Kismet Outfitters offers guided fishing excursions on Martha’s Vineyard by boat, paddleboard, and from shore. We often hear new clients ask, “Which is better?” Truthfully, that’s a difficult question to answer because they all provide different experiences.
The Martha’s Vineyard fishery is dynamic and diverse, and fly anglers aren’t a one-size-fits-all type group. Kismet Outfitters believes in providing clients with guided fly fishing options that best meet their desired outcomes.
If you’re considering booking a guided fly trip on Martha’s Vineyard but are unsure which trip is right for you, I will discuss the benefits of each guided experience. The short answer is, though…, that you can’t go wrong. Stay tuned for part two on guided boat trips!
Shore
One of the questions I get asked in the shop by potential clients and new fly anglers is, “You guide from shore on Martha’s Vineyard?!”
I understand approaching the salt on foot with a fly rod sounds intimidating, but we have years of experience fly fishing and guiding the Vineyard from shore. We believe it’s one of the most rewarding, and sometimes even the most effective, ways to fish the Island.
For the untrained eye, fly fishing the salt from shore might seem like trying to find a needle in a haystack. However, after a day of fly fishing Martha’s Vineyard on foot with us, you’ll see what a unique fishery the Island is and leave with a better understanding of how to approach it.
Booking a shore trip with Kismet Outfitters is the right choice for anglers seeking a hands-on learning experience.
Under the right circumstances, the fishing can rival boat trips, especially in the spring when fresh stripers arrive from the Chesapeake and enter our estuaries and backbays. They push close to the bank and gorge on helpless sand eels.
In June, our beautiful oceanside flats come alive with some of the best sight fishing anywhere! The on-foot approach can be the most effective way to target stripers cruising shallow troughs a few feet from shore!
This highly technical fishing can be difficult to unlock, but Kismet’s guides will teach you how, when, and where to sight fish to stripers. We will also set you up with the right gear to get the job done. All of our trip equipment is provided.
The fall is another excellent time to book a shore charter. Many anglers consider September and October on the Vineyard as THE premier fly fishing destination on the eastern seaboard and beyond!
There are undoubtedly other great New England fall fisheries, but few, if any, provide the opportunities to catch albies off the beach and rocks like Martha’s Vineyard. It must be on your angling bucket list if you’ve never thrown a Surf Candy to blitzing albies from the shore!
The shore is the perfect place to learn how to fly fish because it removes the element of “the boat.” Clients can entirely focus on learning the cast, what flies to fish and when, and the behavior of fish. You will learn years’ worth of fishing intel in a few hours.
We can also take larger groups and families out on the shore. We have had groups of over 10 come and fish, and we can add guides or customize the trip to fit everyone’s needs. If you or someone in your group wants to spin fish, we provide light tackle equipment, too.
A half-day wade trip costs $400 for two anglers and $700 for a full day. Each additional person is $50.
Kismet Outfitters is booking fast for the 2025 fly fishing season on Martha’s Vineyard, but we still have dates open. Please email stephen@kismetoutfitters.com to book today!
