Cape Cod Fishing Report - June 28, 2018

Above: Emily Maisch and Katie Hackenson with two of many topwater-caught stripers while fishing with Captain Mel True on Vineyard Sound this past Tuesday.  

Despite some wind and weather late in the week, it was a great week for boat fishermen around Cape Cod. Schools of stripers are feeding on top from Vineyard Sound to Monomoy to Race Point to Billingsgate Shoals.

Cape Cod Canal and Buzzards Bay Fishing Report

The Canal was slow on Thursday morning according to the report from Red Top Sporting Goods. The limited action happening in the Canal this week has been taking place in the East End, where some fish have been moving in from Cape Cod Bay. According to the report from Maco’s Bait and Tackle, there are mackerel hanging off the East End of the Canal, with some fish below them.

Black sea bass fishing is slowing in Buzzards Bay, reported Captain Mel True. He said there are many undersized fish and a few very large fish, but the big numbers of keepers have headed out to deeper water.

South Side and Islands Fishing Report

Vineyard Sound continues to be a hotspot for stripers. The rips and shoals are loaded with stripers feeding on baby squid and small baitfish reported Captain Mel True of FishNet Charters who had a great day this week, and left the fish biting. OTW’s Anthony DeiCicchi found a mix of schoolie bass and big blues at Hedge Fence on Wednesday night, with both species smashing topwaters.

Fluke fishing is also strong at the rips according to Scott at Sports Port Bait and Tackle in Hyannis. Scott took a trio of keepers (along with a mess of shorts) at Succonesset this week. Middle Ground and Lucas Shoal are also holding fish, reported John at Eastman’s Sport and Tackle.

Lower Cape and Cape Cod Bay Fishing Report

Monomoy is still loaded with bass, reported Captain John at Fish Chatham Charters. He’s been using live bait to take fish that averaged around 35 inches this week. Farther up along the backside, fishermen are encountering more schools of stripers, with some very large ones in the mix, feeding on the surface. Fishermen reported epic action last weekend, with bass to 40 pounds taking topwaters.

Cape Cod Bay is stacked with bass reported Captain Dan of Salt Shaker Charters. Most of the fish have been fat 30- to 32-inchers, with some larger fish mixed in. Dan thinks these will be the resident fish for the summer, as they seem to have settled in around Provincetown, Billingsgate, Brewster, and Barnstable. Trolling is working just fine, but for fishermen looking to fish live bait, Dan said there are mackerel out in the deeper water. Dan said the bass are biting on both tides, and have big shoulders for 32-inch fish.

Offshore Fishing Report

Our bluefin seem to be held up around New Jersey and Long Island, where boats are catching 60- to 80-plus-inch tuna. For big game action, Steve from Chaser Offshore said the only game right now is heading to the canyons where his son, Tyler, took a pair of big yellowfin this week. There’s good water out there, Steve said, and lots of life, so fishermen capable of making the long run south should be rewarded.

Fishing Forecast for Cape Cod

The best bet for action is taking a boat to the rips, whether they be in Vineyard Sound or off Monomoy. The squid are still in and the stripers are still feasting on them.

Anglers willing to run to Race Point, or around to the back side may find big schools of big bass, but those open ocean stripers can move a lot from day to day. If all else fails, drifting a live mackerel around Race Point is usually a good bet for a bite or two.

There’s a couple more days of “breaking tides” in the Cape Cod Canal, and the fishing may yet turn on. The new moon tides started slow, also, but turned out to be pretty good.

And while the sea bass fishing is slowing, the fluke fishing is picking up. You’ll have to work a little harder to put together a limit, but the challenge and finesse required to catch fluke makes them that much more fun, at least in my opinion.