Cape Cod Fishing Report - April 20, 2017

I should probably lead off with the news that migratory stripers have reached Martha’s Vineyard. Stavros Viglas reported early Thursday morning about catching some fresh stripers from the MV surf.

There’s still no word of sea-lice-laden stripers on the mainland Cape, but the holdovers are getting more active reported the crew at Red Top Sporting Goods. Fishermen have been catching resident bass in the Bass River, Agawam River, and Weweantic River. Small soft plastics like a Tsunami Swim Shad or 5-inch Fin-S Fish are good best for these small stripers. Outgoing tides have been best, and the fish have been more active in the mornings and evenings.

At Maco’s Bait and Tackle, Jeff hadn’t heard much more than some rumblings about tautog being taken. He had weighed in a still flopping 4.25-pound pickerel this week, that served as a reminder that even with the saltwater fishing getting going, the freshwater fishing is still on fire.

Jeff at Canal Bait and Tackle said besides a few blackfish being scratched out of the Canal, specifically the west end, there are scattered schools of mackerel in Cape Cod Bay.  There aren’t many tog being caught, Jeff said, but the ones being taken are falling to clams and seaworms. Jeff said in the early season, tog prefer softer baits.

At Eastman’s Sport and Tackle, John heard of a fishermen trying for tog in Falmouth Harbor with clams and catching a surprise 8-pound codfish. Other than that, the only news from Eastman’s was the excellent trout fishing.

Late last week, brown trout and tiger trout were stocked, and fishermen had great action catching the trout on stickbaits. Browns are very aggressive, and will often go for a larger baitfish imitation more readily than a spoon.

For the rainbows, which have been stocked multiple times into most ponds, PowerBait is still the best bait and spoons and spinners are the best lures.

Bill at Sports Port echoed the great trout fishing.

Largemouth bass continue to bite well, and with the warmer water, they are moving shallower and getting more aggressive.  Fishermen casting large swimbaits have been having good success lately. The biggest bass we heard of this week was a 9-pound behemouth weighed in at Red Top.

Smallmouth are also moving shallow and biting well in the ponds that have them. Smallies favor the deep, clear ponds, the same ones that hold some of the best trout fishing. Jerkbaits worked through the middle of the water column and tube jigs dragged along the bottom are working well for the smallies.

Big pickerel are being caught on shiners and lures, and crappies, perch, and bluegills have moved into the shallows and are striking small jigs and bits of night crawlers. Small shiners or mummichaugs are a good bet for the crappies as well.

Fishing Forecast for Cape Cod

With fresh schoolies on the Vineyard, it’s a matter of days before migratory stripers move into the Cape’s salt ponds. Check out your favorite early-season striper spot with some small plugs or plastics to work on getting your first stripers of the season.

But, don’t forget that it’s prime time for freshwater. With the smallmouth moving shallow, every species of freshwater fish on the Cape is accessible from shore and feeding aggressively. Shiners under a bobber are a good bet, but walking a shoreline and casting jigs, jerkbaits, and weightless soft-plastics will provide steady action with bass and pickerel.

The ponds are loaded with trout, and the waters are still cool enough for them to be roaming the shallows. Tie on a stickbait or spoon and wander away from the boat ramps and access points to keep up with the trout as they spread out through their new homes.