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First report of keeper bass received!

2K views 4 replies 2 participants last post by  juro 
#1 ·
[April 9, 2000]

Just received a *VERY* good report from Don Baker (Sesuit Creek Outfitters 508.385.1912) that keeper bass were caught livelining herring on the Nantucket Sound side of the cape. From my experiences, that would put big fish at the mouth of Herring runs throughout the area although the numbers would increase over the next few weeks, then the early blues arrive at these same locations.

A good bet would be to fish large herring imitations on the ebb tide at the mouth of the Herring River -or- at the Parkers River mouth on Seagull beach. Never rule out the river itself, very big bass will chase the herring up into the estuaries and even up into the sweet water this time of year. For Seagull, the channel runs parallel to shore and is closest to the beach at the first jetty looking west. It's always worth stopping at the first access along the beach and fishing at the rocks at first light because the channel is right in front of you. As the tide recedes, there is plenty of wading space off the end of the main jetty at the mouth of Parkers, allowing one to wade out into the bar and swing a fly into the outgoing current.

Let me know if this advice pans out for you! (I'm stuck with this web site update or else I'd be there NOW)

juro
 
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#2 ·
Juro,

Ex-Squeeze my ignorance, but I've never fished any of these locals. I did just take a look at my Cape Maps. I found a Parker River & Seagull Beach in Yarmouth SE of Lewis Pond. And I found a Herring River in West Harwich. I assume these are the locations you are describing. There is a Herring River in Eastham also that I am vaguely familiar with, but I'm sure that's not the one you mean. GregO.
 
#3 ·
Those are the two locations I would recommend based on the recent report and my 27 years (holy cow I'm getting old!) of tinkering in the area.

Greg -

Since you are boat enabled, there is a 20 foot deep channel along the rockpile island looking south off West Dennis Beach running along the shoal that should hold fish (right Greg D?).

Also, working the ripline on the ebb from the mouth of Herring River is a formula for success - I'd suggest using a 325 0r 425 444 QD line and a large realistic herring pattern in the edge seam from the mouth jetty out, and then repeating. Keep a 45 degree downcurrent angle and use the shock and stop retrieve to keep the fly deep in the water column.

The biggest thing is to fish where the big bass are chasing the spring herring around, which could be anywhere. My experience on large open beaches is that they pop-up and down along the length of the beach and it's best to cut them off on their patterns. When chasing herring and pogies they tend to run in long sweeping lines parallel to the beach, 9 of 10 times out of the shore guys reach!


My contacts in the commercial side will keep us in tune with the arrival of squid in the area, which brings the next wave of anxious fish into the area. This most years includes the big fat Father's day bluefish.

Look for a new format for this kind of information in the near future.
 
#4 ·
Juro,

I was looking at some tide chart wibe-sites last night for our upcoming outing this weekend. Watch Hill tides look good, ~6:30 AM high, which will provide an outgoing tide all morming. I was also thinking about your Yarmouth/Harwich picks; High tide is ~Noon, which would provide an afternoon outgoing. Are these locals worthwhile mid-day? If so, I'm thinking RI/Cape ---> Sat/Sun !!!! :->}
 
#5 ·
Grego -

If the schoolies settle in they will hit all day this time of year, but for big fish I'd target off hours as you already know. This is not to say they won't be around, if you work th herring runs specifically you might tease a spring runner mid-day. BTW - they run into the inshore shoals on the incoming as well, and one never knows if you'll find the fish hanging outside of the river mouths at the bottom of the tide at daybreak if you find a stake-out channel where they can ambush the herring on their way in.

Sounds wishy-washy but all I can say is the more options you try, the more successes you encounter. There are spots on the bayside flats that are best at low, and spots all over that are best at high - as well as everything in between tides. I'd put my money on time of day fishing over tide phase as the summer arrives, but this time of year the fish are pretty anxious. "Fish are where ever you find them" as they say.

Good luck, I am unable to attend the RI clave this weekend due to appointments up north. I have a feeling they will be in THICK! Can't wait to read the report!

Juro
 
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