Late Fall Fishing Frenzy at Martha's Vineyard: Stripers, Tautog, and More
As of November 10, 2024, the fishing scene around Martha's Vineyard is buzzing with activity, despite the late fall season. ### Weather and Tides Today, you can expect partly cloudy skies with mild temperatures, a high of around 60°F and a low of 50°F. The winds will be light, coming in from the southwest at about 10 mph. Tides are crucial for fishing here; today's high tide is at 9:15 AM and the low tide at 3:15 PM. ### Sunrise and Sunset Sunrise is at 6:24 AM, and sunset will be at 4:23 PM, giving you ample daylight to cast your lines. ### Fish Activity Yesterday saw a mix of species active in the waters around Martha's Vineyard. Striped bass, although thinning out in some areas, are still present and feeding aggressively, especially around the schools of sand eels, silversides, and bay anchovies. Bonito and bluefish are also lingering, particularly near the Elizabeth Islands, where they often mix with schools of striped bass. Tautog fishing remains one of the highlights, with several big catches reported from the rocky structures and deeper waters. Some anglers have pulled in tautog weighing up to 14 pounds in the past week. ### Best Lures and Bait For striped bass, using topwater plugs, epoxy jigs, and live eels has been highly effective. Bonito and bluefish are hitting on small jigs and metal lures. For tautog, crabs and clams are the go-to baits, especially when fished near the rocky bottom. ### Hot Spots One of the best spots to try your luck is around the Elizabeth Islands, where the combination of rocky structures and abundant baitfish makes it a hotspot for striped bass, bonito, and tautog. Another promising area is the waters near the Cape Cod Canal, where striped bass are feeding on top and running far out towards the middle of the canal. If you're looking to fish from the shore, the beaches on the south side of Martha's Vineyard are good spots to catch striped bass on sand eels and silversides. For freshwater enthusiasts, the kettle ponds on the island are stocked with trout, and using spoons, spinners, or PowerBait close to the bottom can yield some nice catches. Overall, the mild weather and abundant baitfish make this an excellent time to get out and fish around Martha's Vineyard.