Striped Bass, Bonito, and Albies: Fishing the Martha's Vineyard Waters

As of September 30, 2024, the fishing scene around Martha's Vineyard is quite active, despite the recent nor'easter that stirred up the waters. Here’s what you need to know for a successful day on the water. ### Tidal and Weather Conditions Today, the sunrise is at 6:33 AM, and sunset will be at 6:14 PM. The tides are moderate, with high tide at 9:17 AM and low tide at 3:04 PM. The weather is expected to be partly cloudy with a gentle northeast wind, which should make for relatively calm seas compared to the past few days. ### Fish Activity Yesterday saw a mix of fish activity, particularly after the storm. Striped bass were active, especially in the cleaner waters. School-sized bass to those up to 40 inches were caught, with some larger fish still elusive but expected to move in soon. Bonito fishing remains good, although not as vibrant as a few weeks ago. Albies, or false albacore, have been finicky but were more active in the choppy and overcast conditions, particularly around the Elizabeth Islands and down to Cuttyhunk. ### Best Lures and Bait For striped bass, using jigs and soft plastics like the 10-inch Hogy Original has been effective. Topwater poppers, especially in areas with clean white water, have also yielded good results. For albies, jigs and small metal lures worked well in the rough conditions. Bonito have been biting on small jigs and trolling lures. ### Hot Spots One of the hot spots right now is the area around Wasque on the southeast corner of Martha's Vineyard. This spot has seen good action for striped bass and bonito. Another promising area is the rips between Muskeget and Tuckernuck, where the cleaner waters are holding larger bass. For albies, the south side beaches and the waters around the Elizabeth Islands have been productive. ### Additional Tips Be cautious of the boat traffic, especially around Woods Hole, where tautog fishing is gaining popularity. If you're targeting albies, be prepared for them to be finicky, but the choppy conditions might make them more willing to take a jig. Keep an eye out for birds and bait schools, as these are usually indicators of active fish. Overall, it's a good time to get out on the water around Martha's Vineyard, with a variety of species available and favorable conditions setting in. This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.