Cape Cod and the Islands
Region

July 27, 2007

Buzzards Bay

The water's warm so the bass have slowed down. Blues are still active.  You can figure that the funny fish will be showing up either this week or next week.

Falmouth & the Elizabeths

No reports this week, but we can definitely expect to see the rumored bonito around the Elizabeths, and probably working their way into Falmouth/Woods Hole this week. 

The Cape Cod Canal

BobG reports from the Ditch:

Back in the day, a night like this wouldn't even rate an honorable mention. But, after four consecutive skunkings, these are heady times.I finally caught a bass, actually...two. Both identical 35" fish (kept 1, released 1).

Now before everyone gases up the station wagon and heads east, I need to mention, those were the only two hits I had in a 4 hour outing. The canal was a dead as I've ever seen it for July. Take away the sultry air of late July, and it would be difficult to distiguish last night from any night in mid winter. Not single person fishing anywhere, virtually nobody roller blading, walking of bicycling. Not a speck of bait to be seen, nor a crab or a lobster.

Gee....I may have caught the last two living things in the place.

The South Side

Gaddus had this report on the Forum:

Horsehoe Shoals Blues & Bonito

Left Hyannis Harbor about 8:30am with 2 very eager 11 year olds in search of blues. Hit eastern tip of horshoe shoals by 9:15am. Trolled plugs for about 5 minutes and starting hooking up with 2-5 lb rat blues. Non-stop action till 11:00am when something that stripping 100 yards of line in what seemed to be 5 seconds hit the plug. Five minutes later got the first ever Bonito to the boat. Probably 28-30 inches long, wanted to release him quickly, a few pix's and off he went. After casting some more I could see the Bonito racing for the plugs. Left them biting.

Martha's Vineyard

Capt. W. Brice Contessa of www.fishingthevineyard.com reports:

Fishing the Vineyard Report 7/26/07

The summer pattern has emerged in Vineyard waters. Bluefishing is strong at the moment, with fish in the 5 to 10 pound range available in awsome numbers in the shoals off the East end of the island. The blues are also present inshore, with clouds of sandeels being the primary forage alond the Vineyard beaches.

Bonito are begining to show around the Vineyard, with peridoic catches occuring to the South and East of the island. The bones are not yet particulary targetable inshore, although they have been caught close to the beach on both sides of the island in the past week. It shouldn't be long before bonito fever sets in around these parts, hopefully everyone will be
on their best behavior this year.

Bass fishing has slowed a bit in the past weeks, with the commercial fleet cleaning the fish out of many of the areas that were so consistant for us
this spring. It's unfortunate, but it's the reality at the present time. There are still a great deal of bass feeding on krill on the North and West sides of the island. Krilling fish are tricky to catch, but persistance and presentation seem to pay dividends in the end. Flats fishing is also still an option for catching bass on fly and light tackle, with most of the
islands shorline flats still holding. The fish are a bit more difficult at this point, as warmer temps and almost 2 months of looking at flies seem to cause them to get a bit of lockjaw. The best flies on the flats at this point are Jiggys and tan crab flies.

There aren't many tuna fish with in striking distance of the island at this point, but it shouldn't be long now; August generally seems to be the prime month for small boat tuna fishing out of the Vineyard anyway.

Capt. W. Brice Contessa
www.fishingthevineyard.com

Nantucket

Cross Rip Outfitters reports:

Great Point is now re-open all most all the way to the Point. I think the tip might be fenced but not much of it. I am getting pretty goods reports from up that way too. Loads of Blues and the possibility of a Bonito hook up by Guide Dave Stetson yesterday. Also got a report that Capt. Bill landed a Bonito in the rip up there a few days back. The Bonito Bar is starting to awaken. There is bait and there have been a few Bones caught on the bar but I wouldn’t say it’s red hot by any means. Capt Jeff has landed a few. But I have not. Maybe tomorrow. The beach fishing on the South Shore at night is still producing Stripers at night and Blues during the day. Get out and try your luc

Cross Rip Outfitters
http://www.crossrip.com

Chatham, Monomoy and the Outer Beaches

Randy Jones of Yankee Angler reports:

Hello everyone,
I managed a day out on the flats wading while sight fishing by myself recently and as soon as my feet touched the water I saw my first 10lb'r, 50 feet, moving left. I was surprised at the large number of bass I was seeing consistently over the sand during this part of the tide after my last trip recently to this exact same area, but at a different part of the tide. I guess you never know!
It was 1 hour before the low and the sand was teaming with bass in the schoolie to 20 lb. size. They stayed on the sand all the way through the low and until I left on the com'n tide. (I left the flats prematurely due to the heavy fog bank I could see miles away closing in on me fast. (Tip) - All of the birds were facing into the wind. And it just so happened that the correct direction for me to travel back to safety was straight onto the wind. So all I did from time to time was look at what direction the birds were facing in the heavy fog and just followed their beak direction Some fish were lazily moving about while others were actively feeding on the surface creating boils, (tip) - flashing from time to time while feeding, which helped me to zero in on them and see them. Singles up to school's of 10. The snapper Blues were a stones throw away crashing bait on the surface over the hole. After I happily gave the Blues a couple of my flies I went back to sight fishing.
Bluebird sky, light sea breeze and not another person in sight? (Except for the native girls that surrounded me in only grass skirts doing the hula dance serving me pina colada's I had to pinch myself. Dont get much but'a!

You all well be very happy to hear that these flats were LOADED with millions of Sand lances all schooled up! ye-haa! (Approx. 1-1/2 inch's long) Thats one of the major reason's for all of these fish. **Now, add in the fact that close by (what I call them) was a flats river or creek. On both the dropping and com'n tide the water is compressed and or concentrated through these flats rivers with holes in them for the fish to use as prime lye's. (This is "exactly" like a fresh water river or creek that you fish for Bass, Trout, Steelhead or any other species of fish) Sometimes the current moves sooo fast that it can actually knock you off your feet. With enouph current that is being compressed that puts the bait at a major disadvantage and larger predator fish, its about as good of a habitat scenario that you could ask for being a proficient hunter.
-
If you remember this "equation" then you will always be catching fish as long as there are:

1. No predator's
2. The water is not to warm or cold.
3. There is food.

If you stop and think about it, these fish are just like us. We need the same thing's as they do to live. The fish have to be proficient hunters (use the least amount of energy to get their food) or they would surely die, as we would. That's why moving water is like a feeding light switch to them.
Current + Structure from below or side = a compressed or concentrated water flow. (Ever heard of a rip?)
Bait + current = fish. Rarely will this equation not work.

The rest of the flats Im sure were looking about the same as this one. (Look for the flats - beaches up in the northern part of the Cape to start to load up with Peanut Bunker. (Tip) If I dont have a P.B. fly handy, then I will cut a small to medium sized deceiver in half. Works like a charm!
I stood in one spot and let them come to me. This tech. is the best, most productive way to flats fish. You decrease the amount of noise you can accidentally make if moving about. I also moved sloooowly around while sight fishing which also worked. (Tip) You know what they say, if your walking a flat while sight fishing you are walking to fast. When walking on a flat while sight fishing you should not be making any type of splashing noise with your legs moving through the water. You normally are creeping along, almost not even moving when sight fishing.

Ippei was intrested in learning how to fly cast. He was visiting from the other coast here on buisness. He had a vast background of fishing off shore for all of the larger spiesies off the southern Californis coast line. 1-2, up to 10 day trips.
We started off with a floating line (no leader or fly) and in an area that was blocking that 20 knot and above wind. The wind kept us inshore. Within 2 hours he was casting a 3 foot loop (critical and in my opionion rarely taught to new fly anglers, by fly casting instructors?) and throwing it 70 feet consistantly. It was now time for the real deal. We went to a spot where the wind was not to much of a bother with a few fish around. Within his first 5 cast's he had a couple fish under his belt. Pheeew! Then we began to struggle a lil with casting accross the wind, useing a clear intermediate line, (hard to see), adding a leader and fly to his rig. This normally changes the easyness of casting when you are new. We still mangaed to catch a few more fish while continueing our instruction. He even learned how to present the fly on his back cast. We never let Mother nature control us or tell us where we can or can not fish. (Within reason He had the casting, retrieve down pat, but as usual, his casting needed a lil tweaking (repetitional instruction) from time to time which is very normal with a first timer. All in all we accomplished all of his goals and more and Im hopeful he will stick with it.

GreenPondEd reports:

Good weather, birds, whales, bait... no joy.

Headed out of Ryder's Cove yesterday morning, 5:30am with R-T member Kevin, who was on vacation with his family, and Hunter, my dog. It was about half tide, so we decided to pass by exiting the new cut (got stuck there in the fog last Tuesday. Underestimated how low the tide was and quickly got confused in the pea soup. Kevin and I had to get out and push my 21' cc to refloat it.  ) and headed out the original break. Passed the comms on the way out, heading East. Nothing doing at CL where I had seen tuna recently, continued south and east of there, finding lots of birds, and more whales than I had yet seen (this is my first season off Chatham), pilots and humpbacks. First time I have seen bubble feeding. Very cool. Tons of bait on the fish finder, seas much calmer than the 2-4 that had been predicted.

Another cc and I arrived in the area at the same time, joined later by about a half dozen boats, all trolling around the whales and through the birds. Fished the area until late morning. No signs of tuna! We had no crashes, didn't see any other boats hook up. Decided to go to plan B, bass fishing. Put the squid bar and daisy chains away, headed back inshore. As we were crossing CL, we stopped to cast at a few birds, hoping to pick up a bluefish, just to break the skunk. Suddenly from the bow, Kevin spots a tuna splash! We had put the squid bars away! Saw 2 more splashes. We hurried to re-rig, trolled in the direction of the splashes. No joy! Just one hungry chopper, trying to shred my bar.  Hunter kissed the blue good-bye and we were off!

Headed off to Bearse Shoal, hoping to put a striper in the box. Hadn't fished this in about 3 years. Unfortunately we got there at slack high tide. Trolled around, hoping to find a stray hookup, no joy. Finally the rips started to form, but no one told the fish. We were not marking fish or bait. Seemed like a desert.

Followed the shore back to the new cut, hoping to scoot across. Once again, the cut looked shallow. The tide was going out against the waves, causing closely placed breakers, not too bad, but enough to swamp me if I was anything less than perfect on my approach. I chickened out, went back to the original cut.

North Side

Capt. Terry Nugent at RipTide Charters reports:

I'm exhausted so here is the three day report and review.

7/24
Dana and I ran out of Plymouth on the word that the NW corner was hot with tuna on top. We planned to cast to fish, no trolling gear on the boat.

Ran north to the NWC saw 1 fish jump near the old H bouy. Ran to NWC, Tilly's, then South down the bank. LOADS of life near the BE but no tuna on top we saw after watching the mega whale show for 2-3 hours waiting for IT to happen. Never did. Continue south to Race Point, Woods End, Fishign Ledge and home.

Total time OTW about 8 hours, saw 1 fish free jump. Nothing more. Lots of life and bait, just no Charlie on top.

7/25
Ran East with Bill and Drew after getting F#$(ed over by a crew member that bailed on a planned canyon trip at the last minute. Rather than run long short handed we played it safe and went east. Drew was a last minute add on to the trip. He had to be back by 4pm so he could not be crew if we went long and south.

Early run out of Ryders 0345. Ran until I finally found a few whales. Slow for us for 2 hours, radio had some fish being caught. Finally our turn. Bite goes off big time. For 2-3 hours we get hit every 15 minutes sometimes doubles. FIsh have bad aim, but we manage to go 6 for 6 on the fish that flet the hook. The other dozen hits ripped appart my bars and tore whole rows of teases off with awsome strikes.

One thing that sticks out was a triple that was a double..... A pair of tuna hit the same bar while a third hits another bar. First two tear the bar apart. The unlucky fish that got the hook out of that pair got the gaff the other got 2 OI Green Monstas. The third fish was C&R after we landed the double.

Killer day, mid 60's water, 220-350' deep. Offshore INovations Green Monsta bars got torn appart literily. Spent the night re-rigging the bars to fix the abuse they took all morning.

A buddy boat went 9 for 9 near me as well. So the bite was hot for most everyone in the area.

7/26

TWELVE hours later, same spot, more bait, more whales mamal show to end all shows. We go ZERO for ZERO! Skunked with the 3 Toms on board. Saw fish, marked fish could not catch fish. Tried every trick I knew, exotic ballyhoo rigs you name it they saw it and would not eat it.

Two things that made me feel better.
1. We arrive at the ramp at Ryders to find a guys truck and trailer 8 feet underwater at the ramp. "I thought it was in PARK....." Chatham PD was nice enough to direct me to another ramp nearby while Chatham FD and the guy with the big Mercedes Tow truck pulled the rig out of the water and kept the hazmat in the tanks.

2. The radio was nothing but crying today. Seems most of the boats foudn fish with lockjaw too. Everyone like the mamal show, nobody liked the picky tuna.

Final tally, 6 fish in 3 days. Shame I couldn't have spread them out 2,2 and 2. We got one great day of catching and 2 skunks, one on each side of the catching.

Overall, I'm off the water tomorrow, plans include SLEEP, lawn, re-rig more bars, SLEEP, clean boat, grocery shopping, SLEEP. Then answer the 20 voice mails and 30 emails I've blown off for 3 days. Thats my day of rest
__________________
Good Luck,

Capt. Terry Nugent
Riptide Charters
www.riptidecharters.com

Bob Parsons reports from Barnstable Harbor:

7/25
Hit BH fairly early this morning all around the horseshoe shoal area there were scatter fish breaking. Short breaks that did not last long. Most of the time it seemed better to maintain a drift in the area rather than chase after the fish. This peetered out after about 90 min. but on the high outgoing tide you could still see an occasional swirl and hook up. I continue with variations of sand eel patterns. Looks to be a lot of bait in the area. Interesting side note, I had friends pass through the area ealier where they saw nothing and fished around the corner where they could not see the action when it started up.

7/26

This morning had similar weather and tides as yesterday. But that's where the similarities end. No birds clustering over bait. No swirls or breaking fish, just quiet. Sure I picked up a fish or two here and there but had to work for them. Did find hords of bait at the edge of east flats with no fish on them.

Checked out the fleet east of the fingers, dropped a weighted sluggo into 52' of water for a 5# bluefish. After that I found a school of the rare and beautiful spinydog fish. The poor little fellow must of been following me around since he seemed to be everywhere I jigged.

Joel Filner reports from Wellfleet (not a typo, Joel usually reports from Long Island for the New York FishWire):

This week I tried a different area to fish. Spent the week in Cape Cod, trying to see if there are any good shore spots for the 5th year in a row, and any decent fish with in easy reach on the bay side as I try to race the incoming tide back to the beach. I must also share my time on the honey dew side so my only times alone are early in the morning. Sunday morning went to the ocean near coast guard beach, only to find the same mung weed and a lot of seals running up the shore. Began at 5:15 on the incoming and found more grass than water. Quit early, went back to find the muffin shop closed and suffered with bagels. Monday was a wash out. Tuesday met with Bill Shaw, a long time Salty, who also rented a spot and he towed his boat up with him for the holidays. We went out of Wellfleet and fished near the entrance to the harbor, targeting blue fish but hoping for a striper mixed in. A great morning on the fly for both of us, fishing the drift and wind into the shore. Blues were about and we managed to lose at least 5 before we boated one nice fish. Poppers on one side of the boat, and a purple and white deceiver worked just fine. As the tide began to really rush out the wind died and we fished out further drifting over 12 to 18 feet of water, marked some fish on the finder and managed some very nice blues, up to 10 pounds. The fly of choice was a yak hair clouser, cream color with a dark stripe. They took us into the backing and provided enough fight to make a great morning. No bass except one who hit the popper, and got away. Thursday fished with a local captain on a trolling boat out of Rock Harbour, "The Triton", and again had a wonderful morning with conventional tackle. The tide was more critical here as the boat barely made it out and in, but all of us caught and released keeper stripers and four blues for the smoker. Not as many big bass as the last two years but overall a reasonable amount of big fish. Had to find the depth and the feeding lanes but the skill of the captain made the day. Tomorrow I will try to go out again with Bill out of Wellfleet and finish the week with another great morning.