[MarkDoogue]

I finally snuck away for some time on the water with my brother and father, as well as Jeff Borkowski. We started the foggy morning at Chatham Light, and got nothing but exercise for our trouble.

At around 7:30 we headed for the R/R. We decided that the chances that it would be running were slim so we were off again. Our next and final stop was a sweet area recommended by the very helpful gentlemen at Nauset Angler. The four of us had the location to ourselves so we fanned out and went to work.

I had the first fish on, a schoolie around 22", and I fought it while attempting to wrestle the camera from my vest. I don't recommend this, but no harm done, I landed the fish and handed my bro' the camera for the first picture of the season.

Then it was Mike's turn, and a hilarious turn at that. He had a fish on within minutes of mine and he brought it in like the seasoned professional that he is. As he reached to lip the fish for his picture the fly popped out of the 28-30" stripers mouth. With cat like reflexes he crouched under water(and I do mean under, up to his collar bone) and shot from underneath, grabbing the fish in a "clean and jerk" motion. I fear that I was laughing too hard to get a quality picture of this classic move. Jeff said he would develop and scan the picture for me so I have my fingers crossed.

Next in line was Jeff, and he made it count. He hooked a fish that took him into his backing(a welcome first for him). When all was said and done he had a 30-32" fish for his troubles.

I caught one more around 22", and lost another with a healthy surface splash just before we packed it in for the day. Jeff landed another 30" fish to win the total length category. For the life of me I can't remember if Mike caught any other fish, but, I'm sure he'll remember for me if I'm not giving him his just do.

I'm sorry to report that my dad, Jim/OldDoogue was completely skunked, though he had a few fish on. He wasn't lucky enough to seal the deal.

Last I heard, Jeff and Mike had hooked up with Juro and were heading for Nauset by 4X4. I know they were both dead tired but I'm sure they were glad to be heading into new territory with Juro. I look forward to the report.

My only regret is that I didn't have the chance to place any faces with board names this trip. I'm sure I'll run into you all at some point. Remember, if you can't catch a fish via conventional methods it is okay to grab them in a fireman's carry.

All the best,

~Mark

 

[striblue]

Great report... what was the tide at the light house when you guys quit. looking forward to the pictures.

 

[Guest]

Way to go, thanks for the report! Sounds like you guys had a great time. I hope that pic comes out, looking forward to seeing it.

 

[juro]

AWESOME!

Sounds like Harry Koons' advice (Nauset Angler) put you guys right on the fish.

But we're gonna have to do something about Jeff - I had some time in the evening so took him, Mark Frondorf and Mike Doogue to a new 'honey hole' where the fish provided non-stop action... where Jeff proceeded to hook, battle and land a 35"!!! Three keepers from shore on flies in one day! I am starting to suspect that he really isn't a newbie but a sage veteran of the ways of the flyrod posing as a newbie ;-)

All kidding aside, congratulations, Jeff.

And I am sorry I missed the Doogue clan in full force fishing together.

 

[doogue]

My brother already covered most of my fishing exploits this morning (including my fireman's carry) but I will cover a bit of the action with Juro, Jeff and Mark in the afternoon.

The hole that Juro took us to was awesome. We all landed a fair number of fish and the camaraderie and scenery were second to none. On top of it all the fish were impressively aggressive and powerful. Fast stripping was the order of the day. All in all I am very beat and very, very happy.

Many thanks to Juro and a double thumbs up (both raw) to Jeff for his first 35 inch fish. I am grateful that I was there to see you land it. Then again, we did fish together for 20 + hours this weekend so how could I have missed you get that fish. We had the mojo from Old Salty in full effect.

I have to drive back to NH now (in Boston) so I have to run.

Simply one of my best days on the water...ever...period. I was especially glad to see big bro land some nice fish.

Later...

Mike Doogue

***Now Monday Morning***

As I was falling asleep last night I was still half expecting my hands to be yanked forward as if a powerful spring schoolie just obliterated my fly.

I was also thinking about how I have learned more about striper fishing in the past 2 months than I learned in the past 2 years. Thanks so much to all of the forum members (especially you Juro) out there that tossed their wisdom my way.

Also, big thanks to the guys at Nauset Angler. They seemed genuinely eager to help Jeff and I find fish this weekend, and find fish we did. If you are near Orleans some weekend you should stop on by and say hello. The butcher shop /sub shop near Nauset Angler (closer to route 28 by less than a quarter mile) also makes excellent sandwiches so give them a holler if you swing on by Nauset and you are in need of a food fix.

Now I have to get some work done...

 

[MarkDoogue]

Sorry I missed it........

Juro, thanks for taking my little bro' and Jeff under your wing. You are a true gentleman of the sport.

All the best,

~Mark Doogue

 

[jborkowski]

A storybook weekend.

Up at 3am Saturday morning. Meet Doogue and depart from Braintree. In waders. Arrive around 5 at Sesuit. Doogue spooks fish working the flats. Fish for about an hour…nothing. Rain begins falling. Head over to Chapin beach. Hike about .5 mile to the hole. First dream of oversand pass. Rain begins falling harder. Clouds darken. Wind picks up. Reach what would have been a beautiful hole, had we been able to cast. Wind in our faces at a gazillion miles per hour. Compass not working. Current raging. Tide too high to reach hole. Attempt to fish…nothing. Begin hike back to car. Rain now “falling” horizontally. Drive to Bass River. Very high tide. Watch the windsurfers and wakeboard/kiters(?). Wind a bit more amenable to casting. Get it in the air and let the wind carry it. Spook Mummichugs at our feet. Fish along newly moved dredge/pump…nothing. Drive to find Nauset Angler. Get good advice. Eat at recommended deli/butcher shop just down the road, and begin drive to Ministers Point. Arrive at Ministers point. Rain now falling in buckets. Briefly chat with Orvis guide who is attempting to teach a beginners class in the deluge. Rain and wind ridiculous at this point. Look like drowned rat. (Note to self: Buy proper rain gear!!!). Decide not to fish. Drive/hydroplane over to Lucky House Inn in Eastham, our accommodations for the weekend. Arrive to a very kind host. Get out of waterlogged clothes (finally) and transform our B&B room into a Tying Clave. Host makes us tea and homemade chocolate chip cookies. Shower. Nap. In a few hours, no rain and less wind. Back in waders and off to Ministers Point again. Fished the incoming tide in a dense fog, into the night. Caught about 12 schoolies between the two of us. Thank god. Grab a pizza-to-go on the ride back to B&B. Out of waders. Tying into the night.

to be continued below…

 

[jborkowski]

a storybook weekend continued from above…

Back up again around 4am Sunday. Feeling ill…fever possibly. Deciding whether or not to fish at all. Yeah right…back in waders. Off to Chatham Light in the fog to meet Old and Middle Doogue. Fish the fog to no avail. Lose Old and Middle Doogue in the fog. Inscribe message in the sand, hoping Old and Middle Doogue will see it in time to make the Rip Ryder. Wait at car for about 5 min…when separately, Old and Middle Doogue emerge from the fog at a run! Impressive. Meet at R/R, decide its probably not going to run. Get unfavorable reports from two locals. Decide to head back to Ministers Point. Fish the incoming again. Middle Doogue hooks up first. Nice fish. Doogue hooks up second…footballs the fish (see above). Hilarious. Not fast and furious action…but bigger fish than last night. Get my first keeper ever on a fly! Reminded of addiction. Little and Middle Doogue catch a couple more before heading out for lunch. Same deli sandwich as yesterday. Buy some tying goods at Nauset. Head back to Ministers at high for the outgoing. Fish the shore…nothing. Hustle over to the point. First cast…second keeper. First time into my backing ever. Addiction worsens. Current is raging out at this point. Between the four of us, have great expectations, but no more fish. Head back to cars. Out of waders (now leaking). Pack up to leave. Haven’t been able to get in touch with Juro all weekend b/c of faulty cell phone battery. Begin heading off the island…satisfied. Remembering how I felt ill when I first woke up. Get in touch with Juro. Says he’s heading out oversand. At this point, dead tired…semi-comatose. Debate. Yeah right. Turn around and head back to to meet up with Juro and Mark at Nauset. Pile in Juro’s truck and head out for my first oversand expedition. Skies and fog clear. Sunshine for the first time all weekend. Beautiful ride out. Second dream of oversand pass. Arrive at honey-hole. Now feeling very ill. Instructed by Juro to please not yuke in his truck. Others suit up. Live-liner in the distance pulls in biggest cow I’ve ever seen on first cast. Decide not to suit up until I see first flyrod bent over. Juro, Mike, and Mark head out. Juro hooks up within minutes. Back in my waders. For the next 3 hours…silly fishing.Triples and Quadruples reach double digits. “Schoolies” fight like cows. Hook up with my first real monster. Wow. Feels like I’m pulling in a tire…on my 8wt. Juro graciously lands. Beyond addiction at this point. Sun sets in our faces and the cows move off. Once the micros set in, we call it a day.

Memorable to say the least. First and foremost, I have to thank Old Salty. For without Old Salty there would be no fish. Juro, what can I say...thanks again. Can it possibly get better from here? Thanks to Mike and Juro, I’ve already gotten more out of this season than I could have ever imagined.

Back to my tired, ill, comatose…

 

[striblue]

Jeff, another GREAT REPORT..love it... great description, I can feel it. E-mailed Juro and would like to go out with him next weekend.

 

[MarkDoogue]

Ahhhh.........Striper Stream Of Consciousness.........

I was actually there and Jeff had me waiting on his every word.

 

[doogue]

Pretty soon we will have to ask Jeff to change his handle from jborkowski to jkerouac!

I finally got some sleep last night and I am a new man. I was so useless at work yesterday it was ridiculous.

 

[jborkowski]

Doogue, I too was so tired, I don't recall writing the above post. Scary. Hey, didn't one of Kerouac's original typewritten scrolls just auction for a record $2,100,000.00? Perhaps there's hope for me yet.

A few of MiddleDoogue's shots from Ministers this past weekend. Unfortunately, no shots from the honey hole, as we were all preoccupied.

1. MiddleDoogue...first fish on!!

2. First fish in.

3. Wide Receiver Doogue making the 'catch'.

4. For those who missed it.

5. Gooooooooaaaaaaallll!!!.

6. Misc. guy with nice fish.

7. Misc. guy's competitive twin with fatter fish.

 

[doogue]

Just for the record, the picture of me hugging that fish with my back to the camera has one last funny anecdote. When I decided to scoop up that unhooked fish I dropped my rod in the water to free up both hands. I was facing the camera at this point. Then, immediately after grabbing the fish, instinct drove me to spin around and snatch my rod before it washed away in the moderate current. Damn it was a funny scene!

Also for the record, the misc. guy in the pictures above is the one and only Jeff Borkowski. Thanks for posting the pictures Jeff!

 

[striblue]

THIS IS A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE ORLEANS POLICE DEPARTMENT!!!!! The department wishes to bring to your attention a new kind of predator that is lurking along the coast of our law abiding town.. This Is a warning.. do not leave your fish unattended... Keep an eye on them. These predators attempt to attract your young fish with artificial food sources. Three of the above photographs have caught one of the alleged culprits in the act . They will do this right under your watchful eye and examples of Hugging, kissing and voicing loud terms of endearment have been reported by vigilant citizen.... These people are clever and will use such excuses when confronted with statements that it's not what you think or that they were about to drop there rod in the water hence the bear hug tactic. Please report any of this activity to your local police department... it is your personnel and civic obligation to protect our young unsuspecting fish.

 

[doogue]

I always wanted to be an outlaw!