Fresh Scituate Fishing Reports

Quality cod such as this 34” as well as hot haddock fishing have par for the course for Legit Fish. Captain Mark Rowell of Legit Fish Charters is finding cod up to 34” and limits of haddock on most trips. That is arguably much better fishing than others are experiencing among more northern offshore structure, such as Jeffrey’s Ledge and Tillies. The key, according to the captain, is to find rocks/wrecks just to the side of soft bottom. Draggers tend to avoid the irregular bottom, which wreaks havoc on their gear, and instead pound muddy/gravely bottom. Clams, as well as pink cod flies/teasers, are doing the job. Ancillary wow moments continue aboard Legit Fish with a noteworthy one happening while the crew was trying to put a patron onto a blue shark. While setting out a chum slick, and as the blue sharks began to get close to the boat, an unforeseen mako exploded out of nowhere and slammed the bait. The takedown was ferocious and furious, but unfortunately, the fight short lived. Without a doubt, that angler will be booking another trip soon. "on the water"

The deep offers a level of excitement unmatched by most of what happens inshore. During a recent haddock excursion in Cape Cod Bay, the Legit Fish Charters crew boated a monstrous whiting in the middle of a solid haddock bite. While for many a 36” whiting would be the catch of the day, Captain Mark Rowell had other designs for the big groundfish. Out came a magnum-sized outfit with the whiting deployed 60 feet down in the hopes of attracting a sea monster of sorts. Not long after the bait was set, the rod went off with a thunderous bang as something wicked took down the whiting. After briefly pulling drag, the fish reversed direction and charged the boat. Slack is kryptonite to the best laid plans, and despite a furious attempt to take up the line, the angler found it impossible to keep tight, and the hook popped out. When asked if his group was devastated, Captain Rowell said the feeling was just the opposite. To an angler, the crew was awed by the spectacle and the brief fury of the fight. There really is no substitute for a trip offshore. When not mixing up with monsters of the deep, Legit Fish is finding a solid haddock bite in 185’ of water on Stone Ledge. If you’re pounding mud with your jigs/sinkers, then you’re in the haddock zone. If you’re wares are coming up chipped and dented, expect to be catching cod and cusk. Heavily scented Gulp Alive grubs on the top hook are working really well, while clams are what the haddock are hitting on the bottom hook. The blitzkrieg of blues inshore has made finding mackerel a dicey proposition. Three to four miles out, the macks are common, but they are avoiding what would surely be an inshore massacre. The stripers are often hit or miss, depending on which bait they are feeding on. When sand eels are on the menu, and unless you’re offering matches the forage, you may find more frustration than fun. When pushing herring, pogies, or mackerel, the bass are usually less fussy. Hummock and Rexhame Beach have been two of the best bets, with even shore anglers getting into it. "On The Water"

The prospects have to be promising for anglers to leave a harbor full of willing stripers, but on a few fronts, that’s just what’s happening. While a bit torn, Captain Mark Rowell of Legit Fish Charters out of Scituate has been steering clear of an easy pick of bass and instead opting for a cooler replete with cod and their cousins. He and his crew are finding plenty of cod, haddock, cusk, and ling between the middle bank of Stellwagen through Stone Ledge. Cod can be caught among rocky bottom in water less than 100’, while a more gravelly substrate and deeper stuff – 185-230’ – is more likely to hold the haddock. More good news is that the ratio of size is good, with very few shorts in the mix. When checked, the haddock are stuffed with shrimp, which makes pink cod flies and soft plastics effective. "On The Water"

Captain Mark Rowell of Legit Fish Charters continues to mix it up for charters by finding a quick slot bite at the mouth of the North River, followed by cows farther out. The river fish continue to feed on sand eels and herring fry, while the bigger fish are just outside of Scituate Harbor, with some fish approaching 50 pounds! Bluefish continue to be more of a factor with some desired less for their sporting attributes and more for a tuna entree. In fact, a chum of the captain caught a 118” behemoth recently in Cape Cod Bay on a bluefish. The haddock fishing from the bank through Stone Ledge continues to be outstanding, with many keepers among the catch."on the water"

South Shore and South Coast Fishing Report I could have almost wrapped up the South Shore with the sweeping report by Captain Mark Rowell of Legit Fish Charters. The striped bass fishing not far from his Scituate slip has been fantastic in a number of fronts. Perhaps best of all is that there are many degrees to tight lines, so anglers can spread out. Sand eels and small herring are holding schoolies and slots throughout the North River – check. Mackerel and bite-sized pogies are the fuel for larger linesiders a short distance from the shoreline – another check. Ledges of all sorts are holding molting lobsters, and the stripers are capitalizing on their vulnerability. Green mackerel X Raps, bigger the better, burned around ledges in 55-70’ of water are getting mugged by 50” class bass – that is, unless a certain faster, toothy interloper intercepts the plug first. Legit Fish striper Legit Fish is putting patrons onto big South Shore stripers. As is typical of the peak of the summer, haddock numbers are surging from the bank through Stone Ledge, with keepers far outnumbering shorts. Tuna are more of a factor throughout Cape Cod Bay, with the size skewed towards giants. Overall, the action has been so furious that along with the remedial pre-launch technique and safety talk, Captain Rowell gives his charters, he’s asking them, “Are there any health issues I should be aware of before we start?” "on The Water"

Captain Mark Rowell of Legit Fish Charters told me that stripers are coming through the South Shore in three different waves. There are the beach runners, which are feeding on sand eels. Then there are the ledge-loving linesiders, which are chock full of Jonah crabs. The latter might be a thing because the crabs have shed their shells! As to specifics, Captain Rowell pointed out Collamore Ledge. And then there’s the deepwater fish, which are shadowing schools of pogies and prone to taking down a tuna-grade mackerel. Above all, there’s fish aplenty with the bite spread around, making mobbing other boats unnecessary. As for tuna, the skipper is spotting everything from 89” fish to footballs busting bait from Stellwagen through Cape Cod Bay. "On The Water"