We had another weekend washout with clouds and cool temperatures, but this time the weather didn’t stop the fish from biting. Striped bass moved north of Billingsgate Shoals and smack […]
Fisheries
AQUACULTURE
Provincetown Oyster Farmers Want to Grow Sea Urchins, Too
Growing a native species that was overfished, the Chutes hope for both algae cleanup and winter income
PROVINCETOWN — Michael and Kalliope Chute, who have operated the Mermaid Menu oyster farm on the flats in Provincetown Harbor for several years, hope to expand their business this summer […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
Another Weekend, Another Storm
Flounder persist, stripers arrive, and there are new rules for recreational bluefin tuna fishing
Another weekend storm has hampered our efforts to get out there and go fishing. This time, south to southwest winds gusting to 35 m.p.h. and rain stifled any idea of […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
A Late Nor’easter Takes Boats and Stalls Stripers
When storms track west, beware on the bay side
Just when the striped bass were starting to take hold, with good numbers of large fish settling into the area around Billingsgate Shoals, along comes a late-season winter-like nor’easter. This […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
Flounder, Basking Sharks, and Algae
Watching the ‘Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt’
I’m starting to sound like a broken record: we are still waiting for the big charge of striped bass to arrive in our waters. There have been reports of spotty […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
President Opens Seamounts Marine Monument to Commercial Fishing
Flounder fishing continues while we wait for the whales to leave and the stripers to arrive
As the striped bass continue their sluggish trek north, the canal remains quiet, as does the south shore of the Cape. So, we wait and wait some more. But not […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
Flounder and Mackerel Are Here, but Haddock Are Not
We’ll be getting the blues early this year
The water temperatures off Cape Cod are only sluggishly increasing this spring, reaching the upper 40s and in some spots the low 50s last week. If all you’re thinking about […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
Cold Water Has Stripers Staying South
When they get here, we’ll be measuring these fish differently
It’s strange, given our warming climate, but the ocean water temperatures off our shores are still running in the low to mid 40s — that’s cold for this time of […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
Watching Whales and Studying Squid
The CeeJay crew mourns the death of a young angler
The striped bass are getting a little closer to our waters as we finally get some warmer spring weather. The canal remains quiet, but I am hearing about catches in […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
Bonito and False Albacore Put Up a Fight
Surfcasting for bluefins: a thrill, then a buzzkill
Our spring weather remains very much like it was in early March, with ocean water temperatures still stuck in the low 40s. For that reason, the striped bass migration is […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
Fishing for Photo Ops
Big tuna’s numbers are up, and so are amateurs on the water in Daddy’s center console
Although the market for bluefin tuna is oversaturated, which has led to a price collapse, the state of the bluefin population continues to improve. In 2010, the western Atlantic bluefin […]
FRESH BROOK: PART 2
The Sea-Run Trout’s Return to Wellfleet
Understanding a subspecies that starts in fresh water but needs access to the sea
In May 1840, a small group of sport fishermen set out from Newport, R.I. in search of sea-run brook trout. Traveling first by ferry, then by coach and horseback, and […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
Gearing Up for the Season
Striped bass catches have been reported in southern New Jersey
Last week, I wrote about all the things boaters need to do to get their boats ready for the season. Now, what if you’re not just a boater, but also […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
So You Want to Be a Boat Owner
While rewiring and barnacle scraping, a captain feels the pain and recalls the pleasures of a day on the water
With the summer fast approaching, the vibe on the waterfront and in marinas Cape-wide is high energy. Everywhere you hear the whine of disc sanders, the hum of air-compressed paint […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
DMF Takes Watch and Wait Stance on Stripers
The rules for striped bass fishing, such as they are, won’t change for 2025
We’ve been on quite the roller-coaster ride since the close of the 2024 fishing season, trying to follow rumors and meetings about what to do with striped bass regulations for […]
