Martha's Vineyard Fishing Report: Stripers, Tog, and Early Fluke Signals Spring's Arrival

Artificial Lure here with your Friday, April 18, 2025, fishing report for Martha’s Vineyard. Early spring is really starting to turn the gears, and the Island’s waters are waking up fast. Let’s talk sunrise and sunset first. You’ve got the sun up at 5:57 AM and setting at 7:26 PM, giving plenty of daylight to wet a line. Tides are looking great today for action—highs at 3:38 AM and 4:25 PM, with lows at 9:36 AM and 9:47 PM. These moving waters, especially through the morning low and afternoon flood, set the table for feeding fish and happy anglers[6]. Weather’s cooperating with mild temps in the upper 50s to around 60, and a light breeze—ideal for both boaters and surfcasters. The water temp is still chilly, just under 50, but steadily rising, and that’s been enough to draw the first real push of stripers up onto the south-facing beaches and into the salt ponds[1][3]. Recent catches? Schoolie striped bass are showing up right on time, many still with sea lice, a sure sign they’ve just made the trip north. Most fish are in the 20 to 26 inch range, but they’re feisty and hungry. No big cows yet, but it won’t be long. Tautog are active on rocky bottom—look for them around jetties and deeper boulder fields, with a few keepers pushing 4-5 pounds in the mix. A handful of sharpies have reported the odd bluefish and even a couple early small fluke, but the main wave of both is still a few weeks out[1][4]. Best baits this week have been green crabs for tog and fresh squid or herring chunks for the bottom dwellers. If you’re after bass, you can’t go wrong with soft plastics in white or pearl—Hogy paddle tails, Zoom flukes, and sand eel imitations are accounting for the lion’s share of the action. Wooden plugs like Gibbs Pencil Poppers or ATOM swimmers, locally available and proven through the decades, are also pulling fish, especially in the early morning and at dusk[4][7]. Sandworms and clam strips are good bets for a mixed bag by the docks or pier[5]. Top spots today? Lobsterville Beach is steady for schoolie bass, and Wasque Point is always a favorite if you’re hoping for a mixed bag or that first bluefish of the season. The north shore, from West Chop over to Menemsha, is getting busier each day with stripers pushing bait into the shallows. For the boat crowd, don’t overlook the Hooter for a shot at both tog and early fluke[4][8]. Quick tip—bundle up, as the water’s still cold, and keep an eye out for birds working the surface. That’s often the first sign the blitzes aren’t far behind. The Derby will be here before you know it, so now’s the time to scout your spots. That’s your Vineyard scoop for today. Tight lines and see you out there! This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.