"With little or no sun over the last 7 days it has been cold, raw, and wet. We have been fishing only when the Captain thinks it makes sense and the customers are crazy enough to try. With the holiday weekend there were several people who wanted to try for Striped Bass that will not get another
chance as they are not from this area and do not visit often. So the challenge became can we catch fish and still have fun.

"Yes we can ! The Stripers have gone nowhere, in fact they are already cold and wet as far as
I can tell. We had some great fishing with sinking lines and squid patterns on the incoming tides this week. We found most of our activity in areas where the water temps were slightly higher (60 degrees) for the larger bass and in shallow water as the tide was high. Look for these shallow water
flats with moving water to hold large Stripers in the next week, and Bluefish should be all over Buzzards Bay as the weather warms up.

"~please let it warm up~"

"Although the severe weather of this past week forced us to cancel several trips in the name of client safety, we did manage to get some time on the water. We were greeted with dark cloudy skies, cold northeast winds, choppy seas and an occasional downpour thrown in for good measure. You know, the kind of cold rain that somehow gets under your collar and trickles down your neck causing uncontrollable chills throughout your body.

"This was not exactly what Jack Williamson, a seasoned freshwater fly fisherman from Washington D.C., had pictured back in January when he booked this charter. As this was to be Jack’s introduction into saltwater fly-fishing, he knew that he would have to make a few adjustments in his casting style. He was used to casting small flies (sizes #22-#12) on light 4-6 weight fly rods using mostly floating lines. When we spoke in January, I explained that we would be using 9 weight rods casting 10 to 11 weight full sinking fly lines. I also mentioned that we would be fishing in the peak of our herring season and that we could have a shot at some really big stripers, but it would require casting some flies that were a lot larger than he was used to. When I told him that these flies could be 6" to 12" long, tied on 5/0 to 8/0 heavy bait fishing style hooks that are weighted and sometimes even have rattles in them, I could hear him gasp on the other end of the phone. He said something like, "You got to be kidding me!"

"Between January and the week of the trip, Jack read everything that he could get his hands on regarding saltwater fly-fishing, stripers and casting big flies. He did his homework well and had a good idea what was ahead for him.

"When we finally met at the marina I could see that he was disappointed with the weather and sea conditions, but that he was excited looking at the rods that I had brought on board. As soon as we got outside of the marina, I said that it’s time to try out the rods. After a few minutes of instructions he was easily casting a 5" clouser 50-60 feet. I told him to take one more cast and then we would head out to find some fish. I was impressed with how quickly he adapted to the heavier equipment and how intent he was as he thoughtfully stripped his line into the stripping basket. Suddenly, wham -- Jack Williamson met his first striped bass. Fly line instantly raced out through the rods guides, through Jack’s fingers, out of the stripping basket and finally off the reel. The screeching reel told Jack that this was no brook trout. The smile on Jack’s said it all. I said, "Jack, welcome to Cape Cod and saltwater fly-fishing." That 27" striper that Jack carefully released, was not the largest that Jack caught that day, but it’s the one that he’ll never forget.

"Casting the big flies? Oh yes, we did have a chance to cast some large herring patterns to the side and under schools of alewives and blueback herring. Jack caught several more stripers 20" to 25" plus a 31" beauty that he hooked on a 10"" Capt. Bob’s Rattling Herring pattern."

"I had luck Saturday and Sunday morning in Falmouth off the beach. Saturday morning brought four stripers from 18" to 31" on a yellow Deceiver with a touch of red at the chin and herl on the top. Sun morning also brought four mostly in the mid 20"s. Monday was too much of a challenge with the wind blowing right in my face."

"Did real well this morning [Monday] in and around the West End of the Canal before the rain set in with four very fat 29-31" fish and a few little guys in the mix. Herring patterned Deceivers and also a sparse Ray's Fly did the trick. Weather held out and it was actually nice out there."

"As I stated last week, the spot up in The Place That Has No Name has produced some beautiful bass action most of the week. Although I have only hit it Sunday evening, Tuesday morning and Wednesday evening, the fish seem to be plenty each time down. Landed 6 bass over 30" since Sunday evening. Sunday it was a flat-ass calm stormy night, you would see the fish push water behind the fly before the take, awesome!! Lots of tinys as well. Been tossing an 8"(working on a 9" to avoid rat bass) herring fly. Sunday in 2hrs landed about 15 bass, 4 over 30", 1 about 34". Last evening one 32" fish with lots of solid mid 20"s. Saw several large bass following in smaller fish or the fly right up me. Either side of low has been good. Just have to wait till the flow returns and the bite will turn on. Landed some nice blues off West Bay jetty up to 10lbs on boga, orange topwater w/ spinner."

"Launched 06:30 saturday am, covered in rain gear to search for blues on the Cotuit flats. On the way out I artfully probed the water (read trolled) in the no wake zones for stripers and found schoolie after willing schoolie. Eventually made it out of Cotuit bay. Armed with a conventional reel and wire leaders I started the search with a ballistic missle. The strong wind was causing me to drift fast enough that I was having trouble creating a decent commotion on the surface with the plug. Tried trolling. As soon as I went over 5mph they started chasing the plug. Stopped at ten fish with the largest 31". The rain was holding off and the day was still young, so I set up in the narrows with the long wand. I had this large herring fly I was determined to catch something on. Eventually I did get a small schoolie. Afterwards I switched to a small white deciever and had much better action.
Had to quit with the fly rod after the hands were numb and I was missing strikes.

"Went out again on Sunday for a quick look for more bluefish. Wind was much stronger thus the seas were choppier and a good 3 degrees colder. Made one loop thru the area I had found blues earlier without a single hit. Went back into the shelter of the bay and harassed the schoolies. People in boats came and went fishing with little luck. About 1/2 thru the tide fish started feeding aggresively. Largest on a white bunny was 24

"Monday, while still cool started off with light winds. Headed out again to the Cotuit flats. Plenty of blues but they were not hitting well. Eventually found a drift that would produce some action on a consistent basis. Water temp was reading 57. Typical surface plugs produced strikes and follows, ie bounders, rangers, ballistic missles. So early in the season I was reluctant to donate some of my newly made squid flies to tempt bluesfish."

"We fished that same area and down around Oregon beach on Friday afternoon and found plenty of Bluefish action to 12# on bogagrip. Most hit sliders or deceivers fished just under the surface. Fish seemed to be in small pods in about 6' of water and finning on the surface It was find a slick, look for the fins, cast and fast retrieve. Same wind/weather conditions you described for Monday. Plenty of small schoolie bass inside."

"Can you believe this weather???  I guess we're skipping Spring and going right into Summer.
 
"Even though the big holiday weekend was a washout, there must have been some people out fishing.  Dick's Bait and Tackle, owned and run by Steve Morris, had its annual Memorial Day Weekend Tournament, and despite the inclement and blustery weather, there were plenty of fished weighed in.  Top shore and boat bass were in the low 30 lb. range and shore and boat blues came in just over seven pounds each.  Shore fishing still outpaces the boat fishing, which as we all know, will change as soon as the water warms up.  Top water fishing is improving, as the twenty pound bass taken at Wasque on a Ballistic Missile this past weekend would indicate.  Middle Ground, as well as some of the other lesser known rips in the Sound, are finally producing some action on the surface, which should only improve in the coming weeks.  Wasque is still fairly quiet, but the squid boats are just off Cape Poge, which should mean that it will turn on shortly.  Beach fisherman, from Wasque to South Beach, brave enough to fight the weed and easterly winds have been getting rewarded with nice stripers, albeit mostly on bait." 

"All the fish on the Vineyard have been running the South Shore ie, Wasque, East Beach, Squibnocket, Long Point, etc. Once we get a couple of sunny days with warm SW winds, things may change. The boat guys have been doing well in Vineyard Sound. Middle Ground on the fall is productive."

"The fish showed up considerably better than they have all season over the long weekend, although they have slowed down a bit over the past few days. A fair numbers of bass have been apprehended along the south shore with the center of activity in Miacomet as far east to Surfside and west to Cisco.One guy reports cathcing a bunh on poppers on Monday evening between and 6 pm, on spinning tackle..

"There's some bluefish along the northshore, and they were caught last night around the 40th pole. The charter captains are taking some blues off of Step Beach to the west of the harbor and I spoke to a ayoung man who hasn't done much flyfishng, but he caught a number of bluefish with some borrowed gear from a flats boat up inside of the harbor.

"One intrepid salmon fisherman, Peter Howell, a retired banker from New York, caught a nice keeper at Eel Point while practicing his spey casting. He caught it on a blue herring clouser pattern tied by Mr. Waters."

"There's lots and lots of fish around now but some people are finding it hard to get them to bite. There have beem some nice fish taken off of Miacomet and the harbor is also starting to heat up with the west end fishing pretty good as well."

"Here's some info on Morris Island, Stage Harbor and the Bathtub.

"I fished entire length of Morris Island and the entrance to Stage Harbor for four hours Sunday morning and another four in the early evening. Sinking line was the key here on this stormy weekend. The use of an intermediate line would yield 1 hookup compared to 10 for a full-sink line.

"Most Stripers were in the 12 - 20 inch range with a few 30 inch fish mixed in. A nice surprise was a massive mixed school of Stripers and Shad in Stage Harbor. At least 2 solid hours of either fish. You knew you had a Shad when it jumped, sometimes into the striping basket. Some Shad (New England Tarpon) were up to 18 inches.

"Sunday morning in the Bathtub was slow. The seals were getting most of what looked like Herring on the surface. A cold building wind in the morning forced most long-rodders off the beaches.

"All told, a few rain drops and some wind put down some fisherpersons, but not the fish. A good case of Striper thumb was experienced by all."

"Water temps dropped big time. Quite chilly on Monday am and not much action at all. Its funny when you catch a shad that was bigger than the bass!!

"Went up and fished Pleasant Bay for outgoing (across from str. island) and action was bad again. Talked with alot of fisherman who were real disapointed with the weekend.. Felt like snow out there yesterday...."

"Hit a bunch of places in Orleans and Eastham over the weekend. Sunken Meadow early am two days produced nothing. Nauset Light beach one night - nothing!

"Finally, Memorial Day am fished the Bay in Orleans and got three fish. One keeper at 29", two schoolies 22" and 24".

"The keeper was as fat as a football - when I cleaned him about 10 small crabs fell out of his belly about the size of a sand dollar. I know which flies to try now. Unfortunately, I got all of these fish on sand eels - the weather was not cooperating for flyrodders. Not a bad way to end my weekend."

"Tried upper Pleasant Bay in a couple of spots early AM and nearly got blown off the water by wind and rain. Moved to Morris Island where it was more wind-sheltered and picked up a few micros to 18 inches, plus pulled a 30-incher out of some grass beds. Best action seemed to be at dead high, although still slow by my standards.

"I caught the schoolies on a chart-white half n half fly and a seafoam colored netter's lance (essentially a 6 inch sluggo). The 30 incher on a 4 inch white wild-eye shad. Never tried black eels there, but sand eels are killer.

"Anyone seen Lighthouse Beach lately? I barely recognized it. There is now a prominent island in the middle of Chatham break, a much bigger point sticking out just off the stairs, and a whole series of bowls, points, and rips off to the right. Best structure I've seen here in quite a while. Dying to fish it."

"Normally I wouldn't put the exact location of where I fished on a report, but hey, why not? Fishing/Weather is terrible anyways. Worked last half of outgoing at the mouth. Stiff Northwest winds blowing everything in close. That's everything but Stripers. Terns working the whole mouth, bait everywhere(couldn't identify, water to dirty), but no fish to be found.

"When I got there, 6 spin-guys were packing up, only 1 micro fish came in from all those lines. I had one small school of fish blow through breaking, but didn't hookup. Not that it really matters because they were like 16 inch fish anyways.

"Was going to fish the incoming but then blew out of there completely annoyed. Couldn't even wade the front, bay surf looked like Nauset beach.

"Saved my day beating on some rainbows at a local pond. I'm not going Striper fishing AGAIN, until I can hit the FLATS....This time last year I was sight-fishing to 13 lb blues, and 34 inch Stripers in 2 feet of water off S.E Cape. This year, I can't even get out there. To striper fish on Memorial day weekend, I have to drift flies in some estuary to 16 inch fish racing to get out to sea? What?

"Yes, I'm annoyed with weather. We wait all year for this crap...Are you kidding me mother nature??? Looks like the early-season non-crowded amazing flats fishing won't be happening this year...."

Cheer up, good days are ahead. I hope.

"I've been out on the beach east of Scorton Creek during both of the last two nights and can report that the fish are there, just not in great size or numbers. I caught three over the course of only a half-hour during the incoming tide around 7:30 pm both nights--the largest about 20 inches. Still haven't hooked a fish I couldn't strip in, however. By the way, that incoming, late-evening tide works well pretty much all the time along the beaches I roam in Sandwich. I also can report that on Tuesday night there were a swarm of birds working an area just outside and east of the mouth of Scorton Creek. I could see it and checked it out with binoculars, but I didn't have enough time to walk down and fish it and simply hoped the fish would work their way east toward me. They didn't in the short time I was there, but, as I say, I caught fish anyway. The only other thing I can add is that there is not surface action that I've seen, even Tuesday night when the water was nearly flat-calm.

"This might only be worth a report because the fish have been so scarce off Sandwich this spring and some of us had started to wonder if they would ever show up. I still haven't caught a fish in or near Scorton Creek itself."

"The bait crowd is still pulling a few stripers out near Sandy Neck....but it takes a lot of waiting around that I personally don't have the patience for. After striking out at the east end of the canal and scusset beach last Saturday I've been fishing the south side near poppy and the weweantic in Wareham with better results. Geez hopefully things will change soon"