New England - Cape Cod and the Islands Fishing Reports

Tony at Maco’s Bait & Tackle said the canal fishing was still producing but it was a classic grinding with ten guys catching five fish. He made a couple of cod trips off Plymouth with a friend hunting for an elusive 23-inch cod. They actually filled their one fish cod limit and caught several 21- and 15-inch cod. Tony also caught a 2-pound, one ounce cunner (choggie) which is a sweet eating species I used to save for an elderly lady who made fish chowder with the big ones. They sold a gazillion green crabs over the past several days as there has been a good tog bite in the canal and around the Buzzards Bay rockpiles. The freshwater fishing has been producing good numbers of trout and both species of bass and pickerel.

The overall action has been good according to AJ at Red Top Sporting Goods who said the canal has been giving up some bass, mostly schoolies and an occasional slot along with numerous small bonito in the 12-inch class that are primarily below the legal minimum size. There was also a sporadic squid bite in numerous places. The shore fishing in rivers and creeks such as Scorton and Sandy Neck also gave up fish for people plugging and fishing bait on the bottom. Freshwater fishing always picks up at this time of year as many anglers transition from fresh to salt because of weather of the action of trout, bass and panfish. There are still bass moving down from Plymouth and the season is far from over.

Fresh from wiping the scales of a 6-pound bonito he had just landed from the Oak Bluffs fishing pier I spoke with Steve from Dick’s Bait and Tackle who said he and his right hand man Doug had caught a few the day before at the same location. Not all of the fish are showing but his favorite bone and albie lure is the Yo-Zuri Mag Speed in color HDW which is for double white although Steve would love to get some in Electric chicken which is a deadly color in their other Yo-Zuri lure offerings. Perhaps our editor could drop a note to Chris Bishop, sales VP about just such a possibility. Steve is selling loads of green crabs as the tautog bite has been good and lasted up until Thanksgiving last year.

The canal is still producing action according to Jeff from Canal Bait & Tackle who said there are lots of schoolies and mackerel in the east end along with very small bonito that are eating just about anything small and silver. There are fish in all the harbors and one reader said that Barnstable Harbor and Scorton were giving up small bass. The tog bite inside the canal and west end rockpiles is still a good bet and some reports from Boston indicate there are still some big fish up that way. On a November trip home from cod fishing Captain Roger Jarvis and I ran into stripers in the 15-pound fish off the Gurnet and cashed in by feeding them the diamond jigs we were using for the cod.

Jeremy from Falmouth Bait & Tackle said the tog bite was still pretty good but the wind was keeping boats out of most of the action. Some schoolies are being taken in the Sound-side rivers while other customers are going to the East End of the canal and taking schoolies, small bones and some mackerel.

We spoke with Chris from the Sports Port who told us they were selling green crabs for tog and lots of freshwater baits and tackle for the freshwater crowd. With the trout ponds stocked and windy conditions hampering boat owners, people looking for action are heading for the ponds. Stop in for information and gear from a knowledgeable staff in a shop that is open seven days a week.

Capt. Rich Antonio from Black Rose Fishing Charters, who specializes in all types of bottom fishing knows where the action is and ready to take you there. Give him a call and tell him what you are interested in.

Ian at the Goose Hummock Shop has been on the Rhode as in Rhode Island fishing from the state line to Napatree Point. He found lots of bait in most location but only took a few schoolies in a few areas. There are stripers, mostly on the small side along the Cape Cod Bay side but there has not been much foot traffic working those areas. Those that were working the beaches were finding lots of halfbeaks in the wash. Break out the needlefish plugs. He is transitioning back to freshwater and some big browns inside of Nickerson State Park and a few other locations he fishes at dusk and dawn.

Capt. Jason of Little Sister Charters said the winds have been a bit testy but he manages to get out to deeper water earlier in the morning then into the calmer shallows to finish the trip while he fillets the limit catches. He has several end of season openings which could put some fillets in your bag and end your season on a high note. Call him for a spot on one of his open boat trips.

We spoke with Capt. Carl with Westport River Outfitters said he has a former charter captain out this week who broke his personal tog record. The north shore skipper had a best tog of 20-inches and he caught a 22-inch plus quite a few other legal size tog this week. He has been doing well on the tog and managing to catch numerous tog over the 18 inch mark. The skipper trailers his boat to numerous locations where the fish are so give him a call for details.