Our 2024 season featured weekly podcasts with bait and tackle shops and local experts, who shared a wealth of valuable fishing reports, intel and advice. Typically we only publish podcasts May-October, but this winter we've decided to ramp things back up.
In today's inaugural podcast of 2025, Brian Whicher shares his most memorable experiences from his first year as a My Fishing Cape Cod member. During 2024 Brian was able to catch species of fish he'd never caught before, fish brand new areas, and meet some great people from MFCC.
Please click play to start listening to our interview with Brian. Or if you prefer to read, you can scroll down to access a written version of everything we covered.
Retirement & Fishing
Pictured here is our interview guest and MFCC member Brian Whicher, as he cranks in his first ever bluefin tuna during a 2024 MFCC group trip with captain Willy Hatch of the Machaca.
It all started as retirement approached, when Brian realized he wanted to spend more time fishing.
"I was getting close to retirement... doing a lot more forecasting with my time," Brian recalls.
After discovering MFCC through an online search, he decided to give membership a try. That decision helped to transform his fishing from casting at the canal's East End, into chasing stripers off Monomoy, and even pursuing tuna, cod and pollock fishing 30 miles offshore.
Brian's Group Fishing Trip Experiences
While Brian continued his canal fishing at spots like the East End of the canal, it was the MFCC group trips that really defined his rookie season as a member. He participated in three different chartered trips, each offering unique experiences and opportunities to learn.
Trip #1: Black Sea Bass and Stripers
Brian's journey into boat fishing began early in the 2024 season when he hopped onboard a My Fishing Cape Cod group trip with captain Tyler Putney. The day started with a focus on black sea bass, a species known for their willingness to bite and excellent table fare.
The action was immediate and intense, with all anglers experiencing what Brian described as "simultaneous hookups". Everyone onboard caught their limit of black sea bass relatively quickely.
With limits achieved, Captain Tyler made a strategic decision to shift gears and target striped bass. He navigated to the famous Monomoy rips, an area where strong currents create the perfect feeding grounds for a variety of different fish, sharks and marine mammals.
The trip gave Brian his first experience fishing these legendary waters. The dramatic landscape of Monomoy, with its pristine beaches and dynamic waters, left a lasting impression.
The sunrise at Monomoy is always a must see when making the trip out to fish the rips. Brian gives us an important reminder that catching a fish is often just a bonus when being treated to dramatic landscapes such as this!
Trip #2: A Mixed-Bag Nantucket Sound Adventure
Brian's second outing with Captain Tyler proved even more action-packed than the first. Returning to the productive waters off Monomoy, Brian was the first to connect with a slot-size striped bass.
This set the tone for the day, as he went on to catch and release several more nice fish. The variety of the day expanded when Brian hooked into a powerful 35-inch bluefish, adding another species to his growing list of catches.
While staying in communication with other captains in the area, captain Tyler then received reports of bonito making appearances near Horseshoe Shoal. Tyler is always willing to adapt to give MFCC members the best possible experience, so he proposed a change of plans.
The group eagerly agreed to pursue these fast-swimming members of the tuna family. The decision paid off, adding yet another dimension to Brian's 2024 fishing season.
Trip #3: Offshore for Tuna & Pollock
Brian's final MFCC group trip of the season took him 30 miles east of Nantucket with Captain Willy Hatch of Machaca Charters. Having never caught a tuna before, his fellow anglers insisted he take the first hit.
After a 15-minute battle, Brian landed a 65-pound "football" bluefin tuna.
Brian with his first ever bluefin tuna! Caught this past November onboard a My Fishing Cape Cod group trip.
The day included encounters with much larger fish, including one that stripped 200 yards of line "in the snap of a finger" before breaking off.
The trip concluded with bottom fishing for cod and pollock, sending everyone home with sore arms and plenty of fillets. "We had a great dinner that night," Brian remembers, noting that each angler took home about eight pounds of tuna plus plenty of other fillets.
More Than Just Fishing
Beyond the catches, Brian emphasizes the social aspects of the MFCC trips. "Everyone I met was great. Good guys," he reflects.
The experiences weren't limited to fishing action—he describes watching beautiful sunrises and sunsets during the long run to the tuna grounds, and appreciating the pristine scenery of Monomoy's untouched beaches.
Brian's experiences weren't limited to just fishing —he describes watching beautiful sunrises and sunsets during the long run to the tuna grounds, and appreciating the pristine scenery of Monomoy's untouched beaches.
Looking Ahead to 2025
As he looks toward his second season with MFCC, Brian aims to improve his surf casting and canal fishing skills. He's also thinking about bringing his son, a military veteran, along on future trips. As he puts it, "You don't have to find the four or five guys to go on a charter because My Fishing Cape Cod finds them for you! And that's great!"
It makes me so happy to hear Brian's story. I think he exemplifies how the community and resources we've built here at MFCC can help to enhance anyone's fishing experience. Hearing about his successful rookie season as a MFCC member has inspired me to make what we offer here at MFCC even better during 2025.
I also know that for my cousin Kevin, it was a pleasure interviewing Brian for this podcast and hearing his enthusiasm for salt water fishing. Brian is a wonderful example of the type of people we have onboard here as members. He successfully utilized his MFCC membership to learn, fish new areas, and make new fishing friends which is what it's all about.
Thank you Brian, and tight lines! 