The Fishing Adventure

Saltwater Sport Fishing at Its Finest

Striped Bass & Bluefish: Specializing in light tackle and
fly fishing for trophy fish. (May - October)
Cod and Flounder Trips: Catch the species that made Boston
Harbor famous. (May/June and September/October)
Back Sea Bass: Bring home the freshest and most delicious
fish you have ever tasted. (June - September)

Calendar

Species	MAY	JUNE	JULY	AUG	SEPT	OCT
Striped Bass
Bluefish
Cod
Flounder
Black Sea Bass
Mackerel

Striped Bass Blue Fish Cod Flounder Black Sea Bass
Mackerel

	Striped Bass are currently the most sought- after coastal sport fish species on the East Coast and the premier game fish of Boston Harbor. Striped bass are highly migratory fish. Schools of bass move north from the mid- Atlantic area during the spring and back southward during the fall, spending the months of May through October feeding on Boston Harbor's abundant food resources, including herring, mackerel, pogies, pollock, and silversides. Boston Harbor and its surrounding waters are light tackle enthusiasts and fly fishers paradise. Stripers commonly caught in Boston range in size from 18 to more than 50 inches in length and can weigh in excess of 40 pounds.
	Bluefish are hotly pursued by Boston Harbor anglers. These fish are known as champion battlers and voracious predators. Bluefish are extremely aggressive and exciting to catch, particularly when they are chasing top water plugs. Although blues are available from May until late October, the best action is usually in June during the spring migration and then again in the fall. Many anglers prefer light spinning rods or fly tackle. Anglers use a variety of top water plugs and flies, when casting for larger adults. Pogies and mackerel are the preferred live baits.
	Cod fish are distributed throughout the North Atlantic. Cod are attracted to Boston Harbor's rocky bottoms and its ample supply of herring. Offshore cod tend to be larger than inshore ones. However, in the spring and again in the fall when water temperatures are the coolest, it is not unusual to catch cod over 12 pounds within minutes of the dock. Most anglers use fresh bait or jigs with teasers. Popular baits include clams, sand eels, squid and shrimp.
	Flounder populations have rebounded and Boston is quickly reclaiming its position as the "Flounder Capitol of the World". Fishing for flounder in Boston begins in early May when fish begin moving inshore from offshore areas in preparation for spawning, and generally action continues through early summer. Winter flounder also called "blackbacks" can be found in most bays and estuaries of Boston Harbor and its surrounding waters. In most instances, fresh bait is best. Favorite baits for flounder include clam worms, blood worms and clams. Chumming is a common tactic for attracting flounder.
	Black sea bass provide a fight and a flavor that attract a strong angler following. When many anglers hear someone mention "bass," they often think first of stripers. Yet, the black sea bass better known by commercial fishermen as "rock bass" are a separate species. The largest black sea bass caught by an angler in Massachusetts's waters weighed 8 pounds. However, most sea bass caught in Boston Harbor generally weigh 1-3 pounds. The best time to fish for black sea bass is from May through summer, when they are closest to shore. Black sea bass are predominantly bottom-feeders, although these fish will take jigs fished along bottom structure.
	The Atlantic mackerel is a fast-swimming species that often travels in large schools. The mackerel is a popular recreational species because of its schooling habit and voracious feeding behavior. The first waves of mackerel generally arrive in local waters by the end of May from their southern spawning grounds off the New Jersey and Long Island coasts. There is usually another run of mackerel from September to October as they make their way offshore to winter over in deeper waters. Most Atlantic mackerel caught in Boston Harbor and surrounding waters are 9 to 14 inches in length and weigh less than 3 pounds. Effective lures include small diamond jigs, Sabiki rigs, and mackerel trees.