Scorton Creek (Inside) #637
Scorton Creek (inside)
This long, winding saltwater creek is well known for both striped bass fishing and as a location to try for the elusive sea-run trout. Parts of the marsh edge are accessible by foot from the state-owned parking area but using a kayak or canoe will allow access to well over a mile of productive water above and below the parking area. Fish during the two-hour period before and after high tide for best results. A tide range of almost 8 feet means the fish will always be on the move and the action can be fast for a few minutes, then stop completely, then begin again as groups of school-sized stripers move in and out of the marsh. The state stocks brown trout here too and while there are very few true sea-run specimens (trout that were spawned in the brackish upper region and migrate to the sea) some of the trout do survive a few years inside Scorton Creek and fish up to five pounds or more are taken here every year.
Some years the creek will host “holdover” schoolie stripers that can be caught throughout the winter. Although few if any of these will be of legal size to keep, local anglers can often be found fishing inside Scorton on warmer days in the dead of winter. At those times flies such as the chartreuse Clouser fished on sinking head lines work well; during the regular, warmer season small soft plastics like the Hogy Skinnies or Sand Eels are excellent choices as are small swimming plugs and metals like Kastmasters or Hopkins.
Beware of the deep ditches that intersect the marsh – do NOT attempt to wade through them as their bottoms are composed of seemingly bottomless, soft mud. Also beware of walking too close to the edges of the marsh as they can collapse into the creek without warning. In the spring and summer be sure to wear a liberal dose of insect repellant to deter the millions of biting flies and gnats that will surely harass you. In spite of these cautions, inside Scorton Creek remains one of the most popular and productive fishing locations on Upper Cape Cod.
Location: Off Route 6A.
Parking: End of dirt road that parallels the creek on the north side of the creek (unmarked but easy to find).
Access: Easy to areas a few hundred yards above and below parking area, difficult to impossible except via small watercraft to the rest of the creek and marsh.
Scorton Creek (Mouth)
Scorton Creek (mouth)
This outflow is similar to Old Harbor to the north along the same beachfront a few miles away. The primary difference is that there is not as much room for fishermen to spread out and hit the prime water. Some anglers fish the short hundred-yard section just inside the mouth and catch schoolie bass in this narrow area. However, best bet for larger fish is the deeper channel outside. Either the 10” or 7” Hogy Originals will produce here when drifted on the strong outgoing tide. Swimming plugs and live eels are also a good choice. It is thought by most Scorton regulars that the large bass that often populate Scorton Ledge about a mile or so off the creek move in to the shallower water after dark. You can catch fish at the mouth of Scorton throughout the regular striper season but fall is best and fishing under low light conditions will produce.
The opposite side of the outflow is difficult to access as it requires a long walk down a beach and there is no legal parking anywhere nearby. Another option is to launch a kayak and paddle the short distance to the other side, then fish on the east side of the outflow. This is especially attractive if the easier to access west side is crowded with fishermen. Another option is to paddle a short distance up the creek and land on the east side and fish along that side of the marsh. This option is only viable for the hour or so on either side of high tide and is most productive after dark. Some anglers launch kayaks near the top of the tide, drift upstream while casting, all the way to the bridge on Route 6A, then drift and cast their way back to the parking area as the tide drops.
This is another spot where extreme caution must be exercised when wading along the very strong outflow. The bottom varies from soft sand that can be sucked from beneath your feet, to round, slippery rocks. Do not attempt to wade above your knees if creek is dumping hard.
Location: End of Holway Road, East Sandwich.
Parking: Difficult without 4-wheel drive. No fee charged but parking for only a few vehicles in soft sand behind the row of cottages. Park in designated area only; parking for only a half-dozen or so vehicles. Be aware of the high tide line as much of the parking area floods at high tide.
Access: Easy. Short walk on sand around the point to the mouth of the creek.