When wahoo are around New Bedford / Fairhaven
Wahoo are an offshore fish from this port, and the trip that lists them is the all-day South Side Special, not a bay trip. Wahoo fishing out of New Bedford / Fairhaven means a long run, and when to go depends on water conditions. Check the OBS SST layer before you leave, and see wahoo timing across the Northeast (see also the Atlantic Northeast region guide) for regional timing, water temperature and canyon context.
How far boats run for wahoo
Plan on a full day. B3 Charters’ South Side Special out of Fairhaven lists wahoo and runs 10-12 hours, and the rest of this section follows from that.
Trip length and departure options
On your own boat, a 10-12 hour day means carrying fuel for the full run and waiting for a weather window long enough to cover the trip out and back. B3 departs from Fairhaven, with Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket departures also available as alternate starting points.
The route out
Leaving New Bedford Harbor, you pass several named features on the way out of Buzzards Bay. They work as landmarks:
- Great Ledge, just offshore of the harbor
- The Elizabeth Islands
- Sow and Pigs Reef, off the western end of Cuttyhunk
- Quicks Hole
Reading conditions
The nearest station is NDBC station BUZM3 readings, Buzzards Bay, at 41.397N 71.033W. Check wind speed, wave height and dominant period.
BUZM3 sits inside Buzzards Bay and reports conditions at that point, not out past Cuttyhunk. Pair it with the NWS Buzzards Bay marine forecast, and compare the forecast against the buoy as the day goes on.
Before you leave, check the OBS SST and Chart Contours layers in Breakpoint. The chart layers are not for navigation.
Grounds and structure near New Bedford and Fairhaven
These are the named ledges, rocks and reefs near port. Most local boats know them and pass them on the way out, but the wahoo run goes well beyond them.
| Ground | Location |
|---|---|
| Dumpling Rocks | Just off Round Hill, Dartmouth |
| Sandspit | Off Round Hill, Dartmouth |
| Mishaum Ledge | Near the Dumpling Rocks trio |
| Great Ledge | Just offshore of New Bedford Harbor |
| West Island rocky ledges | Fairhaven |
| Cleveland Ledge | – |
| Sow and Pigs Reef | Off the western end of Cuttyhunk, Elizabeth Islands |
| Quicks Hole | – |
Round Hill, Dartmouth
Dumpling Rocks, Sandspit and Mishaum Ledge form a group off Round Hill, with Mishaum near the Dumpling Rocks trio.
Off the harbor
Great Ledge lies just offshore of New Bedford Harbor and is the first named structure on the way out.
Fairhaven
The West Island rocky ledges lie off Fairhaven.
Up the bay
Cleveland Ledge is named Buzzards Bay structure.
Elizabeth Islands
Sow and Pigs Reef lies off the western end of Cuttyhunk, and Quicks Hole is the named passage in the islands. Both mark the edge of the bay; wahoo are found farther out.
Who fishes for wahoo out of this port
B3 Charters (Buzzards Bay Bear Charters, www.b3charters.com) fishes a 28-foot True World by Master Marine. Wahoo is listed on the South Side Special, which runs 10-12 hours and departs from Fairhaven, with Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket departures available.
For tackle and method detail, see how wahoo are fished. Some owner-operators ride a run like this once before taking their own boat out, though nothing requires it.
FAQ: wahoo fishing out of New Bedford / Fairhaven
Is wahoo a target from New Bedford or Fairhaven?
Yes, as a long offshore run. B3 Charters lists wahoo on its 10-12 hour South Side Special out of Fairhaven.
How long is a wahoo trip from Fairhaven?
The South Side Special runs 10-12 hours. That is an all-day trip, so plan fuel and a full-day weather window.
Can I leave from Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket instead?
B3 offers Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket departures for the trip.
Which buoy should I check before the run?
NDBC C-MAN station BUZM3, Buzzards Bay, at 41.397N 71.033W. Check wind speed, wave height and dominant period. It reads inside the bay, not past Cuttyhunk, so pair it with the NWS marine forecast.
What else do boats target from here?
See the guides to coastal and offshore gamefish for the wider picture.
Should I learn the run on a charter first?
Some owner-operators ride the South Side Special before running their own boat. It is optional, and the run is the same either way.
