HOT SPOT OF THE WEEK:  The southeast corner of Stellwagen Bank-plenty of tuna at 55 to 80 inches and many jumbo stripers.  You must not have any stripers in your possession on stellwagen bank-these are federal waters.

TIP OF THE WEEK:  On the back side beaches, watch out for gray seals and the water is loaded with mung.

COASTAL REPORT:  Where are all the stripers? All the stripers are in Federal waters (more than three miles offshore). Along the back side beaches all the way to the race at Provincetown striper fishing is the worst of the 2011 season. From Peaked Hill Bar to the race there are jumbo size bluefish up to 14 pounds and a ton of bait but no stripers. Tuna fishing is still good. Lots of smaller tuna are around for the recreational angler. There has been a good run of Giants and the bite has been on both squid bars and live bait.

The mackerel have moved north-pogies are the main bait now. Out at Stellwagen the best area now is the southeast corner-lots of tuna and plenty of bait. If you want to fish for cod, there has been a good bite, but you have to work hard for them. The cod have moved into deeper water (250 to 300 feet) and there are a lot of throwback fish. Over in the Plymouth and Duxbury Bay area lots of stripers (mostly schoolies) are chasing bait all through the bay. Pogies are up near the Harbormaster’s office. There are some bluefish being caught around Bug Light and some just keeper-size bass at Clark’s Island.

Up at Green Harbor the jetty anglers have been doing okay on stripers after dark, with eels for bait. If you can get some live pogies there has been some keeper striper action up at the dam in Green Harbor. From Bluefish Cove to Beatles Rock, fishing has been way off, poor at best. Over at Third and Fourth Cliffs at the mouth of the North River bass fishing is now slow also. There have been a few keeper bass being caught up river but not much of a bite going on. With the moon tides this week the river is full of weeds and grass. Here too the mackerel have left to go north. Even though this is July I think fishing has gone into the August dog days of summer and we have the doldrums of August upon us. Most of the fish have moved out into deeper and cooler waters. On Sunday I fished aboard Seaborne Charters with the Sunshine Systems crew from Pembroke. Owner Henry Appleton was the top hook with a multiple hookup on jumbo bluefish.

CAUTION:  Where are all the small stripers?