Cape Cod and the Islands
Region

July 20, 2006

Buzzards Bay

Capt. Bob Paccia of Shore-line Guide Service reports:

Schoolies and bluefish continue to be plentiful in the shallows to accommodate fly fishing and light tackle anglers throughout the daytime hours. If you're looking for some great top water action using poppers or sliders, just get yourself on the water whenever you can. However, if you're setting your sights on targeting big stripers, you'll have to set your alarms to get you there during the lowlight or dark hours.

Because of the seemingly endless stretch of tropical weather that we've experienced, our Buzzard's Bay surface water temperatures have risen to 65 – 74 degrees depending on the tides and location. We don't normally see those high temperatures 'till mid-August. The rapid rise in water temperatures has slowed some of our local fishing activity. However, those in the know are still having decent success simply by adapting to the conditions. They understand that the larger stripers are temperature sensitive fish. When water temperatures get too high, big fish will head for relief in deeper waters. Generally, they will only return to the shallows during the cooler hours of darkness, between sundown and daybreak. Those are the hours that you want to concentrate on, if at all possible.

We have been having some great success using 10" to 18" weighted American eel fly patterns tied on large-gapped keel hooks, which allow these flies to ride hook-point up. This simple tying method makes it possible to get these weighted flies down deep quickly and enables you to bounce them off the bottom without getting them hung-up. The tying material hides the hook point, which makes them weedless as well.

Although most anglers' associate fishing with eels and eel fly patterns as a nighttime endeavor, we do very well using these flies during the daylight hours, especially when we fish the deep holes and drop-offs. Big stripers cannot resist an eel lunch, whether it's night or day.

Tight lines, but not too tight,
Capt. Bob

Joe LeClair of North Eastern Anglers reports:

This past week I have been forced to learn how to fish new places due to all of the boats on the water and the increase of Comercial Fisherman in many of the spots that I have called on for many years. I have enjoyed learning some new fishing holes and have landed some beautiful Striped Bass with my clients in the past week. Over the weekend we had some great tides and found large schools of bass between 15-40 lbs. finning on the surface under the right circumstances. It was a treat to see Geoff Bennett from South Carolina land a 31 lb. bass on a nine weight fly rod with an intermedite tip fly line, after we both saw the fish he made a beautiful cast to it and we watched as it took the fly. Great Stuff !!!

The offshore fishing for tuna has been difficult for the fly anglers but that has not kept us from trying. We have located more than our share of Bonito and Blues offshore this past week, but that is not what we bring the 14/15 weight fly rods for. While there have been several areas that are holding Bluefin that can be caught on the troll the fly fishing has not been easy.

Captain Joe LeClair
North Eastern Anglers

Martha's Vineyard

Steve Purcell at Larry's tackle reports that fish are being caught at dogfish bar of late…finally. The fishing had picked up dramatically there a week or two ago when a bloom of krill filled the area with tiny shrimp, and schools of sipping stripers like the ones Capt. Jeff Sayre caught there last week. Now the krill have moved out, so there are fewer fish, but they're definitely still there and eating flies in low light conditions.

Though they had been pretty slow of late, some of the ponds have been getting better recently. Steve suggested Menemsha pond, or Sengekontacket, especially at night when the water is moving fast. There are many schoolies there, but some bigger fish too.

Bonito have been popping around and a couple got caught by boat anglers in the last week. In terms of locations, some were caught at State Beach, and some at the Hooter off the east side. The Hooter had a bunch of juvenile butterfish show up, which made for some good fishing, and four miles further offshore, Steve reports scads and scads of mahi mahi milling about. He found some tiny floating debris, and cast every fly and lure he had in the boat with no success. Steve reported that at times, dozens, even a hundred dolphin would follow to the boat, but would never eat!

Finally, for shore-bound anglers, both the Big bridge and the Little bridge have good fishing on the inside. Also the Gut has had a mix of bass and blue -- mostly blues, but no bonito as of yet.

Nantucket

Lynne Heyer of Cross Rip Outfitters reports:

On another subject worthy of noting the Bonito Bar is starting to pick up. Capt. Bill Toelstedt landed 3 Bonito yesterday on the bar. Hopefully this means they are getting more consistent. I also got report from the flats that Capt. Pete Sheppard's client yesterday found and caught a few nice Stripers. Capt. Jeff reported that his client Charles Rosen went 1 for 3 (Stripers) on the flats yesterday. Glad to hear he had three fish on somehow they didn't stay on the hook. That's fishing. I am also getting reports that there are some Bluefins and hungry Sharks offshore not to far from the Island. Bluefish are also coving us up all over the Island. They are really a lot of fun on light tackle/fly and they are a great crowd pleaser.

Thursday, July 20th this Thursday don't forget to stop by the shop (4-7pm) and visit with author, Bob Rich and have him sign his new book, The Fishing Club for you. We hope that our customers here on the Island will drop by.

Chatham, Monomoy and the Outer Beaches

Tom George of Fish Pier Charters reports:

Fishing has been solid, down Bearses yesterday and today - better today, I have seen all the varieties of presentation I can near imagine, certainly the fish are hungry, it is just a matter of boat management and general positioning that is getting more or less fish in the boat at this point. But I know the squids are in the rips surely.

Capt. Tom

Randy Jones - http://www.yankeeangler.com - Fishing Reports of Yankee Angler reports:

Same ol same hole, even some tailers. Went to another area all together as I was getting to know all those other fish on a first name basis. Yes, all 800 of them. Liked the change of scenery too. Before we even stepped into the water to start our wade day of fishing both sight and blind we had birds crashing bait, bait spraying, light cool breeze a blow'n across the flat…Caribbean style turquoise water, fish hammering the surface. Ye-haa! The hits came one after the other, too easy, we would have done a lot better had there not been a LOT of grass fouling most of our retrieves. Did some sight fishing, had a number of good quality shots at some very good sized quality fish. Presentation was the tuff part (very normal) which is very common with everyone I take out because most of us don't do this type of fishing on a regular basis. 50 feet going left 12 o'clock turned into 100 feet 2 O'clock. 30 feet 11 O'clock turned into 2 feet 4 o'clock.… This type of presentational concern has been happening a lot lately. Actually, it happens everyday we sight fish and again is very common. As the day progresses, our accuracy normally gets better.

North Side

Curt Jessup of Capt. Curt Jessup reports:

This past week we have been making up some charters killed by weather earlier in the summer. I know everyone has Bluefin fever and I can't blame them, but the flats are still producing great fish for those who prefer the visual take of large bass. We've been fishing the last few hours of falling tide and the first 2- 3 hours of incoming tide and have seen and landed some great fish. After changing over to a knotless tapered leader, our hookup ratio improved substantially. I have an aversion to knotless tapered leaders just because I like to tie my own and trust what has worked for me for years. I find hand tied leaders tapering down to 10 or 12 lb test flouro turn flies over better and make for fewer wind knots for my clients. But, when conditions call for it I am not adverse to a knotless leader. After a few refusals, we changed over to a 12 lb knotless tapered leader and our problems were solved. Immediately we got three quick hookups and life was good again.

We also put the sinking line aside and threw a clear intermediate which I believe also helped our catch ratio. It's all in the strip. Many of us like to rush the strip and yank on the fly line as soon as the fly hits the water. We found a more subtle strip worked better and if we let the fly drop within the field of view (about 6-10 feet) and strip slow, long and steady to create a fluid movement, we connected more often. If the fish stopped, we stopped the strip. If the fish moved forward, we started stripping. Many times fish would take the fly on the stop. If your fly disappears from view or you see the white from the gill plate covers flare, strip strike quick! Don't raise the rod until you stick the hook and know the fish has the fly.

When fishing crab flies, it is imperative to get the fly well in front of a moving fish and let it drop to the bottom. When you think the fish can see or sense the fly, twitch it, don't race it across the bottom. If the fish stops--STOP stripping. The fishes natural instincts should take over and he will suck it up. We are still having great hits with Skok's mushmouth pictured below as well as the classic permit crab pattern. I am a "mushmouth convert" and am now using them for anything that swims in the Northeast from stripers to bluefin tuna.

With this decent weather pattern ahead, I hope most of you can get outside and enjoy this time of year. Nothing like hopping up on the poling platform in 80 degree weather and feeling the Southwest breeze cool you off as you watch one of your clients make a tough cast into the wind, strip strike and hook into a 30 plus inch striped bass. If i can't fish personally, I can fish through my clients and there is nothing more rewarding than working together and helping someone land the fish of a lifetime. Catch 'em up!!!!

My best,
Capt. Curt Jessup
capecodoutfitters@adelphia.net
508-400-5627

Jeff Smith of Finaddiction Charters reports:

Finding bass has been tougher this week with the start of the commercial season and overly warm surface temps...We worked hard but put some quality fish in the boat with the fly rod. Pictured here are Chris and Glenn from Long Island, NY with a couple of fly rod bass on 7/18.