FishCondishNantucket, MA Fishing Report & Live Conditions
Nantucket, MA fishing report
Nantucket's rips and flats offer a full seasonal parade of gamefish. Striped bass show first in spring, pushing through the rips off the south shore as water climbs through the low 50s. Bluefish flood in behind them as temperatures warm, often tearing up the same rip lines. Fluke arrive when bottom temps reach the mid-50s and settle onto sandy flats and drop-offs, staying productive through summer. Black sea bass stack up on the rougher bottom throughout the warmer months. Tautog favor rocky structure in spring and fall. Weakfish and kingfish show unpredictably in the warmer months, often near inlet areas and sandy flats inside the harbor.
Work the rips on a moving tide, especially the first two hours of the outgoing, when current pulls bait over structure and stripers and blues stack on the downcurrent edge. Bucktails and soft plastics dressed with a paddle tail get fluke off the bottom in sandy cuts; bounce them slow and stay in contact with the bottom. For stripers in the rips, chunking bunker or throwing large swimbaits and heavy metal jigs covers both depth and distance. Bluefish rarely need coaxing — wire leaders save gear. Watch the wind against tide situations, which steepen rip faces and concentrate bait. Cooler water in fall pushes big stripers close to shore along the south side.
Nantucket, MA tide times
The closest NOAA tide station to Nantucket, MA is NANTUCKET (station 8449130), about 0.2 miles away. The mean tide range at this station is 3 ft. Predictions below are referenced to MLLW in local time.
| Date | Tides |
|---|---|
| Sat, Aug 1 | ▲ High 2:29 AM 3.5 ft▼ Low 8:28 AM 0.3 ft▲ High 3:06 PM 3.1 ft▼ Low 8:37 PM 0.6 ft |
| Sun, Aug 2 | ▲ High 3:10 AM 3.4 ft▼ Low 9:05 AM 0.3 ft▲ High 3:43 PM 3.2 ft▼ Low 9:25 PM 0.5 ft |
| Mon, Aug 3 | ▲ High 3:54 AM 3.3 ft▼ Low 9:45 AM 0.3 ft▲ High 4:24 PM 3.4 ft▼ Low 10:16 PM 0.4 ft |
| Tue, Aug 4 | ▲ High 4:43 AM 3.1 ft▼ Low 10:29 AM 0.4 ft▲ High 5:09 PM 3.6 ft▼ Low 11:11 PM 0.3 ft |
| Wed, Aug 5 | ▲ High 5:35 AM 3 ft▼ Low 11:16 AM 0.4 ft▲ High 5:58 PM 3.7 ft |
| Thu, Aug 6 | ▼ Low 12:07 AM 0.2 ft▲ High 6:32 AM 2.9 ft▼ Low 12:06 PM 0.4 ft▲ High 6:52 PM 3.9 ft |
| Fri, Aug 7 | ▼ Low 1:05 AM 0.1 ft▲ High 7:31 AM 2.8 ft▼ Low 1:01 PM 0.5 ft▲ High 7:50 PM 4 ft |
| Sat, Aug 8 | ▼ Low 2:07 AM 0.1 ft▲ High 8:35 AM 2.8 ft▼ Low 2:00 PM 0.4 ft▲ High 8:52 PM 4.1 ft |
| Sun, Aug 9 | ▼ Low 3:10 AM 0 ft▲ High 9:38 AM 2.8 ft▼ Low 3:03 PM 0.4 ft▲ High 9:53 PM 4.2 ft |
| Mon, Aug 10 | ▼ Low 4:10 AM -0.1 ft▲ High 10:39 AM 2.9 ft▼ Low 4:04 PM 0.3 ft▲ High 10:53 PM 4.2 ft |
Tide predictions from NOAA CO-OPS, regenerated daily. For the live water level, wind, and today's fishing score, open the Nantucket, MA dashboard.
What's biting near Nantucket, MA
The species most likely to be feeding the island's rips and flats: striped bass, fluke (summer flounder), bluefish, black sea bass, tautog, weakfish, and kingfish. FishCondish grades every hour of the day for Nantucket, MA and gives each species its own bite forecast, so you can see which window is worth fishing before you load the truck.
Nantucket, MA fishing FAQ
What fish can you catch at Nantucket, MA?
The species bite forecast for Nantucket, MA covers what's likely feeding there, including striped bass, fluke (summer flounder), bluefish, black sea bass, tautog, weakfish, and kingfish — and updates with the live conditions.
What's the best time of day to fish Nantucket, MA?
Dawn and dusk are usually the strongest windows at Nantucket, MA, especially when they line up with moving water around a tide change. FishCondish grades every hour of the day so you can pick the best one.
When is the best season to fish Nantucket, MA?
Spring and fall typically bring the most active fishing along the island's rips and flats as fish migrate and feed heavily, with summer steady for warm-water species. It varies year to year, so check the live score before you head out.
How do I know if it's a good day to fish Nantucket, MA?
FishCondish combines wind, tide movement, water temperature, pressure trend, and moon phase into a single 1–10 fishing score for Nantucket, MA, updated in real time — a quick go/no-go read before you make the trip.
Fishing tips for Nantucket, MA
New to these waters? Start with these beginner-friendly guides: