In the last week, the island has filled and emptied with people, the wind has spun the compass, we have had temps ranging from low 40 degrees to mid 60’s, and we have had sun, rain and fog. Sound like Nantucket in May? Some may not like that variety, but to me the variety of the weather pattern defines this time of year. The good news, the fish continue to flood into our fishery and those who have fished, for the most part, have been rewarded.

Despite the weather variety, there is one word to describe the fishing now… FUN! This is not because there is a guarantee of fish or huge sizes, but more because the likelihood of seeing fish is very high and catching fish is likely. Further, these early fish are incredibly active. I’ve had many occasions in the last week where I have had multiple fish battling for my lures/flies.

Over the last week I have watched the fish become a) more plentiful and b) bigger. Average fish sizes in the main harbor have gone from 17 inches to 22 inches. We are also hearing of more and more keepers being caught, most notably on the North Shore. It is also worth noting that the there is a ton of bait in the water and the the stripers are actively looking for it.

When asked where to fish, truly most shorelines along both harbors and from Dionis to Eel point have fish. The fish have yet to develop patterns and are not holding particular locations. Our recommendation when figuring out where to fish is to think about the weather. If the wind is blowing, find the lee. This is not just for castability but these fish have a tough time locating bait in the rough water, so when the wind blows, they find the bait in the lee or they sit on the bottom to wait it out. these fish right now are hungry, so they are searching for the bait. On a sunny day, go find any area with a sandy bottom that drops off into eel grass. If you want to sight fish you can be patient and wait for fish to cruise the sand bars or if you want to blind cast many of these fish are just in the deep water (4-6 feet) off the sand flats.

A lot of lures are working, but most fishermen right now are using soft plastics, either with a weighted head (hogy/Ron Z) or unweighted(sluggos/albie snax). Those looking for surface action are using poppers, but make sure to use something small.

There continues to be very few reports from the south shore, largely because most fishermen are targeting the north shore and the water temps remain cold.

Go wet a line