Cape Cod Fishing Reports

Cape Cod Fishing Report: 5/21/2024

Even though I know that the squid will show up in the rips in Nantucket and Vineyard Sounds, when it seems like it is late getting going, I can get a little antsy as Memorial Day weekend approaches.

With some trips on the horizon, I opted to check out Middle Groundthis morning with Gene Bourque and made plans to check out the same area on the opposite tide – it was east or incoming this AM – in the afternoon with Gerry Fine. We made a few casts in Woods Holewith an amber Charter Grade Popper and had a few half-hearted swings and misses, but the incoming/east current was already picking up which typically requires a changeover to a subsurface presentation, whether jigging deep with wire in the navigation channels or using the same approach if you are familiar with the deeper lanes that weave in and around the numerous rocks and reefs. If you prefer to use a dedicated jigging outfit while drifting as opposed to trolling to cover the water in these channels or lanes between the rocks and reefs, the pre-rigged Hogy Pro Tail Paddle or a Hogy Original paired with a jighead are good options at this time of year when the bass are feeding mainly on squid, small scup, or other baitfish that have a meatier profile than say a sand eel. A key is using the right amount of weight for the depth of water and speed/strength of current. A more “precise” way to fish specific areas where fish hold on structure, consider using a Structure Jigging Approach or the Search & Drop Approach using the same lures as you would when covering lots of water in hopes of finding fish as opposed to targeting them because you are familiar with fish holding structure or you have marked it on your electronics. If you prefer to use a Boulder Fields and Reefs Casting Approach, which the Hole is designed for, you can used either lighter Hogy Pro Tails or Slow Tails or the Hogy Charter Grade Slider if you prefer to work deeper with plugs.

As it always does, fish feeding on squid or other bait on the shoals improves my mood and ups my confidence and the rips towards the Vineyard had plenty of both. On the turn to the east, we were the only boat towards the west end of MG and we caught some fish on the amber CGP, but ultimately Gene opted for one of this favorite Hogy designs, the seven-inch Original. We could see the bass and squid – along with the gulls gathered above – and after a few empty casts with the bone color, he switched over to the amber given that the plug of that color drew a number of hits. It was a good move and soon we were into a solid pick of fat, healthy stripers, including a couple in the slot. Although I am a big fan of unweighted soft plastics on offset worm or swimbait hooks, Gene made the wise decision to go with a lightly weighted swimbait hook which did the trick and kept the lure swimming correctly, especially when the wind was up early on and the rip was a bit gnarly.

As Capt. Mike announced on May 10, I will once again be providing reports for Salty Cape, but with a new twist this year. As opposed to the weekly reports/columns I have been writing for 30 years, after plenty of conversations with Mike, we have opted for a daily report format. I will be reporting on different sections of the Cape and Islands each day, sometimes focusing on one area and on others two or more, combining information from my personal and guided trips, talks I’ve had with local tackle shops, and even local charter captains and recreational anglers – including members of the Hogy family – who get to enjoy fishing just for fun.

There will be no set schedule of when I will cover an area during that week, but you can check back regularly to see what news, suggestions, and tips I will have to offer as I cover a different regions.

One of the exclusive features that these reports will offer are direct references to tackle, techniques, and wide array of other valuable information contained in Capt. Mike’s Inshore Playbook and Capt. Mike’s Tuna Playbook. Both of these full color playbooks are geared to light tackle anglers, whether they cast, jig, or troll and are great resources for beginning anglers as well as those who have earned their seven league boots.

How To: Target Bigger Stripers Under The Smaller Ones

Filmed: May 16,2024

In this video, Capt. Mike and crew join Capt. Diogo Godoi of Gorilla Tactics Sportfishing, for a day of targeting early season striped bass in upper Buzzards Bay. The name of the game on this trip was locating piles of birds by using a combination of our eyes and radar, and fishing under those bird piles with a moderately heavy swimbait to get down deeper. With an abundance of bait and smaller sized fish, the crew opted to fish their swimbaits deeper under the life to try and entice a larger size class fish! Tight lines everyone!