The Cape Cod Fall Bait Guide: Know What the Fish Are Eating

Fall fishing on Cape Cod is all about understanding the bait.

As water temperatures cool and shorter days trigger one of the biggest migrations of the year, striped bass, bluefish, false albacore and other predators begin feeding heavily. For fishermen, that means one of the most important skills isn't simply knowing where the fish are—it's knowing what they're eating.

Bait can change from one beach, inlet or harbor to the next. It can change with the tide, wind and water temperature. And when predators become locked onto one particular food source, matching that forage can be the difference between a slow day and an incredible one.

Here are five important pieces of the Cape Cod fall forage puzzle.

Sand Eels: Small Bait, Big Opportunity

Sand eels are one of the most important fall baitfish around Cape Cod.

These slender, silver baitfish can attract everything from striped bass to bonito and false albacore. When predators are keyed in on sand eels, they can become extremely selective, especially when the bait is small.

That's when slim-profile lures really shine.

Epoxy jigs, small metals, slender soft plastics and other narrow-profile presentations can closely imitate sand eels. For albies and bonito, a fast retrieve is often effective. Stripers may respond better to a slower presentation, particularly when the bait is holding deeper.

One of the biggest mistakes anglers make during a sand-eel bite is throwing something too large.

When the fish are eating tiny bait, match the profile.

Peanut Bunker: A Favorite of Big Stripers

If there is one fall bait that gets big striped bass anglers excited, it's peanut bunker.

These juvenile menhaden are a high-calorie food source and can attract large numbers of stripers and bluefish. Schools can be found around Cape Cod's bays, estuaries, harbors and beaches, often concentrated by current and wind.

Look for nervous water, bait spraying from the surface, diving birds or larger fish crashing through the schools.

When peanut bunker are present, it's time to think about larger-profile presentations. Swimbaits, soft plastics, swimming plugs and topwater lures can all be effective.

But don't assume that because you see bunker, the fish are feeding right on top.

Stripers often sit underneath or alongside a school, picking off injured or escaping bait. If surface action isn't obvious, work different depths before abandoning an area.

Silversides: Don't Overlook the Little Guys

Silversides may not get the same attention as bunker or mackerel, but these small baitfish can be an important part of the fall menu.

They are commonly associated with shallow water, beaches, marshes, flats and estuaries. When current pushes them into a concentrated area, predators aren't likely to pass up an easy meal.

This is another situation where downsizing can pay off.

Small soft plastics, flies, compact plugs and lightweight metals can all imitate silversides. If fish are refusing larger offerings, take a closer look at the bait in the water.

You may discover that the reason the fish aren't biting isn't your retrieve—your lure is simply too big.

Crabs: Don't Forget What's Crawling on the Bottom

Not all fall forage has fins.

Crabs can become an important food source for striped bass, particularly around flats, rocky shorelines, marshes and areas with strong tidal currents.

When stripers are feeding on crabs, anglers may notice something very different from a traditional baitfish blitz. There may be little or no surface activity. Birds may not be present. The fish can be holding tight to the bottom and feeding on what the tide is delivering.

This is where understanding the water becomes especially important.

Look for areas where current moves across flats, around rocks, along channels or through marsh drains. Stripers can position themselves in these areas and wait for crabs and other bottom-dwelling forage to get swept within reach.

For anglers who fish soft plastics, flies or other bottom-oriented presentations, a crab bite can offer a completely different way to target fall stripers.

The lesson is simple: if you're not seeing bait on the surface, don't assume there isn't bait below it.

Mackerel: The Big-Bait Buffet

Mackerel are one of the most valuable meals a predator can find around Cape Cod.

Their larger profile provides plenty of calories, making them particularly attractive to bigger striped bass and other predators. When mackerel are present, anglers should pay close attention to deeper water, current lines, rips and areas where bait becomes concentrated.

This is the time to have some larger-profile lures ready.

Swimming plugs, larger soft plastics, diving plugs and metals can all be effective depending on where the mackerel are holding.

And don't assume that every predator will be feeding on the surface. Some of the biggest fish may be underneath the bait, especially when current or deeper water gives them an opportunity to ambush prey.

Other Late-Season Forage

The fall bait picture on Cape Cod is constantly changing.

Depending on location and conditions, predators may also encounter squid, juvenile herring, anchovies and other small baitfish.

That's why fall anglers should avoid getting locked into one lure or one presentation.

The fish don't care what worked yesterday.

They care about what's available right now.

A sudden change in wind can push bait toward a shoreline. A tide change can move forage through an inlet. Cooling water can cause bait to relocate. When that happens, predators often follow.

Become a Bait Detective

One of the best ways to improve your fall fishing is to start looking at the water differently.

Don't just ask, "Where are the stripers?"

Ask:

"What are they eating?"

Look at bait size, shape and behavior. Pay attention to birds, current, nervous water and surface disturbances. If you catch a fish, check its stomach contents when appropriate. Even a quick look at what comes out of the fish can provide valuable information.

Then adjust your presentation.

Small and slender? Reach for an epoxy jig or slim metal.

Bunker-sized? Upsize your plug or soft plastic.

Crabs on the bottom? Get your presentation down where the fish are feeding.

Mackerel around deeper water? Don't be afraid to throw something bigger and work deeper.

Build a Fall Bait Arsenal

The best fall tackle box isn't necessarily the one with the most lures. It's the one that gives you options.

Make sure you're prepared with:

• Small epoxy jigs and metals for sand eels and silversides

• Compact plugs for small baitfish

• Peanut-bunker-sized soft plastics and swimming plugs

• Larger plugs for mackerel and big-bait situations

• Bottom-oriented presentations for crab-feeding stripers

• Strong leaders, hooks and terminal tackle for hard-running fish

The Cape Cod fall run can change quickly, so versatility is a major advantage.

Find the Bait, Find the Fish

There is a reason experienced anglers spend so much time searching for bait.

Predators don't randomly choose where they spend their time. They follow food.

On Cape Cod, that could mean stripers crushing peanut bunker in a harbor, albies chasing sand eels off the beach, bass rooting around a flat for crabs or big fish following mackerel through deeper water.

The species may change. The bait may change. The location may change.

But the basic rule remains the same:

Find the food, and you're one big step closer to finding the fish.

That's what makes fall fishing on Cape Cod so exciting. Every tide can bring a new bait migration, a new feeding opportunity and a completely different fishing game.

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