Martha's Vineyard Fishing Locations
Finding your way to the island fishing holes can take a little work for folks who haven't been to the spots before, but don't despair. Step one is to stop by the shop and pick up the map that we have available. We can offer you directions to any of these fabled Vineyard fishing spots.
Lake Tashmoo Inlet and Jetties
"Last Light at Tashmoo Inlet"
The inlet to Lake Tashmoo can be a great place for beginning fly rodders to try their stuff. This is a small inlet that often has plenty of small stripers (and some big ones, too!) working the bait along the rocks. Wading anglers can also fish the flats on the left as you look up into the pond - take care to avoid the holes and dropoffs, but fish the edges of them with a Deep Sparkling Sand Eel or Chartreuse/White Clouser for best effect. Concentrate on any areas where the tide sweeps over a flat into deeper water. Bonito and False Albacore come to this inlet in the fall...Bonito arrive at the very end of July, and can be taken with a live mackerel, bucktail jig, or small metal lures by spin fishermen. Flyrodders should use small white deceivers or sand eel imitations. False Albacore arrive mid-September. This is one of the minor spots for false albacore, but as a result this spot doesn't get too crowded, either. Albie addicts use a small bucktail jig or metal lures, flyrod albie junkies choose a small white deceiver to imitate the silversides which get thick here in the fall. If the fish are on sand eels try a Chartreuse/White Epoxy Minnow or Green Sand Eel. Have a couple of white bunny flies in the box; bonito and albies will go nuts for these at times. Page's Slim Jim is another good bet for anglers chasing these speedsters. The last three hours of incoming water coming just around daybreak is the best situation to fish for the Bonito and 'Albacore, so study your tide chart carefully to determine when the best times will be.
Lake Tashmoo
Photo: "A Typical Schoolie at the Lake Tashmoo Worm Hatch".
The upper end of Lake Tashmoo is the home of the fabled worm hatch. This special event usually happens sometime mid-May, and can last as long as two weeks, or as short as two or three days. Seven days of consistent action is about average. Worms begin to swarm in late afternoon, often around 5 PM, and the fish begin to feed on them and continue until around dusk when the action usually tapers off. Bring some worm flies! Larry's has the best worm flies on the island, so be sure to pick up a few. You'll want to fish this spot with a canoe or small boat - trying to fish the "hatch" effectively from shore is usually a heartbreak, although folks have taken some good fish from shore from time to time. If you want to fish from shore, walk along the beach to the right of the boat ramp for 100 feet or so into a small bay. This area has worms and feeding fish at times. Anglers can also walk to the left of the ramp for as much as a 1/4 mile or so. Please respect property owners rights - you can fish as long as you stay at the waterline, but getting up onto private docks or wandering across lawns will ruin it for all of us, so please be considerate. Look for the rises and cast to them, or cover the water when fish are not in evidence. The worm hatch is a neat event, but timing is critical. Please call us mid-May at 508.627.5088 for the most up-to-date information.
State Beach
"State Beach Sunset"
This entire stretch of barrier beach on the outside of Sengekontacket Pond is a public beach, and one of the nicest, cleanest swimming beaches that you'll find anywhere on the East Coast. Fly rodders and light tackle anglers alike concentrate on the areas of the beach adjacent to Big Bridge at the Oak Bluffs/Edgartown town line, and also on the beach right in front of and also to the east of Bend-in-the-Road Beach. Sand eel flies, deceivers, clousers, and snake flies all take their share of fish here, mostly around daybreak, dusk and well after dark. Spin fishermen should choose small swimming plugs like the Rebel broken-back or Bomber. The Yo-Zuri swimmers in simple color patterns will work well here, too. Folks often think of this as a beach to catch schoolies at, but one of our customers caught a striper of 48" on a fly here in 1998, and another one took a very nice fish of more than 40", so be prepared for anything. False albacore run this beach in late September, mornings until about 11 AM are best for shore anglers, the best setups are when high tide comes at daybreak.
Big Bridge
"Big Bridge at Dusk"
What can we say about the Big Bridge? Known locally as Anthier's Bridge, this is the spot that was featured in the film "Jaws" where the shark goes "in the pond"; in this case, Sengekontacket Pond on the Edgartown/Oak Bluffs town line. In the summer, teenagers jump from the bridge into the water to cool off and impress each other. Swim under the bridge with a diving mask and you'll see why people fish here. Stripers of all sizes hang out around the bridge supports, and plenty of big fish are taken here each year. Drifting a live or dead herring is a sure-fire technique in the spring, and drifting an eel at night is a pretty good bet, too. Plug casters can choose broken-back swimming plugs for day or night fishing, and a simple white bucktail jig is a must-have for strictly daytime fishing. Don't forget the Yo-Zuri Metallic Sardine! Flyrodders can make a killing here if there aren't too many anglers. Sand Eel flies and medium sized deceivers will take the lion's share of fish here. Outgoing water is best in the spring as the warm water from the pond flows out into the sound. Later in the season, both tides are good. If you are here on a bright afternoon, you may be able to see fish swimming around under the bridge, especially if you stoop low, wear polarized glasses, and shade your eyes. Be courteous to other anglers, lots of fishermen of different skill levels come to fish the Big Bridge. If you see an angler who needs a little help, offer your assistance to him or her. I'm sure each of us remembers the days when we were beginners, too!
Little Bridge
Photo: "Watching the Bass at Little Bridge".
A popular spot with some local anglers who just want to grab a few minutes of casting before work, this spot where outgoing water flows into the sound from Sengekontacket Pond holds plenty of small stripers, especially in early June. This is another good spot for a beginning light-tackle angler or fly fisherman. This spot is rarely crowded, and presents the beginning angler a good opportunity to learn to read the water. Bonito and 'Albacore will sometimes make brief appearances here in the fall as well. Fish small lures or flies, and keep casting. Fishing bait on the left side of the inlet (looking out) on an outgoing tide can produce fish at times, too. Flyrodders sometimes find fish just inside the pond on an incoming tide, so don't be afraid to take a look around.
Vineyard Haven Jetty / Eastville Beach
Photo: "Vineyard Haven Jetty in August".
This jetty is a favorite spot for Bonito and False Albacore in the fall, and it can get crowded at times. Small metal lures and white bucktail jigs can be deadly here, as can the usual bonito and false albacore fly patterns. Fish can be here at anytime, but the top of the tide might be a good time to try, especially with a Northwest wind which traps bait along the west side of the jetty where the moving water is. Fish will often show here at first light.
Eastville Beach is a small beach adjacent to the jetty that flyrodders especially can enjoy on warm spring evenings. Really big fish rarely come from this spot, but fly fishermen and light spin fishermen can have a ball with the stripers here while avoiding the crowds of spots like Lobsterville Beach, etc. If you're staying in Oak Bluffs or Vineyard Haven and only have a short time to fish after dinner, Eastville Beach is the place to go. Once again, be respectful of property owners. Don't climb up on private docks or cross any backyards in your efforts to cover the water.
We'll be updating our fishing spots frequently, so check back soon to learn more about all of the Island fishing locations.
Notes on driving to the fishing spots on Martha's Vineyard: The rule is - go slow...you're on island time now. Roads are narrower here, and what's the hurry, anyway? Taking your time will get you to the fishing holes in one piece, and allow you to enjoy the beauty of the island along the way. Plan to leave plenty of time to reach your evening's fishing destination, and you'll arrive to find available parking spots, leaving plenty of time to rig up and prepare to fish. Hurrying will only cause you to forget some critical piece of equipment (like a flashlight, camera, lure or fly box) in the car, and all of your friends will laugh at you. No kidding.