New England - Cape Cod and the Islands Fishing Reports

The first keeper of the year on his trips was claimed by one of the patrons of Capt. Sebastian of Fish Linked Charters on Saturday morning on a Storm shad as a school of breaking bass interrupted their tautog fishing not far from their bait shop. They had already boxed an 18.5-inch tog in the boat and quite a few throwbacks had been released. He is offering combo tog and striper trips, and, in a few days, he will have those big scup feeding in the same holes. Give him a call for details,

Our friend Tony from Maco’s Bait & Tackle said that despite less than desirable water temperatures the tog bite has begun to hit its stride in the west end and around the Maritime Academy. His friend Nate took a limit of three tog and released another few sub legal fish all on green crabs. There are schoolies in all the rivers and even photos of slots in all the same west end rivers and around the inside of the canal. Many of their customers are cashing in on a great freshwater bite with big largemouth and smallies on the beds. Shiners have been a good bet for those bigger fish. The shop has a few new boats on display and a selection of great live and frozen baits.

There were herring in the canal run according to AJ at Red Top Sporting Goods who confirmed that there were schoolies in the west end and in the Wareham and Weweantic Rivers. While most of those fish were schoolies there were a few slots and at least one over slot. The water is still very cold with Woods Hole temperatures at 49-degrees and sunshine is needed to get that up to the magic 50-degree mark. By this weekend there will be slots in the canal and hungrier tog in the west end. The freshwater fishing has been great with a 7-pound, 15oz largemouth bass weighed in for Mass State Pin status along with a 4-pound rainbow trout. The shop carries everything you will need for the canal.

Doug said there were more schoolies taken this week but not the numbers that were expected since the first bass was caught well over a week ago. There were people out looking for squid but nothing so far from customers of Dick’s Bait and Tackle. The trout stocking that was cancelled due to rough weather will take place sometime this week. An angler was returning to Tashmoo Harbor to find a fish on top swimming in circles. He netted it and took a photo asking for an ID. The fish turned out to be a northern weakfish or sea trout that may have arrived a bit too early for these cold temperatures. The shop is now open on a regular schedule and Steve and Doug would be happy to measure you up for one of their custom rods.

Jeff from Canal Bait & Tackle said the bass have arrived in decent numbers with schoolies being reported in the west end and the Wareham and Weweantic rivers. The boats working the west end rockpiles are taking good numbers of legal tog. With herring in the canal run and a week of sunshine predicted it appears that slot fish and larger specimens will be in the ditch by next week. They also have a complete line of freshwater tackle and baits to accommodate those who are taking advantage of a great largemouth bass and trout bite.

Jack from Falmouth Bait & Tackle said the schoolies have arrived in decent numbers and by mid-week they should be well distributed all along the south shore. Although they are looking for squid very few have been found in their area although there are good numbers of squid being reported and seen in photos from the Rhode Island area. The freshwater bite has been keeping regulars busy with largemouth, trout and big pickerel being taken. Stop in and ask about their deals on setting up a complete tuna outfit.

Capt. Skip Bandini of Fish Bandit Charters said he was waiting for the dredge to be moved so he could get out of the marina and out to the tog grounds. With weeks of cold rain and wind he was in no hurry to take customers out for a cold boat ride. He said one of the best charter skippers on the Cape made a trip for tog and only caught shorts. The water needs to warm up and Skip was looking forward to getting out this week.

The schoolies have arrived and Chris from the Sports Port said that put a smile on the face of many of their customers. The fish have been fresh run and shining when they hit the sound side beaches and harbors there was a run on a wide range of lures. There was quite a scene at Dowses Beach on Wednesday when seals got into pogies west of Hyannis and bait fish were flying all over the place. The tog bite has slowly improved with enough keepers to satisfy those who braved the cold conditions. There were even rumors of a bluefish caught on the south side but the earliest I have ever caught blues in that area was the first week of May many years ago and that was off Popponesset. The freshwater bite has been great with largemouth knocking surface baits and eating shiners along with big pickerel testing drags and leaders.

Capt. Seamus Muldoon of Jailbreak Charters is ready for the season and if you would like to put a party together to fish for black sea bass, squid or stripers give him a call. Cod fishing is also an option. Give him a call and get aboard the big Duffy.

The cold weather has not deterred the kayak crowd from Goose Hummock Shop from getting out to fish local and distant waters. Ian put his yak on the Jeep and hit the west end of the canal for schoolies while other customers cashed in on some early season tog in the same area. The freshwater fishing has been excellent all over the Cape with big smallies now on the nests and largemouth hitting all form of artificial baits. Customers are rigging up for what they hope will be an early tuna season and Danny has the tuna lures, rods and reels along with the experience get you rigged up correctly. Danny was unloading another shipment of kayaks when we were speaking to his friend Ian. Stop in for just about anything you need for fishing and boating.

Even though the water temperatures have not moved much higher since he arrived, Capt. Jason of Little Sister Charters is finding tog as well as cod on most of his favorite grounds. He has a few more days before he moves his operation to the lower Cape where he begins fishing for Cape Cod winter flounder. Give him a call to book a charter or to get on his mailing list and obtain a spot on his open boat trips where you share the day and make new friends.

Capt. John of Grey Dolphin Sportfishing will be hitting the hot spots for flounder when he begins his first charter trips of the season but when the weather looks good, he will get out to do some preseason fishing in some of his favorite spots to be ready for his season openers. Give him a call for details and information as well as his schedule for late spring and early summer trips.