Cape Cod, MA Fishing: A Marine Biology Hotspot

Cape Cod is a fascinating geographic wonder in the northeastern side of the United States, a cape that extends into the Atlantic Ocean and is comprised of other small islands surrounding it. It is divided into four sections. The Upper Cape, which is the nearest area to the mainland, encompassing the towns of Bourne, Falmouth, Mashpee, and Sandwich. The Mid Cape is composed of the towns of Dennis, Yarmouth, and Barnstable. And finally, the Lower and Outer Capes are where you will find Brewster, Orleans, Harwich, Chatham, Orleans, Eastham, Wellfleet, Provincetown, and Truro.

Aside from its relaxed atmosphere, it is a marine biology and environmental science hotspot. Woods Hole is home to several scientific facilities, including the Marine Biological Laboratory and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the National Marine Fisheries Service and the US Geological Survey.

Provincetown hosts some of the best weekend events and outdoor festivities in the Cape.  Artists and writers flock to Cape Cod for its inspiring atmosphere. Anglers, too, find Cape Cod’s towns a haven for many fishing opportunities, especially that it provides access to the Atlantic Ocean, the protected waters of Vineyard Sound and Nantucket Sound, and the Cape Cod Canal.

Cape Cod Fishing: A Must-Experience for All Anglers

Each of the four sections on the Cape offers various fishing experiences for anglers of all levels. At the Upper Cape, anglers will have access to the Cape Cod Canal, famous for its striped bass. The best spots to fish for this species, as well as bluefish and sea bass, are the Buzzards Bay Recreation Area and the Herring Run Recreation Area. Both areas are just a bike ride away from each other.

Over on Falmouth, anglers will enjoy fishing the waters of Buzzards Bay, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket sounds that surround it, especially on land. Check out the Megansett Harbor, a great spot for fly fishing and light tackle anglers. It has both a beach and a jetty from which you can catch bluefish and striped bass.

South Cape, located in Mashpee, gives you access to Nantucket Sound, where you can target plenty of scup, striped bass, and bluefish. Head south, and you will find Waquoit Bay to fish on a jetty or a boat.

Barnstable in Mid Cape is the largest of Cape Cod’s towns and offers the most diverse fishing experiences on the cape.  Situated between Cape Cod Bay and the Nantucket Sound, it is filled with great estuaries and harbors and bays and beaches with plenty of catch. If you can only visit one place here in Barnstable, Barnstable Harbor should be your priority. It’s pretty as a picture, and the fishing opportunities here are equally stunning. Shore fishing is great here during the spring, but come summertime, you can catch even more Spanish mackerel, false albacore, bonito, and needlefish.

The town of Dennis, another Mid Cape locale, is yet another fishing hotspot where you can catch fluke, scup, tautog, and Sea bass on the Cape Cod Bay. Anglers have access to the Atlantic Ocean via a Dennis Port fishing charter which can take you to the Stellwagen Bank. Here you can target mahi mahi and wahoo and bluefin tuna and some sharks.

If you want to try flats fishing and kayak fishing, Brewster in the Lower Cape is your town. You can fish the sand flats during low tide and weather permitting, or go hop on a boat and troll for a larger catch in the deeper waters. Kayak fishing on Paine’s Creek can be a tranquil fishing experience.

Over on Chatham, anglers can experience the best of fresh water and saltwater fishing on this side of Cape Cod. Here you can troll fish or surf cast for Cape Cod’s top 3, and if you’re a veteran angler, you will enjoy the waters of Georges Bank, which is home to more than a hundred species of fish, most notably the cod, haddock, and flounder. It is home to many sportfishing charters as well.

Wellfleet is yet another Cape Cod fishing spot that anglers love. Its prime fishing areas include the Billingsgate Shoal, which is popular for its trophy bass, the Herring River, and the flats of Lieutenant Island.

For more freshwater fishing opportunities, you will do well in Eastham’s Herring Pond. It’s 43 acres of clear water, where you can target a variety of trout, including brook, brown, rainbow, and tiger trout. You can also find both smallmouth and largemouth Bass here, as well as yellow and white perch, pumpkinseed, and chain pickerel.

Finally, Provincetown is a fantastic place to surf cast, though it is not as productive as it used to be. Though the whole coastline of the town is great, Wood End, Race Point, Herring Cove, and Long Point are particularly great spots. If you head further out into deeper parts of the water, you can catch Atlantic mackerel, sand eels, and herring here.

Cape Cod hosts a number of great fishing tournaments. The five-month Striper Cup is dedicated to the striped bass and gathers thousands of anglers from all over New England. The Cape Cod Bass & Blue Fish Tournament on East Dennis is a summer staple on the cape, and the BIG 3 Challenge, which is for the benefit of the Big Brothers Big Sisters program on Cape Cod. 

Top 10 Fish Species in Cape Cod, MA

The top 10 fish species to catch on Cape Cod are striped bass, tautog, bluefish, black sea bass, fluke, Spanish mackerel, bonito, false albacore, cod, and scup.

Cape Cod Seasonal Fishing

Cape Cod is a great fishing destination all year round, but it is particularly fruitful from spring to fall. At the beginning of spring around April, you will find striped bass and tautog biting, and they will continue to do so until October. Around May, black sea bass, scup, fluke, and mackerel join in until September. At the height of summer, you will find bluefish, bonito, and false albacore around June or July. All year-round, you can hook cod, halibut, and cusk in Cape Cod.

Great Reasons to Visit Cape Cod

1. Fishing Charters

Many of Cape Cod’s towns host several fantastic fishing charters specializing in Cape Cod’s top catches and offering a great variety of fishing techniques such as drift fishing, kite fishing, fly fishing, bottom fishing, and trolling.

2. Surfing

Suppose you want to catch the next big wave, head over to Nauset Beach in Orleans, Coast Guard Beach in Eastham and Marconi Beach, and Whitecrest Beach in Wellfleet. All four beaches are great spots to catch a surf and are well-equipped with public restrooms and concession stands.

3. Biking

One of the best ways to see Cape Cod’s amazing landscape is by biking on its trails. Bike the Cape Cod National Seashore on the Outer Cape, which has three paved trails, the Nickerson State Park in Brewster, which is a little more challenging with its hills and winding roads. Shining Sea Bikeway is the most popular scenic bike trail where you can see Martha’s Vineyard.

Top Beaches in Cape Cod

1. Ballston Beach

A tranquil spot in the quiet town of Truro, Ballston Beach is a fantastic area to swim and sunbathe.  Its golden hills and golden sunrise are great reasons to come to this quaint beach.

2. Mayflower Beach

Mayflower Beach is a popular beach destination on Dennis, with its scenic surroundings, calm waters, and convenient access.

3. Sandy Neck Beach

Sandy Neck Beach is home to various wildlife creatures as it is a wildlife refuge, with its acres of marshes, forests, and dunes. It has dedicated walking trails, so if you’ve had enough of swimming, you can explore the area and watch out for the rare and endangered piping plover bird.