Fishing The Cape For Spring Striped Bass

Striped bass fishing off Cape Cod is hands down some of the best in the entire northeast.  Cape Cod boasts a large population of stripers year in and year out.  This area is world famous for its incredible striped bass fishing opportunities.  Be sure to check out Cape Cod the next time you plan a striped bass fishing excursion. 

Water temperatures this past winter were way above normal, so many Cape Cod fishermen are expecting the striped bass to arrive earlier than normal. So far bass have been reported on Martha's Vineyard and bluefish have been reported feeding off South Cape beach.

Hearing about this sort of pre-season action in April is very unusual. Hopefully these early signs bode well for May time fishing at the Cape Cod Canal.

Some of the best striper fishing of the entire season occurs during May at the Cape Cod Canal. The Canal is one of the few spots along the East Coast where surfcasters have a real chance at bass in excess of 50 pounds. During some weeks, the top water action occurs each morning as striped bass chase herring, mackerel and pogies right up onto the rocks. Working pencil poppers and other plugs along the surface is one of the most exciting and productive striped bass fishing techniques.

Other shorebound hot spots to check out over the next couple of weeks include Cape Cod's many creeks and estuaries. The estuaries on the south side of the Cape can feature good striper fishing beginning in late April. The bass action in these areas is typically best before the summer heat hits Cape Cod and the water becomes too warm. The Cape's southside is also one of the best early season bluefish spots in the region.

Boat striped bass fishermen have a plethora of opportunities throughout the month of May. Cape Cod Bay's many hot spots begin to fish well towards the end of the month. Martha's Vineyard, the Elizabeth Islands and Nantucket typically fish better before Cape Cod Bay, due to the bass' northerly migration patterns. Buzzard's Bay also features consistent surface blitzes throughout the month.

For those intersted in species aside from striped bass, Cape Cod also offers plenty of opportunities-often in the same areas where you will find the stripers. Provincetown as well as the Outer Cape has over the past few seasons featured a rare chance to catch bluefish, stripers and bluefin tuna throughout the course of a single trip. The bass, bluefish and tuna have on many occasions fed alongside one another on the abundance of large sand eels and herring.

Tautog are also a spring time favorite for anglers fishing Buzzard's Bay and the Cape Cod Canal. These fine tasting fish put up a strong fight on light tackle. Concentrate on fishing around rock piles with green crabs. Green crabs are a favorite of tautog and can be caught from many of the Cape's local estuaries, marshes, harbors and creeks.

The month of May is an exciting month for Cape Cod anglers. Whether it's stripers, bluefish, tuna or tautog Cape Cod has something for every fishermen. With the beginning of May just a few shorts weeks away, now is the time to arrange and plan for that first striped bass fishing trip of the season.