Fish On!: Cooler water heats up fishing

Well, the fish finally started biting again after that heat wave that we?ve had. Two factors probably contributed most to this, and one is the ocean temperature. Stripers are most active when the water is in the 50s to low 60s. Anything higher than that, like the 70-degree water temps we?ve seen lately, and they?ll stay out in deeper waters and remain sluggish. This past week, the water cooled down, and, at the time of writing this, is 63 degrees in Boston Harbor, but it?s dropped more dramatically in other spots. The second factor to this recent bite is most certainly the arrival of peanut bunker, or juvenile pogies. There are just acres of these little baitfish all over the North Shore, and their arrival has been the motivation behind the great surface feeds being reported all over this past week. With all of the bait in our waters right now, it?s looking to be a solid week of fishing.Here?s a look at our areas:Boston HarborThe Harbor is loaded with bait, peanut bunker, pogies, mackerel, squid … It?s a buffet of bait, and the bass have shown back up. This week, blitzing bass were reported at Deer Island most afternoons, as well as the Middle Harbor and over to Castle Island. Not many bluefish reported, but mostly bass in the 26-32 inch range. Fly fishermen are reportedly having a blast on the lightweight rods with these tough fighting bass. Larger fish are being taken out by the Outer Islands on live mackerel. Look for topwater action in the early morning and late afternoons in the Harbor.Lynn/NahantOur area has picked back up as well. Where mackerel were looking scarce for a while there, they?re back and thick out at the mouth of Lynn Harbor as well as the cans around East Point, Nahant. Fishermen did well this week in the Lynn area, with Lynn Harbor seeing topwater action on more than a couple afternoons. Mostly smaller bass, with the occasional 35, 36 inch fish in the mix. Fresh mackerel chunks as well as cut pogies reportedly outfished live mackerel this week. And the Tube N Worm rig worked well for 14-year-old Kyle Mahan, who caught 29 and a 36-inch “keepah” stripers this week while fishing off his grandparents? boat around Bass Point.Salem/MarbleheadFishing around Salem and Marblehead remains solid. It went through a slow ten days or so like the rest of the North Shore, but the fish are back, and surface feeds were reported by the kayak crowd out in Beverly and Salem Harbors on a few occasions this week. Squid remain stacked at the piers and bridges in the area, and a squid jig along with a well-lit pier will net you this tasty table fare. Aside from their culinary qualities, they?re great bait for stripers. Mackerel are back in some numbers out around Misery and Bakers? Islands, and accounted for bass this week in the 30-33 inch range when tossed into the suds around the rocks. Marblehead Harbor is loaded with the macks as well, right around the mouth. A few larger fish were reported in the area this week, but nothing huge.Cape Ann/NewburyportThe folks at Surfland Bait on Plum Island report, “The bass are starting to bite again, but it has been TOUGH.” They went on to say that some of the boat guys are doing well at the mouth of the Merrimack drifting both live and dead mackerel. It?s been hit or miss finding the macks though lately at Breaking Rock off Salisbury Beach. Cape Ann is fishing well again; being adjacent to deep cold water has kept the bite pretty consistent up there. SP Minnows reportedly worked well from the rocks of Cape Ann this week for bass to 36 inches. Mackerel are still being jigged up just outside the breakwater.Bottom LineIf you?re heading out this weekend, the fish are biting again. Hopefully the weather cooperates, but it?s looking so-so as of writing this on Tuesday. Boat guys should jig up live mackerel and take them to the rocks. Also, when you do find mackerel, it?s always a good idea to fish one right there while you?re looking for more. Oftentimes, big bass will be lurking under and on