Our charter season began in earnest last week, coinciding perfectly with the arrival of school after school of striped bass into the waters of Boston Harbor. In short, the fishing has been excellent. With charters as well as some family and friends trips we took multiple parties of fly and spin fisherman out over the course of the week and found fish of all sizes. We have seen less of the traditional early season schools of small bass . Generally, the schools have been of mixed sizes. One cast you might catch an 18" fish, the next a 36". Many fish over 20lbs. have come to the boat on fly and spin tackle. 
The fish have been feeding on large baits including good schools of mackeral around the outer islands. Inside, the fish are keyed on herring. In fact, there seem to be more herring around than in the past two years combined. This bodes well for a sustained spring run. The fish are schooled up and often feeding on top. It is not necessary to run and gun to the birds as many fisherman seem to do. We have had great success setting up long drifts and steadily picking away at fish after fish, often far away from the birds.
Flies and large soft plastics have been the ticket-we are imitating the herring as best we can. The water temperatures are still a bit cold. Just 52 degrees inside the bays, and barely 50 degrees outside. We have been finding fish on both the incoming and outgoing tides. If you are not finding them, move around, they are here in good numbers.
Let us know if you would like to get out. We have select dates open in June and early July. Now is the time!
Tight lines,
Capt. John
