Gloucester Striped Bass & Bluefish Charters
Private Trip
Offshore Fishing
Target Striped Bass and Bluefish on guided offshore tripsChoose between 4hour or full 8hour fishing experiencesAccommodates up to 6 guests with licenses included
When the sun's barely peeking over Gloucester's rocky coastline at 6 AM, you'll know you're about to experience some of the Northeast's best fishing. Voodoo Charters runs these half-day and full-day trips specifically for anglers who want to get on the stripers and blues that make this stretch of Massachusetts water famous. With room for just six guests, you're not dealing with crowded boat syndrome - everyone gets their shot at the rail, and Captain's got time to work with each angler personally. Your fishing license is covered, tackle's ready to go, and we're heading out to where these fish actually live and feed.
This isn't your typical party boat experience. We keep groups small because that's how you actually catch fish - not elbow-to-elbow with twenty other people hoping for scraps. The 4-hour trips get you into prime morning bite windows when stripers are actively feeding, while the full 8-hour adventures let us chase fish across different structures and tide changes. Gloucester's offshore waters offer everything from rocky ledges where big bass hang out to current breaks that concentrate baitfish - and that's where the action happens. The crew knows these waters like their backyard, reading conditions and adjusting tactics throughout the day. Whether you've been fishing for decades or this is your first time holding a rod, they'll get you set up with the right technique for whatever's biting that day.
We run a mix of techniques depending on what the fish are telling us. Live bait fishing with pogies or mackerel is deadly when bass are being picky, but when they're aggressive, nothing beats the excitement of topwater plugs getting smashed at sunrise. The boat's rigged with quality spinning and conventional tackle, though serious anglers often bring their favorite rods. Circle hooks are standard for live bait - they hook fish in the corner of the mouth and make for cleaner releases. When we find birds working or bait balls on the fish finder, we'll switch to jigs or metal lures to match what the stripers and blues are feeding on. The key is staying flexible - morning might start with chunking bait on the bottom, but if we see fish busting on top, everyone's switching to surface lures fast.
Striped bass are the bread and butter of Gloucester fishing, and for good reason. These fish fight hard, grow big, and taste great on the dinner table. Around here, schoolies in the 20-28 inch range are common, but keeper bass over 28 inches show up regularly - especially during the dawn and dusk bites. They're smart fish that use structure and current to their advantage, so finding them takes local knowledge of rocks, drop-offs, and tide patterns. What makes stripers exciting isn't just their size, but how they hunt in packs when they find baitfish. When you hook into a school of feeding bass, everyone on the boat is about to get busy. Peak season runs from late spring through fall, with September and October producing some of the biggest fish as they fatten up before heading south.
Bluefish bring a totally different energy to the trip. These aggressive predators hit lures hard and fight dirty - they'll make screaming runs and try to cut your line with razor-sharp teeth. Blues travel in schools and when you find them feeding, it's pure chaos in the best way possible. They're not as finicky as stripers about presentation, which makes them perfect for newer anglers to build confidence. A 5-10 pound blue will give you a workout, and they're some of the best eating fish in the ocean when they're fresh. Summer into early fall is prime time, and they often show up mixed with stripers around the same bait schools. The trick with blues is having wire leaders ready - they'll bite through regular mono in a heartbeat.
Gloucester's fishing scene doesn't wait around, and neither should you. These small-group trips fill up fast, especially during peak season when the bite is hot. The 6 AM departure means you're fishing during prime time while other boats are still loading gear, and that early start often makes the difference between limits and stories about the ones that got away. Voodoo Charters has built their reputation on putting clients on fish, not just taking them for boat rides. The non-refundable deposit policy keeps trips running on schedule, so when conditions are right and fish are biting, you'll be out there instead of watching from shore. Whether you choose the focused 4-hour trip or go all-in with 8 hours on the water, you're booking time with guides who live and breathe Gloucester fishing. Check their rates and availability, then get ready for some seriously good fishing just minutes from one of New England's most famous fishing ports.
Pomatomus SaltatrixBlues are pure aggression with fins - these blue-green fighters show up in our waters mid-June through October, following the bait north from warmer waters. Most run 3-15 pounds, but don't let size fool you - they fight like fish twice their weight with those razor-sharp teeth and bad attitude. You'll find them in schools around sandy areas, harbor mouths, and wherever there's moving water with plenty of baitfish. They're famous for their feeding frenzies, churning the surface like washing machines when they hit a school of pogies or anchovies. Great table fare when fresh, with firm white meat. Pro tip: when you hook one, there's usually more around - keep that second rod ready and cast right back to the same spot quickly.
Morone SaxatilisStripers are the backbone of our Gloucester fishing scene. These silver-sided beauties with their signature dark stripes typically run 20-40 pounds around here, though we've seen them push 50+. They love structure - rocky points, drop-offs, and tide rips where baitfish get pushed around. Spring through fall is prime time, especially during their migration when they're feeding heavy before winter. What makes them special? They fight hard, pulling drag and making long runs that test your skills. Plus, they're fantastic eating with sweet, flaky meat. Here's a local tip: when the tide changes and you see birds working the water, cast right into the chaos. That's where the stripers are ambushing bait schools.
Gloucester, MA