Spring 2008...WELCOME BACK!

Hello all, and welcome back to the www.fishingthevineyard.com blog, 2008 edition! Thank you to all of our clients, families and friends, without you none of this would be possible. We hope everyone had a great winter and that this report find you all happy and healthy.

The spring fishing season is in full swing on the island with bass and bluefish at many of the Vineyard’s traditional early season hotspots. The action came out of the box a bit slow out here this year, with out a great deal of the schoolie action that we usually see along the south side in late April. There are probably a multitude of factors that contributed to this, but it seems that low water temps and a great deal of the northbound bass this year choosing to migrate through Vineyard Sound and Buzzard’s Bay as opposed to in the open Atlantic were the greatest contributers. Since then however the bass have arrived in force, filling into the Vineyard’s many estuaries and salt ponds; right where they belong in May. Fish at this time of year are generally found over dark bottom flats where the water is warmer and they can hunt the many critters that that are found in these types of marine environments in the spring. Sight fishing is the rule here, with the go-to flies being Jiggies, Diablos and Phlounders.

Bass have also begun to fill into the rips, with shoal water to the north and west being the most consistent thus far. The outer beaches and shoals on the east side are not quite on yet, but as we all know in the early season in this part of the world things can and do change overnight. It should be mere days before east end anglers are covered in squid ink and striper slime…sounds good to me. Bluefishing in the boats has had moments of blinding brilliance, but has yet to reach the level of consistency that we’d all like.

Beach fishing is on too, with multiple ponds and inlets fishing well for bass at this time. Those chasing striper on the beach at this time of year can find success using various tactics at various locations, but it seems that spin fishers do best with rubber shads and sluggos and fly rodders find the best success with Sliders, Deceivers and worm imitations. Bluefishing on the beach has yet to reach a fever pitch, but the best recipe for anglers searching out this type of action to date has been calm afternoons and surface plugs at traditional east end locales.

We’re all looking forward to a safe, fun and productive season of fly and light tackle fishing on the Vineyard. Stay tuned for up to date reports and info right here. Also, we all still have some prime dates available, so if you’re coming up to the island, don’t be a stranger!



Captain W. Brice Contessa
www.fishingthevineyard.com