Summer fishing season is upon us, the time of the year when we go from layers of clothing to keep us warm to mosquito repellent.
This time of the year the volume of helpful information in the forum ratchets up another notch, as the kids get out of school and vacations begin.
The Forum: A Treasure Chest of Information
Your fishing trips can be more successful by reviewing information in the forum - not just the most recent fishing reports, but also getting the quality tips in past posts from earlier in the year, or perhaps the same time last year or the year before.
Think of the forum as a treasure chest of information just waiting to be opened and explored. With the Red Sox in the background and a cold beverage close by, time spent digging into the forum on those nights when you aren't fishing can provide real dividends.
My Fishing Cape Cod member Andrew Chen has credited some of his fishing success to the many posts on MFCC that provide great information on where to go and what to use.
Family Fishing Fun
With school out and many parents looking for activities for their children that involve more than a couple of fingers, a post in the thread Good fun for beach fishing with kids right now points to action with everything from sea robins to northern kingfish to smaller fluke.
That thread includes great how-to advice to help young anglers enjoy their time using a rod and reel, as many are yet to understand the difference between fishing and catching.
The kids sure do enjoy beach fishing!
Cape Surfcasting Reports
The MFCC Surfcasters Spring 2025 thread is chock full of reports from Sandwich throughout the Cape. Even though the water is warming, some anglers like Todd Holden are still having luck with the daytime bite.
Replying to a post posing a series of questions about the bay, Eric Cronin provides detailed information about locations in general, and lures that are more likely to result in tight lines throughout the season.
In essence, Eric reminds us, as the fly fishermen know, to "match the hatch" — essentially throwing lures that match what stripers are chasing: larger baits when they are on herring early in the season to plastics that look like squid and sand eels, and the lures that mimic mackerel and scup when they are in thick.
This is quality information that can help us to take a few minutes to think about what lure to start with, rather than reaching for the same favorite lure, regardless of the season.
My Fishing Cape Cod member Calvin Toran-Sandlin posted this nice striper in the Surfcasters thread.
Gear Maintenance Tips
Other posts, looking to save other MFCC anglers from frustration, reminds us to inspect our rods and reels for potential damage that can easily fray line, and hooks to make sure they aren't bent, making it too easy for stripers to spit the lure out. So true, a few minutes of gear inspection before a trip, and perhaps checking again an hour or two into fishing, can make all the difference.
In addition, it is always great to see a striper bigger than the angler, as Chris had his son James help reel in a nice sized bass. Not to be outdone, mom caught her second fish in the same session. They found the fish quickly and all were home before dinner. Now that's a successful fishing trip!
My Fishing Cape Cod Member Chris White reminds fellow anglers to maintain their reels with a teardown photo.
Pictured here is My Fishing Cape Cod member Chris Goyner's son James with a massive striped bass.
Cape Cod Bay Action
The Cape Cod Bay 2025 thread has solid reports of stripers. Robbie Sturtevant reports on a unique boat trip with Captain Chris Ballerini.
They had a drone and were able to find a school of stripers half a mile from where they were. They moved in closer and placed casts on the fish. The fish of the day was a healthy 40" striper that was enticed by a magic swimmer.
My Fishing Cape Cod member Robbie Sturtevant shares a school of striped bass captured by a drone.
One of the many nice bass Robbie and his crew caught on their trip in Cape Cod Bay.
Sharing Intelligence Beyond the Photos
Fishermen in this and other threads are doing a great job of sharing intelligence, not just pictures of large bass, but also where the bait is, and isn't. Reporting on a trip when you don't even get a nibble can also be helpful to your fellow anglers who are deciding where to go.
And for yourself, as many have mentioned in the forum, creating your own fishing log with information such as tides, moon phase, air temperature, weather, water clarity and temperature, can really help you to create an accurate picture of what to expect over the long term.
Monomoy Updates
Reports in the Monomoy 2025 thread show the water has warmed and large numbers of stripers have filled the rips. Cousin Eddy reminds us that warming weather should help push fish further up the coast to Nauset.
Todd D has a solid morning fishing with his daughter, noting a lot of bait and birds working hard. He found mostly slot and above-slot stripers, which got the conversation going in the thread about the recent poor spawning years.
MFCC members are concerned about the lack of small fish, which could dramatically impact catches a couple of years down the road, given the apparent lack of younger fish.
My Fishing Cape Cod member Todd D's daughter showcases this nice striper she caught off of Monomoy.
Boston Harbor Reports
While the forum focuses on the Cape and islands, threads also include nearby waters as well. The Boston Harbor 2025 thread shows bass in good numbers. Matt Lampkin reports bait in thick, first catching a fat 36" striper and then a 48" cow that bent the net, almost losing her at boat side.
William Shine reports a good bite with fat fish up to 39", most of which are spitting up herring, while other anglers report mackerel in good numbers.
My Fishing Cape Cod member Matt Lampkin with his massive 48 inch striper.
Veterans Connection Corner
Continuing with the partnership between MFCC and Fishing for the Mission 22, a new thread - Veterans Connection Corner has launched. This dedicated space within the forum has been created specifically for veterans to connect through their shared passion for fishing.
This thread serves as a gathering place where veterans can:
- Share fishing reports and experiences with fellow veterans
- Post photos of their catches and adventures
- Coordinate informal meetups and fishing trips
- Exchange tips and techniques specific to Cape Cod waters
- Build meaningful connections with others who understand their unique experiences
If you've served in any branch of the military, this space is for you, so please visit the thread to learn more and consider contributing to it.
Until next time, tight lines, and to our veterans, thank you for your service
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