Boston
Metropolitan
Region

When migration starts, watch out!

Peanut bunker are a very good sign. These deep-bodied fish grow in the estuaries over the summer and by September have reached three to four inches in length. They are good news because they are a harbinger of the massive feeding frenzies which mark the Fall southern migration of the area's gamefish.

While many watch the water temperature to guess the bass and bluefish behavior, I think the true causality may be one layer removed. I think the baitfish are more attuned to the temperatures, and the gamefish are just tracking the bait. While based on observation, my views are wholly unscientific, and I welcome email informed commentary to the contrary.

For now, stay tuned to this space and you are likely to read signs of the Fall migration. We've already seen blitzes across the bay at Provincetown and the peanut bunker don't lie. If you can possibly spare a weekday, and evening or morning, or a weekend day, call a Reel-Time guide in the Boston region and enjoy!

Don't forget to send me your own reports, and until next week...

Tight Lines!

Bob Desplaines

Boston Metro Regions

Boston Harbor

Capt. Wayne Frieden (781-545-6263) of Reel Dream Charters reports:

September 3, 2001: While I was getting adjusted to being back at Duxbury High last week, the guides who were still fishing the harbor had lots os bass and blues off Winthrop and Nahant feeding on silversides and peanut bunker. When the fish were keyed into the bunker, small flies (2-3") in gray/lavender/white or gray/pink/white were the ticket. I was able to get out on Saturday with a friend of mine but as luck would have it, the front that moved through late Friday night put the fish down. Damn the northwest wind! Consequently, the fish were few and far between. Sunday was a different story...David Segel and his cousin Chip fished with me and caught numerous bass out in Broad Sound. David caught the first of many schoolie bass on the fly while Chip had them on bucktail jigs and unweighted fin s fish. These fish weren't very selective and were hitting a variety of flies and lures. Just when we though the fishing would slack off, the fish came up on top again bigtime!

Everyday is a different day out on the water. Today, I headed out offshore at first light with Brian Hinnebush, brother Ron, and friend Rick, to find two major schools of bass and thousands of birds. With the full moon, my guess is these fish may have been feeding throughout the night. Not sure...Rick's first fish of the day was a nice one and measured 37" weighing @ 19lbs. This linesider was fooled by a small gray/pink/white clouser on a 1/0 hook. Brian and Ron also caught a number of schoolies on the fly and using light spin tackle. Unfortunately, the schools broke up soon after other boats arrived and were up and down, quite sporadic until about 8:30 am when the action died outside. We spent the rest of the trip fishing structure but not much was happening inside the harbor.

Plymouth & South Shore

Captain Dave sent in this report:

Fishing News: The BAYMEN Hunt Club was busy this morning! Scott "The Boss" Parry took several nice stripers along with Tim "T" King from Tim's Lund Skiff in skinny water structure. Their largest fish was a very fat 35" linesider that took and olive/burnt orange deceiver with lots of pearl flash (What - no BAYMEN Universal...?!). The anglers reported many HUGE stripers following their flies to the boat but would not take. I don't know about you, but 35" is a big fish on an eight any day! For the record, John "WD" Nickerson and Chris "Dunky" Duncombe were fishing nearby and witnessed the 35" held high for all to see!! Way to go Boss!

North Shore, Cape Ann & Merrimack River

I have no report for the North Shore that is as "fresh" as the others. Please forward to me what you have seen on the water recently, and let's keep the Boston / North Shore area anglers in touch with when the migration starts.