In the previous Martha's Vineyard fishing report, I discussed the lights-out fishing in the rips from the boat, but the shore fishing for stripers was on the slower side. The cooler water and lack of baitfish in close meant our shore fishing was off to a later-than-usual start. I'm happy to report that after a few warm days, the swaths of sand eels typical of this time of year are back, and hungry striped bass are swarming in pursuit of them!
During Kismet Outfitters guided fly fishing shore trips this past week, we focused on fishing the rocky openings of estuary mouths, setting up during high slack, and waiting for the sand eels to dump out during the outgoing tide. Like clockwork, we've found bass blitzing and gorging themselves on their favorite forage fish as the current sucks them back into the Atlantic.
Unlike fishing the rips where, at times, stripers seem to crush whatever fly or lure happens to swim by, striped bass have been more critical of fly selection during our recent guided shore trips. This is the time to "match the hatch" and make sure your fly mimics the forage fish as closely as possible. Slimmer profile patterns, such as Clousers in olive and tan over white, tied on a size 4 or even 6 hooks, have produced the most hook-ups. Swing by Kismet Outfitters, and we'll put you on the right flies!
Another critical aspect to consider is fly presentation. While watching stripers violently corral their helpless prey, it's easy to get carried away and make retrieves as chaotic as the frenzy in front of you. However, I find that swinging flies into feeding stripers with short, casually twitched strips to be the most effective method. Unlike a few weeks ago, if you're seeing birds working bait, there will most certainly be bass underneath, too.
The fishing during Kismet Outfitters boat charters remains phenomenal, and we're starting to see stripers of all sizes getting caught. It's nice to see some schoolie bass mixed in with slot-sized and bigger fish. Remember, today's schoolies are tomorrow's trophies, so let's be sure to handle them with care. Pinch your barbs, wet your hands before handling them, and limit air exposure. Kismet Outfitters carries nets from Fishpond with rubber netting that protects the fish's scales from abrasion.
Water temps are still hovering around 60 degrees, which is nice to see well into June. This bodes well for the fishing, especially from shore, as we move closer to July. I believe the next few weeks will yield some phenomenal late-spring and early-summer fishing. There's no need to worry about getting up at the crack of dawn as long as you plan to catch the right tides accordingly.
Sight fishing from both our skiffs and wade trips has improved over the past few days. If you haven't had the chance to experience skinny water striper fishing, stop what you're doing and get after it! One of the sickest things about striped bass is the various ways to target them, and at the top of our list is stalking them on the flats like bonefish in the Bahamas. There were instances this week where I had bass follow my Gotcha so close to the shore, only for it to engulf the fly nearly on the beach!
We're still throwing purple, tan, and pink Redcan Squid flies in the rips, with sand eel patterns thrown into the mix as well. Other flies that are working are Beasts, Bob's Bangers, and smaller Hollows. For sight fishing, the flats, stripers are keyed in on super small sand eels, and don't be afraid to throw some bonefish flies at them! Stop by the shop, call us at 774-549-5921, or email stephen@kismetoutfitters.com for the best custom-tied fly box in New England.
Good-sized bluefish are being caught from the beaches off Chappy and Oak Bluffs. Still, your best bet is fishing by boat for now. We are booking fast, but we still have some dates available. With fishing this good, I wouldn't wait to pencil in a date for the best striper fishing of the year. Please email info@kismetoutfitters.com to book your charter today. We look forward to seeing everyone this year!
