Devil’s Bridge #416

Devils Bridge is the long shoal that runs northwest from Gay Head on Martha’s Vineyard towards the island of Cuttyhunk. Due to the variety of depths on this piece of structure, styles of fishing can vary greatly. But one thing is always a constant and that is the need for moving water.  This spot is EXTREMELY tide dependent.  I’ve found that the faster the water moves through this area the better it fishes. “The Bridge” heats up around the middle of May.  Typically, this area is loaded with bait and in particular sand eels, herring and squid.  

Close to the shoreline of Martha’s Vineyard the water is relatively shallow averaging around 10-25 feet deep. Light Tackle anglers will sneak in here BE CAREFUL getting set in on the rocks. The tide is tricky here, especially with wind patterns at play. I personally prefer to fish a little further out in 20ish feet of water when the schools chase the bait. In recent years, Gay Head has offered some great early season topwater action. As I edit this post in 2022, I remember some finicky fish here. In one video we filmed, we had to really dial in lure, retrieve and light leaders.

• Lat & Long:  41°21.8’ x 70°51.8’
• Best Tide: West (outgoing)
• Hazards: Shallow reef running northwest off the northwest corner of Martha’s Vineyard, about ¼ mile long with depth gradually dropping off. Large boulders 100 – 200 yards off the shore. Strong rip develops at peak of the tide with large standing waves when prevailing summer southwest breeze is against the dropping (west ) tide. Large swells from offshore break around the point and over the boulders at times.