Cape Cod/Martha's Vineyard in October

[TonyN]

My wife and I are planning a 30th wedding anniversary, five day getaway, in early October to Martha’s Vineyard and/or Cape Cod. Having never visited the area I would appreciate advice and recommendations for the best places to visit, stay, and fly fish.

I have been granted leave to book a couple of trips for fly fishing so I am seeking guide recommendations and the best destinations. We will be driving up from Maryland rather than flying, so we can be mobile and see a few more sites.

I plan on taking 8 and 9wt’s with both floating and sink tip lines; I would be grateful for any other gear and fly pattern recommendation.

Thanks in advance, Tony
tony_norton@verizon.net

[SAC]

I have fished out of Chatham a couple of time over the last few years. It's a nice area to visit with good fishing. I usually fish light tackle but I always saw a lot of fly fisherman on the beaches around Chatham Light. I have been out with Capt. Dave Steeves twice. Very personable and worked hard to get me on fish. He does fly fishing as well as light tackle and operates out of a marina in Chatham. His web site is: Cape Cod Angler - Fly & Light Tackle Fishing - Fish Monomoy Island - Beginners to Experts - All Tackle Included (http://www.capecodangler.com/)

Steve

[snookered]

Myself and two others offer a wade fishing guide service out of several parts of the Cape. We wade the Bay and 4-wheel the outer beach giving you a chance at both depending on the dates and weather. You are in the water and can often sight-fish the fish. If interested let me know-e-mail is good. Reach me at seafoxent@earthlinknet.

[Flying Fish]

Tony: There should be albies around in early October. I like an intermediate line for them, you'll get a workout on your 9-weight, make sure your reel has a good drag and lots of backing. Also blues and stripers. I rarely use a floating line in the salt unless I'm fishing the flats. If you go out on a boat, you might want a full-sink line, but if it's a flyfishing charter, your guide should have gear. It's a nice time of year but the weather can turn on you. Have fun.

FF

[DJpopgen]

From shore there are many places you can fish on foot. Striper fishing is generally at night or low light, although in the fall the fish start to school up and will feed during the day as well. At that time of year there will generally be big bluefish, false albicore and possibly bonito. There could also be school sized tunas on the ocean side if you want some serious pullage on a fly rod. Bring a 10 weight if you have one. :yes:

I recommend heading to Lobsterville beach for some striper fishing. The beach there slopes gently and is easy to wade. Park at the edge of the road in the parking area and then walf up the beach to the left of the parking area (or toward the west). The beach gets steeper after a while toward a bar called dogfish bar. At night the stripers feed right in the wash and you can cast to them without even getting your feet wet. All sorts of fish can be found cruising the beach in the fall.

Another easy to find spot is "big" and "little" bridges at the state beach between Vineyard Haven and Oak Bluffs. There is a beach facing the sound and then a nice pond on the back side that is more protected. Again, this is a good night time spot for stripers.

I recommend that you contact Captain Jamie Boyle. He is a very experienced fly fisherman. He has a web site.

[Salmo trutta]

On the Vineyard I've done well at night fishing the lights of a ferry dock. I couldn't believe how many fish were busting bait under this one ferry dock on the sound, I think it was Edgartown. The peanut bunker were all about 3 inches long and early in the night were spread out and getting annihilated by 26" schoolies. Then I went home to grab my girlfriend to share the action with and by the time I got back an hour later the bait was all schooled up within a couple feet from shore. The school of bunker looked like one of those solid balls that moved uniformly in formation. But the bass didn't want anything to do with it. It was those singles swimming around just under the surface that were getting annihilated and when that was happening the fishing was excellent. Once the bait was schooled up, the predators seemed to disappear.

Don't forget to check the Ferry docks under the lights at night.

Also look up Bird Dog Charters and ask for Jim, aka Crazy Jim. He will put you on fish and position the boat perfectly so you can fly cast to 30 inch fish while your wife drops a scup down for 50" fish. Tell him I said hi.