Current Waters: The Dog(fish) Days Of Summer

The “Dog Days of Summer” are here, and the fishing is still hot.

The striper fishing is still going strong.

There are large and small bait around - quite the mix. Water temps are still holding on the cooler side. All that is a recipe for keeping the bass around.

More bluefish are making their presence known. They are being caught in some decent numbers just in time for the August Blues fishing tournament starting today. It looks like they’re being caught from the beach as well. Be prepared to make long casts for the bluefish from the beach. Those long casts will help increase the odds of a bigger blue.

Fluke and black sea bass continue in the right direction. Don’t be afraid to try new areas. Maybe you’ll find that new special spot.

More and more tuna keep arriving. With some weather coming, the deck will be shuffled, and we’ll be starting over again.

Congrats to the few white marlin that have been caught as part of the Skillie Shootout tournament. Hosted by the Nantucket Anglers Club, the Skillie Shootout is a new catch-and-release tournament for white marlin. The competition runs until August 9^th, so keep an eye out (@skillie.shootout) for leaderboards and some great photos.

In other tournament news, it’s that time of year to once again sign up for the August Blues tournament. This month-long fishing tournament, now in its third year, has already become a must-enter event. All proceeds raised will support Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy in the ongoing fight against Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. The motive behind the tournament is to bring the community together while raising money for a worthwhile cause that hits close to home for Nantucket’s oral surgeon and avid fisherman, Greg Chotkowski. His son, August, lives with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy courageously every day with a smile on his face. The tournament proudly bears his name.

There are lots of prizes, multiple divisions, and some good competitive fun. You can register online and check out the tournament rules. Or stop by Cisco Brewery this Saturday for the August Blues Kickoff party from 3-7 pm for those registered. Come on, like you need an excuse to go to the brewery this weekend!

What else can you fish for these dog days of summer? How about a dogfish? A pain to most anglers, dogfish are great to land if you have kids with you (on land or by boat). I mean, what kid doesn’t want to reel in a shark?! And dogfish are a lot easier to handle on the adult side than a sandbar shark or something even bigger.

Most anglers try to avoid dogfish, which feed on the sea floor. We have to be nimble when we’re fishing for other bottom feeders like fluke and black seabass. They can definitely tangle lines and create a mess if you have multiple lines in the water. But there is something pretty cool about seeing a kid reel in a little shark – there are some pretty priceless reactions.

Kids love the experience of catching a shark that is not an intimidating size. Most dogfish are only up to four feet long, and we often catch smaller ones. Once landed, you can feel the unique texture of the skin. Similar to a skate, ray, or other shark species.

Out here around Nantucket, we have smooth and spiney dogfish. Spiny dogfish migrate seasonally, moving north into our area in the spring as water temperatures change. The smooth dogfish are more localized along the East Coast generally. Both are similarly small, slender sharks. The spiny dogfish have distinguishing white dots scattered throughout their body, and they also have one spine in front of each dorsal fin. The smooth dogfish doesn’t have any spines or spots. Smooth dogfish are among the most abundant sharks on the East Coast.

Dogfish are opportunistic feeders. They primarily eat jellyfish, squid, and schooling fish. Despite what we usually think of with sharks, our dogfish have blunt teeth that are adapted for grinding and crushing food. I still wouldn’t stick my hand in their mouths, but it does make it easier when handling.

In terms of catching them, there are plenty around. In fact, I think there are way too many on the ocean floor. Their numbers are contributing to harming the rebounding stocks of some fisheries because they are so abundant. They are targeted commercially in Massachusetts. In fact, smooth dogfish in particular have become a popular seafood item in some markets. Though I am no fan of keeping them.

Until next tide...