North of Boston, Revere Beach, Lynn Harbor and the Saugus River mouth are full of possibilities. In the early part of the season, look for blues near the river mouths or offshore at the Boston Harbor “B” Buoy and The Graves. Near shore, many boaters target the Fauns Bar area.

Shore-bound anglers may work from the fishing pier at the General Edwards Bridge. On the backside of Winthrop, Court Road Beach across from Atlantic Marine and the Winthrop Marsh near the riprap at the narrow gauge Railroad Bridge are good spots. Revere Beach in front of the State Police Building provides good fishing at night, and Lynn Beach near the causeway riprap is also good. Fauns Bar is great for the boat-anglers, so it stands to reason that its pier is a good spot, too. The large state boat landing on Nahant Road at Lynn Harbor provides the main boat access for this area.

South of Boston, the oceanfront ledges around Scituate get a lot of attention. Peggotty Beach, between Second and Third cliffs, is filled with swimmers in the day but offers good fishing at night with clams and chunks of fresh fish. Boaters often troll offshore or cast toward the rocks or working birds.

Several other rockpiles, including Long Ledge, about one mile north of the harbor, the big bolder field off Egypt Beach and Cowans or Little Cowans are good targets for boating anglers. The Smith Rocks are also popular with anglers.

Boat access to Scituate Harbor and oceanfront is via the concrete ramp on Jericho Road at about the mid-point of the harbor.

Any rockpile on or near the south- facing side of Cape Cod can produce July blues.

Western Buzzards Bay is under- fished, but it has plenty of shallow rocky structure that is prime for blues as early as May 15. It has many of the same characteristics as southern Cape Cod, with its rocky points and outcroppings, shallow coves and bays, and tidal river estuaries that stretch into the interior.

New Bedford has two state landings within a mile of each other, but they handle separate bodies of water. On the south side of the peninsula looking into Clark"s Cove is the Clark"s Cove landing on West Rodney French Boulevard. It features four fishing jetties and stretches of riprap that attract fish. Boaters should motor to the other side of Clark"s Cove and work along the rocky shoreline west of Moshers Point.

The Westport River landing, across the Route 88 bridge, is a large and popular access point for the Westport River system and Rhode Island Sound. The river system is shallow and dotted with islands, sandbars and rocks that provide great bluefish habitat. In addition to the harbor entrance, anglers should check the action around Gooseberry Island.

A saltwater fishing guide listing public access ramps, tackle shops and charter boats is available from the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries by calling (508) 563-1779.

RHODE ISLAND HOTSPOTS
Biologist Arthur Ganz reported that the state"s south shore, from Watch Hill to Point Judith, was alive with blues last year, with consistent beach action along Quonochontaug Beach and boating action anywhere outside the Charlestown Breachway. There also were plenty of big fish in all the popular areas within Narragansett Bay.

Along the west passage, good spots include the rocks around Point Judith and Point Judith Harbor, Wickford Harbor, Brenton Point and Brenton Reef off Conanicut Island.

Farther up the bay, the water around Greenwich Bay and Conimicut Point and Barrington Beach were also recommended.

One of the most often used access points, which features plenty of parking, is the public ramp at Galilee. From Route 1, take Old Point Judith Road (Route 108) to Galilee Road. Turn right for the landing.

Additional information is available from the Rhode Island Marine Fisheries Department at (401) 423-1920.

The limit is 10 bluefish per day. Blues are strong, aggressive fish with sharp teeth, so be prepared for battle!