Scup

Season in Cape Cod

Peak months: Jun, Jul, Aug.

MA DMF: present in southern inshore waters April through October when water is over 45 F, larger fish arriving first; Massachusetts is generally its northern limit; spawn May to August, peak June. OTW Oct 31 2024: only the odd scup left on a Vineyard trip. (Our inference)

Season by region

Where to find them

Piers, rocks, jetties and mussel beds; harbors and sandy beaches on the high tide, deeper channels as the tide drops (MA DMF).

Schools feeding about a foot off the bottom (NY Sea Grant).

What to look for

Hard bottom, mussel beds and structure edges in the bays and Sound.

Bait

Clams, Sandworms. Hi-lo bottom rig with small baitholder hooks, sinker just heavy enough for depth and current..

Leader

NY Sea Grant: light, sturdy rod (about 5 ft) with 15 lb line and baitholder hooks.

Common mistakes

• Hooks too big for a small mouth
• Sinker too heavy to feel the quick bites
• Sorting through shorts without moving to find bigger fish

Landing

Swing it up; small fish.

Handling

• Sharp dorsal spine

Smooth the dorsal fin back before gripping.

Keep or release

MA DMF: ice and clean quickly; best scaled, gutted and cooked whole. A great fish for kids.

Recipes for scup

Typical: Most under 14 in and 3 lb (MA DMF). Large: Up to 18 in and 5 lb (MA DMF).

Limits

FishOS has not checked the MA limits yet. Check the size, bag and season rules with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries before you keep a fish.

Sources

• MA DMF: Learn about scup (Official source)
• On The Water: Cape Cod Fishing Report, Oct 31 2024 (Red Top Sporting Goods, Eastman's Sport and Tackle) (Angler knowledge)
• NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-NE-149: EFH source document, scup (1999) (Official source)
• New York Sea Grant fish profile: Porgy (scup) (Cornell, 2001) (Official source)

All the fish of Cape Cod