When I decided to try tuna fishing for the first time, I never imagined I'd be battling massive fish forty miles offshore while watching sunrise paint the Cape Cod horizon. Here's how my unforgettable day with My Fishing Cape Cod group trip Captain Willy Hatch unfolded.
The Early Morning Wake-Up Call
As a first-time tuna fishing enthusiast, I had no idea what to expect on my adventure. I booked the August 4th trip with Captain Willy and his boat, the Machaca—a very large, stable lobster boat. Of course, the booking was done through Ryan at My Fishing Cape Cod (MFCC).
The Machaca - Captain Willy Hatch's charter boat sign at the dock.
If you signup for a My Fishing Cape Cod group trip, I would recommend you set two alarms, as mine rang silently for almost an hour, from 3:00 AM to 3:55 AM. Luckily, my wife had to use the bathroom and burst up, exclaiming, "Your boat leaves in five minutes!" Being packed the night before and living close to the dock, I didn't get left behind.
The Journey to The Offshore Grounds
We departed from Falmouth Harbor before sunrise on August 4th. As soon as I boarded we were underway. The trip to the offshore grounds shown below was dark and chilly—a long cruise south of the Vineyard and out into the ocean.
Please
login or join MFCC to access
The location fished is only available to members of My Fishing Cape Cod.
The lights of the Vineyard and the mainland were amazing at that time of morning. I napped during the journey, and we arrived at the offshore wind farms, which were stunning. Shortly after, Willy spotted bait, and mate Ryan began to go to work.
The First Strike
We trolled much faster than on my annual Moosehead, Maine fishing trip. Suddenly, a fish crushed the bait, and a reel started to sing in falsetto. It was amazing! Being a first-timer, I stood back and watched.
Success! MFCC member David Amaral shows off a beautiful tuna landed during our offshore adventure.
The next time that falsetto sang, I strapped into a harness and began the fight. It's hard to describe the adrenaline rushing through your body in that moment. The fish was caught, dispatched, and put on ice
First tuna in the books for author Victor Temple! What an unforgettable day on the water off Martha's Vineyard.
Discovering Mahi-Mahi
We trolled for a while longer, then started looking for Mahi-Mahi. Again, being a newbie, I thought, "What? Those fish are only in Mexico, not off the Cape!" To my surprise, they love buoys.
MFCC member Brendan Chiou with a beautiful Cape Cod Mahi-Mahi - look at those incredible colors!
Fresh from jumping ten feet out of the water - a beautiful Mahi-Mahi caught near the buoys off Martha's Vineyard.
We would back up to the buoy, chum, and cast bait. Oh my gosh, these beautiful fish would jump ten feet out of the water—again, I was stunned.
Final Thoughts
The fruits of our labor! MFCC members showing off an awesome day of fishing off Martha's Vineyard.
The day's haul laid out on deck - a couple tuna, beautiful Mahi-Mahi and a triggerfish from our Cape Cod adventure.
I recommend Captain Willy to anyone; he knows what he's doing. Set two alarms, or live with someone who needs to use the bathroom early.
Be amazed as I was, and expect a long day! Until next time.
Victor
Offshore Forum
Connecting Anglers
Get the latest intel, swap stories, share advice.
About the author