The Vineyard's waters are chalked full of bait amid the best Bonito run in years, Albies are here, and the MV Derby kicks off soon. The dog days of Summer are finally in the rearview mirror, and we're eagerly anticipating the fall fishing season.
If you have yet to experience the magic of a Vineyard fall, stop what you're doing and start making preparations! We've had the privilege of fishing some pretty spectacular places, but we wouldn't trade September and October on the Yard for anywhere! You'll feel the same way once you experience an Albies-on-peanut bunker-feeding frenzy. We've compiled an all-encompassing cheat sheet to make your fall Martha's Vineyard fly fishing trip successful.
Baitfish
In the fall, the diversity of baitfish in the coastal waters around Martha's Vineyard creates a dynamic and fast-paced fishing environment. Each type of baitfish has its own characteristics, so being able to 'match the hatch' is crucial for success.
Silversides
Silversides are named for their distinctive, silvery stripe running along their sides, which reflects light and makes them highly visible in the water. They have a translucent, almost glassy body with a slender, elongated shape.
Peanut Bunker
Peanut bunker, or juvenile menhaden, is a favorite forage fish for many predatory species, such as striped bass, bluefish, and false albacore. Peanut bunker have a rounded, slightly compressed body, making them appear more oval or circular in cross-section compared to more elongated baitfish like silversides and sandeels
Sandeels
Sandeels have an elongated, slender, and cylindrical body, almost like a pencil or needle. Their body shape is adapted for quick, darting movements and burrowing into the sand.
Bay Anchovies
Bay anchovies have a slender, elongated, and slightly compressed body. Their backs are usually translucent greenish-brown or olive in color. The sides are silver, with a prominent, shiny lateral stripe running from the gill cover to the tail.
Our Top Fly Pics
A few of our favorite fall patterns include Clouser Minnows, Surf Candies, Mushmouths, epoxy flies, Albie Whores, Snot Bait, Bonito Bunnies, smaller hollow flies, and various flat-wing flies. Stacking your fly box with these flies in several sizes and color configurations to match the forage fish around is a recipe for success.
Call the shop at 774-549-5921 or email stephen@kismetoutfitters.com and we'll put together a killer fall fly box today!
Terminal Tackle
Our leader situation for fall fishing is pretty straightforward- a 9ft, 20lb tapered fluorocarbon leader gets the job done in most situations. 20lb is heavy enough to protect against Bonito's sharp teeth and the hard-charging Albie. Sometimes, you may have to drop to 16lb if Albie's are being picky and on snot bait.
Fluorocarbon is more expensive than mono but worth it during the fall since it is abrasion-resistant, more challenging for the fish to see, and gets down quicker. With bluefish around, it's wise to keep a spool of wire bite tippet handy because they will bite you off- tie on around six inches of wire material to the end of your leader.
Many albie anglers on Martha's Vineyard opt to build their leaders. A solid general leader recipe starts with around 4 feet of 40lb, tapering to 3 feet of 30lb, followed by 2 or 3 feet of 20lb. The nice thing about building a leader is you can adjust the recipe to your liking or conditions.
Rods
If you can have only one fly rod for the fall fishing season, a 9' 9wt is popular for its versatility. A 9wt can handle situations ranging from sight fishing for stripers on the flats to albies off the boat. However, for serious albie-duty, consider stepping up to a 10wt, especially if you plan on fishing from shore. A ten's stiffer butt section helps put the brakes on hard-charging fish and steer them away from break-off points!
Thomas & Thomas Sextant, Thomas & Thomas Exocett SS 350, Hardy Marksman Z, Sage Salt Salt R8
Reels
Unlike in many instances when the fly reel acts as a mere line-holder, Martha's Vineyard's gamefish will push the limits of tackle, and you need to reel up for the challenge! Look for a reel with a powerful, smooth, and sealed drag that holds at least 250 yards of 30-pound backing.
Hatch Iconic 9 Plus, Abel SDS 9/10, Cheeky Spray 450
Fly Lines
The fly line is one of the most critical components for successfully fishing fall blitzes. With speedy hardtails spectacularly crashing bait, then seemingly disappearing immediately, you need a fly line with a compact, heavy head like RIO's Outbound Short. The Outbound Short is essentially an integrated shooting head designed for picking up and shooting line with minimal false casts.
An intermediate line is a good choice if you can have only one fly line. It sinks just enough to drop the fly in the strike zone, and you can adjust the sink rate by adding a heavier or lighter fly, depending on the feeding situation. It's a good idea to have a 9wt outfitted with an intermediate line and a 10wt with a full sinking line.
RIO Striper, RIO Blitz, Scientific Angler Sonar Titan.
You can find these items and more premium fly fishing products at our brick-and-mortar location and online store. To book your fall Martha's Vineyard fly fishing charter, please call the shop at (774) 549-5921 or email stephen@kismetoutfitters.com and abbie@kismetoutfitters.com. We can't wait to see everyone!
