Current Waters: Fishing Still Going Strong

We had an exciting last couple of days of fishing inshore. We saw whales and tuna feasting on bait all while inshore fishing for bass and fluke. We even caught a HUGE sea robin, which was fun. The two kids on one of my charters had never seen whales before, so that was an extra treat. We even had a visitor when a ruby-crowned kinglet landed on our stern. The little bird, likely migrating south for the winter, took a rest on Topspin. It hopped around a bit and ended up perching on one of the rods.

Lots of terrestrial songbirds migrate over open water, so finding a boat to land on is like a “port in a storm.” It stuck around for a little while before heading off again chasing after a moth. I hope it made it to land before intersecting with Fiona.

The striped bass fishing has been outstanding. The bluefish remain solid. False albacore are still around with plenty of action. The fishing should remain strong as bait fish start making their way south. Tuna fishing is also still going strong and probably will for a little bit.

And there’s still time left to get on the board for the Nantucket Inshore Classic. And with the fishing the way it’s been, you have no excuse!

Just a reminder, the last day of fluke fishing is September 29th.

It’ll be interesting to see what this weather does to mix things up, but I don’t expect much change given the southwest and westerly winds. Nothing out of the east or north to cool things down.

The heat and dryness of the summer seems like a distant memory. However, the marine heat wave associated with those warmer air temperatures is still having an effect. With these southwest winds and warm rain, the warm trends continue.

Waters in our region are among the fastest warming globally. Because water takes longer to cool down than air temperatures, the increase in ocean temperature also means that our warm water season will last longer into the fall. As we adapt to life with climate change, one thing we can look forward to is an extended fall fishing season.

As most of you know, temperature is a primary factor for when certain species of fish will migrate in or away from our area. Whether a species comes to the nearshore, or stays out depends on their specific requirements for water temperature as well as the preferences of their food sources. How will the recreational fishery change with warming waters?

Some species are moving further north, tracking cooler inland waters. Some go deeper.

Think of the summer and the number of hammerhead sharks that have made more regular appearances. Other species, like warm-water Cobia, may be headed our way with climate change. There’s a lot to learn and observe. Changing ocean currents, tidal effects, and movement of baitfish are all compounding factors. There’s always something new to learn from the water.

All of this warm water is also making hurricane season a little more intense. These warmer waters could help Hurricane Fiona maintain its tropical nature and intensity for longer (and further north) than if the marine heatwave were not there. Hopefully she’ll calm down soon enough.

Stay safe out there especially the next couple of days. Lets all weather the storm and then get out to see what’s new.