Good fall run fishing is often concentrated in small areas. The fish are moving, and one day’s hotspot could be the next day’s desert. This is the reason that fall fishing reports are often mixed, with some shops reporting excellent fishing with other shops, often only 10 or so miles away report that the fishing is slow. But just like the New England fall weather, if you don’t like the fishing report, wait a day, because it’s bound to change.

Cape Cod Bay Fishing Report

A few boats fishing Cape Cod Bay this week struggled finding very little in the way of bait or bass. Some fish did hang off the East End of the Cape Cod Canal, but it has been a far cry from the fast fishing of just a week or so ago.

Jeff at Forestdale Bait and Tackle in Sandwich said shore fishermen working the beaches of Sandwich and Dennis are picking up a few fish up to 36 inches, though most catches have been shy of the 28-inch minimum size for stripers.

Barnstable Harbor is holding school size fish, with some keepers mixed in as well.

Cape Cod Canal Fishing Report

Last week’s “breaking tides” were a bit of a bust. There has been some action the past few days in the Canal, but Mike from M and D’s reports that it has been on the slow side. Fish are breaking in the mornings, but have been tough to fool at times.

AJ at Red Top Sporting Goods in Buzzards Bay reported that a few good-sized stripers have been caught in the Canal after dark on eels and jigs. Anglers spending time fishing a full tide in the dark are being rewarded with a shot at a good fish, but the Canal action is far from hot and heavy.

The highlight of this week’s Canal fishing was the influx of big, 8- to 12-pound bluefish into the West End. Anglers throwing topwater plugs from the Herring Run to the Railroad Bridge caught a number of these big blues. I wish these fish were around more often. Slammer bluefish on topwater plugs is some of the most fun you can have while fishing from shore.

Buzzards Bay Fishing Report

A lack of bait and warm water has made Buzzards Bay a dead zone for striped bass reported Mike from M and D’s in Wareham. Mike reported that the last school of migrating stripers that moved through the Canal did not stick around in Buzzards Bay at all as they disappeared to points south.

Fortunately, the black sea bass and fluke are still providing Buzzards Bay boaters with some good fishing. AJ at Red Top said the fluke bite is picking up. If you want a last shot at a doormat, you better get it in before the season closes on September 30.

South Side Fishing Report

Albie fishing slowed down over the weekend, but picked right back up this week.  Fishermen are finding them from Popponesset all the way to Quick’s Hole. Christian at Falmouth Bait and Tackle said one fishermen working Robinsons Hole in the Elizabeth Islands had an albie blitz on one side of the boat and a schoolie striper blitz on the other side. That is as good as the fall run gets! Deadly Dicks and other slim metal lures are working well for the albies

Some bigger bass are being taken along the Elizabeth Islands in the dark on eels.

Eels are also working on the south-facing beaches. Christian at Falmouth Bait and Tackle said that fishermen casting eels around the outflows in Falmouth are catching keeper-sized stripers.

Jeff at Forestdale Bait and Tackle said several bass to 38 inches have been taking along South Side beaches. There have also been some scary-big blues ripping through, including one 15-pounder, Jeff said. Popponesset has been one of the best spots for the bass.

Fluke fishing is still good on many of the South Side shoals, but remember the season is ending on Monday.

The fish are starting to fill in around the Vineyard. Big blues (up to 19 pounds!) are all around the island. Striper fishing is fair, but improving. Anglers fishing the beaches are finding stripers on a nightly basis. False albacore fishing is good as the albies have hit the Vineyard in big numbers. Bonito are also picking up.  All in all, it’s shaping up to be a good weekend of fishing on Martha’s Vineyard.

Lower Cape Fishing Report

Dan at the Hook Up reported that stripers have started moving back into the waters off Chatham where fishermen are doing well catching on diamond jigs and trolling with wire.

The backside beaches and Race Point have been a little slow according to Rich at Nelson’s Bait & Tackle in Provincetown. Big bluefish are coming and going as they please, bringing hot fishing one day and disappearing the next. The striper fishing is slow, both for beach and boat anglers. On a positive note, Rich said the sand eels are thick, so it shouldn’t be too long before a school of migrating stripers finds them and the Outer Cape fishing lights up.

Bluefin Tuna Report

The action is still concentrated on the Regal Sword reported Dan at The Hook Up in Orleans. Captain Eric Stewart trolled up a 60-incher on Wednesday, and caught a mako shark out there Saturday. Fish Chatham Charters has been doing well trolling up bluefin on just about every one of their trips on spreader bars and ballyhoo, often landing more than one.

However, at this point, it’s not looking good for the numbers of smaller tuna to move closer to the Cape than the Sword, as they usually do in the fall. Captain Eric said if it doesn’t happen by the new moon on October 4, it isn’t going to.

Giant tuna have also started showing up. A 120-inch fish was taken this week.

Canyons Report

Still hot. Hydrographers was the place to be this week. Wahoo, yellowfin and swordfish all make the fall fishing in the canyons worth the long ride.

Freshwater Report

Big smallmouth bass came from a few waters this week. Both Jeff at Forestdale and Dan at the Hook Up reported smallies in the 4- to 5-pound range coming out of Cape ponds. Largemouth action is still great, and pickerel, yellow and white perch are all feeding heavily too. Dunking a shiner under a bobber in just about any Cape pond right now is guaranteed action.

Trout fishing is okay, with most fish still holding deep. In just a couple weeks, the fall stocking of trout will arrive right as the water cools enough to bring the holdovers close to shore again.

Best Bets for the Weekend

One common thread this week among the tackle shops was the best bait for striped bass right now: Live eels. Stripers seem to hit eels after refusing all other offerings. Also, when between “pushes” of migratory stripers through Cape waters, eels do a great job of enticing the few bass that remain in the area. So if you are headed out with bass on the brain, don’t forget to bring the eels.

For shore fishermen, hitting the Canal from the Herring Run west during the mornings or late afternoons could result in some fun action with big bluefish. Cast metal lures and topwater poppers to entice the blues.

The canal striper fishing doesn’t stay slow for long this time of year, and a school of stripers could make their way through at any time, but for more consistent fishing, right now the South Side of the Cape sounds like the better bet. The fish will be a bit smaller, from 20- to 36-inches, but with medium-action tackle, they will still be a ton of fun.

It’s the last weekend that fluke will be on the menu until next year, so if you like bouncing bottom for these flatfish, get out there.

And the albies are around, both on the Cape south side and along the Elizabeths. Also, look for some to move into Buzzards Bay as well. The key to hooking albies this weekend will be finding a school of fish away from the fleet. Albies being harassed by boats won’t stay on the surface for long and will eventually disappear entirely.

Last but not least, when you are ready to take a break from the weekend fishing, swing by Striperfest at Marina Park in Falmouth. The fun goes from 12 to 7, with great food, cold drinks, a kid’s area and a number of tackle manufacturers displaying their wares.