Sitting along the south shore of Upper Cape Cod, you’ll find the town of Mashpee. It is located in Barnstable County in Massachusetts. Mashpee is an angler’s ideal destination as it overlooks miles of ocean, has some of the largest freshwater ponds in the region, and possesses an extensive waterfront on bays. It has been recognized as one of the best places to live on the coast and dubbed a ‘newly rising New England classic.’
Aside from its many waterways, Mashpee has miles of sandy beaches, thousands of acres of conservation land, and enchanting woodlands. It also offers world-class shopping and tourism. Mashpee Commons, a community shopping center, is remarked because it flaunts New England-style architecture. Fishing opportunities are endless in Mashpee, whichever direction you go because it’s surrounded by waters abundant with saltwater or freshwater games.
Mashpee delivers whether you’re looking for inshore or offshore spots or targeting saltwater or freshwater fish.
If you’re keen to go deep sea fishing, you’re lucky because Mashpee overlooks the Nantucket Sound and Vineyard Sound, which link to the Atlantic Ocean. The way they’re both structured makes it a haven for fish like bluefish, black sea bass, striped bass, summer flounder or fluke, scup, and blackfish. In Nantucket Sound, you can find other species like Atlantic bonito, Atlantic cod, Atlantic mackerel, Spanish mackerel, blue shark, mako shark, bluefin tuna, yellowfin tuna, albacore tuna, white marlin, little tunny, common dolphinfish, and winter flounder. The waters of Vineyard Sound also host dusky smooth-hound, striped searobin, false albacore, bonito, white marlin, and similar tuna and shark species. Both are great places to employ your baitcasting and bottom fishing skills. If you want to fish inshore, you can go surfcasting from the miles of coast down south.
If you want to find a place to target both saltwater and freshwater fish, head to Waquoit Bay and its tributaries. The public estuary is home to saltwater fish such as bluefish, little tunny, summer flounder or fluke, winter flounder, striped bass, bonito, false albacore, brown sharks, and weakfish. Like the Quashnet River, you’ll find freshwater targets like blueback herring, brook trout, northern pipefish, banded killifish, and golden shiner in its tributaries. Fishing in the bay can be very productive because many baitfish gather in the area. A harbor is available if you want to launch your boat, canoe, or kayak.
Freshwater fishing in Mashpee can leave you with a fruitful experience. The town is home to four of the largest freshwater ponds on Cape Cod; all are abundant with game and are annually stocked. Johns Pond is among the largest. You’ll find largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, white perch, brown bullhead, American eel, white sucker, pumpkinseed, bluegill, black crappie, sunfish, alewife, tessellated darter, banded killifish, and golden shiner in its waters. It is also annually stocked with rainbow trout and brook trout.
The center is not only good for its superior shopping. It also serves as a downtown hub that exhibits its classic New England style. It has a mix of specialty restaurants, residential areas, various retailers, a public library, and a bowling alley lounge. Events like outdoor movie screenings, farmers’ markets, sidewalk sales, and seasonal festivals are also held at the Commons year-round.
The refuge consists of salt marshes, cedar swamps, cranberry bogs, and fertile forests. You can hike along its trails or go wildlife watching. There, you’ll find the endangered New England cottontail rabbit.