Elizabethan Islands Spring & Fall

[Got Stripers]

Looking forward to picking up the new used boat in the next month and with a safer, drier and longer range ride under me finally; I want to explore the islands during a couple weeks off. I'm thinking I will take one week sometime in May-June and the other later in the year Aug-Sept.

Not looking for spots (just pm me the coordinates ) and having caught my share of schoolies by the hundreds every winter, I want to focus on large. I also like a bent rod, so I'd be happy with numbers of 15-20 lbers, with the occasional shots at large. Now I don't want to be out there in October freezing my arse off, remember I'm 53 not 23, so what how would you split those weeks up, what would be your choice weeks?

Thanks for the feedback.

[bassmaster]

gs pm me,

[Slipknot]

don't know just yet ,but I'd be happy to be a co-pilot

[UserRemoved1]

Hey bob shoot me an email.

[Got Stripers]

Hey Salty email me at gotstripers@yahoo.com my old email died when comcast bought out adelphia.

Tight lines.

[Goose]

I tried going over there once, chickened out about half way and had to come back.... *&^% that. I hear there lower end eating boulders and cell phone reception is nill, just like the Bermuda triangle ALL SET thank you very much. I seen it on a map though.

[UserRemoved1]

Goose if you aint bouncin boulders you aint fishin the right spots there

Originally Posted by Goose

I tried going over there once, chickened out about half way and had to come back.... *&^% that. I hear there lower end eating boulders and cell phone reception is nill, just like the Bermuda triangle ALL SET thank you very much. I seen it on a map though.

[Goose]

One more thing, I wouldn't even think of crossing if I didn't have at least a 26' with 200h triplets and towing a 21' fan boat w/livewell.

[Swimmer]

Do that trip many times in a 1985 Wellcraft with a yamaha on it. Heavey boat, takes water well. Leave Padnaram, Mattapoisett and go all the way to Noman's. Wear my Sospenders all day.

[Moses]

I launch out of Green Pond Falmouth alot. In past seasons, I would head directly over to MV, work Middle Ground and end up down by Devils Bridge/Gay Head. Work my way back the same way.

Last season though, I would hug the Falmouth shoreline and start at Wood's Hole and work my way south, tight along the Elizabeth Islands. As Scott says, tight is where the action is. I've had my best luck from shore to 20' depths.

You can do all sorts of fishing there too which I really like. You can snap wire, troll, drift eels/chunks in various "holes", cast along/into shore.

Cuttyhunk is another story from boat. This area definitely intimidates me. Boulders shoot up outa nowhere. You need many pairs of eyes here and need to proceed very cautiously.

I will say my biggest fish to date was taken along these islands last May, memorial day weekend.

[numbskull]

The Elizabeth's (with the exception of the Holes)fish better in late June than May or early June, but Vineyard Sound (primarily Middleground/Wasque) can be very very good in May and early June if squid are in the area. August tends to be slow, but September is usually good with False Albacore (noshow this past year) in the first part of the month and bass in the latter part usually providing consistent action (though things get crowded once the derby starts).

[Flaptail]

Originally Posted by Got Stripers

Looking forward to picking up the new used boat in the next month and with a safer, drier and longer range ride under me finally; I want to explore the islands during a couple weeks off. I'm thinking I will take one week sometime in May-June and the other later in the year Aug-Sept.

Not looking for spots (just pm me the coordinates ) and having caught my share of schoolies by the hundreds every winter, I want to focus on large. I also like a bent rod, so I'd be happy with numbers of 15-20 lbers, with the occasional shots at large. Now I don't want to be out there in October freezing my arse off, remember I'm 53 not 23, so what how would you split those weeks up, what would be your choice weeks?

Thanks for the feedback.

Bob, as Numbskull says, late June for casting along shore. As for being 53 as opposed to 23, well, if you feel that way your going to miss out on the best fishing of the year.

We catch a fair number of large fish in September tossing dannies and pp's ( Bernzy's Howdy in yellow is a killer at this time and will serve double duty on bass and False Albacore)

The absolute best Elizabeth Islands casting is From Columbus Day to the week after Thanksgiving with the zenith being the two weeks before Thanksgiving. We have had days where we are in snowsuits and spitting snow with the thermometer hovering at 21 degrees and we killed them.

The simple rule is early in the season the best fishing is from Robinson's East to Woods hole ( the water tends to be warmer at the eastern end of the chain and bait in the form of herring and squid dominate) in Fall it's the opposite from Robinson's to Cuttyhunk and the pigs.

Really all you need is danny plugs, Pencil Poppers and Bernzy's Howdy to cover the bases if you are plug oriented. Eels of course will catch all season especially in the fall and are taken readily in daylight.

The fun fishing, as Numbskull pointed out, is in the last weeks of May and the first two of June at Middleground. There with a jig head and rubber in pearl white you can ctach bass all day and if they are busting in the rip face you can toss un-weighted rubber or Pencils and have a really good time.

Hope that helps.