Local Waters
Salem Harbor (Willows & Winter Island)
Salem, MA · about 70 min from Portsmouth (typical, off-peak)
Two named public Salem lots. Pier if you want easy, Winter Island if you want more room.
Salt River / stream Lake / pond Shop (desk) Guide only Parking Stay State access Private — ask first
Around now
Most likely in this drive this week. Not a guarantee — confirm the official rule.
-
Striped bass
-
Bluefish
-
False albacore
- Season
- Harvest is year-round on paper (28" to under 31", one fish). Schoolies are the usual fly fish here in season. Confirm current DMF rules. Official rule
- License
- Massachusetts saltwater permit
- Park
- Salem Willows Park fishing pier lot and OFBA Winter Island ramp. Summer park rules.
- Walk in
- Minutes from either lot to pier, riprap, or harbor edge.
- Wading
- Mostly from pier and riprap. Harbor bottom is not a wade.
- Usual window
- Moving harbor water. Night on the pier is a different, more crowded game.
- Sunday conditions
-
W 2 mph around dawn. Fine to go.
- Sky
- ⛅ 81° partly
- Sun and moon
- Rise 5:57 · 🌔 Waxing gibbous · Set 7:35
- Wind at dawn
- W 2 mph offshore · Partly Cloudy · 50°F
- Wind later
-
- dawn: W 2 mph
- 10am: SW 1 mph
- 2pm: E 1 mph
- dusk: N 6 mph
- Tide
- Low 2:23 am (1.7 ft) · High 8:38 am (7.9 ft) · Low 2:25 pm (2.3 ft) · High 8:47 pm (9.2 ft) Best moving water is the three hours into 8:38 am high. · Boston (Salem lags — sketch)
- A setup that belongs here
- 8-wt, Clouser, crab along the rocks.
- Notes
- City park pier plus OFBA ramp. DMF rebuilt the Willows pier with permit dollars. Confirm MassWildlife / DMF.
Log this trip
Private. On this phone, and in your test book if you signed in on Journal.
Shops
Guides
Shop desks, plus a few independents who fish public water. We do not take a cut. Call them.
Concord Outfitters — book a day
Concord, MA · wade / shore · Half or full day — ask the shop
Good for: MetroWest rivers and ponds, first local trout day
Shop desk, not a scraped independent. Call them; they put you with someone they trust.