Waterlands

NWS zone ANZ251 · New England

Massachusetts Bay and Ipswich Bay fishing forecast

Massachusetts · Atlantic coast

Score now

73Great
Striped bass · 5:00 AM EDT
Named spots
409
Species scored
10
Tide stations
2
Open in the tide mapAll Massachusetts bay systems

Overview

Massachusetts Bay and Ipswich Bay is NWS marine zone ANZ251 on the Massachusetts Atlantic coast, in the New England species region. The Waterlands engine treats it as inland water (bays, sounds, straits). It holds 409 named features from the USGS Geographic Names Information System and has 2 NOAA tide stations nearby.

10 species are scored here in this forecast; Striped bass, Atlantic cod, Black sea bass, Scup and Bluefish are at peak season now.

At 5:00 AM it scores 73 (great), led by Striped bass. The best window for the rest of today is 5-10 AM (flood tide), peaking at 77 for Striped bass. Over the next 14 days the best hour is Sat, Oct 3 at 7 PM, scoring 84.

Best times to fish

Waterlands engine forecast computed 5:06 AM EDT.

Best window today

5-10 AM · Flood tide

Top species: Striped bass

77Great

Best hour of each day, next 14 days

  1. Tue, Sep 22

    77

    12 AM

    Striped bass

  2. Wed, Sep 23

    75

    12 AM

    Striped bass

  3. Thu, Sep 24

    75

    8 AM

    Striped bass

  4. Fri, Sep 25

    75

    7 AM

    Striped bass

  5. Sat, Sep 26

    72

    1 AM

    Striped bass

  6. Sun, Sep 27

    53

    5 PM

    Atlantic cod

  7. Mon, Sep 28

    64

    2 PM

    Atlantic cod

  8. Tue, Sep 29

    67

    6 AM

    Atlantic cod

  9. Wed, Sep 30

    76

    11 PM

    Striped bass

  10. Thu, Oct 1

    79

    5 PM

    Striped bass

  11. Fri, Oct 2

    80

    6 PM

    Striped bass

  12. Sat, Oct 3

    84

    7 PM

    Striped bass

    Best day

  13. Sun, Oct 4

    81

    8 AM

    Striped bass

  14. Mon, Oct 5

    81

    5 PM

    Striped bass

Species · 10

Listed for the New England region. Scores are this hour; season is where the species is in its year.

73Great
Striped bassMorone saxatilis · sea-run

Peak season, about 4 more weeks · Best day Sat, Oct 3 at 7 PM (84)

69Great
Atlantic codGadus morhua · bottom

Peak season, about 5 more weeks · Best day Thu, Oct 1 at 5 PM (77)

69Great
Black sea bassCentropristis striata · nearshore

Peak season, about 1 more week · Best day Thu, Oct 1 at 5 PM (76)

68Great
ScupStenotomus chrysops · nearshore

Peak season, about 1 more week · Best day Fri, Oct 2 at 5 PM (76)

67Great
BluefishPomatomus saltatrix · nearshore

Peak season, about 1 more week · Best day Tue, Sep 22 at 12 AM (72)

65Great
Little tunnyEuthynnus alletteratus · pelagic

Peak season, about 4 more weeks · Best day Thu, Oct 1 at 5 PM (76)

64Good
HaddockMelanogrammus aeglefinus · bottom

Peak season, about 1 more week · Best day Tue, Sep 22 at 6 PM (70)

63Good
TautogTautoga onitis · nearshore

Shoulder season, about 1 more week · Best day Thu, Oct 1 at 5 PM (78)

53Good
Summer flounderParalichthys dentatus · bottom

Shoulder season, about 1 more week · Best day Tue, Sep 22 at 7 PM (60)

35Fair
Winter flounderPseudopleuronectes americanus · bottom

Off season, about 9 more weeks · Best day Tue, Sep 22 at 12 AM (35)

Named spots · 409

Ranked by score this hour. Each spot has its own hourly forecast, tide, current and regulations.

397 more spots, A to Z

Nearest tide stations

BostonNOAA 844397018.2 miSeavey IslandNOAA 841987040.7 mi

Regulations

MassDMF saltwater regulations Buy a Massachusetts fishing license License types

Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries. Synced with MassDMF Sep 21, 2026.

No reviewed rules for the species listed here are on file yet. Check with MassDMF before you keep a fish.

Other Massachusetts bay systems