People ask me all the time, “Captain Joe, when’s the best fishing?”

Most people think I’m going to say July or August.

I usually tell them, September.

That surprises a lot of folks.

Once Labor Day is over, a lot of people think the season is winding down. Around here, I look at it a little differently.

The Cape gets quieter. The traffic eases up, there’s less boat traffic on the water, and everything just seems to slow down a little. I enjoy that.

The fish seem to know the seasons are changing too. The bait starts moving, the striped bass begin feeding harder, and some of the nicest days I’ve ever spent on the water have been in September.

I’ve been fishing these waters for over fifty years, first as a commercial fisherman and then as a charter captain. My father made his living on the water too, raising oysters in Wellfleet, so I guess you could say I never had much choice. Salt water has been part of my life for as long as I can remember.

What I enjoy most about September isn’t just the fishing.

It’s the people.

Summer is busy. Families are trying to fit everything into one vacation. In September, things are more relaxed. Couples, retirees, old friends…they come out because they simply want to enjoy a day on the water.

Some days we catch a boatload of fish.

Some days we have to work a little harder.

That’s fishing.

But I’ve learned over the years that people don’t always remember exactly how many fish they caught.

They remember watching the sun come up over Cape Cod Bay.

They remember the laughs.

They remember finally landing that fish that bent the rod over.

They remember spending the day with family or friends.

Those are the things that stick with you.

After all these years, I still enjoy every trip because every day is different. Every tide is different. Every group of people has a story to tell, and before the day is over, usually I’ve got another sea story myself.

If you’ve only been to Cape Cod during the middle of summer, I’d invite you to come back in September.

I think you’ll see a different Cape.

A quieter Cape.

And maybe you’ll understand why, after all these years, September has become my favorite month to be on the water.

I hope to see you aboard.

— Capt. Joe Francis