Fishing Frenzy

Without a doubt, September is one of the best months for fishing Cape Cod. There's plenty of reasons why this is the case. The early morning air has a crisp bite to it that was not present during August, the crowds at the boat ramp dissipate, and the fish show up in larger numbers and are more aggressive.

There's a lot of good news for folks fishing in September. The weather is often times very conducive to striped bass and giant tuna fishing. Although there will be windy days throughout the month, odds are that we will also have many calm days and evenings. Often times the waters around Cape Cod are as flat as a pond. Its days like this that make you forget that you are fishing on the ocean. And then there will be those breezy days and nights. However in September, a big wind is not always a bad thing. A brisk onshore breeze often lights up the fishing in spots that are surprisingly close to shore.

Striped bass behavior changes during September. This is the month when bass on Cape Cod begin to stage for their southerly migration. Many of the stripers that you could not entice a single bite from during July will now hop all over a tossed offering. The bass become noticeably more aggressive as October approaches. Odds are that if you find the fish, you will be able to catch them.

Finding the fish in the first place also becomes easier as September inches its way towards October. Large schools of big stipers tend to hang a bit closer to the beach during this month. The days of trolling and cruising around in 60-70 feet of water are now (hopefully!) over. Searching in water as shallow as 20 feet often yields higher catches than spending time in deeper water at this time of the season.

As September wanes into October, giant tuna and striped bass really become aggressive. This is the start of the annual southerly migration for bass. Fortunately giant tuna will stick around after the bass leave. I'm getting a little ahead of myself here, but I can not help but remember the great fishing we had during late September 2010. I'm crossing my fingers that we will have a repeat this year.

Giant tuna could be found surprisingly close to shore during the fall of 2010. We saw giant tuna in 70 feet of water off Sandy Neck (about 3-4 miles from the beach). We even hooked up with a giant tuna off the East End of the Cape Cod Canal during the third week in September. Even if you don't hook up, seeing tuna this close to shore is a treat in and of itself.

Big blues and snapper blues invade Cape Cod during September. Pefect tuna bait size bluefish (20 inches or so) will often be around in full force. If 10 plus pound bluefish are your target, than look no further than Cape Cod Bay. Race Point, Sandy Neck and Billingsgate Shoal all produce big bluefish during September.

For smaller bluefish and snappers, concentrate on the south side of the Cape. The many bays and estuaries that litter the Cape's southside, including Buzzards Bay, are home to these baby bluefish. Ultra light tackle is the way to go. Small lures or minnows fished on micro sized spinning reels is a blast. Kids usually love catching snappers. The action can be fast and furious at times. These small bluefish taste great and also make good live bait for tuna.

Aside from giant tuna, bluefish and bass, many other species are also infiltrate the waters around Cape Cod during September. Bonito, false albacore and school bluefin tuna, for example, can all be found swarming around Cape Cod throughout the month. Even more exotic fish like Spanish Mackerel are caught off the southside of the Cape. These fish are usually taken by anglers fishing for bonito and false albies. Mahi-mahi are routinely taken by anglers fishing farther offshore. Actually, many exotic species inhabit the offshore areas such as yellowfin tuna, blue and white marlin, bigeye tuna and a variety of sharks-to name just a few.

Fishing on Cape Cod is just an awesome experience. The opportunities are virtually endless. All of these opportunities only get better as September turns into October. Colder days are ahead-now is the best time to wet a line on Cape Cod!