It’s hard to believe that such a tiny creature—an animal so small it’s easy to overlook—can generate such big excitement among fishermen, but it does. The sea louse, or more accurately, the striped bass covered in sea lice, were the big news around Cape Cod this week.

The arrival of sea lice covered stripers is significant because it means that the first leg of the striper migration has finally hit our waters. The schoolies arrive in big numbers and with big appetites, and signal the start of the real striped bass season.

AJ at Red Top Sporting Goods reported stripers to 24 inches in the Cape Cod Canal this week. The fish, according to Todd at Falmouth Bait and Tackle, are most numerous in the middle of the Canal, namely the Herring Run, but crowds of anglers have made it difficult to get close to the run itself. But the stripers are surely spread throughout the Big Ditch. No word of keepers there just yet.

Keeper stripers have been reported in the rivers around Wareham said Mike at M and D’s in Wareham. Bucktails and swim shads are getting the job done.

Schoolie stripers are spread all around the Upper and Mid-Cape Right now.  The guys at The Hook Up in Orleans reported schoolie bass in the Bass River. The South Side of the Cape is also producing small stripers.

Squid have arrived in good numbers in Vineyard and Nantucket Sounds. So far there have been few reports of shore anglers getting in on the action, with the exception of the Hyline Dock in Hyannis. According to Jeff at Forestdale Bait and Tackle, crowds of fishermen have been squid fishing at the Hyline Dock with good success.

With the squid here, it won’t be long until we see some bluefish. As of Thursday, there had been no reports of blues on Cape Cod, but that could change with a single tide. Steady south and southwest winds through the weekend will help push some bluefish our way.

Very large scup have been caught in Buzzards Bay this week. Mike at M and D’s reported porgies to 18 inches. Sea bass have also been a bycatch with the scup, but remember, black sea bass season does not open until May 17, so be sure to release them until that date.

Tog are also keeping bottom fishermen busy. AJ at Red Top reported a pair of 7-pounders taken from the Canal around the Maritime Academy. Most fish have been caught by boaters working over wrecks and rockpiles throughout Buzzards Bay and along the Elizabeth Islands. The tog fishing is good, Todd at Falmouth Bait and Tackle reported, but it’s not hot yet.

With all the good saltwater news, it’s easy to forget about the freshwater fishing. Several 7- and 8-pound largemouths were caught this week according to Mike at M and D’s. Shiners are the hot bait for the big bass.

More trout were stocked this week as well reported Jeff at Forestdale, and several big trout have been caught including a couple 3-pound-plus brookies.

Smallmouth fishing is also on the rise, and big bronzebacks are feeding ravenously as they prepare to spawn.

Buzzards Bay and Cape Cod Fishing Forecast

“The table is set.”

“It’s all coming together.”

“It’s about to break wide open.”

Those are just some of the things I heard from the shops this week. The saltwater fishing is primed to light up big time, and it’s bound to happen in the next few days.

When hunting down these schoolies, crush the barbs to make releasing them easy. It’s important to ensure the survival of these small stripers so they can return to Cape Cod as big bass in a few years.

Top spots to find a schoolie or small keeper this week are the Agawam and Weweantic rivers. The Canal and Bass River are a close second, and the South Side beaches are third. As more schoolies show up, just about every harbor outflow and saltwater pond will hold them.

Taking a look at the usual bluefish spots like South Cape Beach, Oregon Beach and Loop Beach could produce the first chopper of the season.  I would be very surprised if we aren’t into bluefish by the end of the weekend.

Squid fishing is another fun option. The Hyline Dock is the best bet for finding them from shore right now as the main concentrations of squid seem to in that area. Go at night and bring a variety of sizes and colors.

If you can get on a boat, a day spent bottom fishing around Buzzards Bay could be a fun option. Target scup with cut squid and target blackfish with crabs. Be sure to release any sea bass or fluke, but take home enough scup and tog to make a fine meal.

Lastly, before the striper fishing really picks up, why not sneak in some freshwater fishing? The trout fishing is fantastic right now, and Jeff at Forestdale reported catches of 20 or 30 fish lately. Give the ponds one last hurrah before switching over totally to saltwater.