The full moon tides were unusually quiet in the Canal this weekend, but early this week, the Big Ditch showed signs of life. The crew at Red Top reported some surface activity in the Canal during the mornings and afternoons, providing local anglers with some before-work and some after-work fishing. Many of the fish were right around keeper size, 26 to 32 inches, but some larger fish of 20 pounds or more have been mixed in.
Boat fishermen are finding some success trolling tube-and-worm rigs in Cape Cod Bay. The stripers have been finicky, with fishermen occasionally marking them, but failing to get bites, even with live eels.
The bass on the other side of the Cape, off the back beaches, have been much more cooperative. Fishermen rounding the tip of the Cape and motoring down the backside have found big schools of bass wallowing in clouds of sand eels and mackerel. Vertical jigging is the ticket, but make sure you bring plenty of back-up jigs. Some big bluefish are mixing in with the stripers, and have had no problem snipping through the leader with their sharp teeth. Captain Drew of Downeast Charters has been hooking up with diamond jigs and Daddy Mac jigs in 60 to 85 feet of water.
Big bluefish have been stacked up at Handkerchief Shoal. Forestdale Bait and Tackle reported a 17-pounder taken there this week. Succonesset is also holding some blues.
Along the Elizabeth Islands, there haven’t been many bass, but there have been some big ones. Reports circulated this week of a mid-50-pound-class striper taken by a boat fisherman along the islands.
Shore fishermen have been finding a few keeper-sized stripers inside Barnstable Harbor by using swimming plugs rigged with a small teaser above it. Schoolies are also being caught in the South Side Bays.
Fluke fishing is decent in Buzzards Bay. The hot colors have been green and pink according to the boys at Red Top. The shoals in the Sounds are holding good fluke as well, along with some sea bass. The larger sea bass have mostly headed off to deeper water, but fishermen are scratching up a few keepers while targeting fluke. Some large sea bass have been caught at Handkerchief Shoal reported Captain Pete of Castaway Sportfishing.
Scup fishing is good, not only for boat anglers, but for shore anglers dunking squid or sandworms at places like Dowses Beach. Most of the fish will be undersized, but if you stick with it (and bring plenty of bait) you’ll undoubtedly catch enough keepers to make a delicious meal.
On Martha’s Vineyard, the striper bite slowed down this week reported Cooper from Coop’s Tackle. Coop blamed the hot weather for the slowdown in striper action, but he was happy to report that bluefish are still regularly being caught from shore. For the boaters, bonito numbers are slowly improving around the island and at the Hooter. The bluefin that were south of the island have moved even closer. These are smaller fish, Coop said, up to about 60-pounds, and they are great fun on spinning tackle. Anglers heading south of the Vineyard are occasionally running into white marlin finning on the surface, and a few have been caught on spinning gear.
East of Chatham, fishermen are encountering good numbers of larger bluefin by trolling squid bars. Live mackerel has also been working for the tuna.
Largemouth bass fishing is fantastic right now, according to the report from Forestdale Bait and Tackle. Casting weedless frogs around weed growth is producing some heart-stopping strikes, as largemouth muscle their way through the weeds to take the frog. The action can be good through the middle of the day.
Best Bets for the Weekend
With a change in weather and a northeast blow headed our way, the fishing could improve for stripers, but take a hit for pelagics. The nearly constant south winds have blown warm water close to the Cape, which has brought the bluefin and marlin close. We’ll have to see how it affects the fishing. The stripers that have been feeding offshore and attacking tuna trolling spreads may follow the winds right into shore.
great asset this fish report, saves a lot of phone calls and misinformation , Im signed up for the striper cup again 5th year in a row, hope to see you in the winners circle byby god fishing
Schoolie bass and 3-5 lb blues from end of Stony Point Dike to Marion’s Bird Island this morning. From sunrise to 8:30am. Lots of shiners being chased to surface.