Species guide · Massachusetts
Atlantic bluefin tuna fishing in Massachusetts
Thunnus thynnus, a pelagic species also called bluefin, giant bluefin and school bluefin. Listed for the New England region. Peak season, about 6 more weeks.
Right now it scores best in Coastal waters east of Ipswich Bay and the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary at 60.
Season now
Peak seasonSeason by month
From the Waterlands saltwater species research: when the fish are present and biting, not whether retention is open.
New England
Peak season, about 6 more weeks- Jan: Not present
- Feb: Not present
- Mar: Not present
- Apr: Not present
- May: Off season
- Jun: Shoulder season
- Jul: Peak season
- Aug: Peak season
- Sep: Peak season
- Oct: Peak season
- Nov: Shoulder season
- Dec: Off season
Peak: Jul to Oct. In season (shoulder or peak): Jun to Nov.
Research notes, New England region
Archival-tagged bluefin used the Gulf of Maine from about March to December with peak residency June to October (Walli et al. 2009). Cape Cod Bay, Stellwagen Bank, Jeffreys Ledge and the grounds east of Chatham are the main areas. Federally managed by NOAA HMS: Angling category limits for school (27 to under 47 in), large school/small medium (47 to under 73 in) and trophy (73 in and up) fish change during the year, and an HMS permit is required.
Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.
Where it's scoring now · 1
Massachusetts bay systems ranked by the Waterlands engine's atlantic bluefin tuna score this hour.
Best window today 8-11 PM (60) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 7 PM (66) · 2 named spots
Not scored in this forecast: Boston Harbor, Buzzards Bay, Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts Bay and Ipswich Bay, Nantucket Sound, Rhode Island Sound and Vineyard Sound.
How and where it feeds
- Water temperature
- Feeds from 50°F to 80°F, best between 58°F and 72°F.
- Water depth
- 40 to 3000 ft of water.
- Structure
- Bank, ledge, canyon, shoal, rip, open water and bluewater, in that order of preference.
- Tide and current
- Prefers moving water, with moderate current.Tide has a small effect offshore. On banks and ledges a moving tide sets bait up on the edges, which helps, but bait, birds and temperature breaks matter more.
- Light
- Some lift around dawn and dusk.
- Pressure
- Little response to pressure changes.
- Wind and sea limits
- 20 kt of wind and 6 ft of sea. The Waterlands engine scores hours down as conditions pass them.
Tackle and technique
Bluefin tuna follow schools of herring, mackerel, sand eels and menhaden over banks, ledges and shoals, mostly in the top 150 feet. Troll spreader bars and daisy chains to find fish, then switch to live bait, chunks or stick baits once a school is located. Heavy tackle and a NOAA HMS permit are required, and size-class limits change through the season.
- Methods
- trolling, chunking, live bait, kite fishing, casting, jigging
- Lures
- spreader bars, daisy chains, stick baits, poppers, vertical jigs, ballyhoo on trolling heads
- Bait
- live mackerel, live herring, live menhaden, butterfish chunks, sand eels
Regulations
Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries. Synced with MassDMF Sep 18, 2026.
No reviewed atlantic bluefin tuna rule for Massachusetts is on file yet. Check with MassDMF before you keep one.