Current Waters: Fishing Report

Bass fishing is holding strong. The bluefish seem to have gotten stirred up with a northeast wind. The water cooled down a bit which stalled things out. With a new moon coming on June 15 it’ll shuffle the deck yet again.

It’s early for fluke. We’re not really having that conversation yet, but funny enough we did catch one earlier this week while bass fishing, so who knows.

For beach fishing, we checked in with Dan Holmes from ACK Surfcasting. From Dan’s report, there have been a few less bluefish this week from the beach. The weather has dirtied things up and cleared them out.

The residual full moon action has the bass still lit up. The night bite is working right now, favoring high water. They are feeding so much at night they are making you work a little bit harder during the day. Focus on lower light part of the day. Top water and jerk bait plugs should work just fine. We’re seeing active bait along the shoreline which keeps them in close.

The Nantucket community has a long history of life on the water. Living on an island, it’s part of the deal. Just being here, we all have a connection to boats - though more often it’s just fighting to get on the ferry.

Have you been curious about getting on the water in a boat? What’s a Coast Guard boat look like on the inside? Well, this Saturday is your lucky day. It’s time for the annual Touch a Boat Day hosted by the Nantucket Boat Basin. This is an opportunity for the community to see boats of all kinds and get on board many of them. From lobster boats to the harbormaster’s “Head Hunter”, pleasure boats, and fishing vessels, there is something for everyone.

The event is free to all and runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 10 down at the fuel dock (Swain’s wharf). Topspin Fishing will be down there so stop by and say Hi. There will be commercial boats, charter and recreational boats, and even divers for part of the day. Check out the gear, ask questions, and learn about Nantucket boat life. Free and open to all!

Touch-a-Boat day is part of the Massachusetts Kids Boating Day, which began in 2017, and the Nantucket Boat Basin and been hosting our local event ever since. According to state statistics, over 70% of adult boaters started boating when they were kids. With our rich maritime history, it’s important to teach the next generation to love the water and learn safe boating. There are also lots of opportunities working in the marine environment so introducing kids early shows them the possibilities.

Of course, one of the most popular activities to do by boat is to fish. In case you needed an excuse to get out there with a rod, a group of local anglers is bringing back the Father’s Day Five. This fishing tournament will be held on Saturday, June 17 of Father’s Day weekend beginning at 8 a.m. Now is the time to get your crew of four together.

The five fish are bluefish, black sea bass, fluke, scup, and sea robin. First with all five fish wins and the next winner is by weight. Fishing is 8 a.m. to 1 m., and the weigh-in and reception is 2-5 p.m. Four anglers per boat. If you’d like to find out more, check in at Tidal Creeks Ship Store on Washington Street by the Town Pier.

This weekend is set to be pretty stunning so get out on the water and maybe we’ll see you down at the docks!