It’s no longer a shore thing, but boaters gain ground

A weekly roundup of what’s biting and where on Martha’s Vineyard.

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A shellfish supper awaits in Sengie, after you get your permit. - File photo

Shore fishing appears to have slowed a bit this week, although that may be due in part to most of Chappy being closed to oversand vehicles.

The Gut at Cape Poge, which is still accessible at North Neck, has been producing stripers and blues, according to Julian Pepper at Larry’s Bait and Tackle.

“There have also been some big bass at Big Bridge in the early morning,” he said.

Pepper said some big bass have been caught in the rocks at Aquinnah, with a 25-pounder reported taken with a surface plug.

For boaters, Middle Ground continues to be productive for stripers, although cows are few and far between. Pepper said fluke and sea bass have been showing up in numbers at Tom Shoals.

Coop, of Coop’s Bait & Tackle, said the dusk bite at Squibnocket continues to be good for stripers. For those willing to hoof it, Wasque is still producing bluefish in numbers. Castmasters and Roberts Rangers were the flavor of the week for the blues. SP Minnows and needlefish lures are working well for bass, and as always, live eels at night work well.

Coop reports boats are pulling in sea bass in big numbers, and the fluke catches are picking up. He said he’s optimistic that the fishing will heat up soon, with one caveat.

“There’s a lot of sand eels coming in, so that’s a good sign. We’re seeing a ton of bait and whales at Crab Ledge, so that’s also a good sign. But we’re still not seeing squid. I’m very concerned about that.”

As always, you can send photos of your catch, and any fish stories you’d like to share, to Barry@mvtimes.com

‘Fluke for Luke’

The first annual “Fluke for Luke” fishing tournament will be held on Saturday, July 8, through Sunday, July 9.

The tournament is held in honor of Luke Gurney, a popular Island fisherman who died in a tragic accident last June while fishing for conch on his boat, No Regrets.

The event is a team competition. Teams can have two to four people. Team entry fee is $50. Individuals must also enter separately.

Registration is $30 for adults, $10 for fishermen 12 years old and under. You can register at Dick’s Bait and Tackle in Oak Bluffs and Coop’s Bait & Tackle in Edgartown.

Proceeds will go to a college fund for Luke’s two sons, Jacob and Sam. Prizes will be awarded for the three heaviest fluke and three heaviest sea bass.

In the team competition, the winner will get 50 percent of the team entry fees.

Fish will be weighed in on both days at the Portuguese-American Club in Oak Bluffs, on Saturday from 4 to 6 pm and on Sunday from 2 to 4 pm.

The awards ceremony, cookout, and silent auction will begin at 5 pm at the P.A. Club.

For the shell of it

And now for a shellfishing report from Times intern Bella Bennett.

Martha’s Vineyard has an abundance of shellfish, and a small investment — a permit, a rake, a gauge, and a basket — can yield a bounty for your table all summer long.

Shellfishing is also a fun outdoor activity for people of all ages.

Now is the time for quahogs and steamers, a.k.a. soft-shelled clams.

To get them, some people use clam rakes, but some go old-school and wiggle their feet into the sand until they feel something akin to a smooth rock, then reach into the shallows and claim their clam. Quahogs have thick and virtually indestructible shells, while steamers are called soft-shelled because their shells are much thinner and prone to breaking. Be gentle when you dig up steamers, or you risk breaking their brittle shells.

Quahogs must be at least one inch thick, and steamers must be at least two inches long. It’s essential to purchase a cheap measuring gauge at your local bait and tackle store.

Shellfish need to stay cool, so make sure you refrigerate them as soon as possible after leaving the beach. They can usually last up to a week in the fridge, but there’s nothing better than “fresh out of the pond” steamers.

Cooking tip: Add beer to the water when you steam your steamers.

First things first

You need a permit from the town where you plan to fish. Oak Bluffs shellfish constable David Grunden told the Times that there are 52 shellfishing towns in Massachusetts, and each has its own permits, prices, and specifications.

Residential family permits require proof of residence, and are intended for use only by the permit holder, a spouse, and any children under 18 years old. The catch may not be sold. Senior residents can get free or discounted permits, depending on the town. In Oak Bluffs, U.S. military personnel with proof of honorable discharge will be granted free recreational permits.

Permits are available at town selectmen’s offices and locations listed below. All of the money collected from permit sales goes back to the respective town shellfish departments to support the future shellfish population.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call your town shellfish constable.

Oak Bluffs

Constable David Grunden: 508-693-0072

What’s open: Sengekontacket Pond sections 2, 3, and 7 are open for quahogs and steamers, and section 6 is set to open in mid-August. A map of Senge that shows the various sections is at oakbluffsma.gov/DocumentCenter/Home/View/1757.

Residential permit: $40

Week/seasonal nonresidential permits: $30/$400

Take limit: ½ bushel per week (you may only shellfish once per week unless you receive permission from the constable)

Permits available at: the selectmen’s office at Oak Bluffs town hall during normal business hours and Dick’s Bait and Tackle (nonresidential only).

Vineyard Haven

Constable Danielle Ewart: 774-563-1279

What’s open: Tashmoo Pond at the foot of Lake Street, Vineyard Haven Harbor at the Town Pier, and Lagoon Pond at the ramp.

Residential permit: $40

Weeklong/yearlong nonresidential permits: $25/$400

Take limit: ½ bushel per week (you may only shellfish once per week unless you receive permission from the constable)

Permits available at: the Tisbury Town Hall through the executive assistant, or call 508-696-4200.

Chilmark

Constable Isaiah Scheffer: 508-645-2100, ext. 2145

What’s open: a section of the Chilmark portion of the Tisbury Great Pond

Residential permit: $25

Weeklong/yearlong nonresidential permits: $25/$50

Take limit: ¼ bushel per week (you may only shellfish once per week unless you receive permission from the constable)

Permits available at: the Chilmark Town Hall during normal business hours, and at the beach sticker office between 9 am and noon, seven days a week.

Edgartown

Constable Paul Bagnall: 508-627-7570

What’s open: Katama, Chappaquiddick, and parts of Sengekontacket

Residential permit: $50

Weeklong/yearlong nonresidential permits: $50/$250

Take limit: ½ bushel per week (you may only shellfish once per week unless you receive permission from the constable)

Permits available at: the board of selectmen’s office during regular business hours and the Town Hall, Monday-Friday, 10 to 1 and 2 to 4.

West Tisbury

Acting shellfish warden Raymond Gale, deputy shellfish constable Kenneth Jones: 508-696-0102

What’s open: Sepiessa Point Reservation. This area is rich in steamers, but you won’t find any quahogs here.

Residential permit: $25

Yearlong nonresidential permits: $150

Take limit: a milk crate or 5-gallon bucket

Permits available at: West Tisbury Town Hall

Aquinnah

Constable Chip Vanderhoop: 508-627-9278

What’s open: Red Beach, on the north side of Menemsha Pond, all the way down to the Menemsha channel. According to Constable Vanderhoop, you’ll find an abundance of quahogs in this area. Despite his efforts to propagate a more flourishing soft-shelled clam population, this may not be the best spot to look for steamers.

Residential permit: $30

Weeklong/yearlong nonresidential permits: $25/$100

Take limit: ½ bushel per week (you may only shellfish once per week unless you receive permission from the constable)

Permits available at: Aquinnah town hall, 9-12 on Tuesday

 

For more information, check out:

tisburyma.gov/sites/tisburyma/files/uploads/safe_shellfish.pdf

edgartown-ma.us/images/zoo/uploads/shellfish.pdf

Click here for Weekly Tide Chart