Current Waters: Tournament Time
Capt. Carl Bois •
Seems like summer is winding down but fishing is still hot.
We’ve been having fun with fluke and striped bass. Some tides the striper fishing is awesome and the next time is a grind to make it happen. It’s typical August behavior. But the bass are still here and biting. We’re still getting keepers and having fun. With cooler nights and cooling waters, it’ll keep getting even better.
The bonito are popping up all over. For those with little boats for puttering around the harbor, they are everywhere. They can be really fun when you get into a group of them. Really accessible fishery right now.
The bluefin tuna continue to produce We’re seeing bluefin of all sizes making for some exciting trips.
So we have stripers, bluefish, bonito, albies, and our world-class bluefin tuna fishery. We have about another month of fluke. It’s really just getting more fun out there. And aside from just fishing for fun, there are lots of tournaments to get involved with to add that bit of friendly competition to keep you going.
Before we sneak into September, this is the last weekend for the August Blues tournament. It has been a blast to watch the leaderboard switch up and the photos posted of everyone with their catch. The tournament officially ends on 8/31 at 11:59 m. and there won’t be another leaderboard update until then. All final winners will be announced and their prizes will be handed out during the Awards Reception at the Miacomet Golf Clubhouse on Sunday, September 1 at 5 p.m. sharp. The awards reception is open to everyone. For current leaders, Tedy Bruschi is still holding strong as the beach leader for the three longest bluefish (Bluefish total). It’ll be hard to beat at 101”! The longest single beach bluefish is still close enough that it’s anyone’s game. The boat divisions are all pretty close. It’s down to the wire this weekend! Good luck to all the competitors. I’m sure there will be some upsets to the leaderboard come Sunday.
The first week of September can be for rest and relaxation (and school) because the next tournament for the whole family starts the following week. The 19th annual Nantucket Inshore Classic runs from September 8th through to October 12th. This tournament is hosted by the Nantucket Angler’s Club to raise money for their scholarship fund, but you don’t need to be a member to join in the fishing fun. A favorite fall pastime, the Inshore Classic is a five-week fishing tournament focusing on Bluefish, Striped Bass, False Albacore, and Bonito – the Nantucket Grand Slam. Now primarily catch and release (of course you can keep whatever is in season) you can fish from shore or boat. Sign-up just opened and is online. There are divisions for all tackle, fly fishing, or a combo for boat or beach category. The junior division is free, as usual, to encourage a new generation of anglers. All participants receive a tournament t-shirt and official fish ruler to be used in photos of their catch. These items can be picked up at the Angler’s Club, Bill Fisher Tackle, and Nantucket Tackle Center.
The opening gam for the tournament is Saturday, September 7th at 5 p.m. at the Nantucket Anglers Club. It’s always a fun time catching up with people after the busy summer and talking fishing.
The Inshore Classic was first held in 2005 as a way to promote the great fall fishing and help boost the shoulder economy for the supporting businesses. It’s been a great success bringing in many islanders and seasonal anglers since.
Next up is the 21st annual Nantucket Slam Tournament is a great charity tournament with the proceeds going to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. This “all-inclusive” tournament is a two-day catch and release fishing tournament focused on the grand slam of Nantucket fishing: bluefish, striped bass, bonito, and albies. A bluefin tuna category is also included for 2024.
It’s a fun competitive, team-based competition. It works out to be a pretty substantial fundraiser for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, so everyone wins. This has been a fun tournament with good people benefitting a great cause. The kickoff is Sunday, September 8th at 6 p.m. for the opening dinner. Fishing follows on the 9th and 10th with an awards reception at the Anglers Club on the 10th. There is still time to register!
For those interested in the bluefin tuna action, the annual Bluefin Blast is coming up on September 11th and 12th. It’s now a one-day tournament and the day of fishing will be determined by organizers at the beginning of the week.
The Bluefin Blast is a tournament that celebrates the bluefin tuna fishery. Now in its 14th year, the goal is to “give fishermen a professional and fun tournament for anglers and guests alike.” Tournament Director, Jonas Baker, puts on this tournament. It is all his effort – he IS the tournament. As the tournament website states, “There is no fishing experience like catching a Bluefin Tuna. We want to combine this experience with some fun competition between anglers who understand and enjoy the fishery.” It’s generally a great couple days of fishing, sharing stories, and enjoying the beauty of Nantucket Island.
The tournament brings in boats from our local waters, familiar faces, but also boats from around the region. It’s also a chance to check out some great fishing boats in the Nantucket Boat Basin. Come check out the way in down at the docks by the Angler’s Club.
Current Waters is presented by Topspin Fishing:
