We can officially call it summer on Cape Cod, and as the days start getting shorter once again, fishermen are reminded that these days of plenty are fleeting, and to hit the water as much as possible in the next couple months.
Striper fishing remains steady around the Cape. Some areas have slowed down since last week while others heat up as waves of migratory bass continue to move through the area. Fluke swam into this week’s report for the first time this season, and with the blues and black sea bass, Cape Cod fishermen have a lot to look forward to this weekend.
As we moved farther from the new moon, and the tides slowed down, fishing in the Cape Cod Canal slowed as well. Stan at Red Top said there has been some action around the slack current, both day and night. There has been some surface activity at first light, but not much, Stan reported. The best tactic in the Canal the past few days has been chunking bait. Even where there has been no apparent activity, a piece of fresh mackerel or bunker fished on the bottom has been producing fish.
Many of the stripers that passed through the Canal last week seem to be feeding in Cape Cod Bay. Jeff from Forestdale Bait and Tackle said sandworms fished off the beaches from Town Neck to Chapin are producing keeper-sized stripers. Boats trolling around the bay have been catching some fish, Jeff reported. One fishermen was trolling an SP Minnow and caught a 41- and a 47-inch striper. The better bet for boat fishermen has been live-lining or chunking with mackerel.
Big mackerel have been a bit tough to find in recent days, Jeff said. Most of the macks caught have been “tinkers,” 5- to 7-inchers. The stripers love them, Jeff said, but culling through the 26- to 32-inch fish has been difficult for fishermen looking to hook a trophy. Chunked mackerel are working as well, also with stripers in the 26- to 32-inch range.
The striper fishing at the tip of the Cape was lights out again this week reported the boys at Nelsons. Vertical Jigging with Daddy Mac spoons, trolling wire line and umbrella rigs and live-lining mackerel are all working on the 15- to 35-pound stripers. Commercial striped bass season opened on Thursday, and some estimates put the fleet off Race Point at 400 boats. Fortunately, the commercial fishing is limited to Mondays and Thursdays, so recreational anglers won’t have to contend with those crowds for most of the week.
Kayak fishermen are also doing well fishing off Race Point and Herring Cove beaches. Kayakers have been catching with Deadly Dicks, soft plastics and with swimming plugs. The fish have been holding at depths of around 40 feet, just outside the pot line, according to the crew at Nelsons.
Fishermen willing to make a run are finding big schools of stripers along the backside beaches, especially off the Golf Balls.
Off the South Side of the Cape, Bishops and Clerks is producing quality stripers for fishermen drifting live (legal-sized) scup and live eels, reported Bill at Sports Port in Hyannis. Trolling tube-and-worm rigs is also working in Nantucket Sound.
Middle Ground is holding some bass as well. Trolling jigs on wire line is the preferred method there lately.
The South Side bays continue to produce keeper bass. Jeff at Forestdale Bait and Tackle said kayak fishermen found 30-inch stripers inside Popponesset Bay this week. The mouths of the bays are producing some topwater striper action as well.
Along the South Coast, Eric at CMS said the striper fishing is a little slow. The fish are there, he said, but they’ve been picky. Bait will be your best bet for these bass. Live eels or, if you can find them, live bunker will put the lockjawed bass in a feeding mood.
There were mixed reports on the bluefishing this week. Bill at Sports Port said the blues are all over. One angler reported hooking a monster blue this week at Dowses Beach. Jeff at Forestdale said fishing for the blues has been hot and cold. Boats are doing well, Jeff said, but the beach bite has been inconsistent. Evening high tides, like we’ll have this weekend, will offer the best shot at these blues from the beach.
Black sea bass fishing in Buzzards Bay has cooled down. Fishermen can still scrape together a good catch, but there are more shorts and less large fish in the mix right now. The black sea bass fishing off the South Side continues to be excellent. Jigs worked around structure are catching easy limits of fish to 5 pounds. The sea bass fishing off New Bedford is still going strong reported Eric at CMS.
Some fluke are mixed in with the sea bass in Nantucket Sound reported Jeff at Forestdale. The area off Bass River has been another reliable spot for fluke reported Bill at Sports Port.
Around Martha’s Vineyard, the fishing is fair according to the crew at Coops. Squid and sea herring are all around the island, and the bass and blues are feeding on them. The hot shore spot this week was Lobsterville Beach. Surf fishermen working up island have been catching bass up to and over 20 pounds reported the crew at Larry’s Tackle Shop. Fishermen looking for bluefish need look no further than Cape Pogue reported the crew at Larry’s.
Wasque, which is closed to shore access due to nesting plovers, has been producing bass and blues for boat fishermen. Tom Shoal has been another productive boat spot for stripers. Fluke fishing around the Vineyard has been frustrating. Despite there being plenty of undersized fish, keepers are in short supply.
Off Nantucket, big bluefish have moved into the waters off the east side of the island according to Pete of Castaway Charters. In Handkerchief Shoal, fishermen are catching good numbers of stripers by trolling. Pete also heard reports of bluefin tuna feeding in the shoals south-southeast of Nantucket.
Best Bets for the Weekend
Sounds like for the best shot at stripers this weekend, you’ll want to get down and dirty with some bait. Eels and scup are working on the South Side, mackerel is working in the Canal and in Cape Cod Bay, and sandworms are working on the sand beaches.
If you’re after bottom fish, Nantucket Sound is your best bet for sea bass and fluke. For blues, head to the Vineyard.
Hi, Can you provide more surfcasting info? That would help me. Thank you, Curt
Fished just North of he Canal his AM, sorry to say one hook up, on a hole mack but did not land it, still bad day of fishing is better than a good day of work
Will be yak fishing Saturday inside Billsingate. Then either hitting Sunken Meadow or Nauset at night surf casting Help me choose? either way sounds like seaworms, agreed?
Just came in from a miserable weather morning the fishing was just OK from the Ditch, paddle tail Black/Red at first light was the ticket
Fished Buzzards bay today for Black sea bass did land a few blue heads but the fish are moving to deep water
Sea Bass still going strong in the sound. Go to Cape Cod Fishing Adventures on face book. Several trips last week produced Sea Bass over 24 inches and six plus pounds! A few open dates over the next ten days.
Thanks Cap I heard the same thing “the Sound is the place to be”