Fishing really ramped up this week. Two conditions coincided to make that happen: we got a stretch of good weather, and the fish cooperated in a big way.
Striped bass fishing has been just spectacular, with many limit catches being reported by all the Provincetown charter and party boats. What makes it even more encouraging is the bass are showing up in big numbers in several different locations.
Bass are still stacked up in that stretch of water between Beach Point and the Pamet, but my concern is that the water is getting very warm there, with temperatures as high as 80 degrees being recorded in the corner by the Top Mast motel. That is an outright tropical reading; most of the water in that section of the bay has been at least 76 degrees. Striped bass are not going to want to stay in water that warm.
Some fish love it that way, however, bonito and bluefish being two of them, and they have already been showing up in catches there. Bonito, which are in the tuna family, are very good to eat if you take the right steps in preparing them. First, the bonito should be bled out the second it lands in the boat. Cutting the arteries to the gills will accomplish that. Then it should be immediately buried in ice. If those steps are taken, and you eat it that day, it makes fantastic sushi or cooked on a grill. I highly recommend doing the same for bluefish.
Striped bass are not only in that area of the bay. They have been showing up in big numbers off Beach Point and off the Harbor Hotel, and the entire stretch from Wood End Light to Race Point has huge numbers of fish in assorted depths, with much more favorable water temperatures for them.
Drifting baits, vertical jigging, trolling umbrella rigs, and Jig’n’ Eels all have been very effective. If you need bait, there are plenty of big mackerel in the rips at Race Point and in the deep water off Herring Cove.
With all this action, it’s hard to complain about the fact that the back shore beaches remain strangely quiet. Still, that reality has me curious about the cause. There are so few fish to be found that even the seabirds aren’t hanging around. There’s also a whole lot of mung in the water.
I do have some really good news: my experimental reconnaissance trip to see if fluke are here was a success. Fishing the shoal waters between Wood End Light and Herring Cove, we got eight fluke, with two being keepers. We are going to try it again this week to see what’s around, but this is very encouraging.
Squid fishing on the wharf under the lights at night remains very good, with full buckets being reported by many.
The great white shark watch has been relatively quiet — that is, until this week. Chatham seems to be the hot spot right now, and a shark showed up in Woods Hole, which hasn’t happened in many years. A reminder: do not swim alone or near seals or schools of fish. More basic shark safety rules are posted on the Cape Cod National Seashore’s website.
