Post-Hurricane Fishing in New England with Capt. Ray Jarvis

When hurricanes push through New England, they leave behind more than just rough seas and downed branches. For anglers, these storms reshape the bite. Recently, Eric from Saltwater Edge joined Captain Ray Jarvis of Salt of the Earth Sportfishing to break down how to adapt your strategy after a storm.

Changing Conditions After a Storm

Hurricanes churn the water with heavy swells, upwelling, and murky visibility. According to Capt. Ray, these conditions push fish into cleaner pockets of water where bait is easier to find. The lesson is simple: find the cleanest water you can, and you’ll find more active fish.

👉 Shop Polarized Sunglassesto help spot bait and clean water lines on your next trip.

A Mixed Bag of Species

On this trip, a variety of fish were feeding aggressively:

• Striped Bass

• Black Sea Bass

• Bluefish

• Tautog

• Bonito

As Eric noted, “there was a lot of different species eating in the same areas,” which made for non-stop action

Go-To Lures for Murky Water

Capt. Ray’s advice is to match the hatch with smaller, brighter presentations that cut through the murk. His top picks included:

• HogySurface Erasersfor subtle commotion

• Soft PlasticPaddle Tailsin natural baitfish colors

• Heavy MetalsJigsand bunker imitations for flash

• Bright colors to get attention in dirty water

Eric also had success with shrimp-colored Jigsand unweighted Soft Plastics. The big key was a painfully slow retrieve — sweeping the rod and pausing to mimic natural bait

Reading Birds and Using Electronics

Birds are a great indicator, but not every flock is worth stopping on. Capt. Ray looks for truly active feeds before slowing the boat. When he does, he leans heavily on electronics, often finding three or four times more fish below the surface than on top.

Pro Tip: Try Vertical Jigging Rodswith a slow, steady retrieve to stay in the strike zone longer. Many strikes come on subtle motion rather than fast rips.

Transitioning Into Fall Fishing

As we move from late summer into true fall, schools of bait become the centerpiece of the action. Bonito, striped bass, and bluefish are feeding hard, and explosive surface feeds are common. For Capt. Ray, it’s about steady action and capitalizing on these moments of chaos.

👉 Gear up with Topwater Plugsto be ready when the fall run fires up.

Book a Trip with Capt. Ray Jarvis

Want to experience this for yourself? Book a trip with Capt. Ray Jarvis of Salt of the Earth Sportfishing and tap into his knowledge of New England waters. He’ll keep you on fish through the ever-changing conditions of fall.