Fishing had a major reversal this week, as a fall-like weather pattern with stiff north and northeast winds and cooler temperatures took hold. This followed the mother of all thunderstorms, […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
Limit Reached, Commercial Season for Stripers Closes
The case for revising catch limits to decrease losses of ‘shorts’
Commercial striped bass fishing closed for the season on Aug. 3 and will not reopen until next June. The 735,240-pound quota was filled, and that’s all she wrote. It was […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
Beware the Green Bubble Clouds
Boats should stay at least 100 feet from feeding whales
It seems like once a summer we have a whale incident that brings out all kinds of crazy myths on social media. It can make your head spin. Last year […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
The Stripers Are Slippery, and So Is the Breakwater
Warm waters bring plenty of bluefish into the bay
We finally got our first legitimate heat wave this week and, true to form, the striped bass reacted the way striped bass do when that occurs. They hunker down close […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
Big Stripers and Elusive Blues
A look at the rules for cod fishing, squidding boats, and dogs
Striped bass fishing remains very good, with charter boats and party fishing boats all reporting excellent catches almost every day. The fish remain solidly camped from the twin hills behind […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
Reeling In the Trifecta: Bass, Blues, and a Bluefin
The fishing’s been hot (maybe) because the weather has not
The summer’s hot fishing continues, with incredible catches of a variety of fish coming into Provincetown every day for the last week. Every once in a while, a charter or […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
It’s Looking Like an Epic Summer
The harbor returns to normalcy for a classic Fourth of July
The waterfront looked very much as it did in pre-pandemic days for Monday’s Fourth of July celebration, as both wharves were packed with cars and people waiting for the fireworks. […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
A Trip to the Bank
Finding mackerel for striped bass fishing in the company of humpback whales
Last week was a good one for fishermen. Striped bass are here in numbers we haven’t seen in quite some time. They are seemingly everywhere, with acres and acres of […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
Fish, Wind, and Fire
In a rough week, the reward was a brand-new clam
The weather this past week took a radical turn for the worse that kept boats tied at the docks for way too long. We had two days of unrelenting northwest […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
How to Avoid Rookie Moves
The first blues, some rules for boaters, and where not to walk your dog
Striped bass fishing was excellent this past week, falling steadily into our expected summer pattern. The fish have been spreading out along the bay side from Race Point to Wood […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
The Seals Have Arrived, With Sharks Right Behind Them
No big bass yet, but it looks like there will be plenty
Striped bass have been steadily increasing in numbers and are starting to fan out from Race Point and show up in all the other usual spots — off Herring Cove […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
The Bass Get Bigger, but the Bluefish Are Teasing Us
Meanwhile, a new 3-fish bluefin tuna limit is a head-scratcher
Striped bass fishing took a serious turn for the better this week, as more bass starting showing up not only in the Race but all along the bayside to Wood […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
The Bass Return to the Race
Also on the waterfront, news of a lone orca and a lobster boat crew rescue
We finally got into a summer weather pattern of southwest winds and warm air temperatures, and immediately things started to percolate in Cape Cod Bay. I had spent a few […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
The Season’s First Big Bass Is Caught Off Billingsgate
Fogged in, wind-blown, and still fishing
It’s funny how the weather goes around here. Day after day, we hoped all these northeast winds would go away so we could get out there and fish. And it finally […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
If You’re Fishing for Tautog, Hold Onto Your Rig
Cold winds and hot diesel prices conspire against fishermen
The unrelenting winds from the northeast continue to pummel the Outer Cape, and the prediction is for them to continue throughout this week. With these northeast winds come cooler than […]
