Thursday, July 22, 2010

Hitting for the Cycle

Today I hit for the cycle; porgy, fluke, blues and bass. There is the way you think it will fish on a given day, and the way it fishes. Went out at 3:30 to hit the incoming tide, and as expected, picked up some schoolies and a fluke at Harkness. Started on slack tide about 7:30, so I started working back towards Niantic to get the end of the outgoing tide on the way back. Stopped by the outflow (cheating, I know), and was blanked. West wind really began to pick up, so I threw in the towel on Black Point. I always finish with a pass or two past Wigwam Rock/Beach on the way in, not expecting much as it hasn't produced the past two weeks. Since I didn't want to be scupped to death, I trolled a tube and worm with a stinger (see video). Wham! Thirty inch blue. A few scup (lucky for them I wasn't heading back to TwoTree). Another blue? Nope. Keeper striper at about 11:00. Another blue and I had to call it a day. The trip home was not uneventful, as I had a flat on the trailer going through a construction zone. At least it was on the way back. Good Day!

Friday, July 16, 2010

Niantic Report for 7/14

Went out of Niantic w/ Meatloaf this morning. We were on the water by 4:00 and had outgoing tide until about 7:30. ML hooked up early with a striper near the restricted zone of the power plant on a 3" green/translucent sluggo, but lost it around a crab pot. I should have done a better job of maneuvering. Ran out to Goshen Beach/Harkness, where these was little activity. A few stray blues (lost a sluggo), but no real action. The birds that had been in the last week on big bait schools were nowhere to be seen. On the way back towards the outflow, we caught a scup to drop down in Twotree, but had no real luck there either. Caught a couple of blues on the smaller side back at the outflow. Finished up trolling near Wigwam rock, but got nothing and so we headed in. A slow day fishing, but enjoyable none the less.

Friday, July 9, 2010

Slow Fishin'

Went out Tuesday 7/6 and again today (7/9). Left from Niantic at 3:30 am both days headed towards Harkness. Tuesday provided a really brief window at dawn with about 15 minutes of breaking stripers by the sanatorium, but the slack tide almost coincided with sunrise, so it shut down quickly. A couple of blues at the outflow, and then I baked in the 100 degree heat until about 11:00. Would have gone in earlier, but saw some schools hanging around Wigwam Rock area. Wasted an hour trying to get a bite and getting chewed up by scup. Figured today would be better, with a tide change a few hours after first light. Had to creep along by GPS to Harkness, but by first light, birds were diving on really small bait along Goshen Beach. I tied on a 3" sluggo and had 2 hits, but lost both. No big numbers of fish despite the bait. The fog actually got worse as the sun rose, limiting visibility to 100' at best. As I began picking my way back around the jetties using GPS and crab pots, I notices a big school of blues moving through and birds working just about at the edge of my visibility. The first blue flattened out the smaller hook I had on, and by the time I grabbed a big plug they were gone in the mist. So was any visual reference. While I had a GPS, I wasn't wild about chasing schools in Twotree Channel where I might get run over in the fog. Finally skirted my way back to the outflow, where nothing was happening. On some days, I would have fished harder until I got something, anything, but today I just said screw it and went in by 7:30 am. Monday I will be out fishing with Jack Balint, so I'm hoping for better luck. For those fishing the night ebb tides in the Race and other rips, I did see a 40+ fish brought in as I was going out.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Fishing on the BlackHawk, Niantic CT, 6/30/10

Went out with Capt. Greg Dubrule and crew on the Blackhawk as I had a pass I won in their raffle and a day to fish. I knew it would be hit or miss as the night bite was on for the bass, but the blues had yet to show in size and numbers in the LIS. On this particularly beautiful Wednesday we only had a small showing, not the post 4th numbers once the blues are in and the summer really begins. Most boats would have said sorry, have to try another day. However, Captain Dubrule and his crew took us out, knowing it wasn't going to amount to a payday for them. All of those who fished were rewarded with the first arrival of big blues this summer! I've been on lots of party boats from the Carolinas up to New England, and I have to say, the Blackhawk is one of the most fun. Where most captains sit in the wheelhouse and let the crews run the decks, Capt. Dubrule takes a hands on approach to make sure everyone has the best opportunity to catch fish. In his words, "I'm not yelling at you, I'm instructing loudly!" Whether they are words of encouragement, congratulations, whoops of excitement or to let you know you are screwing something up and better correct it to catch fish, there is no doubt that he is out there having fun and working to ensure a great day for all. We caught big blues at Plum Gut and then on the rips between Plum I. and Black Point. The birds were working big schools of bait. All of us caught fish, but the big winners were the two kids on the boat. Hunter out fished us all landing half a dozen big chopper blues and another kid reeled in a nice mid-30s keeper bass. These kids are on their way to being fishermen for life. BIG THANKS to Captain Dubrule and the crew of the Blackhawk.