Rock Hopping the Elizabeths

Emir Smaykiewicz with a Striped Bass

Cape Cod has a very diverse offering when it comes to fishing opportunities. With inshore species and offshore big game available from the same port, not to mention the incredible freshwater fishing, you start to see why I call the Cape home each spring through the fall. Sure it’s purely a seasonal fishery with Memorial Day as the unofficial start and Labor Day as the traditional end of our season. However, once the weekend crowds put their boats up for the winter, our fishery can be fantastic. The fishing can even be good up until Thanksgiving depending on the weather.

That being said, one of my favorite “seasons within the season” so to speak, is chasing stripers as they migrate down the inside edges of the Elizabeth Island chain. Starting in Woods Hole Falmouth and extending out to Cuttyhunk Island, Elizabeth’s offer miles of undeveloped rocky shoreline with Buzzards Bay on one side and Vineyard Sound on

the other. Either side can be good; it all depends on the day. Each fall as the water cools our stripers begin their migration south and this island chain offers them a perfect corridor to help guide them on their journey and offer them a quick bite as they go past. The waters this time of year are crystal clear and it’s awesome to see big fish cruising the shallows as they head south. This is not a wait and sees fishery in regards to your technique.

Captain John Curry with a Striped Bass

Sure, these fish will hit a live eel or scup, but the best approach is to toss weedless soft plastics to each boulder. A smaller bay boat with an electric trolling motor is a must to hit every nook and cranny along this rocky shoreline. You’d be surprised as to how close these fish are to the shoreline. The best bait in my opinion is the Hogy 6” in the natural sand eel color attached to a 4/0 wide gap hook with a cork screw bait holder. Both are available right in town at Falmouth Bait & Tackle. Toss them towards the shore and let them settle for a second and simply twitch them back. If this fish are there it won’t take long for a take. Keep your drag locked down tight to help pull them away from the rocks as the older fish know that’s their ticket to freedom. Make sure your trolling motor is fully charged and keep an eye out for the boulders that love to eat fiberglass. This fishery isn’t for the faint of heart as it can be dangerous if you’re not paying attention. Your best bet is to hire a local guide like myself to show you the best way to approach this and of course only go when the fall weather offers a good window with light winds and moving tides. Of course the spring run is also fantastic along these islands, but I’m usually chasing fish on the flats in other Cape locations that time of year.

Capt. John Curry
capefishing.net
Jtcurry77@gmail.com
(508)-209-7741