Cape Cod and Buzzards Bay Fishing Report for 5-29-2014

I did a double-take this morning when my car’s temperature gauge read 42 degrees. How can it be the end of May with temperatures more appropriate for March. The cool weather has definitely kept water temperatures down, which has had an impact on the striper fishing around Cape Cod and Buzzards Bay.

Cape Cod Canal and Buzzards Bay

The tides on Thursday were prime for a morning bite on the Cape Cod Canal, at least the hundreds of anglers lining the banks thought so. The stripers, however, had other plans. Mike from M and D’s Bait and Tackle in Wareham was on the Canal Thursday morning and reported “crickets.” Many other anglers found slow fishing as well.

Though Thursday morning was slow, Mike did say there had been some decent evening action in the East End on Sebile Magic Swimmers and Savage Sand Eels.

Mike from Red Top Sporting Goods said some small keeper-sized stripers were caught in the Canal in the mornings this week on topwaters. The general consensus was that sub-surface lures have been far more productive.

The big fish must still be to our south. But they are farther south than New Bedford according to Eric at CMS. While bluefish up to 6-pounds have been plentiful from Mattapoisett to Westport, stripers have been a bit tough to come by. There is plenty of baitfish in the area, so Eric believes its only a matter of time before the striper fishing lights up.

The bluefish fishing has been excellent, however, and is well worth taking advantage of. Poppers, metals and swimming plugs are working for the blues.

Bottom fishing in Buzzards Bay is going strong. The tog have thinned out a bit, but scup and sea bass are still abundant. Keeper sea bass have been largely outnumbered by throwbacks according to Mike at Red Top, and Mike at M and D’s said the larger sea bass of 5 pounds or more appear to have moved out for the season, having completed their spawn. Cleveland Ledge has been a top spot to look for sea bass in recent days, reported Christian at Falmouth Bait and Tackle.

There have been some big tog around the East End of the Canal, looking for crabs in the rocks of the East End jetties.  If you are going striper fishing at the Canal one morning, bringing along a few tog rigs and some crabs might be a good bet for after the morning action (if there is any) dies down.

South Side and Islands

The sea bass fishing in Vineyard and Nantucket sounds is on fire, reported Christian at Falmouth Bait and Tackle.  The fish have been holding over wrecks and rocky bottom, and they are responding to jigs, clams and strips of squid.

Fluke fishing is slow off the South Side so far, but Coop at Coop’s Bait and Tackle said it’s still too early to expect good fluke fishing.

The bluefish also went a little quiet this week, Christian said. The sustained northerly winds could have something to do with that. Jeff at Forestdale Bait and Tackle said a few blues are still being taken at South Cape Beach, Popponesset and Cotuit.

Keeper stripers on the South Side continue to fall primarily to bait on the bottom according to Christian at Falmouth Bait and Tackle.

There are bluefish galore on Martha’s Vineyard according to Coop at Coop’s Bait and Tackle. Wasque, Menemsha and beaches all around the island are lit up with hungry bluefish. Black sea bass fishing around the island is good, and scup seem to be moving in Coop said. Keeper stripers are also feeding around the island.

Nantucket fishermen have been looking to the wind to bring the keeper stripers their way said Cam of Bill Fisher Tackle. When the wind blows out of the south, 28- to 32-inch fish are being caught on the island with regularity.  Unfortunately, we’ve been seeing a lot of northerly winds lately. Black sea bass fishing is excellent reported Cam, as is tog. Bluefish have been scarce on Nantucket so far, but that should improve quickly. Cam said there is a huge number of herring around the island this year, which should get the stripers into a feeding frenzy when they finally arrive in force.

Outer Cape and Cape Cod Bay

Reports from Cape Cod Bay and Race Point have been markedly better than the rest of the Cape, at least when it comes to stripers. Some anglers have speculated that the large amount of bait and squid in Vineyard and Nantucket sounds attracted the stripers as they moved north, and that the fish have then gone around the Cape—taking the long way.

The reports seem to support the theory, as Rich at Nelson’s Bait and Tackle in Provincetown reported a large school of stripers feeding off Herring Cove. Boat fishermen were having great success using vertical jigs around this school. Large numbers of mackerel and sand eels have been holding the fish in the area.

Keeper stripers are coming off Race Point on a daily basis reported Rich. Small swimming plugs like the SP Minnow or the Mambo Minnow are working best. Plenty of  school-sized stripers have been in the mix as well. The fish have been hitting right in the wash, so don’t give up on your retrieve until your plug is on the sand.

No bluefish have been reported on Race Point yet.

Despite cold water, Dan at The Hook Up in Orleans said the striper fishing in Cape Cod Bay has been decent. Jeff at Forestdale Bait and Tackle said live mackerel fished off the mouth of Barnstable Harbor have taken stripers up to 44 inches. The action there is not automatic, but most boats fishing live bait are getting a shot at a big striper for a good day’s effort.

Inside Barnstable Harbor, schoolie stripers have been keeping light-tackle and fly anglers busy.  Sand eel imitations like small Slug-Gos or Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnows are working well.

Freshwater

Big trout were caught around the Cape this week.  Jeff at Forestdale Bait and Tackle weighed in tiger trout to 2.5 pounds and brown trout to 4 pounds. Fishing bait from shore in Peters Pond has been working well as has trolling with leadcore line.

Best Bets for the Weekend

The tides favor fishing in the Cape Cod Canal through Sunday, and the fish could arrive any day. The better action has been in the East End, and has taken place in the evenings.

For consistent action in the surf, the Outer Cape has a good number of schoolie and keeper stripers feeding right in the wash.  Bring some minnow plugs and cast and walk the beach until you cross paths with a school of fish.

Boat fishermen looking for a big striper should live-line mackerel off Barnstable Harbor (after checking out an article on the topic in the June Issue of On The Water, on sale now). There’s no telling if the school of fish off Herring Cove will move on by the weekend, but launching at Pamet River and doing some prospecting with vertical jigs around Race Point could turn up some excellent striper fishing.

For black sea bass, the best action has been in Vineyard and Nantucket sounds. If you really want to tie into some bluefish this weekend, Martha’s Vineyard is the place to be, but South Cape Beach or Cotuit could produce for fishermen stuck on the mainland.