This report was originally published in the Buzzards Bay category inside our members' forum on May 5th, 2026.
With the 2026 striper season opening its doors and reports of fresh migratory fish beginning to filter up the coast, there was only one place to be on this cold early-May evening — on the water.
LOCATION: Buzzards Bay
DATE: May 4th, 2026
SESSION: 7:00 PM – 4:45 AM
AIR TEMP: Mid-40s °F
WATER TEMP: 52–53 °F
ANGLERS: Two (Boat)
With the 2026 striper season opening its doors and reports of fresh migratory fish beginning to filter up the coast, there was only one place to be on this cold early-May evening — on the water. My buddy Alex and I shoved off the dock at 7 PM, chasing the kind of fish that had not spent the winter hugging local structure. These were the migrants: chrome-bright, heavy, and worth every frozen hour it would take to find them.
To say conditions were challenging would be an understatement. Strong winds cut across the water and the air sat firmly in the mid-40s — the sort of night that tests your commitment before the first cast is ever made. But both of us knew what was possible if we put in the time.
Conditions
| WINDS | High — made early locations difficult |
|---|---|
| AIR TEMPERATURE | Mid-40s °F — cold, demanding |
| WATER TEMPERATURE | 52–53 °F — on the cool side for active feeding |
| TIDE (FIRST STOP) | Last of incoming, into outgoing (~1–1.5 hrs) |
| CONDITIONS SUMMARY | A grind from start to finish |
Tackle Used
- LURES IN ROTATION
- NEtime Jointed Swimmers (handmade)
- NEtime Stickbaits
- Bomber Lipped Swimmers
- SP Minnows
- Soft Plastics
How the Night Unfolded
7:00 PM — DEPARTURE
Pushed off the dock under stiff winds. Made for the first spot to work the last of the incoming tide and stayed through an hour to an hour and a half of outgoing.
~11:45 PM — FIRST MOVE
Cold, windy, and completely fishless at the first location. Decision made to find shelter from the wind and search for active fish. A good bit of searching followed.
LATE NIGHT — THE ZONE
Fish found. Credit to Alex for his local knowledge and dialed-in instincts. The fish were audibly feeding on the surface — but wouldn’t bite. Both anglers cycled through their entire arsenals with little to show for it.
After hours of patient casting, the rod loads up — and the fish is dropped at the boat. Frustrating, but a signal the feeding window was cracking open.
Alex hooks and lands a fresh fish, a beautiful over-slot fish. The bite begins to steady. Something shifted.
Multiple fresh fish boated in rapid succession — ranging from slot to over-slot. The patience of the previous eight hours pays off in a concentrated burst of action.
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