Capt. Shawn offers a variety of light tackle fishing on Nantucket. Spend your day chasing striped bass and bluefish in the rips and shoals of Nantucket’s West-end or try your hand at the atlantic bonita and false albacore. When the opportunity presents itself Squaretail Outfitters ventures offshore with light spin and fly rods to pursue school bluefin tuna, skipjack tuna and dolphin.
May-June
If it is striped bass that you want to catch, then May and June is the time for you to fish. As the striped bass migrate north during the spring their arrival to Nantucket occurs in late May and continues through the month of June. Cast pencil poppers and bombers into rips and shoals as stripers feed on bunker, squid and sand eels. Rig up the fly rod with sinking line and try your luck down deep for truly trophy striped bass. As the water temperature rises so does the abundance of bluefish. From mid to late June it is not uncommon to have constant top water bluefish action. I guarantee that you will wear out before the bluefish do! By far June is the best striped bass fishing of the season, with fish over 30 pounds not uncommon.
July-August
As the water warms into the low 70’s a new species is added to the list, the atlantic bonita. These tasty speedsters arrive in mid-July and provide consistant fly and light tackle action on the incoming tide. While fishing on anchor you will see these fish run up and down the “Bonita Bar” inhaling sand eels by the thousands. If you have never caught one, than you probably have never eaten one, so if you like sushi or grilled tuna this is the species for you. July and August also brings the best bluefishing of the year. These fish are big, hungry, competitive and willing to eat almost anything. So if you like tuna and like consistant “catching” than July and August is a great time to fish!
September-October
As the tourist season slows down the fishing season continues to heat up. The fall migration of striped bass is in full swing and another species is added to the list, the false albacore. The false albacore is one of saltwater fly fishing’s most sought after game fish. Their explosive top water feeding habits makes them one of the most exciting fish to catch. September also brings the biggest bluefish of the year, ranging 15 to 25 pounds. As the crowds of downtown Nantucket leave, the rips, shoals and open water surrounding Nantucket get crowded. September and October are the only months where you have a realistic chance of catching four species in one day!
