Fly Fishing the Monomoy Rips

Note from Ryan

This report from Johan originally appeared inside the Fly Fishing section of our private forum. The fly fishing section of our forum is the place to go for friendly Cape Cod fishing advice, reports and camaraderie. You can click the button below to visit the forum.

SHOW ME!

On June 20th 2023 I did my yearly trip to the Monomoy Rips and had a great day fishing with Patrick Cassidy of Cape Cod on the Fly, who not only put us on the fish but also took some great photos which I have included below.

One of the highlights was that we saw a great white that vertically breached the surface. The entire body was above the water and I estimated it was 12-13’. Quite surreal!

I brought my buddy Nate with me who is an avid freshwater guy but who had never caught a bass on fly.

We both had a great day with about 20 bass each of us in the old slot range and we probably lost about the same number. There were numerous smaller fish down to 22” were caught as well.

We doubled up several times. A 6 inch white/pink squid fly did most of the work.

Photo credit: Patrick Cassidy of Cape Cod on the Fly

We fished Bearses, Pollock and Stonehorse rips, and followed the birds in between.

Besides the great white, the highlight was that Nate broke his PB four times. It started with a 28”, quickly followed by a 31” and 34” at Bearse’s.

A few hours later he landed a fish around 36”.

It was a heck of an introduction to fly fishing for striped bass.

On our way home we ran into more birds west of Monomoy and l landed a couple of lower slots. We didn’t hook any bluefish but we did see them.

Photo credit: Patrick Cassidy of Cape Cod on the Fly

Note from Ryan

SHOW ME!

About the author

Johan Frenje

Johan grew up in Sweden, spending a lot of time fishing for salmon, trout, grayling and pike. He came to Boston in the late 90s, met a girl from Martha’s Vineyard, got married and had kids. 20 yrs later his passion is now fly fishing the salt. He fishes the entire East Coast from the Housatonic in CT to the Kennebec in ME-and Cape Cod as much as he can.

Ryan
I thoroughly enjoy my fishing capecod.com.
Brings back many memories. There’s actually folks from my townWindsor Connecticut who follow you also.
You are so knowledgeable and informative about fishing. Your are like my dad and his brothers were in the 60’s . I can relate to everything that you’re saying about fishing that my dad taught me spending our summers in Plymouth Mass.

I am Paula Collins cousin and can remember when her father Albert built his boat in his cellar! I remember the hole he knocked in his foundation To get his boat once he finished it! He was a master carpenter and boat builder!
I was a little kid then and will never forgot it. I am now 75 .
Paula and Bobby’s son Kevin shared with me your successes fishing in the Cape.
Kevin introduced tomyour knowledge fishing the Cape Cod area … but I have never met you.
I am well aware of the freshwater ponds and the hidden secrets of the fish in there as well as a waterways that lead leading to brackish water. Just so many opportunities there!
I have some stories I can share when with my parents Joe Govoni and Mary when we would spend our summers in a one room cottage they owned on Boundary Rd., North Plymouth just north of the Cordage Company.

I have a Booklet and book that I like to send to you.
One is Cape Cod Canal Gateway to America’s intercoastal waterway, operated and maintained by the department of the army division corpse of engineers. The other one is a hardcover surf fishing by Marcus Schneck.
I’m sure that you and your following sports would enjoy these it’ll be my honor to pass them onto your generation.

Best regards

James G Govoni