I know I keep it saying, but springtime will be here before we know it!
And when spring does arrive, one early season fishery I am hoping materializes in 2025 is the nearshore haddock bite in Cape Cod Bay. Last year this bite never got going with any consistency, but in years past the fishing not far from shore in the bay has been great.
We will just have to wait and see how things turn out this spring. Regardless, Cape Cod's waters have long been a premier destination for haddock fishing, offering anglers the opportunity to catch one of New England's most prized groundfish species.
Melanogrammus aeglefinus, commonly known as haddock, has been a cornerstone of both commercial and recreational fishing in Massachusetts waters for centuries, particularly during the spring season when these fish become more accessible to small boat anglers.
The author, Ryan Collins, is pictured here with a keeper-size haddock caught during early May not far from shore in Cape Cod Bay.
And spring haddock fishing is exactly what the focus of this article is going to be about. Specifically, spring haddock fishing in Cape Cod Bay.
Read on to learn more!
Understanding Haddock Behavior and Habitat
Haddock are distinguished by their dark lateral line and characteristic black "thumbprint" mark just above their pectoral fins.
These bottom-dwelling fish typically inhabit depths ranging from 150 to 450 feet, but during spring migrations, they can often be found in shallower waters in Massachusetts and Cape Cod Bay, making them an ideal target for recreational anglers.
The waters off Cape Cod, particularly Stellwagen Bank and the area I fished during this memorable trip, provide ideal habitat conditions for haddock. These areas feature the sandy or gravel bottom composition that haddock prefer, where they feed on various bottom-dwelling organisms including mollusks, crustaceans, and small fish.
Cape Cod's History of Haddock Fishing
The early 1920's saw an explosion in haddock fishing off Cape Cod. Pictured here is a steam powered commercial vessel at a dock on Cape Cod. At the time this photo was taken, these steam powered trawlers were quickly replacing schooners under sail. Trawlers were able to catch much greater quantities of fish. Haddock (and other species) could be caught in nets pulled using engine power, rather than on lines hauled by hand. This photo and information was provided by the Cape Cod Commercial Fisherman's Alliance.
The history of haddock fishing in Cape Cod waters dates back to colonial times. In the 19th century, fishing schooners from ports like Provincetown and Chatham would venture out to the rich fishing grounds of Georges Bank and the Gulf of Maine, returning with holds full of haddock.
Today, while commercial fishing continues, recreational haddock fishing has grown significantly in popularity, particularly as stricter regulations have been placed on cod fishing.
Spring Haddock Fishing in Cape Cod Bay
During my first Cape Cod Bay haddock fishing trip my friend Eddy and I enjoyed perfect flat calm conditions.
My first time experiencing the spring haddock bite in Cape Cod Bay started with a text from My Fishing Cape Cod member Eddy Kooyomjian. Eddy asked if I wanted to go haddock fishing with him back on May 6th 2022, and I jumped at the opportunity!
Haddock are a beautiful bottom dwelling fish with delicate white meat that you'll find on restaurant menus throughout Cape Cod and New England. Over the years I've really taken an interest in eating what I catch, so I was very excited to get underway and harvest some fresh seafood.
We'll talk more about the area we fished and the harbor from which we launched later on in this report. FYI-you will have to be logged-in as a member of My Fishing Cape Cod in order to view this information.
During most of the year haddock remain offshore in deep water. However during the spring they will often move in shallower, which makes them easier to target from a small boat. We'll talk more about the areas where we ended up finding haddock later in this report.
Haddock are not surface feeders like bluefish, stripers and tuna. Instead you will find vast shoals of haddock carpeting the bottom as they feast upon clams, shrimp, worms, small fish and much more.
My Fishing Cape Cod member Eddy Kooyomjian of Monomoy Tackle (left) has a 21 foot Steiger Craft which I've now fished from on two occasions. During our first trip together I captured some eye opening underwater footage of sea robin schools which you can check out here.
The days after this specific trip (from May 7-11) saw gale conditions with rain and strong winds from the northeast. However, on May 6th it was the "calm before the storm" and Eddy and I hoped to make the most of this small weather window.
Right Whale Speed Restrictions
We had launched from the harbor shown in the map below, which provided easy access and a short run to the haddock grounds roughly 5-10 miles offshore. A short run is important during this time of the year due to the right whale speed restriction of 10 knots.
During early spring all vessels must observe a 10-knot speed restriction in Cape Cod Bay and adjacent waters to protect endangered North Atlantic right whales during their critical feeding and nursery period.
This seasonal speed zone, established by NOAA Fisheries, is particularly important during spring when right whales aggregate in Cape Cod Bay to feed on dense patches of zooplankton.
Aerial photo of North Atlantic Right Whales, by National Marine Sanctuaries - GRNMS - Right Whales, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=95413038
These speed limits, along with maintaining a safe distance of at least 500 yards from any right whale, are crucial conservation measures for protecting this highly endangered species, which numbers fewer than 350 individuals. Recreational and commercial boaters should also be aware that these restrictions may be extended later into the spring if right whales remain in the area.
Please note: I highly recommend verifying current speed restrictions and dates with NOAA Fisheries or the latest local maritime regulations, as these rules may be updated periodically to better protect the whale population.
Upon arriving we noticed a fleet of perhaps 30 boats. Some of the boats were anchored, while others were drifting. Eddy chose a spot where he has done well in the past and we started getting ready to fish. Suddenly we heard a splash and a loud spout noise off the starboard side - it was a whale!
Minke whales can live for up to 50 years and weigh 20,000 pounds. Current threats facing minke whales include entanglement in fishing gear, climate change, ship strikes, ocean noise, whaling and plastic in the ocean.
I'm not sure exactly what species of whale it was, but I think it could have been a minke. As mentioned above, endangered North Atlantic Right whales visit Cape Cod Bay during this time of the year, so we made sure to give the whale plenty of room just in case, and made sure to keep our boat speed below 10 knots.
Epic Haddock Fishing!
There was absolutely no wind, and conditions were so silent, that we could easily hear people's conversations on the boats around us. The boat off our bow soon began hooking up, and Eddy and I waited in eager anticipation for the first haddock nibble of the day.
With regards to biting baits, haddock are sometimes slow to make up their mind. During this trip I captured over 7 minutes of underwater haddock footage which I will share below in the members-only portion of this report.
Haddock are a fun fish to catch but they don't fight nearly as hard as other species such as tautog or bluefish. When you hook a haddock you want to slowly bring the fish to the surface to avoid tearing the hook from the haddock's soft mouth.
Over the next couple of hours Eddy and I managed to boat 18 keeper haddock, a 23 inch codfish (which was released) and an oyster toadfish. It ended up being a terrific morning on the water and I went home with plenty of fresh haddock fillets which I've been sharing with my family.
I'll share it all with you in the rest of this members-only report!
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About the author
I have a small boat and I usually launch from Rock Harbor. I read your article on haddock and was wondering how far off the coast of the Cape Cod (Bay area around Eastham, Wellfleet and northward do you have to fish. I am not comfortable taking my 170 Montauk to Stellwagon Bank area. Thanks!
Hey Dave, I’ll send you a private message inside our forum. 👍
Great article I am one of those smaller boats I’m going to be targeting haddock Thursday evening and Saturday morning hopefully with a little luck I can bring some fresh fish home
Thanks again for the great article