East and West Chop
NOAA chart number: 13233
Lat & Long: 41°29’ x 70°34.5’
Best tide: Either; action slows at slack.
Hazards: Heavy boat traffic (including ferries) in the summer.
Link To Tide Chart: Click Here
Link to marine weather: Click Here
Fishing strategy:
(1) West Chop: The rip off West Chop is an excellent spring and early summer spot to troll for striped bass. The most popular way to jig for stripers hear is to run short s-curves in front of the rip. The water is often weedy hear, but well worth the effort. Live bait angles do wll her drifting with live scup. This area also holds large fluke, sea bass and porgies.
(2) Vineyard Haven Harbor: This is a prime area to look for bonito and false albacore from mid summer into the fall. Use flies, small soft plastics, small jigs, small metal lures. Watch for birds diving to indicate fish.
(3) East Chop: Bonito and albies often congregate off the steam ship docs. (4) In deeper water, there is some fantastic early spring sea bass fishing. You’ll see the fleet, but if not, look for good structure and or any of the small wrecks you might find on your fish finder.
MV local Joe Rogers describes his favorite techniques for catching hungry striped bass from the south side inlets and beaches of Martha's Vineyard using the SE Barbarian Jig.
Capt. Mike gives a few tips for trolling at Horseshoe Shoal including how best to jig the SI Perfect Squids, and how to drop back on fish if they’ve missed the hook.
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