Cape Cod Fishing Reports

Salty TV 2024: Monomoy | Topwater Rips | Micro Topwaters

Summary

• 🎣 Challenging Weather Conditions: Despite an underestimation of the wind forecast, the team navigates breezy conditions and an incoming tide.
  • The forecast underestimated the wind.
  • Conditions were breezy with a developing incoming tide.
• 🐟 Monomoy’s Rich Ecosystem: Monomoy is highlighted for its diverse marine life and excellent fishing spots.
  • Known for a variety of fish including stripers, seabass, and fluke.
  • Features different structures and techniques due to its varied environment.
• 🌊 Techniques for Success: Detailed strategies for fishing in the rips, focusing on casting and positioning.
  • Importance of positioning the boat correctly using engine assistance.
  • Techniques such as “fishing the swing” and using the “twitch twitch pause pause” retrieve.
• 🎣 Effective Lures: Explanation of the effectiveness of the Hogy surface erasers in different conditions.
  • Surface erasers mimic squid and are versatile for various retrieves.
  • Tips on using colors like translucent amber and pink for squid.
• 🚤 Navigating the Rips: Tips on repositioning in the rips to maintain peak fishing action.
  • Move back up the rip to avoid spooking fish and other anglers.
  • Maintain a safe distance from other boats.
• 📏 Fish Handling and Conservation: Emphasis on proper handling of striped bass for conservation purposes.
  • Supporting the fish by its belly when measuring.
  • Logging measurements for the Mass DMF citizen science project.
    

    Monomoy Topwater Rips – Casting for Striped Bass

    Introduction

    Monomoy, a renowned fishing area located off Cape Cod, offers a unique and rich ecosystem ideal for a variety of fishing techniques and species. This article explores the strategies and insights shared by C. Mike from Salty TV, focusing on topwater fishing for striped bass using Hogy lures.

    Understanding Monomoy’s Ecosystem

    Monomoy is not just a single spot but a collection of areas including Stone Horse, Round Shoal, and Little Round Shoal. The region is characterized by a confluence of warm and cold waters, creating an ideal habitat for diverse marine life. This mix supports various baitfish such as sand eels, herring, and squid, making it a prime location for predators like striped bass, seabass, and fluke.

    Techniques for Success

    Positioning and Repositioning

    Positioning the boat correctly is crucial when fishing the rips at Monomoy. The technique involves using engine assistance to stem the tide, allowing for controlled drifts through the rips. This method ensures the bait mimics the natural movement of prey, making it more enticing to predators.

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Salty Cape Podcast:

Catch this weeks episode of The Dave and Mike Show! Dave and Mike discuss fishing reports & dive into techniques, tips, fishing etiquette, walks down memory lane, and a fair amount of chop-busting!

Chatham/Monomoy

The fishing conditions off Chatham and Monomoy remained productive throughout the week despite challenging winds. Anglers found success trolling a variety of plugs and soft plastics, particularly around the Handkerchief and Stonehorse rips. The size of the bass varied significantly, with many fish in the mid-20 to high-20 inch range, and occasional larger fish up to 36 inches. Smaller bass were more common, but the occasional larger fish were caught using lead core line and jigging techniques. Bob Lewis and his crew, including Olivia Dinkelacker, conducted catch-and-release studies focusing on the behavior and recovery of striped bass, noting fluctuating sizes which suggest different schools moving through the area.

Relevant Video: How-To: Casting Big Topwater Plugs for Striped Bass

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