2012 Cape Cod Fishing Season

This year was one of the best saltwater fishing seasons I’ve experienced in a long time. I fish primarily around Cape Cod and the islands. The season started off with a bang in May with migrating striped bass. At various times in May and early June fishing in, and near, the east and west ends of the canal and Vineyard Sound between Gay Head and Quick’s Hole, and between Squibnocket and Nomans Island the bass and blues fishing was outstanding. From mid-June to early July the rips around Monomoy Island were on fire on the right tides. Squid were abundant and big schools of large bass showed up like clockwork to feed on them often remaining incredibly active feeding on the surface for two or three hours at a time. This made it particularly great for spin and fly fishermen. The only down side was dodging the other boats. More than once I nearly got rammed by other “captains” who were more excited about the breaking fish than watching where they were going. The Bluefin Tuna bite was also excellent off of Chatham near the BB buoy and Crabs Ledge for extended periods of time as was the commercial bass fishing near Chatham Harbor and the New Cut. Blues, fluke, scup and black seabass remained strong throughout the season and the false albacore bite in Vineyard Sound was better this fall than any of the previous five years. The bonito action was not as good this year as most but occasionally there were good numbers to be found at the “Hooter” off of the SE end of Martha’s Vineyard.   More photos from the 2012 fishing season - click here for my online album.