Best Monomoy Month

My .02 -

Late May brings the smaller fish, eager to eat anything you throw once you find their stationing behavior thru tide changes. Early June the numbers increase, and by mid-June things are well out of control all over the area with big and small fish mixed in. By late June the area is settling into it's resident / transient patterns and by July the fish that are going to hang out through the summer - "residents" (which I believe are packs of roving fish covering the whole Monomoy area in ever-increasing regularity of patterns thru the summer). This is when things get challenging, and the angler is put to the test for wit and will.

By late August the area surges back into form, and with the exception of last year September brings another explosive wave of eager fish - including tunoids to the Monomoy backwaters.

Last year's abundance of sand eels on the outside and big bass along with them - might have affected the fall Monomoy wave somehow, who knows.

Anyway, my opinion on the question: if you want solid action with large fish in the mix, I'd target early to mid-June. Try all the access points, SB (inside / outside), NM (crib, channel, north end, west flats, etc). Look for patterns of moving fish and when they station. If the juvie squid are around there will be big bass around in shallow water.

But if you want the quintessential high sun sight fishing cat and mouse experience, wait until late June / July. You will have a much higher fish/frustration ratio but will come out a warrior of the flats game. The earlier season is great fishing but teaches you very little in this respect.

How about BOTH!

Yes, the day of my birth is June 24th, and hopefully I've made the world a better place in my 30 full years.

Lil' Bro', I was planning on a solid week if I can swing it, mostly early morning/half day affairs. I need to check with the all powerful Mother of my child of course. A long weekend may be just the ticket, though. Sandy won't have any real vacation time because she is changing jobs and we already have the Outer Banks, NC trip planned for the fall. She certainly can't begrudge me a long weekend of fishing during my much deserved vacation time.

Lets do it. Tell me when and I'll tell my boss not to expect me that week in June.

As far as libations are concerned, Juro, why don't we start the thread right here. What is your favorite malt beverage as well as your favorite spirit. I'm fairly well connected in this regard, and could certainly make that special(read expensive) beverage more fiscally attainable for any of the claves I'd be able to attend.

Here is the list of products that I have direct access to:

Sam Adams (all flavors)
Guinness/Bass/Harp
Heineken/Amstel Light
Corona
The Miller Brewing Co. brands
Mike's Lemonade
Cider Jack
Magners Cider
Ipswich
Smuttynose
Schlitz(for the old school crowd)
& the fisherman's friend.........RED BULL

I have contacts for any brand of spirit that may tickle your fancy as well. It's a professional courtesy.

I'm not setting up a liquor service here, by any means, but I can definitely help out when the need arises, and if I am available.

~Mark Doogue

Okay, I phoned the appropriate people and came up with the following figures.

Macallan 25yr.: $195/bottle

Macallan 30yr.: $300/bottle

Macallan 1946: $1934/bottle

That last one is just an informational item, unless you all have stock options we aren't aware of. Those are the wholesale prices for the month of March. Sometimese the pricing drops from month to month but those are fairly reperesentative of the norm.

Also, the difference in taste between the 30 and 25 is so miniscule that it would hardly justify the extra expense. The "experts" tell me that "perception is reality" when you are dealing with scotch over 18yrs in age. Basically, if you feel better about drinking a 30yr scotch, and you can afford it, by all means do, but the 18yr drinker is enjoying primarily the same liquid.

Just my .02