where have they gone?

[bssb]

I live on the north shore of massachusetts. I've been fishing alot this year and was catching a lot of fish(no keepers). I don't have a boat or a friend with a boat so I always fish off the shore. I the last few weeks the fish have seemed to disappear. Saugus, lynn, nahant, plum island, nothing. haven't has so much as a bite in my last 15 hours of fishing. does anyone know were they went?

[BigFish]

If we did....would we tell you?

Its the summer doldrums! Happens every summer! Fish go deep in the cooler water column.

[nautibuoys]

They are there but more offshore. Tons of bait (sand eels and macks) are keeping them out of the estauaries and bays and out with the bait.

[plankton]

The shore fishing has been slow for me all season up here on the North Shore. There are fish to be had in close, but you need to fish the wee hours of the night/morning and it certainly helps to have some sort of live bait like eels to offer them. With so much natural forage around the bass are quite picky with regards to what they will eat. Try spots that are closer to deep water this time of year.

[GonnaCatchABig1]

Originally Posted by BigFish

If we did....would we tell you?

Its the summer doldrums! Happens every summer! Fish go deep in the cooler water column.

summer doldrums my arse.. i'm at like 5% of my usual number of schoolies by this point. they were around for all but a week in early june.. nothing before and nothing after.. ugggg. and these gas prices have effectively hindered any plans of travel. so i'm stuck with what i've got here.. which is no fish... water is still kind of chilly though, compared to when i started to actually catch them last year. so hopefully it will heat up and every one can start slumping. (cause i only catch when absolutely no one else is)

[The Dad Fisherman]

Its been just short of painful up here on the North Shore....Boat guys are doing well but the surf has been non-existent.

I think it might be time for a road trip

[piemma]

Narragansett Bay is infested with Bluefish. I was out from Midnight till 5:30 AM this morning. Went South all the way to brenton Reef. Blues everywhere. Water temp high 70s. Found two high teen bass at the Reef. 15 pogies and 13 became bluefish food. Time to take a break and service the boat. Been running hard since May.

[k-e-v-i-n]

Originally Posted by piemma

Narragansett Bay is infested with Bluefish. I was out from Midnight till 5:30 AM this morning. Went South all the way to brenton Reef. Blues everywhere. Water temp high 70s. Found two high teen bass at the Reef. 15 pogies and 13 became bluefish food. Time to take a break and service the boat. Been running hard since May.

I couldn't agree more Piemma... I was out last night from 12 till 4:30 fishing from beavertail to brenton reef... BLUES were attacking anything that hit the water INSTANTLY... did manage a low 20 headin back north.

its starting to slow with this warm water.

[numbskull]

Fishing is supposed to be easy and success expected?

[Flaptail]

Originally Posted by numbskull

Fishing is supposed to be easy and success expected?

Well....not in your case.

[Mr. Krinkle]

I haven't put in any real time on the water since mid June so my lack of any impressive catches is to be expected.

I have been spinning up some plugs though.

[Fish Or Die]

Originally Posted by numbskull

Fishing is supposed to be easy and success expected?

if it where easy it wouldnt be called fishing! it has definetly slowed down from the shore. IMO, there is a TON of bait around. i have been fishing the inner boston harbor for years and this year was the first i have seen squid or macs in this close! seems the like the bait moving,slow retrieve works good!