Overcast Guide Service offers inshore and offshore fishing charters based in Seaport in Downtown Boston. Captain Alex specializes in trips casting light tackle artificials for striped bass right in Boston Harbor which is known for its trophy-sized striped bass. We are fully rigged to catch them with any technique including fly fishing or with live bait. We’re also excited to target Bluefin Tuna offshore with live baits or light tackle Jig/Pop (seasonally).
Our goal is to keep clients involved hands-on and learning every step of the way with tactics & technique. With a new 2025 Conch 27 center console and all premium Shimano tackle coupled with thousands of hours of local knowledge and a large network of anglers in the area, we’re ready to put you on your new personal best fish!
Call/Text Captain Alex (617-895-6262) to discuss trip options and book your 2026 charter!
Trips & Rates
We have the ability to customize any trip! Please contact Alex for more info
Targeting Striped Bass and Bluefish nearshore around Boston Harbor in the early morning. We’ll use light tackle artificials, fly and live bait, searching for actively feeding fish to cast into. Our Striped Bass range in size from trophy fish up to 50" down to schoolies of about 20".Boston harbor has become known as a mecca for big fish 35”-45”+ and people looking to catch their personal best. A typical day is fast paced and action-packed! We run our striped bass charters as catch & release. 1-4 people capacity
Targeting Striped Bass and Bluefish nearshore around Boston Harbor in the early morning. This is our most popular trip. We’ll use light tackle artificials, fly and live bait, searching for actively feeding fish to cast into. A typical day is fast paced and action-packed! Our Striped Bass range in size from trophy fish up to 50" down to schoolies of about 20".Boston harbor has become known as a mecca for big fish 35”-45”+ and people looking to catch their personal best. We run our striped bass charters as catch & release. 1-4 people capacity
Targeting bluefin tuna offshore using light tackle techniques. This is the most exciting & hardcore way to catch bluefin tuna ‘run and gun’ style, searching for feeding fish to cast lures into or jig. We try to target “Rec” sized fish (50-150lb) with fights lasting 30-60 minutes, but there’s a real chance to hook into a 300lb+ giant which are equally common in our local waters. This trip is recommended to experienced anglers who are comfortable casting. Availably seasonally mid-June through October. 1-4 person capacity
Targeting bluefin tuna offshore ranging from 75lb-800lb+ with fights lasting 30 min-4hr+. We’re typically using live baits with 80w rods out of a gunnel rod-holder or 50w stand-up gear depending on angler preference. Bluefin arrive in our local waters mid-June and stay through October and this trip offers the chance to catch a fish of a lifetime! 1-4 person capacity
Open Boat Trips - Offered Ad-hoc on certain dates, contact Alex to discuss upcoming availability with 1-2 open spots and I’ll try to match you with other anglers to split the cost of a charter. A lower cost way to get out fishing and also meet some new people! $350 per person for inshore and $600 per person for offshore. Contact Alex to discuss upcoming availability.
“The after-work special” weekdays typically 5:15pm-dusk. A great way to spend an evening after work relaxing on the water in Boston Harbor targeting striped bass and bluefish. A more casual trip fishing for schoolies and mid-sized fish near structure, and we’ll search for topwater activity as the fish get more active near sundown. It’s sometimes less consistent fishing than the morning, but can be great light tackle blitz opportunities especially during the spring and fall. And there’s always a great skyline sunset! 1-4 people capacity
Captain Alex Palfrey
Captain Alex is a lifelong Massachusetts waterman and USCG‑licensed and insured captain. With over 20 years of light‑tackle saltwater experience in Boston Harbor, Duxbury Bay and offshore, he has built a reputation for his passion, meticulous preparation, deep local knowledge, and a genuine love of being on the water.
He specializes in targeting trophy striped bass with light‑tackle artificial as well as fly and live bait, and loves to go offshore for Bluefin tuna when the conditions are right. Known for his patience and excitement to get guests involved in a hands-on fast-paced action-packed day, he takes pride in helping guests refine their technique and land their personal‑best fish
He runs “Overcast,” a 2025 custom‑built Conch 27 center console, purpose‑built for light‑tackle striped bass and bluefin tuna fishing in Boston. The boat is equipped with a full suite of top‑of‑the‑line gear from Shimano and ZCR and an extensive Simrad electronics package to find the fish and stay dialed in to the bite
The Boat
“Overcast” is a fully custom built 30’ foot long 2025 Conch 27 deep-v center console powered by twin Mercury 225s. It is the ultimate light-tackle machine. The Conch 27 is known for its best-in-class ride quality, speed, dryness, and very stable drift, with a tournament-style open bow with ample casting room for multiple anglers. The Conch also has 200 gallons of livewell capacity across three separate wells (2 in floor, 1 in transom) allowing us to keep a practically unlimited amount of bait, as well as over 250 gallons of fuel for a range over 500 miles.
She comes equipped with a full suite of top-of-the-line Simrad electronics, including 2x Simrad 16” NSS4 MFDs, a Minn-Kota trolling motor, Simrad side-scan transducer, VHF, bluetooth stereo, and a Halo 3004 array radar that allows us to find birds 6+ miles away while offshore.
Rod storage is extensive with 34 rod holders, including 16 rod-holders on the console & T-Top to keep unused rods out of the way, and under-gunnel horizontal rod storage that can fit multiple rigged fly rods. We also have safety gear in excess of USCG requirements.
Information:
We’re happy to customize any trip including trip length, start time, technique, or target species, pickup location in Boston, or multi-boat corporate excursions! Just let us know and we’d be happy to set it up
Target Species Info: Striped bass are our predominant inshore target species, and are available locally May-October. The spring and fall runs (May-June and September-October) are known for migrating bass which are hungry and we have frequent blitzing topwater fishing opportunities which is great for an action packed day with a high quantity of fish caught. Typically these fish are schoolies to mid-size (25” to 35”), but 40”+ is not uncommon. Peak-summer months of June/July/August are when the trophy-sized bass 40-50” are most prevalent and can be the best months of the year for size quality. Bluefin tuna also often arrive in late June and stay through October.
What's included? Everything’s included except food and beverage. Captain Alex will provide all gear, tackle, bait, lures, flies and anything else needed. We use all high-end tackle, but you’re welcome to bring your own rod if you prefer. You do not need a fishing license as you are covered under my charter boat’s fishing license
What should you bring? Suggestions: sunglasses, sunscreen (non spray, please), a hat, and snack/food. Even on nice days it can feel surprisingly cooler on the water, so I always recommend bringing a sweatshirt and/or a rain jacket. The boat has plenty of dry storage for gear
Can we keep the fish? It depends what we’re targeting! We run all of our striped bass trips as sportfishing catch & release charters to help protect our fisheries long-term. For offshore trips, “rec sized” bluefin tuna under <73” we’re happy to keep and filet for the clients (subject to current regulations). Giant BFT over 73” have different regulations and aren’t allowed to be kept.
How many guest can join a trip? Is it suitable for children? We are licensed to have up to 6 passengers on a trip but we often find that up to 4 is the sweet spot for fishing. Children are welcome but kids under 13 must wear a life jacket at all times by law. We can supply life jackets or you can use your own.
Gratuity - Is the tip included in the price? The tip is not included in the price. The industry standard tip is 20% of the charter fee paid to the captain/mate
Booking & Payments: Deposits of $200 are required upon booking (Venmo/PayPal), however they are fully refundable with seven days advance notice. Full payment is required day of trip with cash, Venmo, or check
Cancellations & Weather Policy: Because of Boston Harbor’s protected landscape, we’re able to run inshore trips under nearly any weather conditions and are rarely cancelled for weather. Trips will run rain or shine. Offshore trips are more subject to wind & wave conditions, and are at the discretion of the captain for safety. If the captain cancels due to weather, a refund will be issued or rebooked for another date
Departure times & location: The captain will confirm exact pickup time/location info the day before your trip. Start times vary throughout the season, but we typically plan to start the day before sunrise (around 5am). We keep the boat at the Barking Crab Marina in Seaport, but we will meet and pickup clients at one of the public docks nearby. Street parking nearby is limited, but there are multiple parking garage options. For convenience, we’re also able to pickup clients at waterfront locations in Boston for a modest fee, let us know where you’re staying
Contact Us
To book your trip or discuss trip options, call or text Captain Alex at 617-895-6262 or use the form below