Fishing Report Friday, August 21 

The biggest news inshore this week is the arrival of false albacore. Up until now, the only hardtails we had been seeing with any consistency were bonito, but that has changed over the last few days. The best false albacore reports I've heard so far have been in the general triangle from Edgartown toward Waquoit and east toward Osterville. There have been reports of some very large false albacore moving through this area. As far as what they're feeding on, it has been a mixture depending on the location. Some fish have been on silversides, while others have been feeding on very small peanut bunker and smaller bay anchovies. With the variety of small bait around right now, it pays to have a few different sizes and profiles ready to match what the fish are feeding on.

Up until a few days ago, bonito had really been the main story. We've been seeing bonito from West Falmouth down to Quisset Harbor, as well as along the Elizabeth Islands on both the Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound sides.

Bonito were also in Woods Hole for about a week, and there has been another pod of fish working the general area from Jaws Beach toward Oak Bluffs. As we get closer to the fall run, we should hopefully continue to see more and more false albacore arrive throughout the area. Don't forget about the bonito, either. Last year they stuck around until roughly mid- to late September, so there should still be plenty of opportunities to target them over the next several weeks.

While the hardtails and "funny fish" are getting most of the attention right now, they're certainly not the only game in town.

A friend of mine recently fished the Vineyard Sound side of Robinson's Hole and had a good mixed-species trip. They caught slot and underslot striped bass, fluke, and keeper black sea bass.This time of year, at least inshore, the albies and bonito are probably the most popular species to target. But if the funny fish aren't cooperating—or you're simply looking to mix things up—there are still plenty of other options available.