It all happens so fast. Last week, we reported a single small striper with sea lice on Martha’s Vineyard. In the time since, stripers have been caught in the Canal, in the South Side bays, all the way up through Plymouth Harbor.
It was Jill at Red Top who said Plymouth Bay was loaded with stripers, many keeper sized. That must be an anomaly, since most of the other stripers being caught seem to be well short of that mark.
The Canal Herring Run is stuffed with herring reported Jill. Some stripers are being caught around the periphery, but many anglers are reported the big seals stuffing themselves on the small baitfish.
Christian at Falmouth Bait and Tackle reported schoolie stripers spreading out around the Upper Cape, and Jeff at Forestdale Bait and Tackle said the same, citing Popponesset and Waquoit as two places where schoolies have appeared in recent days.
The other saltwater fishing that busted open this week was the squid. Boats are heading out in Vineyard and Nantucket sounds and jigging coolers full of the ink-squirting mollusks during the day. At night, some of the squid have been moving in to lighted docks on the South Side where shore anglers are jigging them.
There’s been no word on bluefish yet, but I’d be surprised if by next week we weren’t hearing about the yellow-eyed devils making their annual showing on South Cape Beach.
There’s been little to report on tog fishing, but that could just be because few fishermen are bothering to target them. Both Red Top and Forestdale had heard nothing on the tog, but Falmouth Bait and Tackle said tog action had been good, although Christian hadn’t heard any specifics.
While it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of the saltwater fishing season getting started, the fact is, most stripers are smaller than the 4- to 6-pound largemouths being pulled from many Cape Cod ponds right now. Even the smallmouths are running large, with several 4-plus-pounders being reported this week.
Trout fishing was tough this week. As the fish become accustomed to their new homes, they adapt to the local forage, which, in most cases, is small flies. Trout fishermen reported seeing plenty of trout rising to the surface, but said getting bites was difficult. The smaller the bait, the better, reported Jeff at Forestdale, who also mentioned that fly-fishermen have been having a field day using small midges to imitate the hatching flies. Jill at Red Top did mention that Johns Pond has been fishing very well lately.
Best Bets for the Weekend
If you want your first striper, hit the South Side or the Canal. Use small lures and consider crimping your barbs. The vast majority of the bass around are too short to keep, so a crimped barb will make for an easy release that will ensure the fish survives to reach keeper size and beyond.
The big freshwater bass are biting well, so spending some time on your favorite pond could be a good call this weekend.
If you want something to take home, get on your boat and hit the squid bite in the Sound. Just follow the fleet.
When you mentioned Plymouth Harbor was loaded with stripers is that right now??!!!
Thanks and tight Lines
I dont believe anything that Red Top sporting goods has to say, they are just trying to get you to buy their gear, Wish the old owner was still there new owner is a total jerk !!!, wouldn’t buy gear there if it was the last tackle shop on earth !!
I agree they are jerk the employees are real ….how should I say this. Quiet and untruthful.
You have to remember cape cod natives love the summer but don’t enjoy all the traffic the tourists bring,I live In Marshfield and I’m a tourist to them.
Actually, tourists are the um…not smart people who check their brains at the bridge. Vacationers are the people who come down to enjoy the REAL Cape. Sounds like you are the second category Kyle. 😉
As for the Red Top comments… It’s a business and if they didn’t try to sell something I would be rather surprised. IMO Red Top has good deals on quality items, and they sell quality items. If you need new gear get it there. If you need a cheap $20 set up and some rubber worms for fresh, hit up walmart. I would go to red top before bASS Pro any day. Most of the employees are friendly and like to talk, if your a snobby fisherman with expensive gear or a 24′ boat sitting out front they may be a bit snobby, I would. They are just there to make a living like the rest of us.
Obviously this article is all going on rumors, so to only discredit one place about one rumor would be ignorant. They might have heard one guy at Red Top talk about a keeper, and that’s all they need to hear.
Yup, had a lousy experience at Red Top with the owner not too long ago. Most of the employees are pretty cool and helpful though. I found a broken seal of Uncle Josh’s pork strips once. And politely asked the owner if I could get a discount on the item. He immediately took great offense to a simple question. And gave me a very indignant response. Saying, “Why would I give YOUUU a discount when I Could Give IT TO My son for FREE!!??? I’m thinking to myself, well maybe you could make some on it instead?? I didn’t realize you had to be a part of his little local secret boy’s club in order to be a customer at his store. That’s ok, there are plenty of other people who will gladly take my hard earned money. And not be an a-hole about it!
Fair decision, if he wants to act like that towards everyone he will run his store to the ground! A bit of perspective though, the store is in the middle of a lower class area, and associates with lots’ of Warehamer’s (made that up, not sure if it is correct). So I wouldn’t be surprised if he has cheap customers breaking seals everyday to try and get a discount. Luckily, a lot of middle class people from Plymouth, Cape, and South Shore shop there. There are three bait shops within two minutes on that side of canal, so money is obviously not an issue early spring/summer.
As long as they never cut down that tree inbetween the giant rock, I will shop there hahaha. Though I usually get live/frozen bait from one of the other two shops, and only hit red top up for specialty items (Braided line, rod, reels).
Hey Tim,
Disparaging Wareham is pretty lame. And rude.
I’ve been there a couple of times and never had an experience that was too bad. It seems like a universal phenomenon on Cape Cod that tackle shop owners are skeptical of you and don’t want to give good knowledge to novice anglers. E.g. the owner at Riverview in Yarmouth will always respond to “what are the fish hitting this week?” with “well, what would you use?” The first thing he does is evaluate your level of knowledge and is usually pretty minimal in his advice. His employee is much more helpful and vocal on the subject.
Fishing the Canal this week, go to lure will be the 5 inch storm wildeye swim bait will report back
Good choice anything that looks like a tired herring will be very productive.
If the locals keep on acting like jerk I might just make what I know about the canal go virul.
kyle, although they might be jerks, let’s not take it out on the stripers and wipe them out ha know.
ya know**
Yeah I guess you are right
Reports from Red top are false…nothing but schoolies here…Hmmmm.
Since when did red top start giving reports
Looking for some help. I am heading to the vineyard in June with my Scout. (sport fish 262). I usualy fish the Chesapeake for strikers in the fall. We troll mojo rigs deep and slow. I know you guys do it differently and I hear it’s a blast up there. This is my first time trying the Vinyard. Info would be appreciated. Thanks and tight lines to all.
Cast a plain 1/2-1 oz white bucktail jig into the rips in vineyard sound.
First fish of the year quite small but a fight.
What part of the canal were you fishing?
As for the Red Top comments… It’s a business and if they didn’t try to sell something I would be rather surprised. IMO Red Top has good deals on quality items, and they sell quality items. If you need new gear get it there. If you need a cheap $20 set up and some rubber worms for fresh, hit up walmart. I would go to red top before bASS Pro any day.
Obviously this article is all going on rumors, so to only discredit one place about one rumor would be ignorant. They might have heard one guy at Red Top talk about a keeper, and that’s all they need to hear.
Has anyone hear of Flounder or Tog bites yet in Buzzards Bay?
Fished last Wed evening till about 3am Thur morning at Herring Run…got huge hits…but didn’t understand these hits till I shined my mag light into the water and saw a hell of a lot of keepers…not schoolies…but Keepers running after the herring….telling ya this cause I am back down in WV till June…..good luck fishing!
Ed yes on the tog but not like last year also small bass in Buzz Bay on storm swim shads
Thank you Fishcakes! I may have to go further south like Hyannis or Barstable.
Anyone hear of tautog on the Nantucket sound?
fished the canal today size down for a tight line fish up to 30 inches
Im new in the area what is the bait used for stripers
Just came off the Canal went 4 for 7 with the largest being 22 inches
Fishcakes,
what has been the go to lure that has been working for you?
Tight Lines and thanks
Also curious what fishcakes is using?
Was out last night under sagamore bridge. Super windy and lost a jig 🙁 looking for some spots to try out my new polarized glasses if anyone knows of any.
for the first few weeks of May I like the storm wildeye swim shad 5inch