July and August.....Dealing with Two Tough Months

We are entering the toughest part of the season. July and August are particularly difficult for the shore fisherman. The water is warm and there is lots of activity around like swimmers, boaters, surfers, jet skiers, etc. that will disrupt your fishing. Couple that with the usual lack of bait in the summertime and it spells difficult fishing.
For those who fish the shore during these months here are a few tips that might lead to some good fishing:
1. Fish deep water dropoffs where the water is cooler. Places like Newport and Jamestown are good locations that might produce.
2. Fish the cooler times. That means evening, nighttime and early morning. Rainy and cloudy days might also work. For those who can stay up real late, the late night hours can be the most productive.
3. Get into moving water. If you can stand the crowds at the Cape Cod Canal, this place is a good bet even in daytime in the dead of summer.
4. Lack of stripers? Think about fishing for fluke and scup. These fish are sometimes abundant along the oceanfront in the summertime.
5. Bait can produce when the fish turn finicky. I've seen bottom fishermen using clams, chunks of menhaden and mole crabs do real well in the summer when plug fishermen can't even get a sniff.
6. Lower your expectations. In places where you could catch 3 or 4 fish an outing back in May and June, you may have to settle for zero, one or two fish.