Sand Eel Invasion

The western reaches of Long Island Sound are paved with millions of tiny sand eels; a favorite meal of striped bass, bluefish, and fluke among others. There are literally acres of the small baitfish lining our beaches and river mouths, which should help draw in predators and contribute to some great angling opportunities. I recently ventured out at first light armed with a fly rod and sparse sand eel presentations; my favorite way to capitalize on this type of action. There were so many sand eels in front of me that I was snagging them on my hook during retrieves.  Micro striper were crashing on the surface all around me, sending the bass candy flying in the air. Each drift produced at least one strike, so I eventually put down the rod and picked up the camera and just watched the feeding frenzy. That would not have been easy to do if the fish were any larger in size. It was a fun morning regardless and one that I hope to replicate many times in the near future. 

The Cape

Cape Cod will forever hold a dear place in my heart. For many years our family spent summer vacations there. We stayed on Long Pond in Harwich usually in the mid July. By day we would lounge at the lake or make the short ride to Nauset Beach or Chatham Light. On early mornings and late nights we fished all over the spit of sand jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean like a flexing arm. 

The Cape has long been one of the most fabled fishing grounds for striped bass in the surf. With endless amounts of sandy beaches, Bay-side flats, and a canal that acts as a super highway for fish, Cape Cod hosts a wide array of habitat and forage to draw in the largest of stripers.

A memorable sunrise over the Cape's Herring Cove



Sand eels are the predominant bait found in Cape waters

While the outer Cape has taken a hit in recent years thanks to the incredible influx of grey seals, it will always be known as one of the birthplaces of modern day surf fishing. During the glory days of the outer beaches, 50-pound class fish from shore were a common occurrence. The biggest bass of them all was a 73-pound behemoth taken in the Nauset surf on a teaser fly by Tony Stetzko in 1981. The expansive flats in Cape Cod Bay are another world class fishery, one I love to take advantage of with friends and family when the tides line up for us. The Canal is amazing too and probably the best of all in terms of quality of striped bass fishing as of late. It has miles paved access roads lining either side making it one of the more easily accessible spots in New England. Bottom line, if you love surf fishing then you have to love Cape Cod--it has it all.  

 

The Cape's bay-side flats offer excellent sight-fishing opportunties