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Mid-November Charles River Fishing Report
Published 5 months, 1 week ago
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Artificial Lure here with your Wednesday, November 19th fishing report for the Charles River and Boston waterfront. We’ve got classic mid-November chill and low sun today—sunrise hit at 6:38 this morning, sunset will be at 4:19, so keep an eye on those daylight windows if you want to maximize your time.
Weather’s typical for late fall: temps right now around 38°F, might climb just shy of 49°F mid-afternoon according to US Harbors. Skies are mostly cloudy but expect the wind to lay steady out of the northwest, gusts up to 10 mph. Layer up, especially if you’re sticking it out for dusk.
For today’s tides, the Charlestown Charles River entrance will see a high at about 3:04 PM and a low about 9:02 PM, which keeps the current on a gentle ebb most of the morning before pushing back up mid- to late afternoon. Fish are more active on these transitions, so if you’re fishing close to the mouth, plan for those windows. Water clarity is decent with the recent dry stretch—good for both bait and artificials.
Now, onto the fish: Target species around the Charles this week are mostly holdover striped bass, big yellow and white perch, and the usual late-season carp hunters doing their thing upstream. Largemouth bass are sluggish but still kick off just after sun-up, especially in the warmer pockets near outflows by the Museum of Science and up by Magazine Beach. Boston Harbor is mostly quiet except for scattered schoolie striper reports—most folks are seeing limited mackerel but the perch bite has been steady in current breaks.
Recent catches: Most anglers this week report fair numbers of schoolie stripers below the Longfellow Bridge, with fish averaging 18–22”. A few bigger perch—some pushing 14” up by the BU Bridge—are hitting at sunrise on small jigs and live minnows. A handful of folks drifting shiners are still picking off some sluggish bass; no monsters recently, but action is there if you’re patient. Upstream, carp are moving slow, but chunk baits presented deep are drawing attention in the late afternoon.
Best lures: For stripers and perch, keep it simple. Small white paddletails and silver blade spinners are pulling double duty—work them just off the bottom on the outgoing tide. Bass are falling for slow-rolled jerkbaits in shad or yellow perch pattern, but you’ve got to let them pause. If you’re targeting perch, nothing beats a chartreuse hair jig or a tiny gold Kastmaster. For carp or cats, the old standbys—dough balls or sweet corn—are the ticket.
Best baits: Live shiners for bass and perch, especially if you can drift them near drop-offs at Magazine Beach or just below the Watertown Dam. For stripers, chunk mackerel or bloodworms if you can get them. Carp folks, stick with sweet corn or bread.
Hot spots today:
- Magazine Beach boat launch: Good mixed bag action, best just after sunrise.
- Charles River Locks/Lower Basin: Outgoing tide draws fish from the Harbor, decent shot at schoolies and perch, especially near structure.
- BU Bridge to Western Ave: Great zone for perch and the odd feisty bass, especially if you’re tossing small jigs.
The pattern is late-fall classic—short bite windows, steady if you downsize, and always better just after first light or right before sunset. Adjust drop speed, keep presentations slow, and don’t be afraid to switch up colors if you hit a lull.
That’s your Charles River fishing roundup for today. Thanks for tuning in—don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an update. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
Weather’s typical for late fall: temps right now around 38°F, might climb just shy of 49°F mid-afternoon according to US Harbors. Skies are mostly cloudy but expect the wind to lay steady out of the northwest, gusts up to 10 mph. Layer up, especially if you’re sticking it out for dusk.
For today’s tides, the Charlestown Charles River entrance will see a high at about 3:04 PM and a low about 9:02 PM, which keeps the current on a gentle ebb most of the morning before pushing back up mid- to late afternoon. Fish are more active on these transitions, so if you’re fishing close to the mouth, plan for those windows. Water clarity is decent with the recent dry stretch—good for both bait and artificials.
Now, onto the fish: Target species around the Charles this week are mostly holdover striped bass, big yellow and white perch, and the usual late-season carp hunters doing their thing upstream. Largemouth bass are sluggish but still kick off just after sun-up, especially in the warmer pockets near outflows by the Museum of Science and up by Magazine Beach. Boston Harbor is mostly quiet except for scattered schoolie striper reports—most folks are seeing limited mackerel but the perch bite has been steady in current breaks.
Recent catches: Most anglers this week report fair numbers of schoolie stripers below the Longfellow Bridge, with fish averaging 18–22”. A few bigger perch—some pushing 14” up by the BU Bridge—are hitting at sunrise on small jigs and live minnows. A handful of folks drifting shiners are still picking off some sluggish bass; no monsters recently, but action is there if you’re patient. Upstream, carp are moving slow, but chunk baits presented deep are drawing attention in the late afternoon.
Best lures: For stripers and perch, keep it simple. Small white paddletails and silver blade spinners are pulling double duty—work them just off the bottom on the outgoing tide. Bass are falling for slow-rolled jerkbaits in shad or yellow perch pattern, but you’ve got to let them pause. If you’re targeting perch, nothing beats a chartreuse hair jig or a tiny gold Kastmaster. For carp or cats, the old standbys—dough balls or sweet corn—are the ticket.
Best baits: Live shiners for bass and perch, especially if you can drift them near drop-offs at Magazine Beach or just below the Watertown Dam. For stripers, chunk mackerel or bloodworms if you can get them. Carp folks, stick with sweet corn or bread.
Hot spots today:
- Magazine Beach boat launch: Good mixed bag action, best just after sunrise.
- Charles River Locks/Lower Basin: Outgoing tide draws fish from the Harbor, decent shot at schoolies and perch, especially near structure.
- BU Bridge to Western Ave: Great zone for perch and the odd feisty bass, especially if you’re tossing small jigs.
The pattern is late-fall classic—short bite windows, steady if you downsize, and always better just after first light or right before sunset. Adjust drop speed, keep presentations slow, and don’t be afraid to switch up colors if you hit a lull.
That’s your Charles River fishing roundup for today. Thanks for tuning in—don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an update. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI