The fishing on the island of Martha's Vineyard is undoubtedly some of the finest on the entire east coast. Whether fly fishing for striped bass from a shallow draft skiff, or chasing giant tuna and sharks in a 30-foot sport fisher, the Vineyard's vast and varied fishery truly offers something for everybody.

Vineyard Fishing Season
The primary fishing season on Martha's Vineyard begins in early May and lasts through late October, culminating with the annual Martha's Vineyard Striped Bass & Bluefish Derby. Throughout the course of this season, opportunities abound for anglers, whether you choose to target fish from the beach, or in a boat.

Target Fish Species
Primary inshore targets are striped bass, bluefish, bonito and false albacore. The appearance of striped bass and bluefish in early May truly signals the beginning of the season. During this time, late spring, is prime time to try your luck at surfcasting or fly fishing for stripers and blues from one of the Vineyard's many beautiful sandy beaches. On any given day in May and June anglers line the beach at Wasque Point waiting for the daily run of blues and stripers. As the summer progresses, the bass and bluefish begin to fill in to the many rips and shoals that surround the island. A summer day ride on the ferry during July and August reveals the many sport fishing boats combing the rips off West Chop. Soon enough, as the water warms, hard fighting bonito and false albacore begin to move into the Vineyard's inshore waters. These fish can be pursued from the beach but are targeted most effectively from boats. A late summer trip to Menemsha during this time will show a small armada of skiffs and kayaks fly fishing the waters off the beach in search of these finicky bonito and false albacore.

Martha's Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby
Fall on Martha's Vineyard brings the start of the annual Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby. The Derby is a month long island wide fishing tournament that offers opportunities for boat and shore fisherman to weigh in their best catches in hopes of winning impressive prizes and unmatched glory. All four of the islands inshore species are featured in the tournament, allowing anglers to use a wide variety of tactics over the course of the event to target all eligible fish. The Derby awards countless prizes including a brand new Boston Whaler and Chevy Silverado. This year's tournament is the 60th annual, solidifying the Derby as a true living part of island heritage.
                                                         
  Offshore Fishing
Offshore fishing around the Vineyard focuses on the pursuit of tuna and sharks. Martha's Vineyard is home of one of the country's premier shark tournaments, The Oak Bluffs Monster Shark Tournament (as featured recently on ESPN), which occurs in mid July. Prime time for offshore fishing is mid July through mid September. During this time angler who wants to test their skills offshore can expect to encounter yellowfin, bluefin, and longfin tuna, many different species of shark, and even the occasional white marlin or dorado. The captains in the Vineyard's charter fleet run full day trips to the offshore grounds, and some even offer over-night excursions to the underwater canyons located far to the South, and East of the Vineyard.
Vineyard Fishing
No matter what your age or skill level, fishing during your stay on Martha's Vineyard stands to be the highlight of your time on island. Fishing with one of the Vineyard's skilled guides or charter captains will enhance your chances of having a fun and productive day of fishing. And who knows, you may just catch the fish of a lifetime!

Captain W. Brice Contessa
Contributing Editor
www.contessaflyfishing.com