Cape Cod Fishing Report - December 7, 2017

Angler effort is way down on Cape Cod, a trend that seems likely to continue with a big chill looming in the 10-day forecast. But, less fishermen on the water means more room and more fish for the anglers who refuse to accept the off-season.

Saltwater options have grown slim. Tog are moving offshore to deeper water, and few fishermen seem interested in following them. In the Canal, some mackerel and small pollock are still being caught, but the numbers are down from last week according to the report from Red Top Sporting Goods.

Fishermen are having better success in freshwater. Trout fishing is excellent with rainbows still striking spoons, jigs, and stickbaits. Fishermen using live bait are picking off a few larger browns. The biggest reported to Red Top this week was a 21-incher. Holdover browns like that one will be cruising the shallows until water temperatures drop into the 30s and send them back to deep water.

Largemouth bass and pickerel are biting well. Suspending jerkbaits, lipless crankbaits, and paddletail swimbaits are all catching. There haven’t been many reports of smallmouth bass, but it won’t be long until the smallies group up on deep-water humps and points where fishermen can target them with blade baits and drop-shot rigs.

Eddy Stahowiak and I have been having fun targeting panfish during our lunch breaks this week, using small jigs and spinners to catch the white perch that are feeding heavily in anticipation of the coming cold.

Fishing Forecast for Cape Cod

A small metal cast into the Canal could pick up some mackerel and small Pollock, but fishermen are more likely to find success in the freshwater ponds.   Bring some live shiners or nightcrawlers for the best shot at a big brown, or walk and cast spoons to fill your limit of rainbows.