FishCondishNew Bedford, MA Fishing Report & Live Conditions
New Bedford, MA fishing report
Buzzards Bay runs warm earlier than most New England waters, which pushes the season ahead of spots to the north. Tautog hold on rocky structure and boulder fields through late spring before the heat backs them off. Striped bass move through on their migration and stack up around the Elizabeth Islands and deeper channel edges. As water temps climb into the low 70s, fluke scatter across sandy bottom flats and bluefish bust bait aggressively throughout the bay. Black sea bass crowd onto any hard structure they can find in summer. Weakfish and kingfish show up opportunistically, particularly over softer bottom near inlets and back edges.
Work the tide changes hard here — moving water is everything. Stripers and blues respond to fast current around the island passages, while fluke prefer slower drifts over clean sandy bottom with bucktail jigs tipped with Gulp or strip bait. Tautog demand patience with green crab fished tight to bottom on rocky ledges. For kingfish and weakfish, focus on softer substrate with small rigs baited with bloodworm or clam near channel drop-offs. Southwest wind pushes warmer water in and activates surface feeding. When the bay runs murky, downsize lures and slow your presentation — clear water lets you go bigger and faster.
New Bedford, MA tide times
The closest NOAA tide station to New Bedford, MA is New Bedford Harbor, Marine Terminal (station 8447636), about 1.5 miles away. The mean tide range at this station is 3.6 ft. Predictions below are referenced to MLLW in local time.
| Date | Tides |
|---|---|
| Sat, Aug 1 | ▼ Low 4:01 AM 0.2 ft▲ High 10:33 AM 3.8 ft▼ Low 3:58 PM 0.4 ft▲ High 10:51 PM 3.9 ft |
| Sun, Aug 2 | ▼ Low 4:28 AM 0.2 ft▲ High 11:15 AM 3.9 ft▼ Low 4:37 PM 0.5 ft▲ High 11:34 PM 3.7 ft |
| Mon, Aug 3 | ▼ Low 4:56 AM 0.2 ft▲ High 12:00 PM 3.9 ft▼ Low 5:17 PM 0.6 ft |
| Tue, Aug 4 | ▲ High 12:21 AM 3.6 ft▼ Low 5:29 AM 0.2 ft▲ High 12:48 PM 4 ft▼ Low 6:05 PM 0.7 ft |
| Wed, Aug 5 | ▲ High 1:13 AM 3.4 ft▼ Low 6:10 AM 0.3 ft▲ High 1:40 PM 4 ft▼ Low 7:15 PM 0.8 ft |
| Thu, Aug 6 | ▲ High 2:09 AM 3.3 ft▼ Low 7:04 AM 0.4 ft▲ High 2:36 PM 4 ft▼ Low 9:32 PM 0.8 ft |
| Fri, Aug 7 | ▲ High 3:08 AM 3.3 ft▼ Low 8:19 AM 0.5 ft▲ High 3:36 PM 4.1 ft▼ Low 10:52 PM 0.7 ft |
| Sat, Aug 8 | ▲ High 4:10 AM 3.3 ft▼ Low 9:38 AM 0.4 ft▲ High 4:43 PM 4.2 ft▼ Low 11:54 PM 0.5 ft |
| Sun, Aug 9 | ▲ High 5:18 AM 3.4 ft▼ Low 10:50 AM 0.2 ft▲ High 5:54 PM 4.3 ft |
| Mon, Aug 10 | ▼ Low 12:47 AM 0.3 ft▲ High 6:22 AM 3.7 ft▼ Low 11:54 AM 0 ft▲ High 6:56 PM 4.6 ft |
Tide predictions from NOAA CO-OPS, regenerated daily. For the live water level, wind, and today's fishing score, open the New Bedford, MA dashboard.
What's biting near New Bedford, MA
The species most likely to be feeding Buzzards Bay: striped bass, fluke (summer flounder), bluefish, black sea bass, tautog, weakfish, and kingfish. FishCondish grades every hour of the day for New Bedford, MA and gives each species its own bite forecast, so you can see which window is worth fishing before you load the truck.
New Bedford, MA fishing FAQ
What fish can you catch at New Bedford, MA?
The species bite forecast for New Bedford, 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 New Bedford, MA?
Dawn and dusk are usually the strongest windows at New Bedford, 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 New Bedford, MA?
Spring and fall typically bring the most active fishing along Buzzards Bay 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 New Bedford, MA?
FishCondish combines wind, tide movement, water temperature, pressure trend, and moon phase into a single 1–10 fishing score for New Bedford, MA, updated in real time — a quick go/no-go read before you make the trip.
Fishing tips for New Bedford, MA
New to these waters? Start with these beginner-friendly guides: