New England might currently be buried under snow and sight fishing on Martha's Vineyard's beautiful flats, and throwing big flies to voracious stripers in our raucous rips might seem like a pipe dream. However, before we know it, birds will be diving, stripers will be in hot pursuit of squid and sand eels, and the 2025 spring fly fishing season will be in full swing on Martha's Vineyard! If you're planning to fish the Vineyard this year, here are some tricks, tips, and advice to help ensure your trip is successful.
Plan Ahead
A well-prepared angler is a successful angler; don't wait until May to attempt to get your ducks in a row for a fly fishing trip on the Vineyard. Our prime dates for both guided boat and shore trips for the season are booking fast! We still have availability, but it's essential to get on the books as soon as possible! Charter rates are $550 for a half day and $950 for a full-day boat trip. Shore trips are $400 for a half day and $700 for a full day. All trips are priced for 1 or 2 anglers and equipment is included. Have more than 2 anglers? No problem - we can accommodate that with an additional $100 per angler. To book your trip today, please email stephen@kismetoutfitters.com and abbie@kismetoutfitters.com
Getting to Martha's Vineyard is much easier than many anticipate, but you need to know a few things. The Steamship Authority ferry departs Wood's Hole on the Cape about every hour to either Vineyard Haven or Oak Bluffs. Both port towns are a quick ride to our shop in Edgartown.
If you're planning on bringing your car, be sure to make reservations in advance. However, no reservations are needed for those who leave their vehicle at the Woods Hole terminal, and it only costs $10 per person for the quick 45-minute ferry ride. The Vineyard's bus system makes getting around Vineyard Haven, Oak Bluffs, and Edgartown easy; there's even a bus stop in front of the shop!
Besides the fantastic fishing, the great thing about springtime is that the crowds haven't reached the craziness of peak summer, and finding a place to stay is difficult. Our Airbnb above the shop still has a few prime dates available for May and June, but they are booking as fast as our guided trips. Please check availability on Airbnb or by emailing abbie@kismetoutfitters.com.
For anglers who want to fish with us but do not want to stay overnight, we can pick them up by boat at either ferry terminal and drop them off after fishing for an easy day trip!
What to Expect
The Vineyard fishery is incredibly dynamic and offers something for every angler in the Spring. Beginning in May, schoolies arrive in droves from the Chesapeake Bay on their annual migration north. If you prefer wade fishing, stripers push close to shore, providing excellent sight fishing opportunities to bass gorging on sand eels.
Unlike the dog days of summer, the cooler water temps allow for exciting action from sun up to sun down, and we book many full-day trips in early Spring. We have beach permits to drive down the beach and get to more remote, pristine areas.
Coinciding with the bass migration, squid begin appearing, and the rips serve up calamari to stripers looking for an easy meal. Some bigger fish begin entering the mix in the rips, providing hot early-season action to New Englanders.
We fish out of a 23-foot Parker for the rips and two flats skiffs to stalk skinny-water stripers. The flats fishing can feel so surreal that clients have been convinced they must be sight fishing for bonefish in the Bahamas! For sight fishing, it's hard to go wrong with a small chartreuse or tan over white Clousers and crab flies similar to what you would use for permit and bonefish.
Take a Casting Lesson
The entire Kismet Outfitters team has extensive experience working with beginner anglers, many of whom have never picked up a fly rod. I've seen numerous anglers start their fly fishing journey with a casting lesson from KO owner and head guide Abbie Schuster and go on to accomplish great things in the sport!
Casting lessons are not just for beginners, either. Whether you want to practice your double haul or tune-up after a long winter, everyone benefits from professional guidance. Casting lessons are $90 per hour, and taking one before your guided trip can significantly improve your success!
Equipment
Our guided trip rates include the use of high-end Thomas & Thomas fly rods, Cheeky reels, and RIO lines. However, the most successful fly anglers have their quiver dialed and know how their equipment works. I recommend an 8wt with a floating line for sight fishing, a 9wt with an intermediate line for all-around use, and a 10wt with a full sinking line for throwing big flies in the rips.
Kismet Outfitters carries a complete selection of the most respected brands in fly fishing. As saltwater fly fishing specialists, we've painstakingly stocked our shop with fly rods, reels, and lines that meet our demands for fishing the Vineyard. Call or text Shop manager Stephen D'Angelo at 706-580-6712 to discuss the perfect setup for your trip in detail! Remember, we can ship your rod, reel, and fly line well before your trip, so you have time to practice casting!
We are so excited for this upcoming season. Don’t hesitate to call or email with any questions and to book your trip today!
