Date: 6-14-15
Body of Water: Casco Bay, Maine
Boat: None (shore)
With: Alone
Target: Striped Bass
Time: 7 PM to 9 PM
Conditions: Last half of the rising tide; water temps of about 61- 62 F
This was a quick, bonus session appended to a whirlwind trip to New England. The fishing started off slowly, but at about 7:45 PM or so the mackerel showed up, and for a short time there was a decent bite on small Kastmaster spoons. A couple of the macks were way too big for live baiting, and the rest were marginally too big. One of these got hit, but was just too much for the bass to actually take. It sure was nice to know that there were fish around! As the tide neared its height, action slowed, and I went fishless at prime time.
This was a quick, bonus session appended to a whirlwind trip to New England. The fishing started off slowly, but at about 7:45 PM or so the mackerel showed up, and for a short time there was a decent bite on small Kastmaster spoons. A couple of the macks were way too big for live baiting, and the rest were marginally too big. One of these got hit, but was just too much for the bass to actually take. It sure was nice to know that there were fish around! As the tide neared its height, action slowed, and I went fishless at prime time.
Date: 6-15-19
Body of Water: Casco Bay, Maine
Boat: None (shore)
With: Alone
Target: Striped Bass
Time: 4:15 AM to 8:15 AM and then sporadically throughout the day
Conditions: Clear at first but developing rain; excellent sunrise; bottom half of the rising tide; water temps of about 59 F
It is possible to start the day at 4 AM and still be late, just like it is possible to need sunglasses at 5 AM. This morning was my brief intersection with the northward spring striper migration. I was pleased to be there, if only for a short time. Once again the mackerel were slow to appear, but when they did, they were the perfect size for live-lining; and the bass that revealed themselves were the perfect size for my tackle.
A couple of ghost-like stripers briefly showed themselves just after 5 AM, and when I felt a bump on the Kastmaster shortly thereafter without hooking up, I feared that I might have missed my chance. But I switched out a fresh mackerel chunk with a fresh mackerel head, and soon the Cardiff's clicker registered the take of a fish. The circle hook found the bass' jaw, and I was reintroduced to the dogged strength and determination of these fish. Soon enough I scooped up a 25-or-26-inch striper, my first since 2013. Success; anything else would be a pure bonus.
A slow but steady stream of perfect-sized macks hit the deck, but only one got converted into a bass. At about 6:30 AM, a new mackerel swimming under a float quickly reversed direction, and then escaped to the surface. It took four or five attempts, but eventually a twin striper engulfed it; and Number 2 of 2015 was soon in hand.
I fished for several more hours this day (during the noonish high tide and again at the turn of the low tide later that afternoon), but other than the occasional mackerel, nothing happened. It was slow enough at dinnertime to make even me realize that cleaning up, packing, and generally preparing for the next day's 1000-mile ride were the wise choices.
It is possible to start the day at 4 AM and still be late, just like it is possible to need sunglasses at 5 AM. This morning was my brief intersection with the northward spring striper migration. I was pleased to be there, if only for a short time. Once again the mackerel were slow to appear, but when they did, they were the perfect size for live-lining; and the bass that revealed themselves were the perfect size for my tackle.
A couple of ghost-like stripers briefly showed themselves just after 5 AM, and when I felt a bump on the Kastmaster shortly thereafter without hooking up, I feared that I might have missed my chance. But I switched out a fresh mackerel chunk with a fresh mackerel head, and soon the Cardiff's clicker registered the take of a fish. The circle hook found the bass' jaw, and I was reintroduced to the dogged strength and determination of these fish. Soon enough I scooped up a 25-or-26-inch striper, my first since 2013. Success; anything else would be a pure bonus.
A slow but steady stream of perfect-sized macks hit the deck, but only one got converted into a bass. At about 6:30 AM, a new mackerel swimming under a float quickly reversed direction, and then escaped to the surface. It took four or five attempts, but eventually a twin striper engulfed it; and Number 2 of 2015 was soon in hand.
I fished for several more hours this day (during the noonish high tide and again at the turn of the low tide later that afternoon), but other than the occasional mackerel, nothing happened. It was slow enough at dinnertime to make even me realize that cleaning up, packing, and generally preparing for the next day's 1000-mile ride were the wise choices.
 |
| 4:15 AM |
 |
| 5:00 AM |
 |
| 5:35 AM; the first striper of 2015 hits the dock. |
 |
| Tackle and bass, perfectly matched. |
 |
| Released with a flourish. |
What do I have to say about this?
Finally, a chance for stripers after 22 months! A modest, shore-bound chance, but a chance nonetheless. There obviously weren't too many bass around; I spent a fair amount of time with live macks swimming without attracting a strike. If they aren't there, you can't catch them.
This was good old food-chain fishing. I arrived with no bait; I had to catch it first. Mackerel weren't present in numbers, but they were around. About the same can be said for the bass.
The bottom half of the rising tide once again proved to offer the best fishing, especially for bass.
Finally, a chance for stripers after 22 months! A modest, shore-bound chance, but a chance nonetheless. There obviously weren't too many bass around; I spent a fair amount of time with live macks swimming without attracting a strike. If they aren't there, you can't catch them.
This was good old food-chain fishing. I arrived with no bait; I had to catch it first. Mackerel weren't present in numbers, but they were around. About the same can be said for the bass.
The bottom half of the rising tide once again proved to offer the best fishing, especially for bass.
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