The calendar has changed to April which means the days are longer, bass and trout are stirring in the sweet water, and striped bass are heading to their spawning grounds in the Chesapeake Bay.
All we need is for Mother Nature to cooperate for an extended period of time so more of us can get fishing!
In today's post I'll report on some of the recent highlights from inside the members' forum here on My Fishing Cape Cod.
Please scroll below to start reading, or jump to your favorite section by clicking on the table of contents.
In this article you’ll hear from several MFCC anglers about their favorite early season fishing lure to entice trout and bass. What’s your favorite early season trout or bass lure and/or fly, and how would you recommend fishing it? Please post your answers below as a comment so your fellow MFCC anglers can increase their chances of tight lines on their next outing.
Trout Stocking Update
MassWildlife has been busy the last couple of weeks, stocking ponds across the Cape. In Massachusetts, MassWildlife will stock 450 lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams in 264 towns with more than 400,000 trout. With 82% of trout more than 12 inches long - these are good sized fish!
On Cape, stocking started in mid-March and is happening in ponds from Sandwich to Wellfleet. For an up-to-date listing of when ponds are being/have been stocked with what type of trout, see the trout stocking report.
MFCC Members Hit the Trout Waters
Forum reports from your fellow MFCC members show that trout are certainly stirring in our waters! The Trout Time 2026 thread has been active since early March. Ryan Collins posted the first pictures of trout taken using a Thomas Bouyant spoon.
Ryan Collins has been fishing his way across Cape Cod this late winter/spring. Here is pictured one of the brown trout he caught at big Cliff Pond in Nickerson State Park in Brewster.
Ryan scratched the fish itch several times during March, with trips ranging from Barnstable almost to the tip of the Cape in Truro, with images of good sized rainbows and brown trout. Ryan’s lures of choice during this cold, early season has been the Thomas Buoyant spoon and a small, black Rooster Tail spinner.
Mike Markus and a friend each caught more than a dozen beautiful, feisty brown trout on a recent chilly, windy morning.
Mike Marcus hasn’t let the cold spring deter him from wetting a line. Here is a beautiful brown trout he caught on a Kastmaster.
Silver and blue Kastmasters and Thomas Buoyant spoons did the job. The biggest of the day was a solid three pounder - great job Mike!
Mike Marcus proudly shows a large brown trout he caught on a recent outing with Jeff Cotto.
Mike has been out several times chasing trout, not only with the aforementioned lures but with a plastic lure that looks remarkably like one he used last spring to entice more than a dozen largemouth bass to hit in an epic prespawn bite.
Undeterred by miserable early season weather, Jeff Cotto caught six brown and four rainbow trout on a windy March day.
Leo Schmidt caught this beautiful trout on a recent spring outing.
Leslie Kalinowski caught two brown trout during an early spring outing using a Colorado spoon. Finding a few minutes after work, member Calvin Toran-Sandlin also caught a few trout during this cold early spring.
Nicholas Caparell found some time in between caring for his adorable six month old daughter, Kaylani, to wet a line, getting on board with a solid trout and a few bass.
When not caring for his cute daughter Kaylani, Nicholas Caparell finds time to wet a line, this time catching a solid largemouth bass at a local pond.
Largemouth Bass Are Active Too
Moving to the Bass fishing 2026 thread, a number of MFCC anglers have caught largemouth bass since the ice melted this year.
Mike Dixon got things started in the thread, reporting finding some open water and cooperative bass. Mike caught 10 bass in his first outing of the year, the largest around three pounds - what a way to get the season started!
Mike Dixon started 2026 strong, catching 10 largemouth bass in his first outing of the year, including this one.
When not chasing trout early season you may find Jeff Cotto catching bass at a local pond. Jeff reported several successful outings with a chatter bait being one particularly successful lure.
Jeff Cotto has been doing quite well catching largemouth bass using a chatterbait with a trailer.
Calvin Toran-Sandlin reported several successful outings, catching about 20 largemouth in a single session and a good sized pickerel, using a crank bait and paddle tail.
Calvin Toran-Sandlin has enjoyed several successful outings recently, mostly trout, bass and and pickerel.
Low Water Levels: A Concern for Cape Ponds
Most Cape ponds are experiencing low water levels which can impact fishing. Despite above average snowfall on Cape this winter, data from the state shows that we remain in a moderate drought. A map on a national website shows nearly 40% of Massachusetts in a moderate drought, not good for a month known for rain.
In his recent report, Ryan Collins notes that the ponds he's been fishing are experiencing low water levels. Ryan says that the last time he was at the pond, he floated in his kayak in about three feet of water to an island. Due to low water conditions the island is currently accessible by foot across what has become a land bridge.
Pictured is the land bridge that Ryan talked about in his report, a result of the moderate drought gripping the Cape. Ryan Collins put in the time at Spectacle Pond and was rewarded with three rainbow trout, including the one pictured above.
Hopefully, the showers that April is known for will help refill our ponds to normal levels, and also decrease fire danger with so much tree damage remaining in our forests after the brutal February nor’easter.
Lure Building & Saltwater Action
With cold weather still the norm, the Lure Building Should Come With a Warning thread continues to be active, with talented MFCC members showcasing their skills. Be sure to check out some of the amazing creations this group of lure enthusiasts continues to develop.
Anthony Besaw has been busy in his workshop all winter, developing a variety of new handcrafted lures. Above pictured is a small sample of Anthony's creations.
Striped Bass on the Horizon
For the saltwater enthusiasts, in the Winter Striper thread, Grant Stark posted images of two of the six healthy holdover stripers he caught during a recent outing. Grant reports the bass were feeding on top. In his post in the Winter Striper thread he shared details about the lures and retrieves that are working right now on these holdover bass.
Grant Stark is on the board for 2026 with a solid outing. Pictured here with one of the six healthy stripers he caught in about 18” of water. The cold weather caused his rod tip and reel to freeze up, but in the end Grant said it was worth the struggle.
With reports of striped bass in large numbers heading into their spawning grounds in the upper Chesapeake Bay, we have a few weeks before migratory fish arrive in our waters. To learn a new technique or hone your skill targeting early season bass, you may want to mine past threads for early season ideas.
For example, the MFCC Surfcasters’ Thread (2022) includes a conversation about fishing bucktails for early season bass. A number of members chime in, adding their expertise on everything from the size of bucktails to color, trailers, natural vs synthetic material.
Mining past forum threads for just one solid idea can mean the difference in a quiet outing versus a day - or even a season - you won’t forget.
Spring has sprung - catch ‘em up!
Tight lines!
Dan Nahorney
MFCC Forum
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