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Full Moon Flats fishin on Monomoy

2K views 3 replies 2 participants last post by  GregD 
#1 ·
I am thinking of going for a all night moonlit flats fishing experience on Monomoy again this coming Saturday night. I can take 3 or possibly 4 over on the boat with me if conditions permit. We will have to do abit of walkin, But if the fish are there again, I think it would be worthwhile.:D

I learned a few things the last time out, and with alittle effort and alittle luck, we might not alert most of the fish to our presence or scare them away within the first 15 minutes of landing there.

Can't say for sure I'm going just yet, Conditions are looking favorable though. Just wanted to see who was interested and could go.

Tight lines,
Greg.
 
#3 · (Edited)
Logistics

Hi Tod,

I am planning on departing around 6pm out of Stage harbor. Or alittle earlier out of Stage and pick up people at the Rip Ryder area on Morris Island so you can park and get easy access. It will be near low tide so alittle light to get through the harbor would be great. I don't have anything pressing so I could stay half the morning as well, it depends how we feel and how much sleep we did or didn't get.

Looking at the tide times I think we would be fishing most heavily from 9:30 or so till around 3:30 or 4am at the spot I have in mind. Sleep for a awhile then fish some more, or head in. I recall alot of nice boils and swirls on the way in last time out, might have to stop and investigate alittle more.

Alot has to do with the conditions and how we feel about it. Nothing carved in stone, I'm flexible.

Hope you can make it.

Greg.
 
#4 ·
A Seals Nite Out

Since I wasn't able to get a fishing buddy for a full moon outing on Monomoy I thought I'd
see if I could find anything off South Beach or inside instead.

I arrived in time for a beautiful moonrise off the long bar, beach and inlet by Chatham
Light. Found out some Digital CCD camera's don't do too well in low light conditions. Lot's
of people watching the mooonrise as the parking lot was close to full.

I thought I'd bring my mountain bike to see if I could use it on the beach or the flats to cut
down on the walk. When I got down to the beach with waders, backpack and pole I found out
quickly that the sand is just too coarse and soft. I sunk in within the first foot of forward
motion. Unwilling to gamble that the sand might be different on the flats, I dropped all my
stuff and walked it back to the truck.

Walked past the bowl and up the beach, tried a few fishy spots catching only some weeds. Went
inside and found the flats flooding over pretty well with more weeds coming in. Visability
was ok, But would have been better with no wind. Worked a number of spots up to one of Rip
Ryders dropoff points. Nothin happening on the inside, figured it's time to go over to the
outside beach. Got down to a fishy looking spot and tried a couple of casts nothing, stepped
back up on the beach to observe the Moonlit Ocean and the birds flying past. Noticed a large
dark area moving in the water up the beach towards me. Alright! some fish I thought.

One large shadow sighted in the first wave got a cast off 25-30ft in front of it. Waited till
it was near my fly and stripped, a seal pounces out of the wave towards the fly. I pulled
hard to get it away. Now I now what the large dark area was, more seals!

Found a pack of more than a dozen seals. They all stop right in front of me and just look at
me. After a while of admiring them all about 15-30ft away, I went down the beach farther. The
seals followed, Oh just a coincidence I thought. I Walked back the other way the seals
followed. This went on for about 1/2 hour until I walked right up to two other Fly Fisherman.

Met Harry H. and his son. Talked for quite awhile while observing the seals.I learned that
they too were being followed by seals most of the evening and found no fish other than the
ones the seals were eating. My group of seals merged with their group and the three of us
watched 25-35 seals in the waves right in front of us. After half an hour of us standing
around talking they moved on only to be replaced by yet another large group of seals.

It was looking like the seals night out and time to go elsewhere. Headed back to the bowl and
fished around the light for awhile.

Ended the night cursing those sand packed stocking foot waders, they stink for the surf.
And finally chopped about 6 inches off the tip of my trusty nine weight with a slam of the
tail gate. Dooh...

Knew that would happen sooner or later.

Greg.
 
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