Offshore report by Jonah Paris 09/20/23

Offshore Fishing Report
September 20, 2023
Jonah Paris

Groundfishing over the past few weeks has been consistent in 230-250 feet of water. The catch has been mostly cod, whiting, red hake, and pollock. We put in some time working Norwegian jigs with bucktail teasers, and were rewarded with a quality mixed bag. Although jigs have been outfishing bait lately, we did land a pair of two pound redfish the other day in 240 feet using cut clams. Most notably, the mass of dogfish that infested the ledges during the final weeks of August and early September appear to have moved on. Fishing any deeper than 250 feet earlier this month was a guaranteed dogfish.

As we transition into fall, the offshore pollock bite should crack wide open. Pollock often bite hard on a brisk northeast wind- ironically, the days most of us don’t want to be out there. However, I don’t know if the fall pollock bite can match the last two weeks of July this year. That 10 day span went down in the books as the “Big Pollock Bite of ‘23.” We experienced a string of days on the ledge with over four dozen 10-15 pounders in the tank by noon. The school stayed on a small hump gorging on juvenile squid. And then one day, they were gone, and that was it. Pollock are notoriously nomadic. 

This was a tougher haddock year, but with plenty of sub-legal fish released, next season looks to be promising. 

Mackerel have been where they should be, and finding good bait both inshore and offshore has been less of a chore since the storm last weekend. This is good news for those looking to fish the October tuna season or continue chasing stripers. The “spike macs” that were in thick a few weeks ago appear to have moved on, and the typical “chunker” size-class is back. In the bay, look for mackerel by Portland Head Light, on West Cod Ledge, and along Cushing Island.

The TEAZER is closing out a decent shark season, with many big blue sharks released. We tagged a bunch of them, as well as three porbeagles. We also tangled with some mystery leviathan shark, which we popped off deliberately as the bare spool of a Penn 50 became visible. The TEAZER had fewer mako encounters than last year, but makos along with the ‘beagles will stay later into the fall than the blue sharks. 

We are fishing steady right through the end of month, but nearing the tail of another season is always bittersweet. Being offshore every day June through September is something we look forward to all year. Captain Pete Morse has been running charters on the TEAZER for 13 seasons, and I have worked as mate on the boat for 7 of those - and we both agree that spending day after day offshore just never gets old. Although there is plenty of saltwater fishing to be had in October and even into November, the weather becomes more unpredictable and the phone stops ringing as the tourists thin out. Once the leaves begin to change and the acorns drop, the woods start calling our names. 

Finish the season strong and catch ‘em up.

Tight Lines,

Jonah Paris
First Mate
TEAZER Charters
South Portland, ME