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.

Before I continue with this post I would like to offer my sympathies and condolences to anyone who has been directly affected by the Boston Marathon explosion. On behalf of the MFCC community, I would like to say that we are thinking and praying for anyone who is involved, or has family and friends involved in this unexpected event.

I’m not really sure how to transition this article into a helpful fishing post. It’s sometimes hard to get my mind off of such tragic events. Whenever something like this happens, especially close to home, it affects me as I’m sure it affects you too.

Fortunately for you and I, fishing on Cape Cod is not just fun but also therapeutic. When difficult things happen, many of us go fishing. I suppose it's a healthy way of dealing with life's unforeseen events.

Yet there are good things happening, especially with regards to fishing on Cape Cod. The sun has been shining and our local waters are warming. We now have a legitimate excuse to hit the beach and get out on the water.

With this in mind I am looking forward to starting my striped bass fishing season this week-for a variety of a reasons.

Cape Cod Fishing Spots for this Coming Week

Right now is an exciting time of the season. Fresh migratory schoolie stripers, as well as holdover bass, are starting to appear in select Cape Cod fishing spots.

Most of the action I have been hearing about thus far has been very sparse, and focused around inlets and estuaries. This is pretty typical for mid to late April. Holdover stripers spend the winter way back in estuaries, and are just starting to get active again. The first migratory fish often gather in these same spots because they are slightly warmer, and contain a lot of food. Therefore these will be the spots I will be focusing on this coming week.

To increase my odds of success, I will be heading to the warmest sections of Buzzard’s Bay and the Cape’s southside. Both of these areas are loaded with estuaries and inlets that beg to be fished. Conveniently these same fishing spots are also areas that attract river herring, which in turn attract some of the first keeper-size striped bass of the season.

And believe it or not, I have already heard about a few keeper-size striped bass showing up in the Cape Cod area. While it is still very early for keeper-size stripers, I don’t doubt the validity of these reports.

Last season keeper-size bass appeared in some of Cape Cod’s estuaries by April 15^th, which is on the early side in my opinion. I was thinking that this past winter’s cold temperatures may have delayed the arrival of these bigger fish; however it seems like this may not be the case.

Of course, I hope to find this out first hand this week. I suppose we'll see what happens.

When fishing these estuaries and inlets, I like to first target the deeper sections of the estuary or inlet. Of course if I happen to see birds or bait spraying elsewhere, I'll try that area first. Yet for the for most part it's these deeper areas, like the section where the arrow is pointing below, that are the spots I think warrant some good attention.

It's also very early for Cape Cod Canal fishing, but I said that last year too around this time. Of course during 2012 there were small keepers being caught inside the Cape Cod Canal before May 1st. Mazzola and I managed our first Canal fish (including a nice 32 incher) during the evening of May 1st.

As mentioned above, I suppose we'll just see what happens this week.

Early Season Striped Bass Fishing Techniques

I plan on packing gear according to where I'll be fishing this week. I like keeping things as simple as possible, so I try to pack light - only taking the essentials. Of course the essentials change depending on where I am fishing, and how large I expect the fish to be.

This early in the season most of the striped bass on Cape Cod will be on the small side. 15 inch stripers are more the norm than the exception during April. In year's past I've managed to catch bass as small as 8 inches. You won't find many, if any, 40 pounders this early in the year! However those bigger bass will be here before we know it, especially if the big bait shows up in droves.

For fishing the deeper sections of estuaries, I really like white bucktail jigs and white curly tail grubs. I've used these two versatile lures since I was about 10. It's simple fishing that works really well for early season schoolies. 1/2 ounce is usually enough lead head for most situations, however don't be afraid to go lighter or heavier depending on the area you are fishing.

If I know there are some larger fish around (at least 24 inches) I will consider tying on a Storm Shad or some other shad body type lure. These larger paddle tail lures work great when there are river herring around. Many of Cape Cod's estuaries have herring runs, so it makes sense to carry a few lures that imitate larger bait fish.

One of the most well-known Cape Cod herring runs is located within the Cape Cod Canal. If I'm able to get down to the Canal this week, I will be sure to have some of these paddle tail lures on me. We managed to catch our first Canal stripers in 2012 using Storm Shads casting just a few yards off shore.

April at the Canal is unique in that you can get away with fishing really light tackle. Most of the bass will be small, so you don't have to worry about being spooled by a big fish. Often times the bass will chase the herring in tight to the rocks, so casting distance isn't as important either.

In Conclusion

Obviously this week will be challenging for many families and individuals throughout the Commonwealth - especially for Bostonians. My thoughts and prayers go out to anyone who has been affected. I'm not sure how I could help with anything, but if you or someone you know needs help, please don't hesitate to ask.

On the fishing front I'll be making a solid effort to put that first bend in the rod this week. As always I'll be sure to post back here on the blog with how things are going.

Tight lines and take care,

Ryan