If you think the best of Cape Cod’s saltwater fishing is behind us because the calendar says October, think again.

For Cape Cod anglers, October can be one of the most exciting months of the entire fishing season. The crowds are thinning, the water is cooling, bait is moving, and some of the biggest striped bass of the year are beginning to show up along the beaches.

And while the summer species begin to disappear, fall brings a completely different fishing game.

Striped bass are the headline act, but bluefish can still be around, bonito and false albacore may linger depending on water temperatures and bait, and massive schools of migrating forage can turn an otherwise quiet stretch of coastline into a feeding frenzy.

The key is understanding what is changing—and having the right gear ready when it happens.

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The Fall Striper Show Is Just Getting Started
October/ November is prime time for Cape Cod striped bass.

As water temperatures continue to fall, stripers become increasingly focused on feeding before the winter migration. The fish can be aggressive, mobile and willing to travel significant distances to find concentrations of bait.

This is also the time of year when surfcasters have a legitimate shot at some of the biggest bass of the season.

October stripers aren't necessarily going to be sitting in the same places they occupied in July. Beaches, rips, channels, troughs, inlets and areas holding migrating bait can all become important.

The lesson?

Don't fish October like it's August.

Pay attention to water temperature, wind direction, tides and, most importantly, bait.

When you find the bait, there's a good chance the stripers won't be far away.

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