Every fall, the fishermen and women and children of Martha’s Vineyard and beyond begin their monthlong striped bass and bluefish derby in the waters surrounding the island. This year, the 63rd annual derby begins on September 14th and ends on October 18th with a special awards ceremony on the 19th. After a long summer of hard work, many island fishermen take considerable time off from work to join in the derby.

The derby has special events and categories that include kids, shore and boat fishing.
Daily, weekly and whole-Derby prizes are awarded for biggest fish caught according to species and technique, including all tackle and fly rod from both shore and boat.

Being the Vineyard, the Derby is more than just a competition. With registration and fundraising from sponsors, along with a partnership with island artist, Ray Ellis, who has created paintings of favorite island fishing spots to be copied and sold by the Derby for the last 20 years, the Derby has awarded over $250,000 in scholarships to island students…amazing!

For more information, rules, regulations, awards and registration spots, visit the Derby’s official website.

Because we’re officially off-season for vacation rentals on the island, this is a great time to rent a house and and get in the action!