Fishing Report Martha's Vineyard: Stripers, Albies, and Tautog Bite in Shifting Seasons

As of October 20, 2024, the fishing scene around Martha's Vineyard is quite dynamic, despite the transitioning seasons. ### Weather and Tides Today, you can expect partly cloudy skies with a high of around 62°F and a low of 50°F. The winds will be moderate, coming in from the northwest at about 10 mph. Tides are crucial for fishing here; today's high tide is at 8:47 AM and the low tide at 3:04 PM. ### Sunrise and Sunset Sunrise is at 6:53 AM, and sunset will be at 5:43 PM, giving you ample daylight to get out on the water. ### Fish Activity Striped bass fishing remains strong, particularly in the ponds and backwaters. Anglers have been catching slot-size fish locally, and some larger fish have been reported in the backwaters. False albacore (albies) are still present but are becoming increasingly scarce and finicky. Captain Kurt Freund of Fishsticks Charters reported catching a 14-pound albie on a recent full-day trip to Nantucket, but overall, albie fishing has slowed down significantly since the big storm two weeks ago. Bonito fishing was good up until the first week of the Derby but has since declined. However, you might still luck into a few when casting epoxy jigs for bass or bluefish. Tautog (blackfish) fishing is gaining momentum, especially with the recent limit change to 5 fish per day starting October 15. Captain Freund is gearing up for a tog charter and has already gathered green crabs for bait. ### Best Lures and Bait For striped bass, anglers are using 3- to 4-ounce epoxy jigs and small pencil poppers. The most prominent baitfish in the Canal include squid, mackerel, peanut bunker, and silversides. For tautog, green crabs are the go-to bait. Light tackle and bottom fishing are also effective methods for targeting tautog. ### Hot Spots - The west end of the Canal has been fishing well in the morning, especially for bass. - The east end of the Canal is also seeing some activity, with reports of nice fish caught off the pier. - Nantucket, particularly for those willing to take a full-day trip, has produced some significant catches of albies and other species. - The ponds and backwaters around Martha's Vineyard are excellent for catching striped bass. Overall, it's a great time to be on the water around Martha's Vineyard, with a variety of species to target and favorable conditions for a productive day of fishing. This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.