Cape Cod Fishing Report- June 30, 2022

The first full week of summer lived up to its name and raised water temperatures throughout the Cape and Islands. The result: the Canal shows sparks of life, bluefish remain strong, and fluke and tuna are beginning to appear.

Warmer weather and water mean changes in fish behavior. Big striped bass will move out into deeper water to hunt higher-calorie meals. However, reports of a strengthening mackerel presence is promising for those in search of cow stripers. These increasingly popular striper snacks can be easily caught with a Sabiki rig and keep nicely in a well oxygenated livewell. The Atlantic Mackerel that occupy Cape Cod’s waters can grow up to two pounds, an unrefusable prey to a lazy, bottom-hopping bass. Live-lining mackerel can produce some monster fish and thrilling eats, it’s one of my favorite ways to meet keeper stripers.

Canal Bait and Tackle has noticed that climbing thermometers have forced the bass to feed at night. They have been entering the Canal’s east end under the cover and chill of darkness to feed. As far as what they’re eating, big, weighty paddletails like the Canal Attack Shad have been picking fish off the bottom.

East End Eddy Doherty informs us that the Cape Cod Canal’s strong current is still bringing in fish: “There are still some striped bass in the Canal, but you really have to work for them. Ian, who was helping fishermen at Red Top Sporting Goods in Buzzards Bay, reported an early morning east tide bite of bluefish, schoolies, and slots that were riding the current into Cape Cod Bay. Green mackerel and bunker-colored soft plastic jigs with paddle tails are scoring, even sometimes when rising in the current to, in effect, become a swimmer. Don “Hawkeye” Willis got into some top water action catching two slots on his 3-ounce Guppy JoBo, Jr. yellow pencil just before the morning slack tide turned west.”

Morgan of Maco’s Bait and Tackle advises soaking a chunk in the Canal, a tradition editor Jimmy Fee can never pass up. Elsewhere, Morgan has heard of a hot Cape Cod Bay striper bite. Trolling deep-diving hard baits like the Rapala X-Rap has been effective with suspended stripers in around 70 to 80 feet of water. It appears most of the black sea bass have left Buzzard’s Bay besides some straggling females. However, shallower warmer waters in the Buzzard’s Bay neighborhood have seen some keeper fluke caught. Search around 15-20 feet of water and look for water temperatures in the low 70s.

Patriot Party Boat of Falmouth states that scup and sea bass are lesser but still biting consistently. Their trips to Vineyard Sound have been taking advantage of the abundant bluefish.

Red Top Sporting Goods has been selling lots of clams, which have reportedly been fooling stripers off the beaches. But with increasingly warm water in their immediate area, the boats have been producing more consistently.

Amy of Sports Port Bait and Tackle in Hyannis says the best spot for stripers and blues recently has been Billingsgate Shoal. She remains bullish on the striper bite through more hot summer days and reassures that even when the stripers begin to move out, the bluefish bite has been consistent. For those fishing for dinner, keeper fluke and seabass have been caught in Nantucket Sound.

Cape Cod Charter Guys’ Captain Ross collected slot stripers in the Cape Cod Bay when braving the recent storm. Some of the monster fish he had been catching in previous weeks seems harder to find, but he is still hitting limits consistently. Also, he excitedly announced some tuna sightings. On yesterday morning’s charter, he came across some a surfacing dolphin pod flanked by bluefin tuna. A friend of his had better luck, landing a 102-inch bluefin.

Fishsticks Charter on Martha’s Vineyard reports: “While the bass fishing on the closer, more highly pressured spots has slowed, we’re still finding plenty of bass and bluefish by traveling a bit farther. Most of our fish have been caught by casting swimming plugs like the SP Minnow, but we also trolled some bluefish and a nice slot bass on deep diving Crystal Minnows.”

Finally, Seastriker Charters of Yarmouth cites big bluefish outside of Bass River and black sea bass escaping to Nantucket Sound and cooler water temperatures.

Want to get in on the action? Find an OTW-approved Charter Fishing Captain around Cape Cod and the Islands

Cape Cod Fishing Forecast
The stripers and blues are sticking around. With cooler temperatures, some clouds, and high winds inbound, July 4th weekend could produce some quality fishing. Waterways will likely be crowded, so etiquette and safety should be paid their due attention. After fighting for a parking spot alongside the Canal, anglers can expect bass to be on the bottom eating chunk baits and paddletails. South side bluefishing has been dependable from Buzzard’s Bay to Monomoy. Cape Cod Bay remains the hot spot for any striped bass fishermen in boats. For surfcasters, Outer Cape Beaches with cooler water have been producing bass around the 30-inch mark, especially at night. Fluke are moving into shallower and warmer waters as black sea bass exit to the cool reefs of Nantucket Sound.
Tight lines and Happy Fourth!