Inshore Report 8/18

[FirstLightAnglers]

Inshore the fishing has slowed up a bit but there are still some really nice bass around. The couple of bass trips I ran this week were excellent with lots of 28-31" fish and a handful in the mid 40" class. We found lots of mackerel still up around Straitsmouth Island and the Salvages. There have been some decent surface feeds in Marblehead, Salem and Beverly harbors of both bass and bluefish. The fish are keying in on small herrring so sometimes they have been challenging to get them to bite. Small flies, metals and surface poppers like the Jumpin Minnow have worked well. Up on the Ipswich Bay side things have slowed up a bit more with most people catching fish on bait or at night. Seems like the bluefish come and go with one day guys saying they were everywhere and then the next day gone.

[Boatdog]

What time of day is producing fish the best? Preferably Blues.
BD

[Squam]

Absolutely nothing this morning in Beverly, Salem, Manchester, Marblehead. Yesterday afternoon there were birds and bait galore in the Essex River on the outgoing, but didn't see any fish feeding. Caught one very small schoolie. Nothing whatsoever outside on the front side of Cranes and around the mouth of the Ipswich. Took a run out to Jeffries and nuthin' there or on the way. Summer Doldrums for sure.

[DEVO]

Lots of very small schoolies in the Danvers river yesterday (watched a cousin catch one after another on sea worms cast from shore). Today lots of bait and sporadic small splashes/swirls in Beverly harbor around mid day. Ended up getting a couple hits on flies and one 24".

[Boatdog]

Second schooies in the river caught one went looking for bigger. Just to much traffic in the harbor for my liking.
BD