Every year, as summer wanes and the air turns crisp, anglers across New England eagerly await one of the most anticipated events in saltwater fishing—the Fall Run. Nowhere is this migration more exciting than on Cape Cod, where striped bass, bluefish, false albacore, and bonito blitz the shoreline in a feeding frenzy. But when exactly does the Fall Run begin on Cape Cod?
Timing: Late August to Early October
While the start of the Fall Run can vary slightly each year based on water temperature and bait movement, a good rule of thumb is late August through early October. The run typically kicks into high gear by mid-September, but the signs of migration can start appearing as early as the last week of August, especially during cooler summers.
Factors Influencing the Start:
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Water Temperature: The magic number for striped bass to start moving is when inshore water temps dip into the high 60s°F.
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Baitfish Movement: Peanut bunker, silversides, bay anchovies, and sand eels begin pushing out of estuaries and backwaters, triggering feeding frenzies.
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Cold Fronts and Nor’easters: The first couple of strong cold fronts in late August or early September often signal the true start of migration patterns.
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Daylight Changes: Shortening daylight hours are a biological trigger for migratory species to begin staging and moving south.
The Early Signs of the Run
You'll know the run is beginning when you start to see surface blitzes of schoolie stripers near estuary mouths, bays, and along the south-facing beaches. False albacore and bonito often show up inshore on the south side of the Cape (Falmouth to Chatham) by late August to early September, offering an early taste of the run.
As September progresses, the action intensifies, with larger striped bass shadowing the bait along the outer beaches from Provincetown to Nauset, and throughout Cape Cod Bay.
Peak Period: Mid-September to Early October
While the run can start in late August, the peak of the Fall Run usually occurs between mid-September and the first week of October. This is when the biggest concentrations of migrating fish—stripers, bluefish, albies—converge on the Cape's shoreline, making for explosive topwater action and memorable days on the water.
Late Season: Mid-October and Beyond
By mid to late October, the bulk of migratory striped bass have pushed past Cape Cod and into Long Island Sound or down the New Jersey coast. However, some years with milder autumns can see straggling schools of bass and blues hanging around the Cape’s warmer estuaries and bays into late October.
False albacore tend to vanish by mid-October, but if water temperatures stay above 60°F, you'll find a few late-season speedsters patrolling Vineyard Sound and Buzzards Bay.
Best Spots to Fish the Fall Run
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Race Point (Provincetown)
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Nauset Beach (Orleans)
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Monomoy Island
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Cape Cod Bay (Barnstable Flats, Sandwich)
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South Side (Hardings Beach,Falmouth, Woods Hole, Popponesset Spit)
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Buzzards Bay
While predicting the exact start date of the Fall Run on Cape Cod is always a game of watching weather patterns, baitfish movement, and water temps, a safe bet is to be ready by late August. Missing out on the September feeding blitzes is a regret no angler wants. If you wait for the “perfect report,” you might just miss the magic window.