Current Waters: A Trip To The Canyons

Happy 4^th of July Nantucket! Now that it's July, summer is in full swing. There is a lot of fishing action to be had. The string of warm summer days this week has raised the water temperatures and changed things up a bit. The full moon plus the wind has given a spark to some fishing.

We’ve had a great couple of days of striped bass fishing this week. It’s good to have that boost again.

I can’t say we have the same for our bluefish. There hasn’t been much improvement for bluefish, but we’re still getting some. It’s just not quite what we expect for them for this time of year.

There was even a little bit of action on the tuna grounds. A few bluefin were caught – the full moon is doing what we hoped, bringing in the big tides and shuffling the deck.

Earlier this week, I had a very rare combination of good weather and a day off which lead to me getting in a fun few days of fishing. Because what does a fisherman do when he has the day off? He goes fishing. I pulled a crew together who were willing to spend a night on the water, and we headed out to the pinnacle of fishing locations in the northeast – The Canyons.

The Canyons are cuts and cracks in the continental shelf found roughly 80 to 130-plus miles off the coast of New England. The water there is so blue and clear that you can see far below into the deep. Depending on where you are along The Canyons, the depth can be between 500 to 5,000 feet.

The Northeast Canyons are one of the most diverse offshore fisheries in the world. It’s truly a magical place. This area has a lot of bucket list fish, including yellow fin, big eye tuna, bluefin, swordfish, blue marlin, white marlin, wahoo, and mahi, just to name a few.

In the summer, warm water eddies separate from the Gulf Stream as it gets closer to the continental shelf. When these Gulf Stream eddies hit the structure of The Canyons and come into contact with the cooler, more nutrient-rich water of the Labrador Current, they create optimal feeding and fishing conditions for various types of pelagic species. It can be a lively place, for sure. That is, if the weather cooperates.

We were fortunate on this trip. The stars and the weather aligned for us to be successful and we were able to bring back a few tasty bites. There is nothing like yellowfin poke bowls to make the trip worth it.

In addition to the fishing, the productivity of the canyons can lead to lots of other pelagic sightings. You can see whale sharks, basking sharks, whales, and other pelagic species. There were sperm whales seen earlier this week in the area, too.

On this trip, we had the treat of seeing several pods of Risso’s dolphins. There were reports of them all throughout The Canyons area. Risso’s are large dolphins that can grow up to 13 feet long and weigh around 1,100 pounds. They have a stocky, rounded head. Their skin is dark gray to brownish-black in color and is often covered in scars, scratches, and bite marks from interactions with other dolphins or from hunting prey.

Risso’s dolphins are sometimes considered part of a subfamily referred to as “blackfish,” which also includes false killer whales, pygmy killer whales, melon-headed whales, and pilot whales. Risso’s dolphins are not endangered or threatened in the United States. But like all marine mammals, they are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

It wasn’t a surprise that they were out at The Canyons. According to NOAA Fisheries, Risso’s dolphins generally prefer deeper offshore waters, especially near the continental shelf edge and slope, where they can dive to at least 1,000 feet.

We saw them feeding and bobbing their heads around. Their behavior was super interesting, which made me want to look into them a little bit. Apparently, they are known for one of the behaviors we saw called “spy-hopping." This unique behavior is where they lift their heads vertically out of the water to look around.

It’s quite the reminder of the large world we live in. Never know what you’re going to see.

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Happy 4^th of July, everyone. Cheers to 250 years! The Fourth on-island can be full of traffic, crowded beaches, and even fireworks. For boaters, the water can feel just as crowded. There will be a lot of people, anglers, boats, and other vessels in our waterways. We welcome everyone on the water – it’s the best place to be this time of year.

There is nothing quite like fireworks from a boat. The perfect combination of dark skies, quiet water, and the light show overhead. There may be fewer people on the water than at Jetties beach, but it will still be crowded once the fireworks are done. Give everyone a wide berth and take your time getting back onto shore.

Hope you all enjoy the show.

Until next tide…