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Charles River Fishing Report: Herring Runs, Stripers, and Spring Bounty
Artificial Lure here with your Charles River fishing report for Wednesday, May 21, 2025. The bite is on, the river’s alive, and anglers are cashing in on Boston’s spring bounty.
Let’s start with the weather. We kicked off the day with temperatures nudging into the low 60s and mostly clear skies. Winds are light, making for prime casting conditions and easy drifts. Sunrise hit at 5:16 AM, sunset’s due for 8:06 PM, giving you a solid window to chase fish before and after work. No major fronts are pushing through, so expect consistent activity all day.
The Charles is buzzing with life. Herring are still making their way upstream, and where you find herring, you’ll find stripers hot on their tails. The Massachusetts herring runs are strong this season, and the Charles is one of the region’s top spots right now[4][1]. Stripers are being caught in good numbers. Folks are reporting steady action on schoolies with a few slot-size fish in the mix—mostly 24 to 32 inches, with the occasional bigger bass showing up, especially near the herring runs[1][3].
Target stripers early and late in the day for your best shot. The stretch below the Museum of Science and the area around the Longfellow Bridge are both hot right now. Another productive hole is by the BU Bridge—those deeper bends are holding fish as the herring stack up.
Lure selection: if you’re a plug-thrower, now’s the time for classic topwaters at dawn and dusk—walk-the-dog spooks and pencil poppers are drawing big blows. Swimbaits, soft plastics, and shad-pattern jerkbaits are also deadly, matching the herring running through. If you prefer bait, chunk mackerel and fresh herring are top choices.
Don’t sleep on the bass and panfish bite, either. The Charles is giving up some chunky largemouth and feisty panfish, especially in coves and weedy pockets upriver from the city[5]. Copper Super Dupers and small spinners have worked for trout further upriver around Millis and Medway[2].
Recent catches include stripers up to and over 30 inches, lots of lively schoolies, carp in the deeper pools, and a healthy mix of largemouth, crappie, and the odd catfish for the night crew[5].
Top Charles River hot spots today:
• Below the Museum of Science—stripers and herring moving through
• Longfellow Bridge—active striper zone
• BU Bridge—deeper water, consistent action
• Watertown Dam—carp, panfish, and the occasional big bass[4][5]
With the herring festival just wrapped up in Watertown, expect plenty of life throughout the river corridor right now[4].
Tides are less of a factor inside the Charles compared to the harbor, but if you’re fishing near the locks or outflows, moving water around the tide change never hurts.
Get out there, stay respectful of the river, and tight lines. This is Artificial Lure, signing off—see you on the water.
Let’s start with the weather. We kicked off the day with temperatures nudging into the low 60s and mostly clear skies. Winds are light, making for prime casting conditions and easy drifts. Sunrise hit at 5:16 AM, sunset’s due for 8:06 PM, giving you a solid window to chase fish before and after work. No major fronts are pushing through, so expect consistent activity all day.
The Charles is buzzing with life. Herring are still making their way upstream, and where you find herring, you’ll find stripers hot on their tails. The Massachusetts herring runs are strong this season, and the Charles is one of the region’s top spots right now[4][1]. Stripers are being caught in good numbers. Folks are reporting steady action on schoolies with a few slot-size fish in the mix—mostly 24 to 32 inches, with the occasional bigger bass showing up, especially near the herring runs[1][3].
Target stripers early and late in the day for your best shot. The stretch below the Museum of Science and the area around the Longfellow Bridge are both hot right now. Another productive hole is by the BU Bridge—those deeper bends are holding fish as the herring stack up.
Lure selection: if you’re a plug-thrower, now’s the time for classic topwaters at dawn and dusk—walk-the-dog spooks and pencil poppers are drawing big blows. Swimbaits, soft plastics, and shad-pattern jerkbaits are also deadly, matching the herring running through. If you prefer bait, chunk mackerel and fresh herring are top choices.
Don’t sleep on the bass and panfish bite, either. The Charles is giving up some chunky largemouth and feisty panfish, especially in coves and weedy pockets upriver from the city[5]. Copper Super Dupers and small spinners have worked for trout further upriver around Millis and Medway[2].
Recent catches include stripers up to and over 30 inches, lots of lively schoolies, carp in the deeper pools, and a healthy mix of largemouth, crappie, and the odd catfish for the night crew[5].
Top Charles River hot spots today:
• Below the Museum of Science—stripers and herring moving through
• Longfellow Bridge—active striper zone
• BU Bridge—deeper water, consistent action
• Watertown Dam—carp, panfish, and the occasional big bass[4][5]
With the herring festival just wrapped up in Watertown, expect plenty of life throughout the river corridor right now[4].
Tides are less of a factor inside the Charles compared to the harbor, but if you’re fishing near the locks or outflows, moving water around the tide change never hurts.
Get out there, stay respectful of the river, and tight lines. This is Artificial Lure, signing off—see you on the water.
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By Quiet. PleaseArtificial Lure here with your Charles River fishing report for Wednesday, May 21, 2025. The bite is on, the river’s alive, and anglers are cashing in on Boston’s spring bounty.
Let’s start with the weather. We kicked off the day with temperatures nudging into the low 60s and mostly clear skies. Winds are light, making for prime casting conditions and easy drifts. Sunrise hit at 5:16 AM, sunset’s due for 8:06 PM, giving you a solid window to chase fish before and after work. No major fronts are pushing through, so expect consistent activity all day.
The Charles is buzzing with life. Herring are still making their way upstream, and where you find herring, you’ll find stripers hot on their tails. The Massachusetts herring runs are strong this season, and the Charles is one of the region’s top spots right now[4][1]. Stripers are being caught in good numbers. Folks are reporting steady action on schoolies with a few slot-size fish in the mix—mostly 24 to 32 inches, with the occasional bigger bass showing up, especially near the herring runs[1][3].
Target stripers early and late in the day for your best shot. The stretch below the Museum of Science and the area around the Longfellow Bridge are both hot right now. Another productive hole is by the BU Bridge—those deeper bends are holding fish as the herring stack up.
Lure selection: if you’re a plug-thrower, now’s the time for classic topwaters at dawn and dusk—walk-the-dog spooks and pencil poppers are drawing big blows. Swimbaits, soft plastics, and shad-pattern jerkbaits are also deadly, matching the herring running through. If you prefer bait, chunk mackerel and fresh herring are top choices.
Don’t sleep on the bass and panfish bite, either. The Charles is giving up some chunky largemouth and feisty panfish, especially in coves and weedy pockets upriver from the city[5]. Copper Super Dupers and small spinners have worked for trout further upriver around Millis and Medway[2].
Recent catches include stripers up to and over 30 inches, lots of lively schoolies, carp in the deeper pools, and a healthy mix of largemouth, crappie, and the odd catfish for the night crew[5].
Top Charles River hot spots today:
• Below the Museum of Science—stripers and herring moving through
• Longfellow Bridge—active striper zone
• BU Bridge—deeper water, consistent action
• Watertown Dam—carp, panfish, and the occasional big bass[4][5]
With the herring festival just wrapped up in Watertown, expect plenty of life throughout the river corridor right now[4].
Tides are less of a factor inside the Charles compared to the harbor, but if you’re fishing near the locks or outflows, moving water around the tide change never hurts.
Get out there, stay respectful of the river, and tight lines. This is Artificial Lure, signing off—see you on the water.
Let’s start with the weather. We kicked off the day with temperatures nudging into the low 60s and mostly clear skies. Winds are light, making for prime casting conditions and easy drifts. Sunrise hit at 5:16 AM, sunset’s due for 8:06 PM, giving you a solid window to chase fish before and after work. No major fronts are pushing through, so expect consistent activity all day.
The Charles is buzzing with life. Herring are still making their way upstream, and where you find herring, you’ll find stripers hot on their tails. The Massachusetts herring runs are strong this season, and the Charles is one of the region’s top spots right now[4][1]. Stripers are being caught in good numbers. Folks are reporting steady action on schoolies with a few slot-size fish in the mix—mostly 24 to 32 inches, with the occasional bigger bass showing up, especially near the herring runs[1][3].
Target stripers early and late in the day for your best shot. The stretch below the Museum of Science and the area around the Longfellow Bridge are both hot right now. Another productive hole is by the BU Bridge—those deeper bends are holding fish as the herring stack up.
Lure selection: if you’re a plug-thrower, now’s the time for classic topwaters at dawn and dusk—walk-the-dog spooks and pencil poppers are drawing big blows. Swimbaits, soft plastics, and shad-pattern jerkbaits are also deadly, matching the herring running through. If you prefer bait, chunk mackerel and fresh herring are top choices.
Don’t sleep on the bass and panfish bite, either. The Charles is giving up some chunky largemouth and feisty panfish, especially in coves and weedy pockets upriver from the city[5]. Copper Super Dupers and small spinners have worked for trout further upriver around Millis and Medway[2].
Recent catches include stripers up to and over 30 inches, lots of lively schoolies, carp in the deeper pools, and a healthy mix of largemouth, crappie, and the odd catfish for the night crew[5].
Top Charles River hot spots today:
• Below the Museum of Science—stripers and herring moving through
• Longfellow Bridge—active striper zone
• BU Bridge—deeper water, consistent action
• Watertown Dam—carp, panfish, and the occasional big bass[4][5]
With the herring festival just wrapped up in Watertown, expect plenty of life throughout the river corridor right now[4].
Tides are less of a factor inside the Charles compared to the harbor, but if you’re fishing near the locks or outflows, moving water around the tide change never hurts.
Get out there, stay respectful of the river, and tight lines. This is Artificial Lure, signing off—see you on the water.