1997 Cape Cod Reports

June 18: Well, I have been away for a while, trying my luck in the Colorado Rockies. Run-Off was incredibly high, but still managed to land a few nice trout here and there. Cuts, Kokonies and Rainbows with my prize of the trip, a beautiful cutthroat of 20" who ran like a bonito. Thanks Spencer and Mike for finding the fish. [TOP]

June 7: OOh! Bluefish! They are here on the south side and I have never seen them so big as first arrivals. Maybe I missed the early guys. Anyway, I landed a 3 foot monster off the beach , which proceeded to take out its frustrations on my wader boots as I scooted him back to sea. (Thanks Cabella's  for the tough boots!) [TOP]

May 31: Had a tremendous day today. Found fish all over the mouth of Barnstable harbor. As the tide turned from High to mid, I took two nice fish. The best all around of the year for me so far. Took them in a riffle, not even a foot deep, using a large sand eel pattern dead drifted right down the pipe! I landed two fish, 30 and 33 inches. A third strike spit the hook. By the time I had rigged again, the rip had dissipated. (these pics coming soon) [TOP]

May 27: Worked the banks around grays beach, with action coming just after sunset. There are huge bass in the channel, eating live herring. They would have nothing to do with my sand eel. Next day, had a fresh tied herring pattern, but the fish would only look. I settled for some 24 inchers on my clousers. [TOP]

May 24: Floated my canoe for the first time today. And what a day for it too. With only 39 degrees on the thermometer, I almost went back to bed. I wanted to try the bayside, to see how it was...There are bass everywhere. I was into the schoolies by the hundreds with a sand eel, changing to a squid pattern, I started to get size. Fish ranged from 12 to 24 in the smaller size and up to 34 inches in the bigger schools. These big fish were only after the squid and would really look at it too. I saw no live squid, but tried the pattern on a whim. Later, I learned there had been lots of squid in the area. I was not the only fisherman out. Lots of boats floated the channel and a large, lone seal worked the main rip, getting all "Keepers" for himself.  [TOP]

May 21: I fished Monday and Tuesday night at the mouth of the Bass River. I just can't seem to keep away from there. The fish are so abundant and STRONG! On Tuesday, there was an almost full moon, and the visibility was incredible well after all daylight disappeared. I landed a nice 22 incher off the beach. By the way he fought, I could have sworn he was over 30. I admit I was a little disappointed when I finally landed him. A nice fish at any rate. [TOP]

Also hooked a length of what looked about 30 or 40 pound mono fishing line. As I stripped in, the line began to put up a bit of a fight. It had a fish on it! I thought it must be a pretty big one to break off this line. I carefully fought the fish in, sadly to find him only about 20 inches long with a huge bait hook lodged deep in his stomach. He had hardly any strength left. I could see the eye of the hook, and attempted to dislodge it. In a few seconds I realized it wasn't going to come out so I cut the line off at the fish's mouth. Later I saw him struggling to keep level on the bottom. I'm sure he won't make it. [TOP]

May 13: Tonight is Tuesday. I caught my smallest striper ever. Seven inches I think. Also got a nice one of 22 1/2 inches who felt like a 30 incher all the way. I was so excited by the way he fought, I really thought he was bigger. Is it me or are these fish more aggressive and stronger than last year?! We'll see. Anyway reports of bigger fish and a confirmed 26 incher out of Town Cove in Orleans. If your waiting for the fish to get here in numbers before you get out there....you're missing out. The numbers are here. [TOP]

May 11: The mouth of the Bass River still great. I had a fishing first tonight: Got my first tagged fish. Took him on the beach in waist deep water. It was about 24 inches long, and sadly, due to the darkness and conditions, I was unable to read the tag, except that it was yellow, a little rusty, and had teeny black lettering, too small for me to read in the fading light. Oh well Maybe I'll get him again. I was working the surf with a guy named Harry Graff (did I spell that right?) who was successfully tossing a Chartreuse Clauser. Fish boiled all around us and although hits were sparse, when they did hit, the little surfies packed quite a wallop. I watched Harry land a nice little striper, only about 14 inches, but it managed to take line back a couple times before Mr. Graff lipped him and released him. [TOP]

May 6: The mouth of the Bass River rocked Sunday night. A huge thanks to Matt, an expatriated local trying to move back, who found the fish and was generous enough to call me over to the action. The schoolies were feeding on something and jumping clear out of the water to get it. All the sand-eel patterns I used produced. The following night, accompanied by his wife, Deb, and Choc. lab, Jazz, we proceeded to catch none. The conditions were the same, and we did see some fish, but not the action from Sunday. Reports from around the cape are excellent. People are catching fish in the rat to 20 inch size all over. I have heard that the following spots are producing...Red River, Pleasant Bay, Parker River, Swan River, Bass River, Herring river. Some slow, some with summer-like conditions! Yep, they're here. [TOP]

April 26: Well, I'm finally catching fish regularly. Bass River has developed a beautiful sandbar accessible at mid to low tide. The fish seem to be congregating in the deep water between the bar and the rip-wraps on the other bank. Still not much size to these fish but they are surely migratory, with their bright colors and voracious appetites. [TOP]

April 23: Alright, back into fish. Several people were catching them on the Bass River here on Cape Cod. I walked the bar at the highbank bridge during the outgoing tide and as the sun set, hooked onto a bright and shiny schoolie of about 18 inches. People on the far banks were catching smaller fish, but still fish! I have gotten several reports of large schools on the south facing beaches and inlets. [TOP]

April 12: So far, one day of luck 9 days of freezing my fingers off. The one warm day we've had this spring, I caught 4 fish, the rest of the days have been pretty cold. Have tried Red River Beach, Swan River, Bass River, Bass Hole, and a few southside beaches. Expecting fish in numbers any day. [TOP]