THE END OF AN ERA?

July 28, 2007 - It's sad, really. Since the southway closed, limiting boat access to the surfside of South Beach and South Monomoy Island in Chatham, summertime sight fishing has been virtually non-existent. The reason is quite simple: the flooding tidal water has become far too warm to support a healthy striped bass population during the months of July and August.

It was only a few years ago that an angler could expect to detect and stalk bass ranging in size from 15 to 40 inches in water no deeper than a kneecap, an occurrence that is only a fleeting memory.

I had the opportunity to engage in lengthy conversation with both Captain Keith and Ed Lincoln (of Monomoy Island Ferry fame), and their dismal assessment of the situation left me forlorn. While the ferry service has been focused on seal tours and carting beach goers, hikers, bird watchers and painter types, it has been virtually vacant of fly fishermen due to the circumstances.

The southway closing has restricted the fresh and cooler water of Nantucket Sound from infiltrating the once productive flats of South Beach and North Monomoy. This event is responsible for limiting tidal water flow and creating an almost stagnant, warm (75-80 degree) impoundment offering nothing in the way of sight fishing opportunities, save for the occasional bluefish.

Coincidently the Nauset breach, which seems to become more dramatic on a weekly basis, has given access to the cooler Nantucket water enabling wading anglers to enjoy some pretty fair fly-fishing from Minister's Point (Pleasant Bay) to Chatham Inlet particularly during low light conditions. While Pleasant Bay and the Chatham ground fishery has it's own issues, according to recent Cape Cod Times articles, this has not seemed to affect the striper fishery as the water adjacent to the breach remains dramatically cooler then recent years.

BFT'S
According to reports the bluefin tuna season has lulled a bit. While there are still plenty of fish in Cape Cod Bay and Nantucket Sound, you will have to do a lot more prospecting to locate them. A few weeks ago it was not uncommon to field numerous reports from fly anglers that located multiple pods, landed fish or had fish on. The previous week (some days were saddled with terrible NE winds) saw anglers detect fewer schools and have much less success once they were located.

Good fishing and safe wading,
JB