This is the time of year when it begins creeping into your head like a smoke signal from some far off fire–the inevitability that all of this is going to end soon. The season seems long and sprawling and in May, the whole thing stretches out in front of your, past where you can see or project or imagine. And then, it’s over.

If you’ve been watching the weather recently (and tried to brave said weather) you’ll notice it’s been rather blustery. These blustery conditions will culminate in some smooth and easy 30kt Northeast winds this week as Hurricane Teddy gives us the drive-by and batters our shores with 10-foot swells.

This is the Northeast blow that we have nightmares about. Will this be the one that scatters the bait and forces our fall run to a whimpering, early exit? Or will this ignite it? I think we’ll know by Wednesday of next week.

The Report

The albie season so far has ranged from absolute insanity to trips with zero shots at fish, sometimes shifting as quickly as tide to tide. A constant theme I’m finding this year in the areas I’ve been frequenting (Upper Buzzards Bay, Elizabeths, East Falmouth) is the fish aren’t nearly as finicky as they were last year. Typically, if you’re getting shots at schools of fish, you’ll be able to pull one or two out…mostly. I definitely have less hair now that I did before the speedsters showed up. But we can mostly chock this up to trying to fish in the crowds on weekends.

Want to learn more about targeting albies? Check the podcast we just released with Peter Jenkins of The Saltwater Edge.

Hot colors have been bone, shrimp and glow. The magic lure so far this year has been, and this will come as no surprise, white Albie Snax. Sometimes I’ll take a few inches off the head to make the profile a little smaller. Typically, I’m throwing the Snax directly into the feed and giving it a few twitches. That’s it. We’re fishing 12lb flouro and non-slip loop knots.

One way this year has differed from last year is the serious lack of bonito in Buzzards Bay. Last year, by this time, it was pretty much all bonito, all the time. Did these guys move into Cape Cod Bay and decide to hang there for the year? Hopefully we get some bigger bones running through the Canal in the next few weeks.

One way this year has differed from last year is the serious lack of bonito in Buzzards Bay. Last year, by this time, it was pretty much all bonito, all the time. Did these guys move into Cape Cod Bay and decide to hang there for the year? Hopefully we get some bigger bones running through the Canal in the next few weeks.

Stripers and Blues

The past few weeks has given us a resurgence of big gorilla blues around Plymouth and in Cape Cod Bay. Two weeks ago, after hearing of schoolies crushing bait along the South Plymouth shoreline, we decided to take a cruise, and instead of lightweight striper action, we were engulfed in a massive bluefish blitz. Every single lure we threw into the fray was broken off immediately. We tied on 50lb flouro and left after a few hours with sore arms , bleeding fingers, and way less tackle than we started off with.

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This blitz went on for a few days, and soon, slot stripers and big bonito joined the party. And what a party it was! We had cake. Bluefish were wearing hats. It was nuts. This type of action will continue for the next few weeks, it just won’t be in the same spot. Burn some gas and find those fall blitzes! You never know what you’ll find. Bring your own party hat.

Schoolies blitzes around the Three Bays have been, let’s just say, insane. The afternoon and evening tides have been best, but while these big tides are around, you’ll find blitzing somewhere all day. Hobbs Hole, Plymouth Beach, behind Clarks, and in the Mooring Field have been the locations for this action. Fish are finicky so we’re throwing albie lures to them and they’re obliging. There are also some rumors of big fish along the beaches (Long, Duxbury, Manomet) if you put your time in.

Down in Buzzards, big fish have been running the Canal and moving South with the tides. Water temps are cooling quickly, and with these big tides, expect some of those slot and overslot stripers to push through. You’ve just gotta put yourself in the right place at the right time.

Got a few hats left!

We’ve got a few hats left in the store. Get ’em while they’re hot.