Cape cod stripers

[Wdrnr]

Had a two day trip just concluded to the cape. Four of us fished out of Ryder cove Pleasant Bay Chatham. Fished w Bob and son Tim aboard their 26 ft Grady CC. Which we moored for the summer down there. The plan was to catch a bunch of mackerel for bait and live live the rip lines at The world famous Monomoy shoreline. The Mack’s didn’t cooperate well, we usually fill the live well in half an hour using Sabiki rigs. Did manage a dozen or so which we had to make do. Fifteen mile run to the rips at slack high. Birds working the bait driven up by predator fish below. We worked suface plugs on the slashing feeders . Tim ran a nine wt fly in a sand eel pattern that was deadly. Fish averaged 24-34 inches 15lbs with the bigger fish not yet arriving from their northern migration. We fished what mackerel we had as the tide flushed over the bars Every drop was immediately eaten I think we must have done 40 plus fish
Tuesday same deal but we couldn’t find bait so artificial was the only option. Arriving at the rips weather same bright and sunny 60s temp. What was different was the fish biomass. Huge shoals of juvenile sand eels moving with the current created blitzes of feeding stripers and bluefish. Some of these frenzied fish were shoulder to shoulder driving bait up out of the water. We had schools of 30 inch fish pass by that lures just bounced of their backs. There were that many. This was a match the hatch situation as they would not eat anything that wasn’t a little sand eel. We did get enough reaction strikes to keep things so hot just didn’t take the pics that we all like to see. I can imagine the big 35 plus inch fish under the schools of bait that live Mack’s would have taken The fly rod was money today as well. It was a day we all need to experience. The bite will only get better and bigger in the next few weeks. Tx to Bob and Tim ,the salt water season is upon us. Different waters different expectations
Talk about ramp access issues we have here. Down there it’s not welcoming to non locals. Some towns if not all restrict use to residents.
They charge water usage fees and ramp launch costs are significant. Ramps that are available to the general public tend to be small so getting in means super early launch times. Try that with family members more than once……luckily the boat stays on a mooring at Ryder but it ain’t cheap

[Reelax]

Sounds like a fun trip Dave. Good to see the videos of Dan battling stripers you sent. Haven’t seen him is years:)

Fish on!

[Wdrnr]

2ABDEC00-8C09-42D6-A36B-4AE43866559E.jpeg (135.56 KiB) Viewed 2439 times

Did have a pic to show what we were playing with

[Reelax]

Good thing ya had a hold of the tail he coulda got a hell of a slap in the face;)

[Gecha (Gerry)]

That's a beauty striper. It's a day you'll remember for a long time. We all dream for such a wonderful time on the water.
Thanks for sharing.

[striper192001]

Sounds like the Fitzimonds boys.....

[sonny88]

More fun at the cape!

[Reelax]

Nice tuna!!! Dinner time;)

[sonny88]

Yes, sir, very tasty, Matt!