake and redfish. The last trips of the season are scheduled for the end of the month. Overnight trips are already filling up for 2019 so call to get your slot before they are sold out.
 
PLUM ISLAND
Andy from Surfland reported fishing has been very slow along the beach front because the weather has been so bad. There should still be a few schoolies in the Parker River however for another week or two. The store is now open is open weekends Saturday, Sunday and Mondays through Christmas.
 
SACO, MAINE
Pete from Saco Bay Tackle told me there was not much to report on the fishing front other than a few sea run browns at the Mousam River. After a great tuna fishing season the rods and reels are making their way to the store for servicing and new line they are between seasons at Saco Bay Tackle but it won’t be long before the real cold weather sets in and we start to see ice on small lakes and ponds. Pete is having a sale on gift certificates along with some extra free give aways. He is also offering a Christmas lay-away plan.