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View Full Version : First Striper Skunking Of The Year!


lowwall
04-23-2006, 09:20 AM
I had my first striper outing of the season Saturday. Meet my budy at the ramp at 6AM at the Bass River in Dennis.

I was tempted to bail becuase of the predicted cold temps. Left Pelham at 3AM was at the ramp at 5:30AM, Read on another site that the Ramp Down river was closed , it was'nt? Don't believe everything you read on the net!

Anyway

Frost everywhere and an Air temp at a Balmy 33F ! Water temps at the mouth was 45F, Shot up river looking for warm water. Found some 52F, And started fishing the places I always do in the spring. Usually if you can find dark (Rock Muds Etc) shallow water near a channel and you have some moving water you are allset. I was throwing fles my budy was throwing hardware.

I insisted weeks before the trip that he either change to single hooks or mash down all his barbs, to avoid harming the fish and to ease release. I aloso told him if we got less than 50 it would be a slow day! He went out and switched to red tandem hooks and mashed the barbs down!
By the end of the day he was asking me what kind of day is it when you catch 0!
This is my first boat striper Skunking Since 2004!

Was a nie day though, Good chance to shake down the boat, Rods Reels and throw some freshly tied flies. Got to beat on my trolling motor bateries to really test if they will hold a charge for the season. I run it as much as posible, probably even more so this year with the Gas$$

Saw 4 Other fisherman out there, All flyfisherman. No one had even a Bump! , 2 guys where in a real nice flats boat (Seafly) We must all be soft!

BugChucka
04-23-2006, 10:45 PM
I guess someone's got to be the scout :wink:

Thanks for the report! Must have felt pretty good to be out there anyway...fish or no fish.

lowwall
04-24-2006, 08:26 AM
Other than the guys who fish the holdovers in the rivers.
I usually start fishing for stripers eralier and fish longer than most. The Rains of last fall had me wrap it up earlier than usuall.

I remeber my last trip of 2004. Launched at Malibu beach sometime in November, alone. Had Caught Fish the week before. Was in Ice fishing gear. No boats out there , no fish. Me and the comarants.
Wrapped it up after that. Was a nice fall boat ride!

The tough thing about this weekend was 1hr Southwest people where catching fish to 33"! same day.

If it was easy I would'nt love it so much!

Hegel
04-24-2006, 08:46 AM
I'm in warmer waters down here (North Shore of Long Island - Stony Brook), and even here there's still skunkings to be had. While there are rumor's of a few big cows being hauled-in (guys using clams on spin-gear), most the reports are of skunkings similar to your own. The majority of "surf reports" as opposed to "boat reports" are, as a matter of fact, reports of skunkings. I stood out in the water, chest deep, three weeks ago, determined to be the first guy out there. The only thing I caught was a nice body-numbing that lasted a few days.

But, oh man, it's so beautiful this time of year, and the thought of a big striper attacking my clouser is almost more than I can handle! Of course, you might justify an early outing the way I did - It's great casting practice!

R.Eason :)