It's 4th of July week on Cape Cod, and I can't believe how fast this year has flown by. Our baby daughter Hallie—who was a newborn during last year's celebration—is now practically a toddler ready to take her first steps. Time really does slip past us.
This week holds special meaning for everyone in the My Fishing Cape Cod community. Whether you're here full-time, seasonal, or just visiting, welcome to one of the most magical weeks of the year on the Cape.
Hallie has grown so much since the tiny baby she was this time a year ago!
By July 4th, summer weather has settled in and striped bass fishing is rocking and rolling. Unlike early May when fish were just arriving, there are now quality stripers throughout Cape Cod and the Islands. Whether you're fishing Buzzards Bay, Vineyard Sound, Chatham, or Cape Cod Bay—striper schools are around with excellent chances for quality fish.
Cape Cod's Underwater Forests
This morning's adventure started early at about 3 AM, and as I readied my surfcasting gear, I couldn't help but think about the two MFCC group trips that were heading out. Captain Willy Hatch would be taking 4 MFCC members to chase bluefin tuna south of Martha's Vineyard, and Captain Tyler Putney was bound for the incredibly consistent Monomoy rips, with anther group of 4 members.
While they headed offshore, I was content keeping things simple with surf casting from the beach. The area I chose features something special found throughout our region—bladder and spiral wrack weed. This fascinating seaweed creates underwater forests that stripers love swimming through.
The weed attaches to rocks and contains air-filled bubbles that help it stay vertical during high tide, reaching toward sunlight. At low tide, you'll see long mats of light to dark brown seaweed floating on the surface. When the tide is higher, it creates an underwater forest similar to West Coast kelp forests, though smaller—typically 4-5 feet tall.
Each patch becomes its own ecosystem where baitfish, crabs, shrimp, and prey items congregate, naturally attracting schools of stripers eager to feed.
The Hunt Begins
Arriving at the beach with perfect conditions—light wind and false dawn over the water—I started with a Monomoy Tackle Z-Step XL topwater lure. When fishing weedy spots, I avoid diving, bottom of the water column lures that get tangled in vegetation. The Z-Step creates that classic zig-zag wake that triggers explosive strikes.
The 6" Z-Step from Monomoy Tackle
For an hour and a half, I covered plenty of water but saw nothing—no swirls, no bites. It was time to start walking.
Finding the School
Around 6:30 AM as the tide dropped, I finally got a swirl behind the Z-Step. Then the water exploded as I spooked a school of stripers in just a few feet of water directly in front of me. Heart racing—now I knew fish were here.
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I love the photo of Hallie, the smile, with her new teeth, is adorable.
Great video, I’m learning on my kayak, how important it is to be patient and stealthy in skinny water. Thanks for the tips.
She is a sweetheart! Good luck out there in the kayak Jane!
Great video.
Glad you enjoyed it. Perfect conditions for viewing them with the drone.