Vineyard Fishing Season
The primary fishing season on Martha's Vineyard begins in early May and lasts through late October.  When autumn comes, the annual Martha's Vineyard Fishing Derby highlights this season. Throughout its course, opportunities for anglers abound, whether you choose to target fish from the beach, or in a boat. 

Target Fish Species -Primary inshore targets are:
*striped bass
*bluefish,
*bonito
*false albacore.

The appearance of striped bass and bluefish in early May signals the prime time for surfcasting or fly fishing for stripers and blues from one of the Vineyard's many  beaches. On any given day, anglers line the beach at Wasque Point waiting for the daily run of blues and stripers.

As the summer progresses to fall, the bass and bluefish begin to fill in to the many rips and shoals that surround the island. Sport fishing boats comb the rips off West Chop and as the water warms, hard fighting bonito and false albacore begin to move into the  inshore waters. Since these fish are targeted most effectively from boats, late summer trips to Menemsha reveal small armadas of skiffs and kayaks fly fishing in search of  finicky bonito and false albacore.

Martha's Vineyard Striped Bass & Bluefish Derby
Fall on Martha's Vineyard brings the start of the annual Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby. The Island-wide fishing tournament invites boat and shore fisherman to weigh in their best catches. 

The Derby gives participants the opportunity to participate in a decades old Vineyard tradition while competing for 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.

Offshore Fishing
Offshore fishing around the Vineyard focuses on the pursuit of tuna and sharks. Prime time begins mid-July and lasts through mid- September. Angler who want 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.

Vineyard charter fleet captains 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.

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! 

Thanks to Captain W. Brice Contessa  of Contessa Fly Fishing for his contributions to this article