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Monomoy at night

2K views 13 replies 9 participants last post by  Aaron 
#1 ·
It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. Thats what Monomoy was to me last night. Gregg and I paddled out from the parking area for rip-ryder at around 7:00 and headed just to the south of the rip-ryder drop off. The tide was droping and we had a tail wind so paddling was easy as we watched the sun drop slowly to the horizon. When we got there a flats boat was drifting over the spot where Gregg felt there were to be most of the fish. So we pulled in and fished just north of our original destination and began eyeing the little sand bar slowly emerging with the lowering tide. We threw crabs and eels for a while to no avail for me and then I decided a popper might be fun. One fish, two fish, three fish...all twinkies and then it died. With the lull in the fishing and the light beginning to wane we decided to take a cruise to the sand bar that Juro had mentioned to us the weekend before. It looked REALLY fishy. And it was. After we pulled up, Gregg took the North tip and I proceeded to the South. We both felt this area was going to be productive and set about throwing everything we had at them. I moved slowly across the bumps at the south end of the bar and eventually heard splashing noises in front of me. I casted to them. Nothing. Hummmm. New fly time. Since I neglected to bring the headlamp in the front seat of my car, tying on a fly in the dark was a new adventure for me. As I was standing there cursing, a few cows decided to pay me a visit. They couldn't see me, but the moving shadows around me were unmistakeable. One even nudged me. Finally managing to tie the bloody fly on I started false casting and then realized the fly had fallen in my striping basket. Naturally there was an ungodly tangle. So I continued to watch the fish ballet and the stars as I slowly untangled my line. Finished, I started blind casting all around me. Soon they returned and I casted in front of them, to the side of them, ON them and nothing worked. Bad fly. Switched to crab. Nothing. Urked and tired now, I decided to see how Gregg was doing. He had hooked into a big one, but lost it. I told my tale of woe and we decided to hit the south end together. Neither of us even got a bump. Juro you were right about the cows hanging around that bar. Amazing! You will be seeing me there with the extreme tides next weekend! Hopefully with better results.

Tight lines

Mike
 
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#2 ·
Nothing to add to the comprehensive report but I do have a question for the wise ones out there. We threw every type of fly in our boxes at them using every kind of retrieve we could think of and nothing worked. Any ideas for the next time we encounter such finicky fish?
 
#4 ·
My thought is that if you tried nearly every size and profile, it could have been the retrieve. Sometimes, when they don't touch anything, I'll try something completely outlandish, like stripping much faster than normal, or, its opposite, not retrieving at all and fishing the fly like chunk bait. Doesn't work all the time, but has worked enough on finicky fish to try once in a while.

-bd
 
#6 ·
my $ 0.02 on the kayak issue.
Last week I was a shocked recipient of a lovely gift from my family, a Loon 138T. First sea trials indicate that it is a joy to paddle solo due to the ability to locate the forward seat correctly for balance. It tracks well, and suprisingly enough it was fairly easy to cast from. The large opening made getting gear pretty easy. I still need to work out some issues like using a rod holder and paddle storage while fishing. ( suggestions welcome )
FWIW, The Old Town factory is in Old Town Maine (near Oreno) and they have a factory seconds (scratches and dents) sale you can use to save some $$ if you're willing to make the 8hr round trip...
 
#7 ·
Hawkeye, go test em before you buy! charles river rec will let you try many , as well as billington sea waterworks in Plymoyth. I just went throught this process, and went for the pungo by wilderness. it was by far the fastest recreational yak. 30" wide stable with a big open cockpit (forget that eskimo roll stuff) it was the fastest, tracked best, the best price I got was at billington sea, but I bought in R.I. at sakonnett boat house to get the neon yellow for safety. of course Bob got the best price! I did searches on reel-time and their archives on kayak, pungo definately won out(and I'm glad it did) good luck, email me if you want more info... I spent a long time reading and testing(all in heavy wind) before my choice, even though most had said go for the pungo. I would be glad to slam most of the yaks I tested, some were horrible, but not here(prefer not to offend someone that owns one that I tink sucked. Tom D
 
#9 ·
I've been going back and forth from kayak, skiff (maybe both?). I like the fact that a skiff has a motor, but night and day as far as launching and all that jazz. If you're like the Estey Bros, the sky's the limit as far as where you can go on a yak!

Anyway, I've been interested in the sit-on-top models for safety and ease of use. The Ocean Kayak brand caught my eye. It's wide and stable like the pungos but you don't need to sit inside it. It bails itself and has tons of storage space. The Eddylines are probably the best all around quality, lightweight and speed machines. I don't know if I am more interested in yakkin' or just having something to bump around in on the flats, but these are top notch.

One great source of information is Sesuit Creek Outfitters at the end of 134 in East Dennis. They carry a wide assortment of yaks (as well as fishing gear) and also have a staff kayaking guide. They rent kayaks as well, allowing you to try before you buy.

If you're on the Nantucket sound side and are looking for a rental, Herring River Kayak rentals just opened right at the mouth of the river on Harbor Road in Harwich. What a great way to paddle up into the estuary and ride the current down; or even fish on the other side of the east jetty out in the hole.

More info on both will be available soon.
 
#11 ·
The yaks we were using are by precision. I have not tested any others so take my opinion with a big grain of salt but they are fast, track poorly in wind and current, and are fairly tippy. Were I to buy one I would not go with this model but for the price - free - you can't beat 'em.

As for the flies and retrieves we used - we tried everything in our box - crabs in tan about quarter to silver dollar size, sand eel patterns sparse to heavily dressed in light to dark colors, decievers light and dark, poppers, squid large to small. I am 99% sure they were feeding on sand eels based upon their behavior and the huge number of eels dancing in the water. Retrieves tried were none all the way through the two handed as fast as you can. I am sure there are combinations we missed I just don't know what they were.
 
#12 ·
Juro, I tried the eddyline sandpiper as well as many others. it is a fast great looking boatand light(36lbs), but has no hatch, or deck rigging, or bulkheads(no bulkheads on the pungo either). it just couldn't deal with the wind as well as the pungo. and I really wanted to get one even though it was $900.00+ as opposed to the pungo's $529.00. I really liked the look of it. but as one guy asked me "is this a boat for paddling , or are you gonna fish with it and drag it up on the rocks?" that really made up my mind. glass is prettier but plastic is bulletproof. mike powers' pungo flew of his car at 35mph without damage, that says it all!!!
Tom D
 
#13 ·
My Dad just bought a Mallard I by Heritage. It has similar dimensions & weight to the Pungo & it was $350. I have no Idea if it matches the quality of the Pungo, but it would be an inexpensive option to check out? Also, I don't think it has a dry storage hatch?
 
G
#14 ·
fwiw, my favorite fly for stripers slurping sandeels at night is an all black rabbit strip fly. The tail is a black long-cut rabbit strip, tied in at the hook bend. The body is palmered black hackle (long), tied in at the bend and wrapped tightly about 1/2 way up the hook shank. The fly undulates (rabbit strip) and pulses (palmered hackle) - so the stripers can find it in the dark - but has a slim profile.

Aaron
 
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