Fishing on Cape Cod is a tradition passed from generation to generation, a business for many, a way of life for some. But what about the amateur, recreational, un-trained, lets-give-this-a-shot-and-see-how-it-goes enthusiast?
Well, you don’t require a sport-fishing vessel or 640 pound test fishing line, you don’t need to know the difference between a casting reel and a spinning reel, you don’t even need waders or an array of baits and tackle to have a successful afternoon of angling.
You need a rod, and a reel, and a bit of line, and some bait too, and you need to know where the fish are. We’re here to help with that last part.
Bass River – Yarmouth
It’s a big river, lots of adequate fishing spots, but we’re talking about one place in particular. If you park your car in the rest area near Exit 9 on Route 6, you can wander to the rocks beneath the overpasses; there you’ll find a comfortable place for wooing some striped bass.
In addition to a robust inventory of bass, the area itself isn’t a bad place to be. You see, as an activity fishing (like running or kayaking) has its exciting moments, but for the most part is solitary and lends itself to the contemplative thought and an enjoyment of the scenes surrounding you. Beneath the bridges, you can watch the boats enter and leave the harbor between casts and consider what kind you’ll get for yourself one day, should you decide to invest more seriously in this hobby.
Dowses Beach – Osterville
For starters, convenient. A simple Barnstable beach sticker allows you access to plenty of parking, and it’s just a few feet between your vehicle and the beach. The town has also gone through the trouble of adding a raised platform, away from swimmers, ideal for safe fishing.
There’s also a jetty for the more adventurous angler from where one can cast into the waters where East Bay meets Nantucket Sound. This meeting of the waters is apparently a good thing for fishing and we in the know get to reap the rewards, namely a large inventory of schoolies and scup.
Old Silver Beach – Falmouth
In Falmouth? Want to fish? Old Silver Beach it is then. Unfortunately, tourists have elected to use one of the Cape’s premiere fishing spots as a place to tan, build sand castles, and play Marco-Polo which limits access for fishermen. This is remedied in large part by coming to Old Silver around dusk when things settle down and the parking lot clears.
The location near the marsh attracts both large and small mouth bass which are ripe for the picking from any number of quality spots in the area.
Cape Cod Canal – Sandwich
A staple of the Cape Cod fishing scene, some will tell you that you can fish from the main land side and still be on Cape. I don’t claim to be an authority on this but I say fish from the Cape side and for that there is no better option than Scusset Harbor Jetty.
There is plenty of space to fish here, which is good because it is a popular spot. It’s a good spot to watch the boats come in from Cape Cod Bay and to catch the stripers as they do the same. It is windy here,so prepare by dressing accordingly. On that subject, I would also encourage you to consider water friendly apparel, the blowback and wake splashes can be rough.
Morris Island – Chatham
Chatham is a town rich with an abundance of high quality fishing spots, so we threw a dart at a map and picked Morris Island.
Morris Island is beautiful for starters, home to the Monomoy Wildlife Refuge, and the narrow channel allows for some top notch boat viewing. Remember, where the fishing boats are, so too are the fish – that’s an amateur angling top tip for you.
Enjoy.
White Crest Beach – Wellfleet
Wellfleet has plenty of bay and ocean water, quite literally a breeding ground for fish, stripers in particular. Any fisherman worth his salt will tell you to keep to the ocean side for shore fishing.
From White Crest you have a steady stream of stripers and a pretty decent shot of landing a bluefish if the conditions are right and the fishing gods are looking at you with favor. Be cautious as to the times and conditions for your visit. This is the open ocean with large waves.
By CapeCod.com Staff
