The Cape Ann fishing is as expected for late summer. We found a good bite going on Tuesday with mixed schools of stripers and blues feeding on tiny peanut bunker. Wednesday the bite was off and the fish were holed up in structure along the shoreline and reefs. Bluefish were present but spotty and we also found several pods of stripers on the “slurp”. We had little luck coaxing these fish to a top-water offering, although we managed to get a few stripers to take “Jumpn’ Minnows” off Straitsmouth. On Thursday, we did not find a bite going and went to “tube n’ worm” trolling near Pebble Beach. We managed a dozen good sized stripers. We also had good success tossing top-waters along various shoreline locations. Later that morning we headed out to Flat Ground and found several eager bluefish on trolled swimmers.

I expect the current pattern to continue for a few more weeks as we enter the fall season. The tuna bite has not changed with little action being reported for the “run and gun” boats. A fair number of tuna have been taken down to the south at Stellwagon on trolling gear. We continue to be optimistic that a good tuna bite will happen soon. Last season it didn’t commence until late September (near shore) Cape Ann.

Steve P. reported some improved shoreline action during last week. Most of the action was near Good Harbor and Pebble. Low light hours have produced a few 40 inch plus stripers on top waters and sub surface swimmers. The expectation is for continued improvement as schools of peanut bunker come close in to shore.