Cape Cod Fishing Report for 5-14-2015

Ben Bianco found some active schoolies up to 26 inches this week.
John Bianco found some active schoolies up to 26 inches this week in a Buzzards Bay estuary.

More and bigger stripers are hitting the Cape daily, and just this week, they’ve been joined by another saltwater favorite.

Mike at Red Top Sporting Goods reported more keeper stripers moving  in every day. Fish larger than 28 inches are still sporadic, but they are being caught with increasingly regularity in the Canal. The fish aren’t reacting to topwater lures just yet, but sub-surface swimmers like Daiwa SP Minnows and Tsunami Swim Shads.

The Canal herring run is loaded with the silvery baitfish, as are many of the runs around the Cape.

In other baitfish news, the big squid run is still going on in Vineyard Sound, and boats are loading up on calimari by jigging during the daytime.

Paul Devitt of Deep Thinker Charters has been loading up on fresh calamari off the south side of Cape Cod.
Paul Devitt of Deep Thinker Charters has been loading up on fresh calamari off the south side of Cape Cod.

Though the season doesn’t open until next weekend, a few black sea bass have been taken by the fishermen targeting squid. Some scup have also shown up, both in Buzzards Bay said Mike at Red Top, and over the rocky bottoms off the South Side of the Cape.

Christian at Falmouth Bait and Tackle said between the mackerel and squid, there is plenty of bait around the Cape for when the big stripers arrive. At the moment, the largest bass Christian has heard of are a 34-incher from the Canal and a 33-incher from the South Side.

Jeff at Forestdale Bait and Tackle said the striper fishing is reliable enough, that most anglers who are targeting them, are hooking up with a couple fish each trip. Inside the bays, swim shads are working, and Jeff said topwaters are catching at Oregon Beach.

Bass River and Herring River are holding stripers, reported Dan at Goose Hummock. Sunken Meadow Beach is also worth a look he said.

Schoolies have arrived on the Vineyard reported Pete at Larry’s Tackle.   Early season anglers are catching schoolies on the South side of the island, from Wasque to Lucy Vincent Beach.   Mixed in with schoolies has been the occasional keeper.  The spring worm spawns are in full force, so Big Bridge and inside Sengekontacket Pond are producing a number of fish. In the evening, the squid have been coming into Edgartown Harbor, with pink as the jig of choice.

With the rising water temperatures, baitfish are hitting the South Side of the Cape in droves reported Ben at Black Eel Outfitters. The bay was extremely busy with bird activity up and down the shoreline for a couple days now. Schoolies and the occasional fish in the upper 20-inch range have been caught near Sesuit Harbor. Bunker invaded the Bass River earlier this week, said Ben.  After dark, SP Minnows took keeper bass in the river. All the beaches from Yarmouth to Chatham produced schoolies and multiple keepers this week, according to Ben.

Social Media reports of bluefish on the Cape circulated Thursday. Prior to that, there were few reports of blues, except for a few taken around the Cotuit area, as reported by Jeff at Forestdale. Some south wind should really kickstart the bluefishing, so keep an eye on the South Side beaches in the coming days.

Tog fishing is improving, but the action isn’t hot and heavy, reported Christian at Falmouth Bait and Tackle.

Freshwater fishing is still excellent. Tiger trout were stocked this week, big bass, both largemouth and smallmouth, are hitting well, and the pickerel are positively voracious. As Jeff from Forestdale put it, “You’re more likely to catch a 5-pound fish in freshwater, than you are in saltwater–at least for now.”

Best Bets for the Weekend

Things are getting ready to break wide open. The water temperature needs to bump up a few degrees, and the wind needs to turn Southwest, and the saltwater fishing season of 2015 can really get going. By next  week  expect to be reporting the first big stripers and the first big bluefish bites.

The South Side is the best bet at the moment both for stripers and blues. Minnow plugs will work for both species, but poppers should be effective as well.  In the bays, small swim shads are working best for the stripers.

Also, don’t forget about the freshwater. The water is still cool enough that the trout are biting well, and it’s warm enough that the bass are shallow and actively hunting bluegills and herring.

29 on “Cape Cod Fishing Report for 5-14-2015

  1. fishcakes

    Splashed the boat for the first time this AM, was tight on 6 small fish all on small metals

  2. john

    I was at the herring run in the canal yesterday 2 hours after high tide and hooked 3 schoolies and 1 keeper.

  3. Captain Ross D. Goslin

    Sea Bass Season Opens 5/23/15. Based on the last couple of years, it should be a great season.

    Go to Cape Cod Fishing Adventures on Face Book for info. and reports.

    1. Captain Ross

      With four or five people fishing, that is a lot of great fish to take home. Makes the cost of a half day on the water very worthwhile. You would pay over $8 pound for those Sea Bass fillets in the fish market. And the real plus is its a blast, kind of like northern grouper fishing.

    2. Captain Ross D. Goslin

      fishcakes:

      Yes sir. with four anglers aboard, that is a lot of prime time eating to bring home. Makes the charters pay for themselves.

  4. Tim

    Thanks for updates. No luck at herring run/canal entrance during high tide around 830

  5. fishcakes

    Fished bait on the bottom, no bass for me, the guy just down the beach landed two just legal bass also on bait AM

  6. fishcakes

    Plan on fishing the PM at the Canal anyone with a fish report?? lure of choice

    Sebile – Magic Swimmer

  7. mark

    At herring run canal last night . Spoke with some guys and got a lot of nothing but some where saying days before they had some I didnt even get a hit. Worked the ditch for 45 minutes and left . The scusset end was a ghost town .
    I had such a bad season last year that my confidence on my first casts this year was short felt. I will dig in again tonight . This time all night.

  8. H.T

    Hey mark and fishcakes,

    Just got back in from this morning. It was pretty good!! Lots of schoolies, fishing the east end. Bass busting on top chasing after herring. Also macks have moved in. Should get real good in the next week

    Lure of choice Magic Swimmer)
    Don’t be afraid to throw a mackerel patterned lure!! (hint, hint)

    1. tim

      Spent a few hours last night before high. Tried everything with no luck. Heard they are catchin by the power plant also. Eels and fresh local squid for sale at buzzards bait. They said they would open 24/7 soon.

  9. Colin D

    Fished the canal near the herring run on 05/14/15 and caught a 31.5 and 25 inch striper. Used a 1 ounce Ava diamond jig with a green tube tail. Both fish had lice and were fresh, game on!

  10. fishcakes

    Colin with all the sand eels around that Ava should work super

  11. Cam

    Went to secconet point in little Compton caught 75 squid in about half an hour it was high tide when they came in

  12. john

    Fished the inside and out of barnstable harbor saturday multiple boats hooking up mainly schoolies and one guy had a 28″ and 36″ ….so they are out there

    1. fishcakes

      Kevin talked to my fellow anglers who said “best tog in years” tight lines

      1. Booch

        Where are the tog?
        Heading to race point tomr to find stripers

  13. fishcakes

    A bit slow for me in the Canal today, come June 1 the go to lure hits the water

    1. stephen

      crystal minnow magnum old style silver and black works every time

  14. Juan

    Caught my first 21″ striper in the Merrimac river last night, as the tide was coming in at 10:45 pm. It was at cashman park. Nbpt.

  15. fishcakes

    hitting the Canal again with storm wildeye swim shads and sebiles will give report ASAP

  16. fishcakes

    Just came off the water, fished hard for 3 hours, 3 for 5 with the largest around 20 inches

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