Cape Cod Beach Fishing

by Jon Pye
(Liverpool, England)

Question: My wife and I are traveling to Cape Cod in June from England and I would like to try some beach fishing. We will be staying mid Cape. Could you let me know any spots that are good and what its like for night fishing, and the names of bait and tackle shops.

Kindest Regards,

Jon Pye


Dee's Reply:

Hi Jon -

Great timing for your trip to Cape Cod! By the time you arrive, the Striped Bass and Bluefish will be here in good numbers.

During the spring, the Stripers and Blues tend to hang pretty close to the shore - soaking up the sun and gulping down a belly-full of sand eels.

Last spring was a little odd, in that we didn't have the huge volume of baitfish we're accustomed to seeing. But we still managed to catch a good number of Stripers in the 40+ inch range, and lots of Blues weighing 6-8 pounds and up. And we caught many of them in less than 2 feet of water, within easy casting distance from shore.

Regarding fishing spots ... hmmmm. It's really tough to say what spots will be producing at any given time.

On the Nantucket Sound (south) side of the mid-Cape, you can usually count on the beaches, jetties and fish piers in West Yarmouth, South Yarmouth, West Dennis and Dennisport to produce some real nice fish.

On the Cape Cod Bay (north) side of the mid-Cape area, I'd say Sandy Neck in Barnstable is a pretty reliable spot - as are the beaches near Sesuit Harbor in Dennis.


Lots of folks love night fishing on Cape Cod. But I must admit that I'm not one of them - simply because my hubby and I are usually on the water by 6 a.m. or earlier whenever possible, and by the time the sun sets, we're ready for a warm shower and some real food.

However, we do have friends who fish the beaches at night and haul in some big fish. So if that's what you plan to do ... go for it! Just be sure to take some warm clothes with you. It can get pretty chilly near the water on Cape Cod in June.

Okay. On to your question about Cape Cod fishing tackle and bait shops.

In the mid-Cape region, we like Riverview Bait & Tackle on Rt. 28 in South Yarmouth. You'll find everything you need there, including live bait and a good selection of lures.

Plus, if you strike up a friendly conversation with anyone who works there, you'll likely get some good insights into where the fish have been biting and what lures/bait they've been hitting best.

Hope this helps! Please feel free to write again with any other questions.

Tight Lines ...

Dee

P.S. Just to let you know - Massachusetts recently enacted a saltwater fishing permit requirement.

Here's a link to my page about Massachusetts fishing licenses for more info.