"If evolution is true then maybe certain species of wild fish have gotten wise to us or maybe not" - Me
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That was then!!! The photo above was from very early Thursday morning (early incoming tide) and you could imagine 20 other fly casters there and that would be the scene from years ago. Now there's nobody and that is because the fish are not there. I saw just three boats out by the jetties and only three bait fishers on the shore. Some of my "contacts" have the same lament. "Forget about putting the boat in the water with the price of gas" is the sorry tale.
Are the stripers gone? Not really. Some of the estuary guys are getting some fish but you need a shallow draft boat to get "out there" which leaves a wading/walking guy at a bit of a disadvantage.
Where are the fly fishers?? I'm thinking that they left the Merrimack for better water. I'll have to find it and there is certainly enough better water out there. I can't say I'm wasting my time because it is certainly beautiful to be tossing long casts just after dawn. All I need is some fish!!
Ken
16 comments:
HI Ken,At least there is water! Western Mass is looking like California! Went down to the Millers on the dirt road in Erving last week,found tons of smallmouth and 1 rainbow hiding in one of the few deeper holes where those big rocks are along the edge! Enjoy,Chet Pielock
Chet,
I've been keeping track of the flows back home and they are not that good. When I fished the Millers during low flows I fished in the evening up until dark for some rising browns. The place that you mentioned sounds like one of my favorite spots but low water and 80 degree days will slow it down.
There's always the Swift!!!
Ken
Hello Ken, I have been fishing Plum Island for 55 years and here is my advise. Dont bother with the mouth of the river this time of year only in May when the bait fish are up and down the river. Its best to fish the beach front, from Surfland down to Sandy Point. I love Lot 6 when it opens up. Sandy Point up around the point but be careful when the tide is coming in-- it can fill-up behind you so watch for that. Lot 3 has always had a nice hole that holds whoppers at high tide. Hope this puts you on the fish. Ill look for you when Im fishing. wear your hat. Ed B
Ken, your approach to the no fish situation is correct in my opinion. I know when we all go out and fly fish whatever the target species is, we all want to catch fish. But there is more to an outing like you were saying and you taking in the beauty, and that my friend is the golden ticket. I know personally, I've gotten skunked many times over the years, but felt accomplished because of the area, scenery or even the pleasant company that you happen to be with that really makes the outing. A skunked outing makes that successful outing so much sweeter when it happens. Enjoy....Phil
No fish is the common lament across the saltwater blogs I have perused.
It's no secret that striper numbers are WAY down and some year classes are almost entirely missing in the population. Many believe another crash is imminent and there are calls for a moratorium. Spots I fish that consistently held fish in the recent past only occasionally do now. The same tides at the same spots that would yield double-digit numbers every night even five years ago (easy fishing... anyone could catch 'em), now produce at most a few fish. I think there are too few fish spread over too much coastline for consistent fishing from shore. If you can chase the fish by boat and find the schools of bait they are following you can still score some impressive catches, but from shore you need persistence and a bit of luck to scratch out any fish at all.
Ken,
You are not alone. Some of my favorite spots are failing me.
Steve J.
Anonymous 3:49,
I hear you but some of my best striper fishing has been in July either early or late in the day.
Brendan,
It's been a strange season so far.
Ken
I used to catch a lot of stripers about 15 years ago at the mouth of the Merrimack may was always my hot month sometimes catching 30 or 40 fish ( schoolies ) but on light tackle was a blast that was about the same time that I was transitioning to full on trout mode and I haven't really been back since, that spot I told you about behind browns restaurant seems to be good in late August and they're usually onto the silver sides. Tight lines Ken!
Paul Fay
They go where the bait is... Pogie schools are you will find them...and there seem to be tons of fish chasing schools of pogies in Nahant bay & Boston Harbor and the like...I find mid summer can be hit or miss along the shore although most of the rocks on the NS are still holding fish in close. It does change from year to year to year and this summer is setting up similar to last but there are slightly bigger fish so far. I got a few very good ones really in tight(casting within 1 foot of the rock itself) off of Marblehead both last weekend and this...fishing from early to about noon...using purple and black EP bunkers 3-4"
A strange season? A strange five seasons? Or the stock is overfished and being mismanaged. Many have been advocating and educating about this, and they certainly have better data and more info than my anecdotal reports. American Saltwater Guides Association and Stripers Forever are good places to start if you want to do a little research and get involved with the effort to protect the fishery.
Paul Fay,
I tried the spot you suggested and took a schoolie. I think school was out that day but I'll go back.
Brendan,
I've had some 30 fish days from the Basin to the mouth of the Merrimack in the last 5 or so years and they were mid June through July. Hopefully this is just a blip or one of those decades long striper droughts we go throiugh.
Ken
As an individual who has fished plum for over 55 years. The present day fisheries isn’t dead just like everything over managed. In the late 60s you caught a 15 16 inch fish or a 50 plus pounder. Anything above 16 inches was a comersial sale fish. Then length were move up to 36. A little by little then the comercial limit was rasied too 1500000. Pounds. A license to sell allowed for 40 fish days over 36 inches. The quota was filled in 9 fishing days, it’s gone down ever since. I believe last year quota wasn’t even reached. And fishing was still open in November for harvest sales. That quota.was 600000 lbs. The other big thing is water temperature back in 60 70 and 80s the
Ocean water temperature were so cold in august a swim was short lived. With low amounts rain the merrimac sends a ton of warm fresh water. Which the bait fish and striper do not like to tolerate. The fish are present but off shore on the bottom in colder water. However on tides great than the avg 8 footer cold water will rush in at night along the Salisbury side pushing against the warm water the fish will be at the front going west as long as the water goes. A group will be in the middle and some will only make the mouth. If the wind blows East the water will cool on the beach creating action. I been watching this for the last 25 years and finding fish when finding cold water. So the methods one wants to fish might not be the way to catch these fish at this time. River to try north is Hampton rye harbor and mousum. Which have less fresh water and warm water effecting the conditions the bass want or will tolerate. Tight lines all. Aka. Tin cup. P S. Anyone looking for a great 20 ft boat. I have a great one for. Sale. Ken can attest to that.
Bob (Tin cup),
Very good to hear from you!! You nailed it with mentioning poor management (over fishing) and climate change. Over fishing on the commercial side has been around for decades but I wonder where the fish end up? You don't find them at Stop & Shop or on a dinner menu like other species.
I want to hit the Mousum. I caught my first bluefish there.
Yup, you have a great boat but I always thought that the skipper was what made it great!!!!!!
Ken
I spent 15 years trying to figure out plum island when I lived in Boston. Even fished through 2 concurrent tide cycles one time to try and figure out the window. Merrimack waterway was always a bust for me. Only place it was consistent for me was the south end at Sandy point near the house boats. And even then, "consistent" meant getting at least 1 bite in a 24hr period. Monomoy, race point, and Sandy neck always provided better outcomes for me. Never fully enjoyed striper/blues fishing in the ocean as much as trout on a stream...way too much water to figure out. I'm a simple man with simple aspirations.
Kozman,
Good to hear from you!! I hope the floods in MT didn't mess up your aspirations.
I needed a break from trout and also writing about them. So far the stripers haven't provided much editorial copy but I keep plugging away. Funny, but I'm drawn to small estuaries which kind of look like large spring creeks. That's the trout fisher in me!!
Ken
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