Cape Cod, Mass in July

I’m headed to the Cape mid-July and was wondering if there are any local fly fishing clubs that might offer some tips on where to cast a fly. I can’t afford the high dollar guided route and there is a lot of water out there.

I had always heard that Coop’s Bait & Tackle (Cooper Gilkes) was the best source of tackle and info. Does anyone know if he is still in business? Contact info?

Thanks for any help that comes my way.

And by the way, a big howdy to all of you I wet a line and shared a tale with at the Florida Fish-In in Port Charlotte this past winter.

Mark

Two sites to look at are www.flyfishsaltwaters.com and http://reel-time.com

They both focus alot of their posts on Cape Cod. There have been many posts here about Cape Cod as well. Search the archives and see what you come up with.

Cape Cod looks small on the map but there are hundreds of miles of shoreline.
Where on the Cape are you planning to be headquartered.
Will you have waders
Will you have a boat/kayak

July isn’t the best month for Stripers as the water warms up they head out towards deeper water. There are still lots of schoolies around and Blue fish too. Both can be great fun on the long rod.

jed

There is an in expensive water taxi that will take you to monamyIsland (sp?) near Chatham. They drop you off in the AM and pick you up in the afternoon. The flats fishing can be outstanding out there that tiem of year. The links above should get you a POC. Other than that, just plan on fishing the outflows and beach’s. Especially at night!

The Rip Ryder ferry leaves from Morris Island at the NWR a few times every morning and will pick you up at around 4pm
They charge $15 for the trip to South Beach, $20 for a ride to N. Monomoy Island.
Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge is a very cool place to visit, … even if you catch no fish.
Not expensive in my book. Well worth the $20 … even for a cheapskate like me.
(I take my kayak when I visit though 8) )

The flats off of Chatham get lots of pressure in the summer (I was there all last week :shock: ) but there are plenty of other places that do not.
Night tides and moving water hold fish all summer long

Coop’s B&T is on Martha’s Vineyard, not the Cape
http://www.goose.com/ is in Orleans
http://www.capefishingcharters.com/ is in N Chatham
If you’re an Orvis guy http://fishingthecape.com/ is in E. Harwich

Thaqnks for the responses guys. Is it reasonable to expect good fishing during the day on Monomoy island? That would be great as I expected to have to fish at night.

Hi Mark,

Nice to hear from you!

Gil

Plenty of fish to catch during the day. Get a tide chart and study it. Moving water means feeding fish : )

For what it’s worth, it would be money well spent to hire a guide and I can recommend a very reasonable one who could likely accomodate a split trip with another angler. Randy Jones (http://www.yankeeangler.com/) is a good friend , a great Mustad Prostaffer and an outstanding TEACHING guide. Unlike many in his profession (he is a full time/year round guide) he will teach you everything you need to know so you can do it on your own and do well. He charges $250/day for one angler but if you get a second the total is $350 ($175/angler). Now even for a cheapskate like me that’s very reasonable. Spending a day with Randy will have you in tune with the fishery so you can be self guided the rest of your stay. He’s strictly a wading guide [no boats but he has a nice ladder : ) ] so what he shows you, you can do on your own.

Also be sure to check out Fishing The Cape fly shop in E. Harwich/Chatham.

Hey Mark, I’ve been sending some info & fishing contacts but your emails come back undeliverable. 8)

Hey Dave! I got e-mails about the one guy and have been in touch. Don’t know whats up with undeliverables.

Still nothing from my cousin so I may be trout fishing in NY instead of wasding the flats at the Cape. Who knows?

I appreciate the tip on the guide from Dr. Fish, but I’m not a guide client type. I can’t afford them and, as a former guide myself I have very high standards. I prefer to do my own fishing anyway, find them and catch them or not. A lot of it is about the fishing as much as the catching anyway. I like to challenge myself a bit.

The personal recommendation is appreciated, that is the only way I would choose a guide if I used one. If some money falls from the sky, who knows.

Hey there FL_SKIBUM are ya catchin’ them this summer?

Drought has slowed down the trout fishing here.