Woods Hole is one of the most treacherous patches of water on the East Coast. The tide really
cranks in Woods Hole, there are an extreme number of hazards including a confusing channel
system, rock piles EVERYWHERE and boat traffic consisting of Yachts, slow sailboats, speed
boats, kayaks, ferries and commercial draggers. I don’t recommend Woods Hole to anglers not
familiar with the area do to how extreme the conditions are.
If you are very familiar with the area, then you might find that “The Hole” is best fished during
the first 45 minutes of either tide because when the current gets up to full velocity, the fishing
can be dangerous and prohibitive. Always yield to boat traffic. Even if your fishing, you do not
have right of way in a channel.
Woods Hole is most known for its Spring and Summer Nighttime bass and blues fishing, it is
also the home to some good tog fishing on the rock piles in and around the area. One glance at a
Navionics app would show you how many options you have!
A couple of tips to get you started:
- Casting: Position boat close to structure (either ledge, eastern end of Pine Island, off gap
between Penzance Point and Devil’s Foot) and cast toward shore, any breaks in current or
around submerged boulders. Diving birds may indicate fish below. Position boat off the down tide side Pine Island and do the same. Strong current and submerged boulders make
it vital for one person to run the boat while other angler casts.
- Trolling: Use heavy gear with wire line or lead core and fish along edges of channels.
Heavy jigs, tubes or large soft plastics will produce. Troll in SAME DIRECTION AS
CURRENT. In this Video we filmed with On The Water almost 10 years ago, we were
using the Hogy Perfect Tube on Lead Core line, trolling with the current.
- Approximate Lat & Long: 41°30.6’ N, 70°41’ W
- Known for: Stripers in the spring and fall, topwater bluefish and albies in the mid-
summer and False Albacore in the early fall. - Best tide: West (outgoing)
- Hazards: Numerous submerged boulders; shallow, rocky water at Middle Ledge and
Red Ledge. Very strong current. Heavy boat traffic at times. Carefully study charts before
attempting to fish Woods Hole.
