Fishing the outer Cape beaches?

[Off Road in NY]

It seems earily silent about the surf fishing on the Cape...anybody out there fishing the Cape beaches?

I have been out there (Race Point, Truro, Eastham) the last 4 years in Sept-Oct and the fishing has not not been great.


I'm not looking for your hotspot...just want to know if anyone has been fishing, catching or not. Thanks!

[Off Road in NY]

Well...it looks like there are a lot of views and no comments. I was out there the last four days and there were few bass...most small and few keepers (No keepers for me).

I have heard a lot of theories including the following:

• change in migration away from Cape beaches for some of the reasons below.
• no bait
• sand eels and other bait in deeper water (boats are getting keepers)
• water too warm
• predation by seals...seals...seals. (bang, bang, bang)
• beach structure lacking (flatter slopes) due to mild winter weather patterns.
• water quality/chemistry changes...due to seals despoiling the water.
• less bass period... than why are they getting lots of big ones everywhere except the shores of the Cape and Islands?
• bad bass karma

So...what is going on? I'll contact the NMFS and ask them as well as FWS. Anyone want to chime in with their theory?


PS - I spoke with numerous old timers that hailed the golden age when you could drive truck loads of big ones off the beach in the fall.


Moderator - should this be moved to Ask Frank D? Perhaps I should have posted it there.

[Joe]

Mass forum has been a bit slow but, let it hang here, some should show up . Wish I could help but, Jersey caster here.

[Jon006]

I can't help much either aside from saying the big river you cross to get to the cape beaches always stops me from going further. No seals, no access issues, no expensive parking, no seals, and big things live in that river and I like to catch them.

I will add that the commercial guys absolutely killed it not to far off of chatham last year and did pretty well this year, seals or not. However this was further out than anyome could cast from shore.

[Off Road in NY]

Originally Posted by Joe

Mass forum has been a bit slow but, let it hang here, some should show up . Wish I could help but, Jersey caster here.

Hi Joe,

Can you move this to Ask Frank? I'm sure there are some other folks (and Frank!) who may be able to weigh in on the Cape and some of the reasons why fall migration doesn't seem to amount to much. Thanks!

[Joe]

Threw a copy over there but, since its already an established thread, may not fly there, but, who knows.

[HookI]

The Cape has it's time , place like every where else , calendar's don't mean squat. Go up there starting June. I have my own spots but their a secret. Why ? Lol