| Shoals Came Alive... Today, the 22nd of July, we had the northwest wind we needed. In the morning about 7:00 am. the wind was blowing a good 15 to 20 knots. All the boats from Rock Harbor set out and jogged to Billingsgate Shoals. We hoped this wind would blow the fish up on the shoals. It took awhile to get there. Well, we were right. The first fish I got on the boat was 45 inches and went about 35 pounds. It was not long before we had our limit of 8 fish. Most of the fish were from 32 inches to 38 inches. I have no idea how many keepers we landed. The wind calmed down and we had a nice easy right home. A good day to fish... |
| The bass seem to have taken up residence on Billingsgate Shoals. Just about every day we find then either on the north edge or on the south edge. Sometimes in the middle. For the most part on the incoming tide we go to the north edge and when it starts out we will move to the south edge. P-town is absolutely loaded but with commercial season underway it is very crowded. The bluefish have moved into the deep water off the Path. Just get out into 50 feet of water off the Path and work to the south southwest moving from 50 feet out 60 feet until you find them. Single hootchies on mono or 200 foot wires works very well. |
| It’s the beginning of the 4th of July weekend and it is going to be a hot one. The fishing looks like it will be hot also. Billingsgate Shoals is very active, as well as up off P-town, with legal size stripers. There are bluefish and bass in the deep water off the edge of the shoals. Umbrella rigs will work well there while jigging is the best method on the shoals. The bluefish have started to make themselves known in more and more areas. They are now along the shore from Great Island up to the Path as well is in along the Eastham shore. Hopefully, they will come in to this area in full force. |
| It has finally happened. A moderate amount of bluefish has moved into the area along the Eastham shore. on the 22nd of June I went in there to check out the area and found a number of fish running in the 12 to 15 pound range, Yes, big fish. I also landed a few good size stripers in the deeper water by the #3 and # 5 cans. The main body of bass are still on Billingsgate Shoals but have now spread out. We’re finding them over on the east side of the shoals in where the grass patches used to be. I hope they settle in there for the summer. |
| Fish on the Move... We have not been all that busy lately, the economy I guess. Anyway, the bass and bluefish have moved up on to Billingsgate Shoals. More on the western end by the #1 can right now. This should change in a week or so when more fish move in and get back into the deep water on the north edge. Another area that has come alive is up by P-town. The area off the Cottages and Holiday Inn in 25 feet of water is holding a good amount of fish but the area between Wood End and Race Point is the best area right now. |
| Big Fish Have Arrived... I had Richard and John King out today, the 29th of May, on a half day trip. The fish that were west of the Target Ship Buoy have moved on. A large bunch of bigger fish have moved in on the North Edge of Billingsgate Shoals. It is really active now and there are bluefish mixed in. Some of the bass we landed today were over 40 inches. The next week or so should tell if these fish move in on the shoals and inside by the Eastham shore. I hope in happens soon. |
| The Season is Under Way... 28 May 2010 The holiday weekend is starting with some good fishing. There are lots of stripers 3 miles west of the Target Ship Buoy. The Umbrella rig on 150 foot of wire is working the best. There some fish by the #1 can but they come and go. Things will be changing fast as the water warms up, so stay in touch. |
| The Fishing is Great... The weekend of the 15th I had Dave Smith, Justin Gilbride, Vin Zackes, Pete Davenport, and Jim Jagemann out on two trips. On both days we did very well. The main area was west of the old Target Ship by about 3 miles. Many of the fish were undersize but a good number of keepers are mixed in. I was out with my wife Anne today, the 20th, and it was not long before we had two for dinner. Other areas that are active are the north edge of Billingsgate Shoals, just outside the Pamet River and along the shore from Race Point to Long Point up in the P-town area. I’m sure there are fish in the Channel in Barnstable Harbor also. The best lure system is the umbrella rig on wire, but single swimming plug will work also, just not as well. It will not be long before the bluefish show up. It has all the signs of being a really good fishing season. |
| The Harbor Comes Alive... It’s the 1st of May. A sunny day, warm with no wind to speak of. I moved my boat over from Sesuit the day before. Now I’m getting all the gear on it, the chairs, tackle, rods and reels, plus doing some small projects before the season starts. This will all be done the next 4 to 5 days. It’s dubbing around time. My first rip is around the middle of the month. I will get out a few times before that to see what is happening, but for now it’s dubbing time. Chuck Cataldo, on the Fair Lady got out today to see if there were any fish up towards Welfleet and along the Eastham Shore. He found a few Mackerel and one small striper. That’s a good sign. They are getting small keepers in South Sunken Meadow now by drifting sea worms, so the bigger fish are here, that is a really good sign. The next few days will tell whether the bigger fish will come out from the shallow water. If it stays mostly sunny and warm for the next 3 to 5 days the keeper size bass will move into the 15 to 25 foot water where they will start feeding on the squid and mackerel in the area. At that point we have them where we want them and we’ll start catching them. |
| We are well into April. The herring run in Brewster is loaded to the hilt with herring. For the most part we have had above average temperatures. I have most everything done on the boat. Paint the bottom and start the engine and I’m in the water. We are actually having a spring on Cape Cod. The docks are in at Rock Harbor. I should be over there from Sesuit by the end of this month. Once I’m there I have a few things to do to get ready which will take a few days. My first trip is the 14th of May. I’ll know well before that if the fish are in. When I know you will know.... I have heard there are small bass in Bass River and in some of the other estuaries. There was a report that the squid are in Hyannis Harbor. If so, the bigger bass are not far behind. Also, a small bass was seen being landed at the River Road Landing behind the Orleans Town Hall. Things will be exploding soon... |
| Time Is At Hand... April is almost here. The birds are singing and the buds on the Forsythia are popping and soon, very soon the Herring will be in their runs. Normally, in my area, the Lower Cape, you can find small stripers up the estuaries of Pleasant Bay on the second to third sunny day after Easter. Usually at the narrows between Pochet Island and the mainland. Lately in the past few years the best place is the River Road town landing on an incoming tide about half way up. At the same time many of the inlets on the south coast of the Cape will also have small stripers coming up for the warmer water. When you see a good number of Herring in the runs the bigger fish are here. One good spot, and maybe too well known, is the South Sunken Meadow area near low water. There have been 40 inch stripers taken there in late April and very early May. |
| It’s Getting Closer... It is only a little more than two months away. That is the time we may find some legal size striped bass off shore in Cape Cod Bay. I don’t know about the other captains but I’m starting to get my gear organized. The first place I’m going to look is right along the Brewster Flats out in 18 to 24 feet of water and on sunny days up on the flats. For the time being I’m forced to watch old videos of last season and photos I took. If you’re interested you can watch some of them also. The first, where most of them are, is on YouTube. Just type in the search bar, Sportfishing Cape Cod Bay, or Stunmai II, either one will bring a number of them. Another site, which I’ve just joined, has a few of mine but a lot of short clips on tuna fishing. This site is really interesting. Type in on Google Search, Offshore Fishing Videos on Vimeo, click the site that uses that title and you’ll see a number of them. It’s free to join and you can see even more. More to come later... |
| Spring is Going to Come... This time of the year some of us folks are going to a warm place, going to swish down a hill in the north country, or just keeping warm by the fire. I’m sitting by the wood stove waiting for next season to start. It seems like it will take forever to get here. Not so, it is just around the corner so get your tackle ready. No one can really predict what the bass and bluefish will do this season. Just guess from what has gone on before. That guess is predicated by experience so it is better than nothing. So, when I get my boat in and we have a decent day in the middle of May, I’m headed to the Brewster Flats. I’ll look for working birds and when I find them I’ll find the fish. As far as the rest of the season? Come to this site because I’ll have regular updates as to what is happening with the striped bass and bluefish here is Cape Cod Bay. Capt. Hap Farrell |
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