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.

The first stripers that are usually caught on Cape Cod during April are holdovers. Holdover stripers are hardy fish. For some reason these bass decided to remain on Cape Cod throughout the winter.  Often times holdover stripers spend the entire winter in just a few feet of murky estuarine water.

I like to imagine that these holdover fish-along with the first migratory schoolies-are as excited about the warming temperatures and the longer spring days as I am. Spring is here, which means you and I will have a legitimate excuse to hit the beach and splash the boat, as often as humanly possible.

As I look forward to spring striped bass fishing, I can’t help but formulate ideas for cool and unique fishing trips.  Each day a new fishing idea seems to “pop” into my mind. The Cape has a lot to offer the ingenious and creative angler, and I plan on taking full advantage this, starting later this month.

So while I may not be targeting tuna from a kayak anytime soon, I do plan on breaking free from my comfort zone and exploring some new avenues.  Here are 3 of my most highly anticipated striped bass fishing trips for this coming season.

Live-lining Mackerel from Shore

I have enjoyed catching striped bass on live mackerel since I was a youngster. Back then I would troll live mackerel using lead core setups.  While I still enjoy trolling macks, last year I had a lot more fun pitching live mackerel on light tackle.

This season I would like to continue to use light tackle, but instead of fishing from the boat, I would like to live-line mackerel from shore. I know this will be challenging to pull off, but I think I have a pretty good plan for making it happen.

The first step will be to find and catch the mackerel.  During 2013 this was relatively simple, as all of Massachusetts Bay seemed to be chock full of these colorful speedsters. Yet each season is different, so I am not really sure what to expect this spring. Either way I’ll be starting my mackerel search in 50 feet of water, and searching with sonar out to as much as 90 feet of water until I see those wonderful greenish/blue marks.

This season I definitely won’t forget to bring along a circular live well, because mackerel don’t last too long in the box live wells that came with my boat.  I’ll use the circular live well to transport the macks to the nearest harbor, inlet, sandbar or boulder field – which will hopefully be holding some life.

In particular, I would like to wade the flats with a laundry basket full of live mackerel. An early morning incoming tide would be perfect. Even though I am currently 5 miles above New Jersey (we’ve been in the air for about 45 minutes now) I can’t help but picture a nice bass with some shoulders hammering a live mackerel in 3 feet of crystal clear water. I think wading the flats, and sight fishing with live mackerel will be my #1 goal for the month of May.

Click here for my more detailed live mackerel fishing plan, and for more ideas on how you can catch striped bass live-lining mackerel from shore.

Wet Suit Fishing the Boulder Fields

Last season I had a few surf casting trips where bass were breaking just out of reach.  I was wearing waders those mornings, and despite being up to my nipples in water, I still could not reach those far away bass. This season I think I’ll solve this problem by simply swimming to the fish.

Boulders exist on many Cape Cod beaches and nearby islands. Quite a few boulders sit just offshore, well within swimming distance. During May and June boulder fields are great places to find striped bass action, and those offshore boulders serve as perfect casting platforms.

Fishing from these slightly offshore boulders will allow me to not only reach once out of casting range fish, but also fish using different techniques. When wading boulder fields, I have always used topwater or mid-water lures like pencil poppers, weightless soft plastics and swimming plugs. Because I will have access to deeper water, I plan on firing jigs and soft plastics rigged with lead heads-from my perch atop an offshore rock.

Bunker Spoon Trolling for Deep Water Cows

Three seasons ago I began experimenting with trolling bunker spoons far offshore in deep water during July and August. What all the books say about bunker spoons is true: they catch big fish.  That season every fish we caught on the spoons was above 25 pounds, with the largest hitting 43 pounds. Trolling spoons is a sure-fire way to target the largest of the large in a particular area.

As with any technique, there are modifications and secrets to trolling spoons with success. The “guys in the know” will out fish everyone else 10:1. Yet the good thing about bunker spoons is that the spoon itself does almost all the work. In many areas, you will have a legit chance at a cow bass by simply putting out the spoons and logging in some trolling time. When in doubt, put the lines out, sit back and troll around for a few hours.

Fishing Cape Cod Bay with bunker spoons is perhaps the most effective method for taking trophy stripers during the summer doldrums.  For best results, use wire line and a bunker spoon rod specifically designed for the task. During those hot sunny days, don’t be afraid to venture out into 60-90 feet of water. Keep in mind that the best action often occurs well away from any fleets.

When fishing Cape Cod Bay or Outer Cape Cod with spoons, there is always the odd chance of hooking up with a Bluefin tuna. I hear about these encounters almost every summer. The tuna smacks the spoon, and in most instances, strips all the wire from the reel before the fisherman even has a chance to turn around. Smaller tuna can be landed (once in a while) on a wire line setup intended for stripers. This happened in 2011 to an angler fishing Cape Cod Bay from a small skiff. What a thrill that must have been!

“Ladies and gentlemen, please turn off your electronics, fasten your safety belts and return your seat to the upright position”

Well that’s the captain coming over the intercom, announcing that we are about to land. So without further ado I need to pack up and get ready to land in Charlotte, SC. The lady and I are spending a week down here, before I rekindle my other serious relationship with the ocean and its finned inhabitants. I know from experience that logging in some quality time now, will pay off when the best bite is happening at 2AM.

I hope you have a great week. Remember that it’s only a matter of days until those first fish tales and rumors start trickling in. Maybe you will be the first one to put a bend in the rod this spring off Cape Cod.

Tight lines and take care,

Ryan