Cape Cod Fishing Report - October 3, 2019

October fishing got off to a good, but windy start here on the Cape. The turn of the calendar page is a reminder that the days of saltwater fishing on Cape Cod are numbered, but some of the best fishing of the year is saved for this month.

Monomoy had great fishing this week reported Amy at Sports Port, who said more and larger stripers were feeding in the rips. The fishing was even better for the fishermen venturing out after dark with eels.

The South Side of the Cape had more reports of stripers this week. Many were in the 20- to 26-inch range, but a few larger fish were reported, including one 40-plus-pounder taken mid-day on an eel this past Tuesday, off a south-facing beach in Mashpee.

Evan at Eastman’s Sport and Tackle said the Elizabeths are yielding fish to anglers putting in the time with eels. Many are schoolies but some better fish are mixed in.

Striper fishing has been fair on Martha’s Vineyard according the report at Larry’s Tackle. In addition to the large number of schoolies, there have been a few fish in the 20-pound range coming out of the surf. Blues have been running hot and cold, though fish to 10 pounds have been taken by both surf and boat fishermen recently.

Albie fishing has been sporadic, on the Vineyard and elsewhere. The wind hasn’t helped things, keeping many boats at the dock over the past few days. While there aren’t tremendous numbers of albies around, the fish being caught have been big ones, mostly 8 pounds and larger.

Some larger bonito are being caught in the Martha’s Vineyard surf recently—large compared to the 2- to 3-pounders that inundated the Cape this summer and fall.

While there were a few albies reported from the South Side, it seems like most of the albies being caught are coming from Buzzards Bay, said Evan from Eastmans. In fact, large numbers of peanut bunker have brought albies, bonito, bluefish, and stripers into Buzzards Bay.

Want to get in on the bite? Find an OTW-approved Charter Fishing Captain for Cape Cod.

Fishing in the Canal was “solid” this week according to Jeff at Canal Bait and Tackle. The return of mackerel to the East End brought some better bass with them. Pink, yellow, and mackerel-colored plugs have ben working well.

AJ at Red Top Sporting Goods said in addition to the topwater bite, there’s been a good night bite on eels and jigs as well. AJ also said that albies continue to pop up in the Canal, but unlike the previous week or so, this week, the albies were a bit less picky about striking lures. AJ suspects the albies this week were feeding on the larger peanuts, over the micro-sized anchovies, making them easier to fool with artificials.

With things cooling off ever so slightly, the tog fishing is improving, but it’s not on fire just yet, according to the report from Maco’s Bait and Tackle. Of course, the windy weather this week didn’t help things. With scup still around, smaller bait stealers are still an issue, but they’ll be thinning out as the water cools. Look for the tog fishing to really fire up next week.

Wind and seas hampered the tuna fishing efforts this week, though boats still got out for the opening of the commercial giant season, and some very large tuna were caught.

The fall trout stocking began this week, with some beautiful rainbow trout being planted in ponds all around the Cape. Gold spoons, small jigs, stickbaits, and spinners will all work.

Largemouth and smallmouth bass are very active in the ponds as well, especially in the evenings. Topwaters work very well this time of year, especially in the ponds with herring runs. The juvenile river herring will be schooling up and preparing to head for the saltwater, and largemouths and smallmouths will be taking full advantage.

Want to get in on the bite? Find an OTW-approved Charter Fishing Captain for Cape Cod.

Fishing Forecast for Cape Cod

If you’re after stripers, you should be throwing eels. All around the Cape, from Monomoy to the South Side to the Canal, eels were the most productive bait for stripers from the schoolies to 40-plus-pounders.

If you’re after albies, head for Buzzards Bay. After coming on strong in late August, the albie fishing seems to have fizzled out around the Cape. There may be one last good wave, but from here, it feels like an early exit for our fast friends.

Blues are around, and in mixed sizes, with some large ones being reported in Cape Cod Bay and on Martha’s Vineyard. Topwater poppers will work, metals may work better, and, as the water temperature drops, cut bait may work best of all.