A newcomer's journey from freshwater to saltwater fishing, and how the My Fishing Cape Cod community made all the difference.
MFCC member Grant Stark with a healthy a Cape Cod striped bass – one of many nice fish he's caught since transitioning from freshwater fishing in Arizona to saltwater fishing on Cape Cod.
Finding a New Home on Cape Cod
When Grant Stark moved from Arizona to Cape Cod, he found himself in unfamiliar territory—both geographically and from a fishing perspective. As an avid freshwater angler who grew up fishing for stripers in lakes with his father, Grant suddenly faced the challenge of transitioning to saltwater fishing in a completely new environment.
"When I came here, it changed everything for me," Grant explained in this MFCC podcast interview. "Fishing in salt water just changed the game for me. I fell in love immediately."
During the 2024 season Grant experienced the best fishing trip of his entire life while fishing off Monomoy. According to Grant's post in the forum, "20+ Bonito boated this morning. Im in absolutely awe about todays fishing… I will make a more in depth post later about details. Also boated 40+ bass from 5am-7am, strictly on topwater. Biggest was 39” with many 30”+."
Discovering the MFCC Community
Grant's introduction to My Fishing Cape Cod came through a chance encounter at a local pond while fishing for trout and bass. There he met MFCC member Ben Mahana, who recommended the forum.
"I looked it up right then and there, realized it was the real deal and joined right from there and fell in love instantly," Grant recalled. "There was such an active community even in the dry season and it was really inspiring and helpful."
Ben Mahana, the catalyst for Grant's MFCC journey, displays a nice Cape Cod black sea bass. A chance meeting at a local pond led Ben to recommend the forum to Grant, setting in motion a transformative fishing experience that connected a newcomer from Arizona with an entire community of like-minded anglers.
Winter Stripers: Not Waiting for Spring
Having arrived on Cape Cod in November, Grant didn't want to wait until spring to pursue his passion for catching striped bass. The MFCC forum proved invaluable as he discovered the winter holdover striper fishery.
"I joined and realized there was an active forum and clicked on the winter striper fishery," Grant said. "I realized there was some guys that were catching stripers throughout the season."
Grant utilized advice from the forum and watched instructional videos posted by Ryan Collins on targeting winter holdovers. This knowledge helped him develop strategies for finding stripers in backwater estuaries during the winter months.
"I would've given up way quicker if I hadn't joined," Grant admitted.
Here's Grant with an epic winter striped bass caught on Cape Cod. Advice and information gleaned from the MFCC forum, plus persistence through hundreds of casts in challenging winter conditions has made moments like these possible for Grant.
The Learning Curve: From Winter to Summer Fishing
One of Grant's biggest challenges was transitioning from winter holdover fishing to the main striper season. The tactics that worked in winter didn't necessarily apply in spring and summer.
"It was a real learning curve and I'm still learning every day," Grant shared. "I'm still real green here. There's a lot to learn. I could never imagine how involved fishing could be until I moved to Cape Cod."
MFCC Resources That Made the Difference
Throughout his journey, Grant has utilized multiple MFCC resources to improve his fishing skills:
The Forum
"The most useful tool to me has been the forum by far," Grant emphasized. "There's such an active group of guys that provide such a wide range of knowledge over such a wide range of subjects."
Grant explained how he would spend hours researching past discussions about specific topics, reading through years of accumulated knowledge shared by experienced anglers.
Weekly Fishing Reports
"Ryan Collins puts out weekly informational fishing reports... those in the beginning were extremely useful," Grant noted.
The Podcast
"I listen to the podcast pretty regularly and there's a great fishing report through that," Grant said. "I listened to that on my way or on my way home from work, and I couldn't imagine such a beneficial tool, especially since it's so localized to where I am."
Grant Stark (top left) with MFCC founder Ryan Collins.
Building a Network of Fishing Friends
Perhaps the most significant benefit Grant has received from MFCC has been the connections he's made with fellow anglers.
"I've met probably my only really good friends here on Cape Cod through the forum," Grant revealed. "I could name 10 people that I've fished with on a regular basis, and it just takes sending them a private message through the forum."
He gave special thanks to MFCC members Robbie Sturtevant and Nicholas Caparell, who not only provided fishing knowledge but became genuine friends.
"They're just great friends. We've gone out to the bar and done other things together," Grant explained.
These connections also provided Grant with access to fishing opportunities he wouldn't otherwise have had, including trips on Nicholas's larger boat.
One of Grant's MFCC connections turned true friend, Robbie Sturtevant, displays a beautiful fish he caught while fishing inland waters on April 5th, 2025. Through forum messages and shared fishing sessions, friendships like this represent the community aspect of My Fishing Cape Cod that Grant values most about his membership. Photo credit goes out to Robbie's fiance. Congrats you two on your engagement!
Nick Caparell, one of Grant's invaluable MFCC connections, shows off a beautiful black sea bass caught aboard his 25-foot boat. Nick's generosity in taking Grant out on "probably a dozen trips" exemplifies the spirit of the MFCC community—where experienced anglers freely share not just knowledge, but also access to fishing opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach for newcomers.
Advice for Newcomers
Grant offered encouragement to people who might be hesitant to reach out on the forum:
"A big word of advice to the audience is just don't be afraid to hit someone up in the group forum... everyone that I've encountered has been extremely kind and extremely willing to meet up."
He acknowledged that there are some unwritten rules to learn, such as avoiding "spot burning" (publicly sharing specific productive fishing locations), but urged newcomers not to be intimidated.
"Just don't be intimidated to say the least. People may be upset or have their own opinions about certain things, but everyone in the forum, in my experience, has been really kind and willing to share knowledge."
Looking Ahead: New Fishing Goals
Now more established in the Cape Cod fishing scene, Grant has set new goals for himself:
- Catch a 30-pound striped bass
- Try recreational spin tuna fishing
With the knowledge and network he's developed through MFCC, these goals seem well within reach!
Join the Community
Grant's experience demonstrates the value of MFCC membership for anglers of all experience levels—from complete beginners to those more advanced in their skills. As Grant put it, the membership fee "filters out the people who aren't as serious about fishing" and creates "a serious group of anglers that are all like-minded that you can rely on for helpful information."
Whether you're new to Cape Cod, new to saltwater fishing, or simply looking to improve your success on the water, the My Fishing Cape Cod community offers knowledge, friendship, and a pathway to better fishing experiences.
Not yet a member? Ready to join Grant and hundreds of other passionate Cape Cod anglers? [Click here to become a member of My Fishing Cape Cod today!]