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The Fishing News
00000177-ba84-d5f4-a5ff-bbfc9abb0000 with Steve JunkerEach week during saltwater fishing season Steve Junker checks in with the folks at On the Water magazine and others to find out who's catching what where around the Cape and Islands—and how they're doing it. 00000177-ba84-d5f4-a5ff-bbfc9abc0000For a detailed weekly Fishing Forecast, check out On the Water.00000177-ba84-d5f4-a5ff-bbfc9abb0001

Striped Bass Start Quick and Early, But Bigger Fish Take Their Time Coming

J. Junker

After the mild winter, when schoolie bass started showing up off Martha's Vineyard in April it seemed promising of an early start to the fishing season. But the bigger stripers have taken their time following their younger kin, and now the season finds us just about exactly where we usually are: looking for bigger fish to arrive in Cape Cod waters with the end of May.

Kevin Blinkoff, of On the Water Magazine, points out that the mild winter was followed by a much more typical, lengthy cool spring - especially around the Chesapeake Bay, where many of our striped bass are coming from. It seems the bigger fish stuck around in those southern waters to take care of their spawning business. That may mean a slower-than-hoped-for start to our fishing action, but it could bode well for spawning, on which our future fish population depends. So perhaps not a bad thing!  

This weekend (Saturday, May 21st) marks the beginning of Black Sea Bass season, and there are indications it could be a very strong year. Check out the audio below for a full roundup of fishing action, including reports of bluefish too. 

Aren't you glad it's fishing time again?

Steve is Managing Editor of News. He came to WCAI in 2007. He also hosts the weekly News Roundup on Friday mornings and produces The Fishing News.