Massachusetts · Cape & Islands
STRIPED BASS FISHING
IN NANTUCKET
Nantucket is an outstanding destination for striped bass fishing, with peak season in June, July, August and good catches in May, October. Book a charter and target striped bass with local experts.
About Striped Bass Fishing in Nantucket
The iconic striper is the most sought-after gamefish on the Atlantic coast. These powerful, line-ripping fish migrate from the Chesapeake Bay to New England each spring and fall, creating legendary fishing opportunities from Virginia to Massachusetts.
Striped Bass — called "stripers" or "rockfish" in the Chesapeake — are the most iconic gamefish of the Atlantic coast. Their silver body with bold black horizontal stripes, powerful build, and aggressive feeding make them a favorite from Virginia to Massachusetts. The spring and fall migrations create legendary fishing runs as massive schools move along the coast. Stripers are found in both salt and fresh water, and the Chesapeake Bay serves as the primary nursery for the Atlantic population. They are excellent eating, with firm, white, mildly flavored flesh.
Scientific name: Morone saxatilis
Striped Bass Seasonal Calendar — Nantucket
Month-by-month availability for striped bass in Nantucket, MA.
How to Catch Striped Bass in Nantucket
Techniques & Bait
Live bait (bunker/menhaden, eels, mackerel) fished on a fishfinder rig or chunk rig near structure, rip currents, and drop-offs is the most consistent technique. Trolling umbrella rigs and tube-and-worm behind planer boards covers water during migrations. Casting topwater plugs (Pencil Poppers, Atom Poppers) into blitzing schools on the surface at dawn/dusk is the most exciting striper fishing. Fly fishing with Deceiver, Clouser, and Grocery Fly patterns during the fall run is world-class. Live eels drifted at night around rocky structure is the go-to for trophy fish.
Recommended Tackle
Medium to medium-heavy spinning rod (7-9 ft), 4000-6000 reel, 20-40 lb braid, 30-40 lb fluorocarbon leader. For surf casting: 10-11 ft surf rod, 6000+ reel, 50 lb braid. Fly: 9-10 weight rod with intermediate line.
Best Inshore Fishing Spots in Nantucket
Top spots where local captains target striped bass and other inshore species.
Great Point Flats
Great Point at the northern tip of Nantucket is a remote sand spit surrounded by shallow flats where striped bass, bluefish, and bonito feed in gin-clear water. The flats warm quickly in spring and hold baitfish concentrations that draw fish within sight-casting range for wade-fishers and kayak anglers. Accessing Great Point requires a four-wheel-drive vehicle on the beach, and the journey is rewarded with some of the finest inshore fishing in the Northeast.
Nantucket Harbor
Nantucket Harbor is a large, sheltered harbor on the island's north side where striped bass, bluefish, scup, and tautog hold around docks, jetties, and the harbor's eelgrass beds. The harbor channel's tidal currents sweep baitfish past structure that attracts feeding fish on every tide change. Shore anglers fish the Brant Point jetties and Children's Beach while boat anglers work the deeper channel and harbor basin for consistent catches.
Madaket Harbor
Madaket Harbor on Nantucket's western end is a shallow tidal harbor surrounded by salt marsh where striped bass and bluefish enter on flooding tides to feed on silversides and juvenile menhaden. The harbor's narrow entrance creates a strong current funnel that concentrates fish at the inlet mouth, especially during outgoing tides. Anglers wade the harbor flats or cast from the bridge for school-sized stripers in one of Nantucket's most scenic inshore settings.
Polpis Harbor
Polpis Harbor is a quiet, marshy estuary on Nantucket's eastern side that connects to Nantucket Harbor through a winding channel. The harbor's shallow, warm waters hold striped bass, scup, and white perch that feed along grass edges and oyster beds on rising tides. Its secluded location and limited boat traffic make it a peaceful inshore destination for kayak anglers and light-tackle enthusiasts seeking solitude on the island.
Other Species in Nantucket
More fish you can target while visiting Nantucket.
Striped Bass Fishing in Nantucket — FAQ
The peak months for Striped Bass fishing in Nantucket are June, July, August, September. During these months, Striped Bass are most active and abundant in the Nantucket area.
Striped Bass fishing charters in Nantucket are typically inshore trips. Prices vary by trip duration and group size. Most charters include all gear, bait, licenses, and fish cleaning.
Live bait (bunker/menhaden, eels, mackerel) fished on a fishfinder rig or chunk rig near structure, rip currents, and drop-offs is the most consistent technique. Trolling umbrella rigs and tube-and-worm behind planer boards covers water during migrations. Casting topwater plugs (Pencil Poppers, Atom Poppers) into blitzing schools on the surface at dawn/dusk is the most exciting striper fishing. Fly fishing with Deceiver, Clouser, and Grocery Fly patterns during the fall run is world-class. Live eels drifted at night around rocky structure is the go-to for trophy fish.
No — when you book a charter in Nantucket, your captain provides all required Massachusetts fishing licenses as part of the trip.
Striped Bass regulations in Massachusetts include minimum size limits and bag limits that vary by season. Your captain will know the current regulations and ensure compliance.
While targeting Striped Bass in Nantucket, you may also catch Bluefin Tuna, Bluefish, Fluke, Black Sea Bass, False Albacore. Many charter trips target multiple species for the best action.
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