Summary - they are still around, but fewer than a week ago and far more scattered.
Water temp is down to 59-61 degrees on both sides of the sound, perhaps a bit warmer on the MVY side.
Started at Waquoit at dawn and waited waited waited on the outgoing for a sign, any sign. Just as I was about to leave, a few splashes showed at the tip of the east jetty in the rip that forms leading towards Succonnesset. I motored over to the lightpole and waited, waited, waited. 10 minutes later I was rewarded as they broke in the same spot, perhaps 20 yards away. First cast was right in the boil and I was treated to watching a rat albacore; perhaps 14" (and remember water magnifies) whack at my jig from the side and take off with it at the speed of light, right along the side of the boat. The fish was off in 1 second, but so what; the sight was amazing.
I then put my next cast in the dead water where the boil had been and was instantly rewarded with a surface spalsh and the steady scream that means albie on! The fish went out for its first run, then arced arounbd me towards South Cape for its second run, reversed towards me and spit the hook.
Ok - so its now 8:00 - 2 serious casts, and 2 hookups. Sounds good, right? Not.
That was pretty much it for Waquoit on the outgoing. I saw a single splash, some other boats saw a pod or two, but the fish never showed in any number or coherent fashion.
At slack tide I headed over to the Vineyard. Crossing L'Hommideau shoal I blew through a school of surface something while doing 35. By the time I slowed, turned, they were gone..
West Chop had very scattered fish, very few showing, but stray birds indicating the fish were around. I did not see anyone of the 10 boats hookup. By 9 or so thw wind was howling at 20 out of the West and West Chop was living up to its name. Crossing East Chop I saw 1 fish(not pod) clear the water, I circled, but never made any contact.
O.B. Ferry had perhaps 1 pod periodically crashing the ferry slip or the beach along its side. I had one pull along the side of the jetty, but missed the hookup.
There was a random pod or two off O.B. harbour entrance, but as with all the other fish on the Vineyard today, impossible to set up on.
At noon, fearing the wind picking up any more I made a wet slog back to Waquoit. Of course with a west wind it was unfishable on the outside.
I went down the channel, figuring on the rising tide to pick up a bass or two. I saw Doug Jowett, a guide anchored inside, past the jetties, on the first point on the east slide. As I slipped inwards with the current I saw his client hookup. It was soon clear from the line angle and amount of line that the fish was either an albie or a bonito. They drifted the entire length of the gut, inside Waquoit an finally landed an 11 pound albacore on the shoal on the east inside point of Waquoit.
As I was hanging next to them, taking pictures and congratulating Doug's excited client all hell broke loose inside waquoit at the first pair of channel markers inside the bay. The entire width of the channel, perhaps 20-30 yards wide and 20-30 yards deep went white with albacore spraying herring 2 feet in the air.
I slid over there as fast as I could do so quiety; a tough act in 3' of water. When I got there I had 1 good cast, hooked up...to a 18" bass. Grumph.
Casting at dead water where the fish had been I hooked another bass.
I searched waquoit a bit, saw birds along Washburns, chased the birds but didn't ever find the albies.
But; they were most definitely inside the bay on the rising tide and were headed in when I last saw them.
Hmmm...I think I know where I'm gonna be at 2PM Wed :-)
L.