New England - Cape Cod and the Islands Fishing Reports

It was a busy weekend for Tony and the crew at Maco’s Bait & Tackle. The canal bite slowed down from last week’s highs but there are still regulars who got into spurts of a good bite on Monday and Tuesday. I personally see and hear of too many people paying more attention to their computers than actually driving to the canal and making a few casts. There are still squid in the ditch and the customers are catching them and using them for bait or food. While there was and is still some good scup fishing in Buzzards Bay there were some bigger scup caught in Vineyard Sound. Some anglers have expressed concern that the scup fishing is not as good as it once was. On the other side of the coin bass fishing in Cape Cod Bay has been and is very good all along the coast from the east end to Provincetown. Stop into the shop for the hottest canal lures and information on when and where the best bite is.

We spoke with Kaiden at Red Top Sporting Goods who said the canal slowed down but there were still some bass being taken and there are still squid in those waters. A few of the guys on the staff don’t give up when the fishing isn’t lights out and catch fish with their experience, and mastery of jigging to tease a few up. The mackerel have exited for the most part although we had a few guys say they caught a few in the east end on Saturday but nothing like when they were in thick. Cape Cod Bay is loaded with stripers from Barnstable to the Billingsgate Shoal and many of those fish are over the slot with some well over 40-inches. The tog and black sea bass bite in lower Buzzards Bay is still on but keepers are harder to come by in the warming waters and anglers are heading for the cooler waters east of the Vineyard. Bluefish were reported up near Marion but they didn’t make it to the canal yet. A few guys told us they caught some blues along the West Falmouth shore and at the entrance to Woods Hole. Those were in the four to six pound class but Kaiden said there were a few more encounters in the west end and we can only hope the blues make a good showing this season. Don’t forget the shops special weekends featuring tackle reps and pros. Check out their web page and social media pages and stop in for the deals they are offering.

A few more bonito have been caught in the rocks west of the Menemsha Jetty and we heard of a few from Lucas Shoal but still not in any numbers. Doug told us he was bass fishing from shore with fresh caught squid and caught some good sized bass, one of which was loaded with red sores but fought like heck. Many of the customers heading out from Dick’s Bait and Tackle are catching some squid and bottom fishing for stripers which is the number one game around the Island right now. Bluefish are still very scarce and there were a few more four to six pounders caught this week. The best run of blues and the arrival of albies usually takes place in the end of July.

Brother Bruce from Canal Bait & Tackle told of a slowdown from last week’s canal bite but anything after that crazy blitzkrieg would seem quiet. The Cape Cod Bay side is on fire with boats and surf anglers producing some great fishing with plugs and bait on the bottom Bruce said there was still a lot of bait in the canal and those guys fishing their jigs are still catching fish. A few of their customers reported great fishing on and around Billingsgate Shoal. Customers jigging in the east end are still catching squid and a few quality bass.

Christian from Falmouth Bait & Tackle said the fishing is improving and there was word of a few more bonito caught between Menemsha and the rips on Lucas Shoal. There are some bass being taken along the south side of the Vineyard and a few blues but the best bluefish bite so far has been at West Chop and up around Hedge Fence where some blues have moved in. there are some fluke in closer in Nantucket Sound but the bragging sized ones are still along Nantucket. His sale table has been restocked and he can provide you with details on their Bluewater fishing tourney, which has become an iconic Cape Cod offshore event every year since its inception.

Amy from the Sports Port told us about the 8.75-pound fluke she weighed in for a patron of the Helen H. The local fluke fishing a few miles offshore is producing fish but most of them are on the small side. Her customers are doing very well on stripers in the rips and from the beaches with Cotuit and Bishops and Clerks giving up some legal sea bass and jumbo scup. Dowses beach and the nearby waters have been giving up mostly short fluke along with some legal stripers and bluefish in the 4- to 6-pound class. There were also some blues caught off Osterville and Hyannis and the scup bite has been terrific with lots of dinner plate scup along with double headers of short sea bass and jumbo scup. One of her customers and a friend caught a few legal but small weakfish in and around the area of Dowses Beach and Cotuit. They are open seven days a week so stop in and check out their inventory and get a license if you need one.

We spoke with Captain Rich Antonio of Black Rose Fishing Charters who has been enjoying some excellent striper fishing in Nantucket Sound rips where slots and numerous over slots are being taken on 9-inch Slug-Go’s. His weekend charter had numerous fish to 46 inches and most of the bass have been in the 36- to 38-inch class with numerous slots. They have yet to have a white shark encounter but I believe there might be one in their future. Give him a call for details.

We spoke with Captain Phil from the Goose Hummock Shop who with his wife Jan alongside had a great time treating our Wounded Warriors to some great black sea bass action. This Week the skipper and Ian caught up with 75 stripers from 31 to 36 inches with numerous slot sized fish in the catch. If you stop into the shop and speak with Captain Phil and Ian they might confirm that this was one of the best topwater bites they have experienced and the pink surface squids they were using were deadly, but they might still sell you a few. All of Cape Cod Bay is red hot as well as the Nantucket Sound side where big schools of bass and bait are tearing up the surface from Bass River to Monomoy. One of Phil’s contacts fished Block Canyon and had numerous bluefin and four yellowfin. There are fish out there you just have to burn some fuel to get to them. Stop into their shop for tackle of all types then check out their marine store and Kayak displays. They have everything you need to get out onto the water.

The gas dock is the last place any skipper wants to be waiting in line at these days but Capt. Jason of Little Sister Charters was paying the piper for another week of very good black sea bass and striper fishing. Most of the earlier trips in the week his crews limited out. He has also run into some blues in the 4- to 6-pound class and some bonito from in the same weight class, as well. Give him a call and get in on the action.

Fishing with Capt. Carl of Westport River Outfitters has been a lot of fun for patrons who have limited out on black sea bass and a few nice slot stripers on a mid-week daytime trip under windy conditions that don’t seem to bother the former Coastie. He has also been picking up limits of sea bass, almost daily and catching a few blues and bonito as there are breaking schools in the open waters off Westport Harbor. Give him a call and get in on the action.