Seasons · MA
What's biting in Massachusetts
The best months for the state's top fish at a glance. Tap a fish for its full guide.
- Peak
- Good
- Off-peak
- Can't keep fish (closed or catch and release)
| Species | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saltwater | ||||||||||||
| Striped bass | Striped bass, January: Off-peak | Striped bass, February: Off-peak | Striped bass, March: Off-peak | Striped bass, April: Good | Striped bass, May: Peak | Striped bass, June: Peak | Striped bass, July: Good | Striped bass, August: Good | Striped bass, September: Peak | Striped bass, October: Peak | Striped bass, November: Good | Striped bass, December: Off-peak |
| Bluefish | Bluefish, January: Off-peak | Bluefish, February: Off-peak | Bluefish, March: Off-peak | Bluefish, April: Off-peak | Bluefish, May: Good | Bluefish, June: Good | Bluefish, July: Good | Bluefish, August: Good | Bluefish, September: Good | Bluefish, October: Peak | Bluefish, November: Off-peak | Bluefish, December: Off-peak |
| Black sea bass | Black sea bass, January: Off-peak. Season is May 16–Oct 14 | Black sea bass, February: Off-peak. Season is May 16–Oct 14 | Black sea bass, March: Off-peak. Season is May 16–Oct 14 | Black sea bass, April: Off-peak. Season is May 16–Oct 14 | Black sea bass, May: Good | Black sea bass, June: Peak | Black sea bass, July: Peak | Black sea bass, August: Peak | Black sea bass, September: Good | Black sea bass, October: Good | Black sea bass, November: Off-peak. Season is May 16–Oct 14 | Black sea bass, December: Off-peak. Season is May 16–Oct 14 |
| ScupPorgy | Scup, January: Off-peak. Season opens May 1 | Scup, February: Off-peak. Season opens May 1 | Scup, March: Off-peak. Season opens May 1 | Scup, April: Off-peak. Season opens May 1 | Scup, May: Good | Scup, June: Peak | Scup, July: Peak | Scup, August: Good | Scup, September: Good | Scup, October: Good | Scup, November: Off-peak | Scup, December: Off-peak |
| FlukeSummer flounder | Fluke, January: Off-peak. Season is May 24–Sep 23 | Fluke, February: Off-peak. Season is May 24–Sep 23 | Fluke, March: Off-peak. Season is May 24–Sep 23 | Fluke, April: Off-peak. Season is May 24–Sep 23 | Fluke, May: Good | Fluke, June: Peak | Fluke, July: Peak | Fluke, August: Peak | Fluke, September: Good | Fluke, October: Off-peak. Season is May 24–Sep 23 | Fluke, November: Off-peak. Season is May 24–Sep 23 | Fluke, December: Off-peak. Season is May 24–Sep 23 |
| TautogBlackfish | Tautog, January: Off-peak. Season opens Apr 1 | Tautog, February: Off-peak. Season opens Apr 1 | Tautog, March: Off-peak. Season opens Apr 1 | Tautog, April: Peak | Tautog, May: Peak | Tautog, June: Good | Tautog, July: Good | Tautog, August: Good | Tautog, September: Good | Tautog, October: Peak | Tautog, November: Good | Tautog, December: Off-peak |
| False albacore and bonito | False albacore and bonito, January: Off-peak | False albacore and bonito, February: Off-peak | False albacore and bonito, March: Off-peak | False albacore and bonito, April: Off-peak | False albacore and bonito, May: Off-peak | False albacore and bonito, June: Off-peak | False albacore and bonito, July: Off-peak | False albacore and bonito, August: Good | False albacore and bonito, September: Peak | False albacore and bonito, October: Good | False albacore and bonito, November: Off-peak | False albacore and bonito, December: Off-peak |
| Freshwater | ||||||||||||
| TroutBrook, brown, rainbow and tiger | Trout, January: Good | Trout, February: Good | Trout, March: Good | Trout, April: Peak | Trout, May: Peak | Trout, June: Good | Trout, July: Off-peak | Trout, August: Off-peak | Trout, September: Good | Trout, October: Peak | Trout, November: Good | Trout, December: Good |
| Largemouth bass | Largemouth bass, January: Off-peak | Largemouth bass, February: Off-peak | Largemouth bass, March: Off-peak | Largemouth bass, April: Good | Largemouth bass, May: Peak | Largemouth bass, June: Peak | Largemouth bass, July: Good | Largemouth bass, August: Good | Largemouth bass, September: Peak | Largemouth bass, October: Peak | Largemouth bass, November: Good | Largemouth bass, December: Off-peak |
| Smallmouth bass | Smallmouth bass, January: Off-peak | Smallmouth bass, February: Off-peak | Smallmouth bass, March: Off-peak | Smallmouth bass, April: Good | Smallmouth bass, May: Peak | Smallmouth bass, June: Good | Smallmouth bass, July: Good | Smallmouth bass, August: Good | Smallmouth bass, September: Peak | Smallmouth bass, October: Peak | Smallmouth bass, November: Good | Smallmouth bass, December: Off-peak |
| Chain pickerel | Chain pickerel, January: Peak | Chain pickerel, February: Peak | Chain pickerel, March: Good | Chain pickerel, April: Good | Chain pickerel, May: Good | Chain pickerel, June: Good | Chain pickerel, July: Good | Chain pickerel, August: Good | Chain pickerel, September: Good | Chain pickerel, October: Peak | Chain pickerel, November: Good | Chain pickerel, December: Good |
| Northern pike | Northern pike, January: Peak | Northern pike, February: Peak | Northern pike, March: Good | Northern pike, April: Good | Northern pike, May: Good | Northern pike, June: Off-peak | Northern pike, July: Off-peak | Northern pike, August: Off-peak | Northern pike, September: Good | Northern pike, October: Good | Northern pike, November: Good | Northern pike, December: Good |
| Yellow perch | Yellow perch, January: Peak | Yellow perch, February: Peak | Yellow perch, March: Good | Yellow perch, April: Good | Yellow perch, May: Good | Yellow perch, June: Good | Yellow perch, July: Good | Yellow perch, August: Good | Yellow perch, September: Good | Yellow perch, October: Good | Yellow perch, November: Good | Yellow perch, December: Good |
| Landlocked salmon and lake troutQuabbin and Wachusett | Landlocked salmon and lake trout, January: Off-peak | Landlocked salmon and lake trout, February: Off-peak | Landlocked salmon and lake trout, March: Off-peak | Landlocked salmon and lake trout, April: Peak | Landlocked salmon and lake trout, May: Peak | Landlocked salmon and lake trout, June: Good | Landlocked salmon and lake trout, July: Good | Landlocked salmon and lake trout, August: Good | Landlocked salmon and lake trout, September: Good | Landlocked salmon and lake trout, October: Good | Landlocked salmon and lake trout, November: Off-peak | Landlocked salmon and lake trout, December: Off-peak |
Closed seasons and notes
- Black sea bass: Season is May 16–Oct 14.
- Scup: Season opens May 1.
- Fluke: Season is May 24–Sep 23.
- Tautog: Season opens Apr 1.
- Landlocked salmon and lake trout: DCR sets the Quabbin and Wachusett seasons, and both reservoirs are closed to fishing outside them.
Ratings show how good the fishing usually is, not whether you can keep fish. Fish follow the water temperature, not the calendar, so timing shifts from year to year. Check the official regulations before keeping anything.
Sources (20) · checked October 6, 2026Show
- Recreational saltwater fishing regulations · Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, Updated April 28, 2026
- Freshwater fishing regulations · MassWildlife (Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife), Updated September 25, 2026
- Learn about striped bass · Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, Undated
- Learn about black sea bass · Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, Undated
- Learn about scup · Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, Undated
- Learn about fluke · Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, Undated
- Learn about tautog · Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, Undated
- Fall fishing in Massachusetts · MassWildlife (Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife), Undated
- FAQs: MassWildlife Fish Stocking Program · MassWildlife (Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife), Undated
- Best bets for trophy northern pike and chain pickerel · MassWildlife (Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife), Undated
- Pontoosuc Lake · MassWildlife (Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife), Undated
- Quaboag Pond · MassWildlife (Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife), Undated
- Quabbin Reservoir · MassWildlife (Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife), Undated
- Wachusett Reservoir · MassWildlife (Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife), Undated
- The Herring Run at Cape Cod Canal · The Fisherman, April 2019
- Nobska Point, MA · The Fisherman, April 2019
- Angelica Point, Mattapoisett, MA · The Fisherman, April 2019
- Cuttyhunk Island – The Surfcaster's Paradise, MA · The Fisherman, April 2019
- The Waquoit Jetty, Mashpee, MA · The Fisherman, April 2019
- The Provincetown Jetty · The Fisherman, April 2019