Date: 2026-06-30
Quick Take: Striped bass fishing is strong statewide with steady action in Cape Cod Bay, North Shore spots like Cape Ann and Plum Island, and improving bites at Monomoy and the South Shore. Fluke and bluefish are active, especially near Westport River and Buzzards Bay, with squid and sand eels fueling the bite. Bottom fishing for sea bass and scup remains challenging but productive in 40 feet of water.
Best Bet This Week: Target striped bass in Cape Cod Bay using trolling, jigging, or casting topwaters. Schools are feeding heavily on squid and sand eels, producing consistent catches of slot-size fish up to 35 inches.
What Fish Are Active: Striped bass, fluke, bluefish, black sea bass, and cod are all active. Fluke are biting well on outgoing tides near Westport River. Bluefish in the 4-6 pound range are present in Buzzards Bay. Sea bass and scup are found in shallower waters.
Where to Fish: Cape Cod Bay for striped bass and cod; Westport River for drifting fluke; Cape Ann and Plum Island for striped bass; Monomoy rips for squid-driven bass and fluke; Buzzards Bay for bluefish; South Shore wrecks for tautog; Folly Cove for mackerel and stripers. Specific marks in the reports include Saturday Night Ledge and BG Buoy and Tillies Ledge and Southern Jeffrey’s Ledge.
Freshwater Focus: Carp in the Connecticut River are feeding aggressively, with all the standard carp baits working well. The catching is good for Connecticut River carp.
How to Fish: Troll mackerel or sea herring offshore from Saturday Night Ledge to Halfway Rock and BG Buoy for big bass. Drift fish fluke near Westport River on outgoing tides. Cast topwaters and plastics for stripers in Cape Cod Bay and North Shore rips. Bottom fish with squid or diamond jigs in 40 feet for sea bass and scup.
Best Baits and Lures: Use squid, sand eels, and bunker for striped bass and fluke. Live mackerel and sea herring work well for trolling stripers. Clams and seaworms are effective for cod. Bucktail jigs and teasers are good for fluke casting.
Trend Watch: Striped bass action is peaking in Cape Cod Bay and Monomoy with schools feeding heavily on squid and sand eels. Fluke fishing is improving on outgoing tides. Bluefish numbers are up, including reports of larger fish in Mass Bay. Sea bass fishing remains slow but some keeper fish are caught on squid jigs.
Regulation and Access Changes: No new regulation or access changes were reported for this period.