Striped bass fishing out of Boston Harbor runs from late spring to early fall. Boats work the outer harbor and the Boston Harbor Islands, out to Boston Light and Graves Light. Below are the season windows, the run, the structure, the local methods and the operators, so you can decide where to look.
When striped bass are in Boston Harbor
Local operators give overlapping but different windows. The migration itself is covered on our striped bass species page. This section sticks to what operators at this port report.
Season by source
| Source | Window |
|---|---|
| CJ Victoria | Late spring to early fall |
| Boston Fish Charters | Mid-May through October |
| Blueline | Peak May through July in Boston Harbor |
The windows overlap from May through the summer, and Blueline names May through July as the strongest stretch. For the wider picture, see the Northeast run (see also the Atlantic Northeast offshore fishing guide).
Where boats run from Boston Harbor
CJ Victoria runs the outer Boston Harbor and the islands, including the two outer lights.
Outer harbor and the islands
CJ Victoria lists these islands as named ground:
- Georges Island
- Gallops Island
- Lovells Island
Boston Light and Graves Light
Both lights are on CJ Victoria’s list and mark the outer end of the run.
Reading conditions at 44013
The nearest buoy is NOAA NDBC station 44013, at 42.346 N, 70.651 W, 16 NM east of Boston. Read wind, wave height and period there and in the official Boston marine forecast. The buoy reports conditions at its own position, 16 NM out, not inside the islands.
Grounds and structure that hold stripers
The inside grounds are the reefs, the islands and the outer-harbor marks. The banks farther out are named for other species.
Inside the harbor
Two artificial reefs sit inside Boston Harbor:
- Sculpin Ledge Channel artificial reef: 23 ft
- HubLine artificial reef, off Brewster Island: 26 ft
Both are structure, so they are good places to start.
Harbor Humps and B Buoy
Harbor Humps sit in the outer harbor, and B Buoy is another named mark. Check Chart Contours around the Harbor Humps to see how the bottom steps. Chart layers are not for navigation.
Stellwagen and the bluefin banks
Stellwagen Bank is a named ground outside the harbor. Middle Bank (off Boston), Jeffreys Ledge and Tillies Bank are named as bluefin grounds, not striper spots.
How stripers are fished here
Local fishing falls into two approaches.
Live herring and mackerel
CJ Victoria fishes live herring or mackerel, the live-bait option on the outer harbor run.
Artificials and light tackle
CJ Victoria also fishes artificial lures, and Legit Fish runs artificial-only light tackle trips.
Who fishes stripers out of Boston Harbor
Six operators list striped bass out of this port:
- CJ Victoria Fishing Charters: Capt. Rob Savino, 32-foot C.J. Victoria, live herring or mackerel and artificials.
- Blueline Fishing Charters: Capt. David Horte.
- Legit Fish Sportfishing: Capt. Mark Rowell, artificial-only light tackle.
- Get Tight Sport Fishing: Capt. Brian Coombs, named in On The Water reports.
- Suspect Charters: Captain Jake and Shep.
- Boston Fish Charters: The Gina Marie, a 24-foot Ros by Coastal Boat Works.
FAQ: Striped bass fishing out of Boston Harbor
When are striped bass in Boston Harbor?
CJ Victoria says late spring to early fall. Boston Fish Charters says mid-May through October. Blueline names May through July as the peak.
Where do boats run for stripers out of Boston Harbor?
CJ Victoria runs the outer harbor and the islands. That includes Georges, Gallops and Lovells islands, plus Boston Light and Graves Light.
What bait do local boats use for stripers?
CJ Victoria fishes live herring or mackerel and artificial lures. Legit Fish offers artificial-only light tackle trips.
Which buoy should I check before running out?
NDBC 44013, 16 NM east of Boston. Read wind, wave height and period there and in the marine forecast. It reports conditions at its own position, not inside the islands.
Are Middle Bank and Jeffreys Ledge striper grounds?
They are named as bluefin grounds, along with Tillies Bank. For stripers, look to the harbor reefs and the islands.
