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Life goes on... but it's a kick in the bass

2K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  artb 
#1 ·
Had the opportunity to wade the Cape Saturday. Weather wise, perfect day. Beach loaded with walkers, shell gathers and fisherman. Met fellow board contributors for the first time. All aquatic signs were there, except Mr. bass.

6:00 am. Chatham - Tide, high on the drop. One half dozen seals playing and bobbin in the inside surf. Outside bars loaded with terns and gull. Apparently they were there for the same reason. One last final gathering.

10:00 am. Ministers Point - Mid tide on the outgoing, nice current. Water clear. Some silversides, horseshoe crab, and believe it or not, a mature blue shell crab. No bass.

12:00 Break from all the casting and walking. Plenty of life, but the human kind. Squires was rock'in with festive conversation and people enjoying this great day. Onward to the Chatham Angler's Sociality.

4:00 pm. Herring River - Top of the tide, on the incoming. Plenty of bait, silversides, glass minnows, juvi pogy, and maybe some immature herring.

4:20 pm. Bass River - At the peak, Silversides along the bottom following the tide. No fish. Great sunset... kinda like the season. But it ain't over yet. Still chasing the fall migrations. Next stop - Rhode Island and points south.

RS
 
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#2 ·
Heck of a day Down Cape at "The Light". Warm with a light breeze, gulls diving on bait, & seals cruising the shoreline. Another great sunrise. Al, Ray & I first met up will Bill S. just before the sunrise, Bob P then Juro came a little later. It was another plus tide, so Big-Girl Bar never came out, but we said or goodbyes anyway & hope she survives the inevitable winter storms.

The Spring Clave, Hosted by Terry W., was capped off with a great meal & conversation at Clancey's; I ordered Fried Oysters. The season ended in Chatham with a great meal & conversation at Squires; I ordered Fried Oysters. Somethings just stay the same.

Al, Ray, Juro & I headed to "The Chatham Angler's HQ" to see the CEO. JohnM, thanks for your Hospitality. I had to bag-out early to trailer the boat back from Bourne to Tewksbury; that was it for me. Back in Bourne, my dad had just come back from 3 hours in the Yak; 1 school of bait, no fish, no birds, no bumps, no swirls.

Ray, it was a real pleasure doing some boat & shore fishing with you this season; looking forward to more in the future, Thanks. "Gitchey Gitchey Yaya YA-Ya!"
 
#3 ·
Gents: Thanks for the phone calls friday night as you headed for the cape. I was planning on going right to the last when I was reeled back into reality. I really wanted to be there to sign off on season 2000- a season where I fished more than any other, and made/strengthened many friendships. But wow, amazing what a difference a weekend at home (with my heart not diverted by fishing) can make. For someone who has as limited time budget as I do, there had to be some tough trade-offs to get to 6 or so claves and many one day events.
I feel I pretty much kept up with the pack throughout the season and now I must compensate a lot at home. I guess I'm saying it felt good to be caught up on sleep, rake the leaves, clean the basement, and mostly have the time with family.
Man, the time we spent away can really create a void at home. It was all worth it and I'm still trying to find a way to remember it well enough with picture words etc.
SO many memories like:

Seeing Roop go jump out of a guides boat into a blitz in waste high water at Barnstable, rods bending in the boat and out! The guy like to be close to the fish. Then as the blitzing fish are hitting his legs he remembers earlier the mixed in blues! "Uh, I like to come back in the boat now".

Gregg Estey's popper fish May 6, wow- defied the odds and got a fish to rise to a popper when everything was deep and cold! A beautiful surface take akin to trout fishing. First surface action in a new season, and Juro with the box seat view as he walked down the jetty behind us and about 8 feet above.

How about- the image of Al stepping off of Rip Ryders boat carrying an anchor and rope (the one Roop had landed after a protracted fight on an 8 weight at point rip). Talk about completeing the circle Al. That act did. You look like Macarthur coming ashore

Or- pulling up to the empty camp at Nickerson at 10:00 pm and finding a feast in progress- but nobody home?

There's a million of them- thanks- you guys rock!


Terry
 
#5 ·
Friday, Nov. 10 th.

Grego, a friend and myself have moved our fishing trip in Rhode Island to Sunday. BobP expressed in interest in only Saturday. Marine forecast doesn't look good for tomorrow. Winds as high as 30 kts. Everything is on hold for Sunday.

There's been some good reports of fish catches along the Rhody coast. Report of a 48 lb bass from Charlestown have been circulating. Still a few Bonito's being caught. School bass were located at Matunuck yesterday. A few acres of small bass were blasting bait off the mouth of the Wesport River in nearby MA. The breachways west to Watch Hill light have had small slugs of stripers move by rather quickly. Andrea Hotel is usually good spot for a few schoolies this time of year. The place is fairly well light up at night, attracting bait and birds. Sink lines and deceiver patterns will work.

Getting down to the final chapter in this book of "2000."

Ray
 
#6 ·
Great report Ray, thanks. Good to know there are still some monsters pushing south down your way, not to mention packs of school fish. Makes me wish I had a business trip down there or something to give me an excuse.

Do you think this storm will accelerate their departure? Wonder if the bonito are history...
 
#7 ·
Yeah! on both counts, Juro.

I'm surprise there have been that many Bonito around. Usually they're being caught on Long Island to New Jersey shoreline this time of year.

The migration continues regardless of the storms. They might move a little offshore to get away from the flotsam and hanging debris in the water. Bait will move to quieter deeper waters.

My Polish father once educated me on the "fall migration of fish" He once said that, "Fish migration was like a leaky bathtub, there's more water going out, than coming in."

Being a young brash 20 year old at the time, I said to my dad, " Does this mean that the principle of depreciating deficit of diminished returns of fish, verus the casting implementations apply here?"

My wise dad reply was, "No my son, what I meant was for you to put down the fly rod and get on to other chores, like fixing the tub!"

Seems there are always lessons to learn in life.

Ray
 
#8 ·
Juro, and Ray, I was out on my son's new boat yesterday, There was some good size bass east of Watch Hill out about 1/4 mile. I did not have the rod setup, and they went down to the 17 foot level before I got a flyrod fishable. His boat went to the shipyard for removal. At Greenhaven Marina, which is up for sale, if anyone is interested, One fisherman was fileting bonita, and throwing the racks in the lobster bait boxes. I didn't ask, but I think they came from the Watch Hill area.
I got my RISAA Newsletter today, again a caution of using the breachways. Two 20 foot boats were wrecked at Charlestown with some injuries a couple of weeks ago. Anyone using them should use extra caution with the stormy seas this time of year.
 
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