Artificial Lure signing on with today’s Charles River fishing report, straight from the heart of Boston.

The sun crested over the horizon at 7:16 this morning, with a crisp autumn sky checking in at 46°F, trace cloud cover, and a gentle breeze clipping along at 11 mph—classic late October in New England. Water temps hold steady at 56°F, just brisk enough to wake you up but still inviting for most local species. Sunset’s at 5:40 tonight, so you’ll get over 10 hours of daylight to chase the bite.

On the tidal front, Boston Harbor saw high tide at 6:21 a.m., so by the time you’re out, the tide’ll be gently falling, bottoming out at 12:21 p.m. before swinging back up with evening high at 6:35 p.m. That falling tide through noon is prime time for aggressive feeding, especially around structure and tidal inlets—expect fish on the move and hungry.

Fish activity’s been solid for late October. Word from local anglers is that the smallmouth and largemouth bass bite is still decent, even as water temps cool. You’ll also find plenty of perch and bluegill in slackwaters, and the fall run of striped bass pushing up into the brackish stretches toward the mouth, though big cows are mostly sticking closer to the harbor now. Carp anglers are still picking up decent numbers in the slower, muddy flats between Watertown and Cambridge, while those tossing spoons or spinners near Back Bay have reported surprise pike and even a holdover trout or two.

For lures and bait, locals are crushing it with these options:

- Soft plastic stickbaits (green pumpkin, black and blue) for bass.
- Small spinnerbaits and inline spinners, especially in silver, for perch and panfish.
- A white or chartreuse swimbait on a jighead for stripers moving closer to the mouth.
- Cut bait—such as chunk mackerel—or live shiners for carp and ambitious stripers near the locks and esplanades.

If bait fishing, nightcrawlers and waxworms are still a sure bet for sunfish, perch, and bass around the shallows.

Best hotspots? If you want action, check out these favorites:

- The Harvard Bridge pilings: These always hold bass in the morning and dusk hours, particularly on a falling tide.
- Magazine Beach: The shallow flats here warm up quickly and draw perch, bluegill, and bass.
- The old Charles River Locks: Hit these at mid-morning or dusk for stripers and the occasional surprise—bring heavier gear!

Today’s fishing forecast says major activity spikes are expected between 4:24 p.m. and 6:24 p.m., courtesy of the lunar transit. That early evening bite has been the ticket all week—if you can sneak out after work or class, string up, pick a point, and get in on the hot action before sunset.

No monster numbers today, but from the scuttlebutt at local bait shops and recent catch logs, last week saw bass in the 2–4 lb range, perch up to a pound, and stripers pushing into the teens. Reports from Magazine Beach and near the BU Bridge both mention busy mornings, with half a dozen bass landed per trip, mixed in with plenty of panfish for those fishing with ultralight setups.

So bundle up, grab some plastics and spinners, and head down to the river. The Charles is in classic late-fall form—leaves on the water, cool air, and plenty of fish to bend your rod.
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