Matt Haeffner

East Falmouth

Assistant Editor at On The Water

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Articles

Fishing Swim Shads for Striped Bass

3 weeks ago | onthewater.com | Matt Haeffner

Ah, swim shads. Is there a more practical, user-friendly fishing lure in the game? With their integrated weights, pre-rigged hooks, realistic profiles, and versatility from boat to beach, these soft-bodied swimbaits have built a reputation as proven fish producers since they hit the scene 25 years ago. It didn’t take long for them to become staples in the ever-growing quiver of lures used by striped bass fishermen.
Fish Beer Friday Review: Striper Season Ale

4 weeks ago | onthewater.com | Matt Haeffner

When the clock strikes 4 on Friday afternoon, there are two things on my mind: beer and striped bass. Thanks to Rising Tide Brewing Company and Oxbow Brewing Company, which are based in Portland, Maine, I can have both at once. The two breweries recently collaborated to make a tasty golden/blonde American ale called Striper Season, which is equal parts malty, refreshing and smooth.
The Bluefin Tuna Calendar

1 month ago | onthewater.com | Matt Haeffner

Over the course of a season, Northeast captains catch bluefin from the edge of the continental shelf 70-plus miles offshore to just off the beach, in clear view of surfcasters. They catch them by trolling, jigging, casting topwaters, and drifting live bait. By the time the last captain washes down the boat after his final trip of the year, nine months will have passed since the first captain broke the inlet on an initial exploratory trip of the season.
Light-Tackle Tactics for Stripers on Silversides

2 months ago | onthewater.com | Matt Haeffner

My first cast with a Rebel Jumpin’ Minnow was a poor, tumbling mess. Yet, somehow, it splashed down in the strike zone off the starboard side of the bow and “jumped” only when a schoolie striper tail-whacked it two feet into the air as if to say, “That’s not what we’re eating this morning, stupid.”It was the first weekend of May—a prime time to explore the many nooks and crannies of northern Buzzards Bay.
Angling Artist: Brian Connor

2 months ago | onthewater.com | Matt Haeffner

Like many surfcasters, Brian Connor has been doling out Benjamins to his favorite plug builders for years. However, the born-and-raised Long Islander is a craftsman himself. Rather than whittle away his spending money on custom-made striper baits, he instead turned to his own lathe to restock the plug bag in 2019. Since then, his hobby has blossomed into his profession, which led him to start Hamlet Woodcraft.
Cape Cod Fishing Report- April 3, 2025

2 months ago | onthewater.com | Matt Haeffner

April is here, marking the start of spring tautog season throughout New England. The water is a bit chilly for early-spring togging, but our neighbors in Rhode Island are already picking away at some small fish in shallow water. Like striper fishing, the tog bite hits a sweet spot when water temperatures approach (or reach) 50 degrees.
Fish Beer Friday Review: White Shark Wheat Ale

Mar 21, 2025 | onthewater.com | Matt Haeffner

As we close out another week at the OTW office, the refrigerator has been a bit of a revolving door. Recently, our staff has taste-tested Rockport Brewing’s Jetty Juice and Pescato—two equally refreshing, locally-made brews with entirely different flavor profiles. This week, we’re trying out Hog Island’s White Shark Wheat—a light American wheat ale that has less of a “bite” than one would expect.
Angling Artist: Taf Schaefer

Mar 20, 2025 | onthewater.com | Matt Haeffner

Growing up on Cape Cod, Taf Schaefer lived just a stone’s throw from the marshes and feeder creeks of Nantucket Sound. Annual runs of river herring brought striped bass and ospreys to the wetlands snaking through her neighborhood each spring.Those early interactions with local wildlife and marine life put her on course to a conservation-focused career in art, with emphasis in fashion design.
VIDEO: Coyote Attacks Grey Seal at Race Point

Mar 13, 2025 | onthewater.com | Matt Haeffner

Surf fishermen are no strangers to interactions with seals. Seals attacking hooked fish is an increasingly regular occurrence at Montauk, Nantucket, and the outer beaches of Cape Cod. This makes them extremely unpopular among anglers. Conflicts between seals and fishermen go back over a century, when there was actually a bounty on the heads of the gray seals. Under the protection of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the grey seal population has grown exponentially, especially around Cape Cod.
What's Biting in March on Long Island?

Mar 3, 2025 | onthewater.com | Matt Haeffner

There’s a term my friend and co-worker, Adam Eldridge, uses for the cold, wet, and dreary days associated with early March: he calls it “Farch,” which is a combination of February and March conditions that sounds as ugly as it looks. In Farch, air temperatures teeter between frigid and frighteningly mild, storms frequently roll through, and overcast skies dominate the forecast for weeks at a time.