Fishing Gay Head and Nomans: Black Sea Bass, Bluefish, Stripers, and Summer Structure

I’ve seen that my recent post in the Gay Head / Nomans thread in the forum has already helped a couple of members get out there and catch some fish, which is awesome to hear. With that in mind, I wanted to share a more in-depth report from our trip on Friday, along with some tips I’ve picked up over the years from fishing Gay Head and Nomans.

To me, this is what My Fishing Cape Cod is all about — fellow anglers helping each other out, sharing information, and making it easier for everyone to enjoy the waters of Cape Cod and the incredible life that inhabits them. Hopefully this report helps point you in the right direction, whether you’re looking for black sea bass, stripers, bluefish, bonito, or just a fun summer adventure on the water.

On Friday morning, July 3rd, we departed from Kingman Marina and made the run out toward Gay Head, also known as Aquinnah. It’s one of those trips that feels like a true Cape and Islands adventure from the moment you leave the dock.

We cruised through Falmouth and made our way down along the Elizabeth Islands before cutting through Robinsons Hole. This stretch of water is always one of my favorite areas to travel through because you never really know what you might see. There is always a chance of finding birds working over fish, and later in the season, especially during the fall, these waters can come alive with albies and bonito.

Even before the fishing starts, the ride itself is part of the experience. The Elizabeths, Vineyard Sound, and the approach toward Gay Head all have that wild, fishy feel that makes you want to keep your eyes on the water the entire time.

Fishing Gay Head and Devil’s Bridge

Our main destination for the morning was the area around Gay Head, with a focus on Devil’s Bridge. This is a well-known and productive area with structure, depth changes, moving water, and good fish-holding bottom. During the summer, it can produce a mix of black sea bass, bluefish, striped bass, bonito, and other bottom fish.

On this trip, black sea bass were the main target, and there were plenty of keepers around. We ended up catching around 10 keeper-sized black sea bass and did not stay on the grounds for very long. Most of the fish were quality sea bass, including some nice knotheads.

The key for us was sliding a little deeper. There were black sea bass in the Devil’s Bridge area, but the better fish seemed to be holding slightly deeper, around the 50-foot range. Sometimes the most obvious piece of structure will hold fish, but the bigger sea bass may be just off it or in a nearby depth zone.

Bait was not needed on this trip. Jigs produced just fine, which made the fishing more active and enjoyable. Diamond jigs worked well near the bottom, and the bluefish were hitting them too. Epoxy jigs and Hogy Doc walkers also worked when fish were higher in the water column or showing near the surface.

Searching for Stripers, Blues, and Bonito Around Gay Head

If you are looking for stripers, bluefish, or even bonito around Gay Head, one productive stretch to troll or cruise is the beach line from Gay Head toward Squibnocket. We have had good success along this stretch finding striped bass, bluefish, and bonito.

A good approach is to cruise while keeping an eye out for birds, nervous water, surface feeds, or fish pushing bait. Birds are always worth watching, but not every feed has diving birds over it. Sometimes it is just a subtle push of water, a few splashes, or a nervous-looking patch of bait that gives the fish away.

Oftentimes, schools of striped bass or bluefish will simply cruise along the surface. When that happens, all you need to do is get in position and throw a topwater lure their way.

If you do not see anything obvious on the surface, trolling can be a great way to cover water. Deep-diving plugs trolled around 3 to 5 mph are a solid option. The tube and worm is another proven method, especially when targeting striped bass.

Gear and Lures That Worked

For black sea bass, a light to medium spinning setup or conventional setup is usually all you need. The key is having enough weight to stay near the bottom, especially if the tide is moving.

On this trip, 4-ounce jigs were enough to hold bottom at Gay Head. Around Nomans, however, the current and depth can be stronger, and sometimes 6-ounce jigs are needed. Having both sizes on board is a good idea.

Our favorite lures for this style of fishing are diamond jigs and other sand eel imitations. Diamond jigs are simple, reliable, and effective for black sea bass, bluefish, and even stripers. Sand eel imitations are also a great choice because so many fish in this area are feeding on sand eels and other slender baitfish.

A good general lure selection for this type of trip would include diamond jigs, sand eel imitations, epoxy jigs, topwater plugs like Hogy Docs, deep-diving trolling plugs, and tube and worm rigs.

Why Nomans Is Worth the Run

As productive as Gay Head can be, in our experience Nomans is often even better around this time of year. Nomans has a wild, remote feel, and the fishing can be excellent for a variety of species.

One of the best parts about fishing Nomans is that you can come home with a truly diverse bag of fish. In my opinion, Nomans is the best black sea bass location on Cape Cod. The structure around the island holds plenty of quality sea bass, including some of the biggest knotheads you are likely to find in our area.

But black sea bass are only part of the appeal. Some of the Cape’s biggest bluefish call this island home from June through October, with fish up to 40 inches possible. These gator blues can show up along the beaches, around structure, or while trolling, and they can turn an average trip into a memorable one very quickly.

Stripers also cruise these waters throughout the summer. Depending on the conditions, you may find them feeding on top, holding along the shoreline, or cruising deeper edges and structure. On top of that, we have also caught tautog and flounder around Nomans, which adds even more variety to the trip.

That diversity is what makes Nomans so appealing. You might start the morning jigging for black sea bass, run into a school of gator blues, find stripers pushing bait on the surface, and pick away at a few other bottom fish before heading home.

How to Fish Nomans

For black sea bass, focus on structure. Look for rocky bottom, humps, drops, and areas where the bottom changes. Make drifts and try different depths until you start finding life.

If you find smaller sea bass, do not assume the area is dead. Sometimes moving slightly deeper or adjusting your drift can put you on better fish. Like Gay Head, the bigger sea bass may not always be sitting directly on the most obvious piece of structure.

For stripers and bluefish, getting there early can make a big difference. Early mornings give you the best chance of finding fish on top, especially if there is bait in the area. Birds, splashes, nervous water, and surface feeds are all signs to watch for.

If there is no visible surface action, trolling is a great way to cover water. Around Nomans, you can troll both sides of the island along the beach using the same general approach as Gay Head. Deep-diving plugs and the tube and worm are both strong options.

You can also liveline eels around likely striper-holding areas, especially near moving water, structure, or during low-light conditions. Eels can be especially effective when stripers are present but not willing to chase plugs or jigs.

Almost every time we have gone out to Nomans, we have managed to pick up at least a couple gator bluefish while trolling. This is one of the reasons Nomans is such an appealing area. Even if the sea bass bite is not exactly what you hoped for, there is always the possibility of running into big bluefish, stripers, or surprise surface feeds.

Coming Home Through Buzzards Bay

After fishing Gay Head, we made our way back through Buzzards Bay and came across a huge school of mid-sized bluefish. That was a great way to end the trip as many of us have noticed a lack of bluefish this season and another reminder that the ride home can be just as interesting as the fishing grounds themselves.

During the summer, these waters can hold a lot of life. Between the Elizabeth Islands, Vineyard Sound, Gay Head, Nomans, and Buzzards Bay, there are plenty of opportunities to find fish if you keep looking.

Final Takeaways

Gay Head and Nomans are both excellent summer fishing destinations, but they require some preparation and awareness. Pay attention to structure, depth, tide, birds, bait, and what your electronics are showing you.

For black sea bass, focus on structure and do not be afraid to explore different depths.  For bluefish and stripers, look for early morning surface action, birds, and bait. If nothing is showing on top, trolling deep divers or the tube and worm is a great way to cover water and find fish.

Gay Head produced plenty of keeper black sea bass for us, along with bluefish action, and Nomans remains one of our favorite areas to fish around this time of year. Whether you are jigging structure, casting to breaking fish, or trolling for gator blues, this part of the Cape and Islands offers some of the most exciting and scenic fishing of the summer.

 Both Gayhead and Nomans hold plenty of fish, so choose whichever spot appeals to you. We often run out to Nomans first and fish Gayhead on the way back. I am sure you will find success at ethier spot, just be prepared for anything!

Hope this helps. If anyone has any question feel free to ask! 🎣

Andrew Chen