Cape Cod saltwater fishery

Austen Goldsmith takes a look at a bass fishery in New England. Could this be a
template for the UK?

Saltwater fly fishing in the UK has apparently seen an upsurge over the last few years. More and more fly fishermen are swapping the bankside for the beach perhaps rediscovering the freedom that fly fishing has to offer. Fishing for wild fish, in wild places and all for free. It sounds great and trust me it is but it’s a mere shadow of what could be. If you hop on a plane and head West for six hours you will arrive at Boston Airport in Massachusetts. Add a couple of hours by car and you are on the Cape, home to a great location. And a fine example of what a well-managed Coastal fishery can achieve.

During the early eighties, bass stocks were at an all time low on the East Coast due to over fishing by the commercial sector. Desperate action was required to save the fishery from destruction. The 1984 Atlantic Striped Bass Conservation Act was passed bringing in new rules which were strictly enforced. Today, the sport fishing industry totally eclipses the combined 1984 revenues from both commercial and recreational sectors. Today, fly fishermen flock from all over the world to enjoy these rich waters.

Chatham is a picturesque and very well kept town. The architecture has a classic New England feel with some fine timber buildings that date back to the 18th century. It is a wonderful place to visit. It also makes a great base for a visiting fisherman and is central to many fishing locations.

The Fishery

The Cape Cod area has a strong saltwater, fly fishing culture and is very accessible to the visitor. Migrating stripers arrive at the Cape from around mid May, not long after the bluefish arrive. Both species will be around until the fall. Early season is a great time, as the fish are hungry after the rigours of spawning. Later in the year, the false albacore arrive and provide great sport on the fly. The Cape has plenty of options for visiting fly fishermen. Fishing the flats, the rips, Oceanside surf beaches, salt ponds and the creeks. Fishing from shore or afloat there are plenty of guides and the American anglers are a pretty friendly bunch, willing to share a few secrets once they get to know you!

Fishing the rips, drop offs and channelsBe prepared to work hard if fishing these locations, this is not for the faint hearted fisherman. But then is any shore based saltwater fly fishing? Fishing the rips, channels and drop offs can be tough going. Next year, I will take the double-handed rod to eliminate the fatigue of double hauling all day. We were casting 350 grain sinking lines into the face of a breeze. Forget those short casts: the best cast would only just cover the edges of the channel where the fish were passing through .We walked reasonable distances to access likely spots, but the aches and pains of a yomp across the dunes soon vanished with the first hook up of the day.

Swinging while stripping a large Olive Superhair Clouser was the proven method. This occasionally started to feel like a chore but then a pod of marauding bass would push through. Five rods would bend over and the atmosphere would change. Five happy guys all attached to fish that fight hard in the fast flowing water. And don’t forget this is the States and like all things American the bass can be huge!

Flats fishing for bass

The Monomoy Island is a magnet for fly fishermen and given that you could be sight fishing for thirty pound striped bass it’s hardly surprising. Patience, perseverance and nerves are fully tested on the flats. I was lucky enough to be with Jim Simms when he landed his personal best. I could see Jim was into a decent fish and made my way up towards him as he beached her. A fine fish of 38 inches. A bass of those proportions will be a shock to a UK bass fisherman the first time.

I had more success that day, blind fishing the drop offs, with a great bluefish to show for my efforts. However, I did have one sight fishing moment of glory. The image of a shoal of 50 bass entering the flat and following the subtle contours of a sand bar will stay with me always. Even more so, the memory of those 50 stripers changing direction to intercept my DNA clouser. Suffice to say, I managed to get a hook up – not a monster just a five or six pound schoolie.

The waters I have described so far are on the sheltered side of the Cape. You can also fish the many ocean facing beaches. We managed to catch stripers in the surf, though not huge fish. It was, however, a welcome change of technique and scenery. Take your UK saltwater watercraft with you and you will do just fine. These fish behave in much the same manner as their European counterparts.

Fishing the tidal creeks

The Cape has a network of tidal creeks and these can be very productive. Some spots were teeming with school bass. This was a total change of environment, far more akin to fishing a medium-sized river for trout. The creeks twist and wind through wonderful scenery. A couple of hours on the riverbank would provide a gentle wind-down after a hard day’s fishing elsewhere. It was also great sport catching fierce- fighting schoolies at dusk. Double hook ups were constant at times. Rods were 7 # and the top fly was a gurgler.

What to take

A 7 # is ideal for the creeks and a 9 # would be the main workhorse for the rips, beaches and drop offs. A range of different density lines and 20 lb fluorocarbon line for tippets should be packed. Don’t overlook the line tray or the head torch. It is worth noting that a compass is regarded as standard issue when shore- fishing the flats of Cape Cod. The fog can come out of nowhere and envelop the landscape within minutes.

Flies were either size 1/0 super hair clousers or size 4 and 2 # DNA or bucktail clousers, and don’t forget the poppers and gurgler. You may want to consider packing a few super-large flies to try to match the shad. We witnessed a blitz one morning: the bass and blues were ripping these large baitfish to shreds. On the subject of bluefish don’t forget to pack bite-proof leaders or trace material. I use a 4 inch ‘Pro leader’ bite tippet. Be prepared for a long fight - these fish are the thugs of the Cape!

We fished the Cape for ten days and had somewhere between 400 and 500 bass and a handful of blues. This is great fishing and worthy of the travel. The problem with fishing of this quality is that you have to come home sometime. In the UK we fish for the leftovers that the fishing fleet has missed. The UK tackle manufacturers love to promote the charismatic image of saltwater fly fishing in the UK. Unfortunately, their vision and commitment goes no further than the next photo shoot or range of dedicated ‘must have’ tackle and accessories. They have all been approached with regard to lending support to various proposals and consultation proceedings and most have failed to lift a finger. There are some who have the vision but only a few.

In the USA in 1995, the Striped Bass Marine Fisheries Commission declared the bass stocks fully recovered. One can only imagine the potential within the UK if we achieved the same goal. Fishermen, the angling trade and the tax man could share a sustainable and rich harvest. In the meantime, I know where I am going to be next June!

Austen Goldsmith

Austen Goldsmith is based in Cornwall and runs a specialist saltwater fly fishing business - working with a loyal customer base looking for guided bass fishing and saltwater fly tying. See http://www.uksaltwaterflies.com/ for further details.

Reproduced with the kind permission of FishandFly.com. For additional articles, please visit their site here.