Hi Folks,I've noticed some recent reports saying the fishing at Bearse's Shoals to the east of Monomoy point has dropped off. In fact, quite a few boats will troll by and gawk at us as our rods are still consistently bent on both tides. Yes, it has dropped off a little. From the trips of 40 plus bass, it has dropped to trips of only a dozen to 20 bass instead. There are still lots of fish there, especially if you get there before all the boats that leave the launch ramp at 6:30 or 7 am. On my Capeshores Charters Facebook page you can see a photo I took of the rips at 5 am when we arrived and had the entire shoals to ourselves for over and hour and a half ! Yesterday's two charters produced 3 different fish over 30 pounds ! We threw back another 10-15 stripers in the 34 to 38" sizes. We have caught the limit of striped bass on every trip we have had to Bearse's this year !
Bearse's Rips are like any other fishing spot in that they work a certain way on one tide (north) and fish a different way on the other ( south). Some days the fish bite well on the north tide, other days its the south. Last week it was the south tide that was preferred and the fish were busting on the surface and would bite anything resembling a squid on the surface. The fish don't leave on the other tide, but they just don't bite as well. They wont bite the surface and casted lures as well. BUT they fish are still looking for a meal of squid and if its presented on the bottom in a natural fashion, they will bite it every time.
Every April and early May, I buy a couple hundred pounds of fresh Nantucket Sound squid from the fish weirs to freeze up for this time of year. Its an extra expense of labor, squid and a freezer bill, but it pays off for my customers in that when the striped bass are full and finicky, we still will get the bites on both tides at Bearse's Shoals.
Thanks and Good Fishing to You,
Bruce & Marilyn S
