The striped bass are continuing to move into our area, and there seem to be a fair number of fish in Buzzards Bay, but the fishermen to our south in […]
Fisheries
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
Minimum Sizes for Summer Flounder and Scup Inch Up
And traveling bass, stranded dolphins, and wandering whales
The striped bass are finally heading our way. Reports from south of the Cape indicate slot-size fish have entered the west end of Long Island Sound and the bigger-than-slot-size fish […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
The Spring Show Begins
Watching Provincetown Harbor in wonder as right whales come in close
We are still waiting patiently — or not so patiently in some cases — for the warmer weather to return to get those striped bass moving north. Water temperatures remain […]
ON THE BEACH
A New Old Favorite Fishing Spot
A tiny fly pattern reveals the bounty in a Wellfleet kettle pond
You would think that after 50 years of obsessive globe-trotting in search of new and better places to fish, the last place I’d find would be a pond in my […]
ON THE BEACH
A New Old Favorite Fishing Spot
A tiny fly pattern reveals the bounty in a Wellfleet kettle pond
You would think that after 50 years of obsessive globe-trotting in search of new and better places to fish, the last place I’d find would be a pond in my […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
A Look at Early Predictions for the 2024 Hurricane Season
Cold water for now, but a warmer ocean could mean a big year for tropical storms
Spring in winter and winter in spring. That’s what this crazy year has brought us so far, along with copious amounts of rain. The more unpredictable the weather seems, the […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
Striped Bass Are Stopped Cold for Now
Reading the rules while waiting for warmer water and pogies
The striped bass spring migration has come to a screeching halt for now. There has been no evidence of any significant movement north in the past week. It seems that […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
Can Cape Cod’s Namesake Fish Come Back?
NOAA says there are signs of hope for cod, but a recovery still seems daunting
Cape Cod is named for the fish that for centuries was extremely abundant in these waters and became the focal point of a major fishery that is no more. I’ve […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
Whales Are in the Bay, and Stripers Are on the Way
New rules to further reduce striper catch will soon be set
Spring is in the air on the Outer Cape. If you don’t believe me, just ask the whales and the stripers. The right whales are in Cape Cod Bay now, […]
AQUACULTURE
Wellfleet Has Its Opening Day
Wild harvesting begins, and growers return to the flats with overwintered oysters
WELLFLEET — The season opened for commercial shellfishing permit holders on March 15, and the next day, a partly sunny, mild Saturday, a dozen or so wild pickers waded and […]
ON THE BEACH
Fishing for Solace in the Cold Months
With the sun fading, a fisherman winterizes his psyche
The semiannual changing of the clocks couldn’t come at a worse time — just after the fishing has slowed to a near stop, when the days are getting colder and […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
Listening In on the Stripers of Squibnocket
In a coastal pond on Martha’s Vineyard, some bass may be staying year-round
Word is there’s still decent striped bass fishing along our south shore and in the canal. It’s getting kind of late for striped bass to still be here. Although most […]
ON THE BEACH
Before the Bluefins Were Big Game
Where the weirs were worked, the promise of a new fishery comes into view
When we were kids hanging out at the West End Racing Club in Provincetown or walking the flats in front of our summer digs on Capt. Jack’s Wharf, our ears […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
NOAA Finds Flaws in Its Surveys
Recreational fishermen tend to overestimate the catch
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has been looking at the way it gathers information from recreational fishermen for its Fishing Effort Survey (or FES). The idea involves testing […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
Facing a Drop in Numbers of Juvenile Lobsters
Cape Cod's lobstermen may be more ready than Maine’s for tighter rules
If we want to imagine the future, it’s a good idea to take a close look at the young. Last week I wrote about five years of declining striped bass […]