Just left New Bedford harbor on a glass calm morning. I can say without exaggeration that I have never seen so much bait in my life. From silversides to bay anchovies to peanut bunker, the size and frequency of the schools has me in disbelief... Literally. I've been noticing tons of bait the past few weeks throughout the entirety or Buzzards Bay, but today set a new record. A great sign.

It has been amazing - no shortage of forage. Finding the baitfish is not a problem - finding bait with gamefish has been the challenge for me.

It has been amazing - no shortage of forage. Finding the baitfish is not a problem - finding bait with gamefish has been the challenge for me.

Yesterday down the street from my house.... Schools of mackerel. I couldn't believe it but the guy with half a bucket full could.
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i was yesterday morning. Left marina to see schools of pogies everywhere. got out front and saw birds working. Nothing breaking but the birds were moving fast. Looked Boney. Through in a tin and caught a mackerel. I cruise over the bait and its giant schools of Macks. IN NPT!!!! Bonito vomiting up silversides everywhere. Peanut bunker all over. I have my fingers crossed but I think this is the year we see some inshore SBF tuna action.

My shore-caught bone came on a live mack last year Lol!

In the past week I've fished RI and the Cape and I honestly don't think I've ever seen so much bait in my life, either.

What I've seen...mackerel, pogies, peanuts, bay anchovies, spearing, squid, juvie hickory shad, needlefish, sand eels, and I'm sure I'm forgetting others.

i was yesterday morning. Left marina to see schools of pogies everywhere. got out front and saw birds working. Nothing breaking but the birds were moving fast. Looked Boney. Through in a tin and caught a mackerel. I cruise over the bait and its giant schools of Macks. IN NPT!!!! Bonito vomiting up silversides everywhere. Peanut bunker all over. I have my fingers crossed but I think this is the year we see some inshore SBF tuna action.

Summer runs of tinker mack's were common in my youth in the harbor. Used to jig them at the dock or causeway... they make AWESOME fluke bait...

Summer runs of tinker mack's were common in my youth in the harbor. Used to jig them at the dock or causeway... they make AWESOME fluke bait...

yup, used to spend days at the navy piers jigging them as a kid...so happy to see them around, kept bumping into them last week, the upper Sakonnet is brimming with peanuts, great to see

It's the same story here in CT. Tons of bait not a predator to be found.
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That's it, I am moving to the south shore! While the local river is chock-o-block full of baitfish, the harbor and oceanfront have been showing no such signs! Someone will debate this I am sure, but Cape Ann has been cursed the last few seasons. Fall "Runs" seem to run right past us and blitzes have been rare occurrences as well.

:wall::splat:

My shore-caught bone came on a live mack last year Lol!

In the past week I've fished RI and the Cape and I honestly don't think I've ever seen so much bait in my life, either.

What I've seen...mackerel, pogies, peanuts, bay anchovies, spearing, squid, juvie hickory shad, needlefish, sand eels, and I'm sure I'm forgetting others.

Same here, plus juvenile herring. There seems to be a lot of cold pockets of water moving around as well. This past weekend was the best weekend I have had since spring and even better than most of those days. Only wish I didn't leave my riggies in the car in the garage since yesterday morning. Walking into a wall of stank dead eels when you open your garage door will sure wake you up before work. :ss: :soon:

That's it, I am moving to the south shore! While the local river is chock-o-block full of baitfish, the harbor and oceanfront have been showing no such signs! Someone will debate this I am sure, but Cape Ann has been cursed the last few seasons. Fall "Runs" seem to run right past us and blitzes have been rare occurrences as well.

:wall::splat:

maybe the boat guys will debate it, but if you are fishing from shore or near-shore in a kayak the fishing has not been good..
last week I had macks and pollock no problem, trolled them all over creation without a sniff. A couple of weeks before that though I had multiple fish to 20lbs so who the hell knows!

went out this AM as most have said bait everywhere.. saw 2 bonita chasing Mac,s very cool . huge schools of tinkers macks big schools of schoolie bass and blues. ended the day with 7 diffrent fish. bass ,blues, mack, skate,fluke,seabass and sea robin
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in LIS we have bunker, silversides, juvie herring, peanut bunker, little squid, butterfish, and (reportedly) tinker makerel.....

the fishing is inversely proportional to the amount of bait :crying:

South side Mid Cape loaded

WAITING! :cool:

I read all this and it tells me 2 things that we are doing well at. Protecting the bait fish and targeting / catching the game fish.

My son called me yesterday from the local Newport surf - said there was bait and birds stretching for almost a quarter mile as far as his line of sight. Occasional splashes - but not even a strike in 1 hour of casting into it. He was thinking it was mackerel pushing bay anchovies - but no game fish.

agreed. Last 2 years have been all but the worst I have ever seen

I've seen herring, adult bunker, peanuts, sand eels and silversides this season with 60+ trips this season, only time I saw fish on bait was at Cuttyhunk in the spring.
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Anyone notice the water temp in NPT lately?
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I saw low 70's
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Anyone notice the water temp in NPT lately?
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Yup. Hit 76 out front today.
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Explains alot...
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77.4 in the mouth of the Sakonnet this morning
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Did somebody say bait? Oh my Lord. It's just plain ridiculous out there!

crazy. entire bay is paved with bait.