Welcome back to Bay Rats & Buoys — Episode 56, where the winterization process has officially begun here in the Northeast. The cold fronts are rolling in, the yards are filling up with shrink-wrapped boats, and every captain is doing that final dance of oil changes, fuel stabilizers, and flushing systems before winter takes hold. But even with the seasonal shutdown starting, the fishing is STILL electric.
This week we’re talking squid jigs, green crabs, tautog, striped bass, and a ridiculous amount of bait stacked in our harbors. We’re seeing spearing, peanut bunker, and schools of squid lighting up the sonar — the harbors are alive. The Tog bite remains strong, with a steady flow of 4–8 lb fish, but no double-digit “whitechins” have hit our deck… yet. With water temps dropping and green crabs loaded in the livewell, we’re still swinging hard right into the late season. Squid fishing should take off once we finally get a break from this relentless windy weather pattern.
This week brings the Beaver Moon, generating dramatic tidal swings and extreme highs and lows. The tidal coefficient is very high, and that means moving water plus murky conditions — the kind of chaos that often turns on the bass bite. And speaking of bass… we’ve got striped bass in the harbor up to 40 inches, with tons of shorts and slots crashing on the surface right alongside peanut bunker and spearing. Birds working? Follow them.
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Thinking about getting your Captain’s License this winter? Off-season is the PERFECT time. Head to NauticalSchool.com and get signed up today.
Winter may be coming, but Bay Rats & Buoys is heating up. Big things are coming for our loyal listeners — new content, giveaways, and 2026 planning is already underway.
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The season may be ending, but the story is just beginning.
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