Cape Cod & Buzzards Bay Fishing Report 6-5-2014

Of all the shore-fishing spots around Cape Cod, by far, the most popular in recent years has been the Cape Cod Canal. Unfortunately, so far this season, the Canal has had some of the slowest striper fishing on the Cape, especially when you consider how many fishermen try their luck there on a daily basis. But don’t let the slow fishing in the Canal get you down, there are hundreds of miles of beaches around the Cape, and many of them are holding great striper fishing.

Outer Cape Cod and Cape Cod Bay

Some larger fish are joining the schoolies out at Race Point, reported Rich from Nelson’s Bait and Tackle in Provincetown. In the past week, he’s weighed in stripers to 21 pounds from the beach. Keeper-sized fish are being caught on a daily basis, Rich said. He was surprised just how many fish he’s hearing about being caught from the beaches considering how few surfcasters have been trying their luck at that end of the Cape.

Boat fishermen have been doing well using vertical jigs. Schools of stripers have been setting up in the waters off Race Point and Wood End. Occasionally, these fish will come to the surface, giving boat anglers the opportunity to catch them on swimming plugs and topwaters. Rich heard of a surface feeding school of bass this week that was made up of many 38- to 40-inch fish.

Big bluefish have also rounded the elbow of the Cape and have been caught along the outer beaches. Blues to 10 pounds have been reported as far north as Race Point.

Cape Cod Bay is producing steady action on mixed-size stripers. Small bass are thick at Brewster Flats reported Dan at The Hook Up in Orleans. He has been throwing small Savage Sand Eels there and catching big numbers of schoolies in three feet of water. The occasional keeper is also showing up on the flats.

Barnstable Harbor has been another hotspot for schoolie action this week. The mouth of the Harbor has been producing fish to 40 inches on live mackerel reported Jeff from Forestdale Bait and Tackle. At times, Jeff said, catching the mackerel has been trickier than catching the bass.

Some shore fishermen have been doing well chunking bunker off the Cape Cod Bay beaches reported Jeff.

Rich at Nelsons also reported some great winter flounder fishing taking place in Provincetown Harbor.

Upper Cape Cod and Islands

Around most of the Cape, 40-inch stripers have been the upper limit of fish caught recently, so it was surprising to hear of several 40-pound stripers taken from the beaches of Martha’s Vineyard.

Steve at Larry’s Bait and Tackle said that over the past week a number of mid-40-pound fish have been taken on the island, on plugs. A few fish in the 20-pound range are also being caught, some even during the day.

The Yo-Zuri Mag Darter has been the hot plug out at Chappy, Steve said, where a number of 30-inch stripers are being caught. Chappy is also loaded with bluefish.

Most of the blues around the island are 5 to 7 pounds, but a few 13- to 14-pounders have been caught. Coop at Coop’s Bait and Tackle heard of three bluefish larger than 12 pounds being caught off the beach.

The waters of the Vineyard are loaded with bait reported Coop. Small sand eels, anchovies and even herring. Steve from Larry’s Tackle said the big blues have been spitting up squid and scup as well.

Across the Sound, keeper stripers are being caught by boats trolling wire line reported Todd at Falmouth Bait and Tackle. Quick’s Hole, Robinson’s Hole and Middle Ground were the spots Todd mentioned. The Elizabeth Islands are “infested” with 12- to 20-inch stripers that have been blitzing small baitfish on the surface reported Steve at Larry’s.

Some larger stripers into the 40-pound class have been reported around Cuttyhunk by both boat and shore anglers.

Stripers up to 15 pounds have been caught by boat fishermen in Woods Hole.

Bluefish are still all over the South Side reported Todd at Falmouth Bait and Tackle. Jeff from Forestdale said South Cape beach has been the most consistent spot for the blues, but they are popping up along many of the South Side beaches.

The bays of the South Side are filled with schoolie stripers, reported Jeff. At times, fishermen are getting hits on every cast from the small stripers. Some keepers have also trickled into the bays, giving light-tackle and fly anglers a thrill. Small Slug-Gos and Rebel Jumpin’ Minnows have been the top baits.

Black sea bass fishing in the sounds has been excellent. Big sea bass are stacked up over rough bottom, and jigs are catching fish one after another. Scup are also numerous, and they are biting well, provided they aren’t busy avoiding schools of hungry bluefish.

Cape Cod Canal and Buzzards Bay

The best news from this part of the Cape was the school of weakfish that the Lady K out of Onset encountered while drifting for black sea bass. “Squeteague” to 7 pounds were taken. After last year’s weakfish boom, this season has been mostly a bust, so it was encouraging to hear of some fish showing up.

Black sea bass fishing improved big time this week. Mike at M and D’s said a number of big sea bass moved into Buzzards Bay this week. The scup fishing is also very good in the Bay.

Striper fishing has been good in the Weweantic, Mike said. Trolling tube-and-worm rigs have been working for stripers to 40 inches.

In the Canal, there have been more bluefish than stripers lately. A few decent stripers are being caught, but compared to June of previous years, the fishing is way off. Mike weighed in a 29-pound striper over the weekend, and that was the largest he’d weighed in from the Canal.

Best Bets for the Weekend

Boat fishermen would do well to target their efforts trolling around Middle Ground or the Elizabeth Islands. Fishermen more interested in light-tackle angling with a shot at big fish should head to Race Point, where topwater lures and vertical jigs are working. Live-lining mackerel off Barnstable Harbor is also a good bet for connecting with a quality striper.

Shore fishermen seem to be having the best luck around the beaches of the Outer Cape. Schoolies are providing good light-tackle action on Brewster Flats and along the South Side.

The black sea bass fishing doesn’t get much better than it is right now in Buzzards Bay and off the South Side.