Bonito and False Albacore were in evidence all over MVY's north coast this AM from Cape Pogue to West Chop and no doubt further south from there.
They were accompanied by boats of all shapes and sizes madly charging about whenever fish were spotted.
I managed a 3 oz. Kastmaster for 4 hours of trying. No - I wasn't casting one;
I was hooked up to what I believe was a False Albacore off of West Chop. Until a bozo in an orange/yellow formula b oat, 150 Johnson engine, out of Green Pond, grey hair, mustache,cast at my fish. His 20 pound test made short work of my 8 pound test.
I also had the rare pleasure of getting to untangle a fly line from my array of rod's, radio aeriel, and console mounted light pole. It wasn't mine and the line did not originate from my boat. 17' old style whaler, blond guy driving. Did I mention that while 3 boats were working the drift along the west chop rip; this guy comes in up current, splits between us and casts over us at fish.
There were 20 boats off West Chop, all in a football field sized area, working the same school of Falsies. The falsies were doing their best to feed, but 1/2 of the 20 boats were running and gunning, 50 yards this way, 20 yards that way which eventually put the fish down. Of course no one got anything in the melee.
There were also some very nice swirling pods of bonito deep in the haven, close to the shore. I'd get them to myself on a cyclical pattern. Hang on the side of the Haven waiting for fish. Fish arrive - I get 2-5 good casts in, boats see me in fish. Boats arrive. Fish go down. Boats leave. I hang, nudge myself back to the starting point, and 5 minutes later fish reappear.
There were most definitely fish out there - they are running scared right now....