Cape Cod Fishing Report - July 26, 2018

While some parts of the Northeast dealt with torrential rains this week, the Cape was mostly spared, but we did see some heavy south winds that dampened the hopes of offshore fishermen looking to get back to the epic bigeye tuna bite happening in the Canyons.

While there are tuna in the canyons, school-sized bluefin tuna have remained scarce in our local waters. Giant tuna are being caught on Stellwagen and East of Chatham, but the spinning-rod friendly 40- to 60-inchers don’t appear to have moved up from New York and New Jersey just yet. But this week’s big blow could have shuffled the deck and brought some bluefin back to Cape Cod.

The Monomoy Rips continue to be the hot spot for boat fishermen reported Captain John from Fish Chatham Charters. Captain Matt from Fishy Business Sportfishing has had no reason to leave Monomoy as the fishing has been steady for a couple weeks now.

The rips are “loaded” according to Captain Mort from Fish Tale Sportfishing. Most of the fish are 30- to 32-inchers, but Mort reported the occasional 40-inch-plus fish. But the numbers have more than made up for the size. Mort reported a few 40- and 50-fish days this summer, and said that given the colder than usual water temperatures, the bite should keep going. Mort has a couple open days next week, if you’d like to get in on this fun, light-tackle fishing.

John at Eastman’s Tackle said that the stripers in Nantucket Sound may be short on size, but not on numbers.  Schoolies aplenty are feeding around the bays and beaches on the Cape Cod south side.

Larger bass are being taken in Buzzards Bay and along the Elizabeths, with live bunker being the bait of choice according to John.

Race Point, too, is holding fish, and Captain Mel True of Fish Net Charters had a good trip there this week, finding good numbers of 30-inch bass willing to strike live mackerel.

The Canal is picking back up reported Jeff at Canal Bait and Tackle. Jeff weighed in fish to 45 pounds this week, and said that Stick Shadds and soft plastics have been the preferred baits.

John at Red Top Sporting Goods added that swimming plugs like the Daiwa SP Minnow and Shimano Colt Sniper are also catching well. The Canal bass continue to feed on mackerel, with the best action happening at sun up.

Bluefish are still scarce around most of the Cape, but there were a few reports this week. Peter at Larry’s Tackle said there’s been a good bite on 10- to 13-pound blues at Wasque and East Beach on the Vineyard. John at Eastmans said some smaller blues are popping up off Popponesset, and John at Red Top reported schools of blues moving up through Buzzards Bay.

A couple bonito were reported this week at Menemsha and off Tashmoo reported John at Eastmans. He suspects there are some at the Hooter as well, but the nasty weather has kept fishermen from looking.

Bottom fishing is good, with fluke biting well on the shoals and rips and keeper sea bass lurking around some of the deeper structure reported Captain Mel of Fishnet Charters.

Fishing Forecast for Cape Cod

When the weather clears this weekend, I think we’ll start hearing more about local pelagics, like bonito at the Hooter and bluefin South of the Vineyard.

Striper fishing should remain good through the full moon on Friday night. Boat fishermen have their pick of places to go, with Race Point and Monomoy being the best bets for numbers, and the Elizabeths or Buzzards Bay looking better for size. Shore fishermen will have their best opportunities in the Canal, but if the throngs of fishermen there don’t appeal to you, scaling down your tackle and walking a Cape Cod Bay or South Side beach will provide plenty of action with school-sized fish.