Menhaden were back in Cuttyhunk harbor this summer, and that was good news to Capt. Bruce Borges. Pogies, as they are called, make great bait for catching striped bass. As a lobsterman, Captain Borges, 74, hasn’t seen much good news along the waterfront in recent years. There are fish out there but it’s a different story for lobsters, and that has made this summer especially challenging for Mr. Borges, who calls himself the last lobsterman on Cuttyhunk.
Results are in from Octoberfish, a fishing contest sponsored by Larry’s Tackle Shop after the annual Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby.
Jeff Komarinetz caught the biggest striped bass from a boat on Oct. 19. The fish weighed 26.85 pounds and was caught from a kayak.
Tony Rezendes Jr., caught the largest shore striped bass on the first day of the month. The fish weighed 25.79 pounds.
A rare weakfish was caught last Saturday night by a local angler. Donald Lynch, 43, of Vineyard Haven, said he was entirely surprised by the catch. The fish was caught from the beach at the Lagoon Pond drawbridge. “On the very first cast I hooked up a fish and when I landed it, I discovered it was a 24-and-a-half-inch, three-plus pound weakfish,” Mr. Lynch said.
He said the last time he caught a weakfish was 25 years ago.
Freshwater and saltwater fishing is free this weekend for those who have not yet registered for a Massachusetts fishing license. It is a chance for all adult anglers to get their lines wet without having to buy a fishing license. But on Monday, most adults are required to have a state license.
Bass and Blues for Boys and Girls is a new fishing contest to benefit Island children. Fishing starts early tomorrow morning and continues until 3 p.m. when there will be an awards ceremony and cookout. The striped bass and bluefish contest benefits the Martha’s Vineyard Boys’ and Girls’ Club.
The John Havlicek Celebrity Fishing Tournament, a people-spotting fishing and golf tournament that raises money for the Genesis Fund, celebrates its 30th anniversary this week.
The contest has raised $2 million for the nonprofit organization committed to helping children with birth defects, genetic disorders and intellectual disabilities and their families.
The event was started by Boston Celtic legend John Havlicek and his wife, Beth.
Longfin inshore squid ( loligo pealeii ) may not be on the menu, but it is an important local seafood that has grown scarce.
Recreational and commercial fishermen are perplexed, wondering how a once profitable and abundant bait seems to have disappeared. Tackle shop owners can’t find enough of it. The draggers working in Nantucket Sound have had slim pickings.
Herring are back and the numbers are stronger compared with a year ago. Also known as alewives, herring are one of the true coastal signs of spring and considered essential bait fish in the food chain.
While the reports of numbers this spring are improved over last year, they are at best cautiously optimistic. A state moratorium prohibiting the catching of herring has been in place since 2005. The ban was a response to a dramatic drop in the numbers of fish returning in the spring of 2004 and before. Recovery has been slow, if at all, until this spring.
You want advice about catching trout tomorrow morning?
Cooper A. Gilkes 3rd has a winning starter tip for first-time freshwater anglers: Go early.
Plenty of good fishing techniques will be demonstrated tomorrow morning between anglers, before sunrise at the 37th annual Martha’s Vineyard Rod and Gun Club trout tournament which begins at first light, or about an hour before sunrise. After years of fishing, Mr. Gilkes said he has the technique that works.
