by Ryan Collins
Woods Hole is known as one of the most dangerous passages on the entire planet. Swift currents and house-size boulders can making fishing and navigation very challenging. Throw in some fog and a strong wind blowing against the tide and Woods Hole can be downright dangerous.
Barnstable Harbor is more towards the other end of the spectrum. Winding tributaries, emerald green marshland and bleach blonde sand flats make boating and fishing in this area an absolute pleasure. A crystal clear day coupled with flat calm conditions can make Barnstable Harbor feel almost tropical.
What better way to spend a Tuesday morning than fish both extremes?
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by Ryan Collins
With each passing day, fresh schools of striped bass are arriving and feeding on Cape Cod, like voracious tourists piling into an Old Country Buffet. Reliable reports of larger surf and boat bass weighing more than 20 pounds, have begun spreading like wildfire throughout the region. If you plan on fishing Cape Cod this Memorial Day Weekend, then you will indeed have a good chance at catching a memorable bass or two.
The one thing that may keep many anglers off the water this weekend is the forecasted winds. Of course things could change, but as of right now the weathermen are predicting gusty winds and choppy seas. For most of us this will translate into fishing from shore.
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by Ryan Collins
Fishing Cape Cod’s National Seashore is a wild and rugged experience. Oceanic waves relentlessly crash on more than 40 miles of pristine glacial sand. The great beaches of Outer Cape Cod extend all the way from Chatham to Provincetown-virtually as far as the eye can see.
An angler standing on the great back beach looking eastward is greeted by the enormity of the Atlantic Ocean and all its power. During winter storms seas in this area can grow to astounding heights of more than 30 feet. At high tide waves crest and tear into the coastline, shifting dunes, moving sandbars and sweeping pieces of Cape Cod back into the Atlantic.
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by Ryan Collins
I have been fortunate to have fished Cape Cod Bay each May since I was around 6 years old. As a youngster, the month of May was a time to catch mackerel from the Scusset Beach jetty. I vividly recall epic mackerel bites while fishing from that jetty with my father. Now the month of May means one thing – the first big Cape Cod Bay striped bass of the season. [click to continue…]
by Ryan Collins
As I write this post I can’t help but glance out my airplane window and gaze down upon the Earth below. The clouds roll on in every direction, stretching far off into the horizon like a white blanket covering the land. From up here it’s hard to tell that there are things in this world that we wish we could live without. I find it difficult to believe that people are suffering below, right now, as I write this post.
I received word of the Boston Marathon explosions just as I was boarding this flight from South Carolina into Boston. A woman across the aisle just announced that cell phone service in Boston has been cut, and that public transportation has been suspended. I have a strange feeling moving through my body at this very moment, which is difficult for me to describe.
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by Ryan Collins
This past week’s “warm” weather should help spark Cape Cod’s saltwater fishing scene. One fish in particular, the river herring, will soon be found in good numbers within Cape Cod’s many estuaries, rivers and ponds.
Two different species, the blueback herring and the alewife, are both commonly referred to as river herring. Blueback herring will make a surge upriver once water temperatures reach 50 degrees or so. Alewives wait for slightly more tepid temperatures before swimming upstream. Both species are en route to complete one of the most amazing fish spawning migrations on the East Coast.
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by Ryan Collins
Cape Cod looks pretty cool when viewed from 32,000 feet. 10 minutes ago my plane was cruising directly over the southwest corner of Stellwagen Bank. Right now we are passing Block Island, and soon we’ll be flying over the bulk of the East Coast’s striped bass population. I wonder how many 50 pound fish I’ll pass over during this flight…
Mid-April is an exciting time of the year for Cape Cod striped bass fishing, and while my body may be far away from New England this week, my mind will be on the beaches, bays and estuaries of Cape Cod. Any day now rumors of the first migratory stripers will begin to filter into local bait shops. “Chomping at the bit” is how many passionate anglers are describing their state of being right now.
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by Ryan Collins
Spring is here on Cape Cod, and our favorite saltwater fish species are not far behind. The striped bass action to the south is heating up, herring are entering our local runs and bottom dwelling fish like flounder and tautog will soon be active.
Right now is an exciting time of the year for many Cape Cod fishing fanatics-myself included. I spent some time this weekend cleaning reels and brainstorming ideas for late-April striped bass fishing expeditions. I also received a call this morning from Eagle Marine informing me that all the necessary parts and equipment to keep the Miss Loretta running at top notch have been ordered. If all goes according to plan the gear, the boat and yours truly, will be ready to start fishing in just a few short weeks.
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by Ryan Collins
Three and a half years ago I got a call from my Cape Cod tuna fishing buddy Jason Mazzola that I won’t soon forget. It went something like this.
Mazzola: ”Hey I was just down at the beach and saw tuna busting about 500 yards from shore.”
Me: ”Huh?”
I think most people would have the same reaction. Cape Cod bluefin tuna are most often caught miles from shore. These insane fish are capable of swimming across the Atlantic Ocean, and back in just a few months. How in the world could they be pushing bait within swimming distance from shore?
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by Ryan Collins
Fly fishing Cape Cod for me has always been a bit of a mystery. I grew up with a spinning rod in hand, and never did catch the “fly fishing bug.” Maybe this will be the season I expand my horizons, purchase a long wand and give Cape Cod fly fishing a shot. There is a solid 6+ months of saltwater fishing ahead of us, and who knows what will happen.
Until then, when it comes to fly fishing the Cape, I will be relying on fly fishing experts and Cape Cod fly fishing enthusiasts to fill the void. Stay tuned for some awesome Cape Cod fly fishing guest posts coming this spring and summer.
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by Ryan Collins
On Cape Cod different fish species arrive at different points in the season, and certain strategies work better in certain areas. If you plan to fish Cape Cod this season, then it can help to be informed as to what works where and when.
Each fishing season is a completely different animal. However fish like striped bass, bluefish and bluefin tuna do follow “somewhat predictable” seasonal patterns (HUGE emphasis on somewhat predictable). The key to catching them is to place yourself in the right spot, at the right time, with the right bait and the best technique.
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by Ryan Collins
About a month ago, the crew at the Buzzard’s Bay Anglers Club asked me to give a talk on 3 Ways to Catch a Cow Striper this Spring on Cape Cod. I had a great time, met some awesome people and even bumped into a few My Fishing Cape Cod members which was very cool. Thanks again to Stephen Madden from Boating Local for having me down, introducing me to the group and providing a few free pints of Guinness.
During the presentation we talked about 3 specific ways to target big striped bass this May and June on the Cape. If you plan on fishing Cape Cod this spring, you may want to give these three methods a shot. They are:
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by Ryan Collins
In many Cape Cod fishing spots, you know if striped bass are being caught. That’s because during the summer, certain Cape Cod fishing areas get so busy that a fleet develops. In these instances, you can easily see when someone’s rod bends over. If the fish are aggressive, you can learn how to catch striped bass by simply observing what other folks are doing. Yet often times just one or two boats catch fish, while everyone else in the fleet gets skunked.
The question then is, what in the world are those one or two boats doing differently than everyone else?
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by Ryan Collins
Cape Cod’s winter ocean has shifted countless tons of sand around the peninsula over the past few months. As a result, your favorite fishing spot may look a little different this spring. In some areas there no longer is a beach. While in other spots there is sand, where there has not been sand for years.
A house down the street from where I grew up almost sank into the Bay during that big snow storm a month or so ago. As luck would have it the house had just been purchased by a new homeowner. They are now erecting a sea wall of boulders to keep Cape Cod Bay out of the living room.
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by Ryan Collins
Cape Cod fishing will be in full gear in just a couple of months. If you are like me, then you have a serious case of cabin fever that can only be cured by a day spent on the beach, in the rocks or on the water. Warm weather will be here soon trust me.
I know that once the bass, blues and tuna return I will be hitting the surf and launching the Miss Loretta as often as possible. Considering you are reading a Cape Cod fishing article right now, during winter, I am going to assume that you will most likely be doing the same. With that in mind I am going to divulge 7 secrets to catching a few more fish this spring on Cape Cod.
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