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.

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