The Fishing News: Recent Episodes
Steve Junker
Some of the best recreational fishing anywhere can be found in the waters around Cape Cod. We've got bluefish off Popponesset, black sea bass in Buzzards Bay, bonito on the back side of Martha's Vineyard, bluefin tuna off Chatham, scup in Woods Hole, striped bass in the Big Ditch - really, wherever the fish are, we'll be talking about them on the Fishing News. Join us each week during saltwater fishing season as 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.
It was a summer season of few small stripers, even fewer bluefish, and abundant bonito. Now the fall run is playing out, and the hearty anglers begin to turn their thoughts to tautog.
Albies are erupting in front of you, but you’re not catching a single one. Maddening! Here's a compassionate take on what you can do.
It's peak season for false albacore. The speedsters are blitzing. If you can't get out on a boat or kayak, you can still get in on the action.
A citizens science project is finding new information about the survival of striped bass after they’re caught and released. The data could change the way we fish.
Fishing from a kayak has become increasingly popular around the Cape and islands, and this time of year it can give an angler an edge when going after false albacore.
It’s been a season for bonito like no other in recent memory, with the speedsters showing up in numbers across the region and giddy reports from anglers. It hasn't always been this way. Or has it?
When on the prowl for bluefin tuna, fishers are watching for "first signs" of other ocean life — like dolphins and storm petrels. This week, we hear about a trip 40 miles offshore.
There's a term for when sharks bite fish off your line: "shark depredation." It's on the uptick, and now even Congress is getting involved.
ICast bills itself as "the world's largest sportfishing trade show." So what was the talk of the annual conference this past week? How about "live" forward-facing sonar, or a drone to fly your bait out over the water.
They’re speedy and shaped like a little tuna, and they’ve just arrived in our waters: bonito are here! Their return brings local fishers delight and (often) frustration.
What fish is dark on one side and light on the other? Lies flat on the bottom and looks up with both eyes? Yes, it's fluke — and now that we're into July, it’s a good moment to fish for them.
Inshore waters are warming, and that means it's time to start changing how you fish — especially for striped bass.
Striped bass are chasing squid in waters around the Cape right now. And, as you might imagine, anglers are chasing those striped bass.
For anglers looking to get out on the water, this recent string of windy days has been frustrating. Fortunately, we live in a place of many options.
Bluefin tuna have made a remarkable comeback — in part because scientists are uncovering more information about their far-ranging migrations.
It’s the season for striped bass. You can fish for them from the shore, you can fish for them from a boat, or... if you're out for adventure, you can fish for stripers standing on a kayak.
It’s not easy fishing – we’re stuck up here in this atmosphere, while the fish we’re trying to catch are down there, in the water, out of sight. But nature offers us clues to what's going on: birds!
Our Fishing News season begins with the happy return of striped bass to Cape Cod waters. Big fish seem to be in abundance, pointing to concerns about more recent spawning classes.
Local anglers are putting away the sun shirts and flip-flops and happily reaching for the layers of fleece. From gator blues to tricky tog, fall-weather fishing is something to look forward to.
It's a fish with a Hawaiian name—so what's it doing in Cape Cod inshore waters? Also known as a dolphinfish, it makes good eating. And this summer has been marked by occasional reports of mahi in Nantucket Sound and catches from at least one beach.
Around here, northern puffers are mostly known as an accidental curiosity: a fish occasionally caught when you're looking for something else, and — unlike any other fish — it blows up like a balloon. But don't throw it back that quick! They're also tasty.
Anglers call false albacore “the funny fish” — and right now we’re entering the heart of the funny season.
Tarpon are one of Florida’s prized game fish. So what’s a 5-foot specimen doing on a hook in Mashpee? Turns out, there's a precedent.
If you haven't noticed Northern Kingfish around yet, you probably will soon. The good news? They're plentiful and just about the perfect size for making fish tacos.
Tuna are showing up in big numbers off the end of Cape Cod—particularly smaller tuna, in the 40-60lb range. It’s an exciting moment for fishermen to pick them up on light tackle.
Schools of mackerel have drawn large striped bass into the Cape Cod Canal, with reports of fish up to 50" being caught.
This time in July, there’s often a lull in fishing. It’s a good time to find other ways to harvest from the sea. So grab a flashlight and a net and try hunting blue crabs.
A fish doesn’t have to be big to be tasty — or fun to catch. We’ve got an often-overlooked suggestion for your next fishing adventure: scup. Don't snub them because they're small. As a friend of mine likes to say, "pound for pound, they're the Cape's best fighting fish."
Don't be fooled by the name: winter flounder are here. And according to our expert, they're "hands down" the best local fish for making a fried fish sandwich. Hungry now?
If you want to keep a striped bass for the dinner table, it must be between 28 and 31 inches. It’s a much tighter slot this year, and it means more fish will be caught and released. Here's how to do it right.
What does the moon have to do with striped bass, and why do anglers have this weekend circled as a potential great one for fishing? It's all about the tides.
The Fishing News returns for 2023! If you’re fishing for striped bass, you’re in luck — plenty of them are showing up in our waters right now. But there’s a new rule you have to pay attention to: the size range of the fish you can keep is much narrower.
As gusty winds blow us into October, we look ahead to fall and winter fishing, and say goodbye to another season of The Fishing News.
Striped bass are the yardstick by which Cape Cod fishermen measure the fishing season. Now that we’re heading into the last weekend of September, it's a good moment to look back and “size up” this year's fishing.
There's a change in the light and in the air as we head into the second half of September. For fishermen, it means it’s time start thinking about the fall run.
You can see the fish. They're right there! But they're not paying any attention to your lure. Sound familiar? Well, before you dump out your tackle box, here's what you can try.
Fishing from a kayak has become increasingly popular around the Cape and islands, and this time of year it can give an angler an edge when going after false albacore.
In mid-August, many a Cape Cod fisherman's thoughts turn toward false albacore — also known as "the funny fish." They're fast, they're picky, and they're exciting to catch.
Before refrigeration, one of the tried-and-true ways of keeping your fish longer was to smoke it. And when it comes to flavor, smoked bluefish is still a winner.
Big fish eat little fish – which means little fish play an outsized role in how the fishing season goes. This week, we take a look at young-of-year baitfish and try to predict what their numbers could mean for fishing for the second half of summer into fall.
Sharing the water with whales is a real consideration for anglers in parts of our region. After an incident in Plymouth recently, in which a breaching whale landed atop a sportfishing boat, we talk about how to keep whales and fishermen safe.
Summer flounder are a flatfish: one of those curious creatures with both eyes on the same side of its body, so it can lie flat on the sea bottom watching for prey. They also make for great eating.
The oceans are mysterious. Every summer, fish show up in our waters that, by many measures, don’t belong here.
Tuna are showing up in big numbers off the end of Cape Cod—particularly smaller tuna, in the 40-60lb range. It’s an exciting moment for fishermen to pick them up on light tackle.
Great white sharks get plenty of attention in our waters – but there’s another shark around that fishermen are much more likely to interact with.
It’s been a great start to the fishing season, with memorable numbers of striped bass and bluefish. But all those gamefish need to feed, and that's why this week we're talking about the modest menhaden.
We start another season of The Fishing News with good news: keeper-size striped bass are being found around region, with many anglers reporting the best spring in recent memory.
While boat fishers chase albies this time of year, there's also plenty of good action to be had from docks and jetties as snapper blues show up.
The best tuna fishing on the Atlantic coast is happening right now in waters off Cape Cod.
It’s been called "the most important fish in the sea." And local fishermen love to see them show up this time of year, because they're an essential part of the fishing ecosystem.
If you find yourself on a dock or jetty these days marveling at how many tiny fish are schooling around—well, think about how the big fish, who feed on them, must be feeling. We call those tiny fish "baitfish," and they're a perfect meal for the bigger fish that will make late summer fishing so much fun.
Fishing for swordfish during the day requires "deep dropping," fishing as much as 1600 feet down. And one thing to keep in mind? "Swordfish are curious," says Andy Nabreski. That's why the disco strobe lights along the leader.