The Schoolie Bass have arrived!  Reliable sources report Striped Bass up to 22 inches have been caught on the South Shore from Cisco to Madaquecham.  Schoolies have also been caught on the fly on the east side near Sasachacha Pond (which, along with Hummock Pond, opened up to the sea this spring).  Be sure to pack your light tackle and fly rods when you visit a Nantucket beach house this spring or when you arrive to open your Nantucket house for the season.

Labor Day is now behind us and the time that many fishermen consider to be the the most exciting of the fishing year is about to begin. All around Nantucket island, the bait is plentiful which should entice the predators closer to shore. Bonita so far have been erratic although there was a good catch at the Bonita Bar off of Madaket over the weekend. The Spanish Mackerel are beginning to show up. Early morning at Great Point is your best bet for these delicious tasting fish. If you catch one and do not want to eat it you can be pretty sure the person fishing next to you will gladly accept it from you.

False Albacore, on the other hand, are not really edible. So far these exciting-to -catch speedsters have not shown up along Nantucket’s beaches but could arrive any day. Only one False Albacore was weighed in yesterday during the first day of the Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby. Small Bluefish are plentiful just about anywhere around Nantucket property. Although the water is still relatively warm, a few reports of keeper sized Stripers in the morning and evening are starting to come in.

Speaking of Fishing Tournaments, the month long Nantucket Inshore Classic kicked off yesterday. This is a great way to enjoy fishing on Nantucket in the Fall and to meet other fishermen vying for great prizes and bragging rights until next year. There is still plenty of time to register, so ask about the Tournament at your favorite Tackle Store.

There has been more talk about Seals stealing the fish before anglers can land them than  of the fish that are actually being caught but the reports are starting to be more positive.

The Bonito Bar in Madaket is starting to heat up with more multiple catches being reported. One boat landed 11 Bonita  in the 4-6 pound range. They are also catching Bluefish out there. Trolling Yozuris seems to be the most effective technique at the moment. There have also been spotty reports of Bonita in the Great Point Rip.

There are a lot of small Bluefish feeding off the beaches at Great Point right now but the Seals continue to be a problem. The further away from the actual Point that you fish, the better your chance of landing your fish before it is grabbed by a seal! A few Bonita have been landed by beach fishermen. There is a lot of bait in the water so the Bonita and False Albacore should not be far behind. Keep your eyes out for concentrations of feeding Terns and cast small metal lures with a quick retrieve on the surface.

There is talk of Bass starting to feed in close again. Sea Bass and Scup are still being caught off the West Jetty in Nantucket Harbor.

As always, book a trip with your favorite Nantucket Charter Boat Captain or check in at your favorite Nantucket Tackle Shop for the latest up-to-date Nantucket fishing news. The fishing should be improving daily from now through October so plan on taking advantage of the outstanding fall fishing on Nantucket.

Everyone is looking for the elusive Bonita. There have been a few caught by boat at the Bonito Bar off of Madaket but it has not yet been fast and furious. The story is the same at Great Point. Persistent beach fishermen have been rewarded for their efforts but not often. With warm water and plenty of bait around this situation could improve at any time so don’t hesitate to check out your favorite spot by your Nantucket house.

The big news today is that the Bonita have arrived, swimming off of Nantucket property. There have been two confirmed reports from the “Bonito Bar” in Madaket this morning.

Local boat fisherman and those coming from their Nantucket vacation homes have also been doing well off Great Point, fishing on the bottom for Fluke and Sea Bass.

Great Point is now open again to Beach drivers, where there has been some good Bluefishing as well as along the South Shore.

Be sure to check with your  favorite Tackle Store for the latest hot spot or with your local Charter Captain for a trip to the “Bonito Bar”.

“Where are all the Bluefish”? At the moment this question is the one most Nantucket anglers seem to be asking each other. Although a 9-pounder won a recent local  Nantucket fishing tournament, Bluefish have been hard to find. The Charter Boats have been finding some off Sankaty and the Eastern end of the Island. There was also a gaggle of boats concentrated in a traditional early season Bluefish spot off Madequecham last weekend. Another clue that Bluefish are around is the increasing frequency with which Bass fisherman are pulling in plastic baits that have been neatly bitten off right behind the hook. This situation gets expensive and is locally referred to as a “Cigar Butt”!

Bass fishermen continue to report good results all around the Island. A charter boat has been trolling for Bass in Nantucket Harbor and they are doing well off Sankaty and in other spots off the Eastern end of the Island. Fly fishermen are having success in Nantucket Harbor and in calm water fishing from  leeward shores. The Striped Bass are still feeding in close to the Island with best results now being reported during periods of low light. We have not heard much about the fishing at Great Point. Fishermen seem to be going elsewhere because so many of the good spots at the Point and Coatue are closed at the present time.

By the time you read this, the Bluefish may have arrived in force. So, if you have some luck out in front of your Nantucket vacation rental home or in one of your other favorite Nantucket hot spots, please be sure to let us know.

To find a Nantucket summer rental in your favorite fishing spot, use our Rental Search Tool and select the boxes next to the Nantucket areas you’re interested in vacationing near.

The Striped bass fishing on Nantucket continues to be good, just in time for your Nantucket summer rental! The bass are feeding aggressively near shore and are getting bigger. Many fish have been caught in the 33’” range and there was a report of a 38” Bass caught in Nantucket Harbor.

When the surf and wind conditions permit, the South Shore beaches from Madaket to Tom Nevers have been productive. Some nice catches have also been reported on the North shore from Dionis up to the Jetties.

Nantucket Harbor is also beginning to heat up. The Bass that many have seen are now starting to bite. There have also been reports of  Striped Bass on the East end of the Island.

Dionis and Nantucket Harbor are good places to fish if you are looking for Bluefish. They are showing up all around the Island and should become even more established in the next few weeks as the water continues to warm up.

Great Point is now closed from the southern end of the Galls up to the Point due to nesting Piping Plovers. There have been a few small bass caught along the East side. As always, when you  move into your Nantucket summer house, be sure to check in with any of the local Nantucket Tackle Shops or your favorite Charter Boat Captain for the latest details about fishing on Nantucket.

The Wine Festival revelers have now left Nantucket and the migratory Striped Bass have arrived. From all reports, the Stripers are now all around the Island and are being caught from Madaket to Quidnet. When the surf conditions allow, Beach fisherman have had good luck from the South Shore. Anglers on the North Shore are beginning to report respectable catches as well. It is still not necessary to fish at night to hook up but lower light conditions in the morning and the evening seem to be the most productive. As is often the case at this time of year, smaller size swimmers and plastics are the lures of choice. The Bass are already starting to get bigger with most catches ranging from 27 inches to 33 inches.

For Boat fisherman, Nantucket Harbor seems to be the place. There are definitely Bass in the harbor but the fishing is not yet as consistent as it will be in a few weeks. There are also a few Bluefish starting to arrive.

Speaking of Bluefish, they are also being caught in the Dionis area. Smith’s Point, which is now open to Beach driving further out, is another productive early season spot for Bluefish.

For those anglers interested in bottom fishing, Scup (Porgies) and Sea Bass are reportedly being caught out by the Jetties.

Check in with any one of the local Tackle Shops Bill Fisher Tackle , Cross Rip Outfitters, or Nantucket Tackle Center or ask one of the Charter Boat Captains for more details….

Get out there and take advantage of one of the best times in the year to fish on Nantucket!  Use our Rental Search Tool to find a Nantucket summer rental near some of the best fishing areas.  Simply check the box next the the ‘Madaket’ or ‘Quidnet’ areas to browse available listings.