Fishing the Vineyard - Bonito, Bluefish, and Bottomfish Report for Aug 16, 2025

G’morning anglers, Artificial Lure here with your Martha’s Vineyard fishing report for Saturday, August 16th, 2025. It’s a bluebird day to hit the water—sunrise blessed us just after 5:55 AM, and you’ll have good light right up to sunset at 7:41 PM. The winds look calm all morning, picking up just slightly later in the afternoon—expect temperatures between 63 and 71°F. Seas are relatively flat around the island, running about 1 to 2 feet, perfect for both surf casters and boaters, as seen on the Abel Hill surf report. Let’s talk tide: Low tide worked through the early hours, with the morning low at Squibnocket just around 6:58 AM and the evening low slated for about 7:54 PM, based on Surfline’s charts. This gives you a solid incoming push through the heart of your morning bite—always a Vineyard favorite for the inshore crowd. Now, it’s mid-August and the late summer bite is firing. Bonito are running hot and fast in Vineyard Sound, often popping up in quick pods close to shore—particularly from Menemsha down to Oak Bluffs. You’ll spot tight schools actively chasing silversides and peanuts. Anglers tossing small epoxy jigs, Deadly Dicks, and Hogy SI Epoxy Minnows have scored well. Fast retrieves and quiet approaches are the key—these fish are up and down, so be quick on the draw, and don’t be afraid to move if they disappear. Bluefish action is blazing in western Nantucket Sound, with big blitzes of 1-3 pound fish smashing surface baits nearly all day. For your larger blues, head to the easternmost points of the island—think Wasque Point. Local recommendations are to fish pencil poppers, tins, or good old chunks of fresh pogie; bluefish will wallop anything looking vulnerable. Stripers are a trickier puzzle as the midsummer doldrums have them scattered. Most bigger fish have pushed toward cooler waters out by the Elizabeths or are feeding at night along outer beaches. Your best bet remains live eels or big soft plastics fished near structure after sundown, or target the rips and drop-offs with sand eel imitations early or late. On some tides, Bass are reported to still be on sand eels north of Monomoy and in deeper local holes if you can find a school. Bottom fishing remains a strong option—Vineyard Sound shoals in 70 feet are still giving up nice keeper fluke, especially around Middle Ground and L'Hommedieu. Local charters and private boats scored good numbers all week, with a few doormats in the double digits on strips of squid tipped with Gulp! Grubs. For black sea bass, the rocks off East Chop and the ledges near Falmouth end continue to hold nice fish—drop metal jigs or high-low rigs baited with squid strips. Instagram chatter and local fishmongers report that individual line-caught sea bass remain plentiful. Offshore, the bluefin season has closed for harvest as of August 12th per On The Water, but catch-and-release runs are ongoing, with some giants taken recently east of Chatham on RonZ lures and jigs. Mahi are stacked on the lobster This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.