Point Judith

[Thru Tackin']

Hi Folks:
I went out Saturday off Point Judith and the Five Cottages for Fluke. Not a bite in 50, 40 or 30 feet of water using squid, spearing and my favorite high low bucktail rig that killed 'em last year. I did manage to freeze my ass off though.

I finally motored over to my "when all else fails spot" which is the red B-4 marker off the middle wall and got excited when something stripped my bait. Had that little scup head shake feel to it. Didn't raise a fish.

The day before I dragged wire pass after pass by my top secret, never been skunked, failsafe, surefire spot Whale Rock and no luck. I used a red umbrella rig then a tube and worm combo. I finally sent a Kastmaster at the Rock until it departed my line and was never seen again. (Same knot I use when I tie my sneakers.) Absolutely nothing. The fish finder lit up but there were no takers.

Any advice from you experienced salt water guys would be deeply appreciated.

Ralph

[mymojo]

Hi Ralph,
I had similar experiences out in Buzzardds Bay on Sat/Sun/Mon this weekend. Tried sea worm, umbrella rig with white/gold teasers, squid, various power bait worms. Loads of fish on the finder but only managed a 24" bluefish and (2) 21-22" stripers on the umbrella rig and one 24" striper on a power bait worm.
Hopefully I'll get better at this fishing thing - I am getting better at manuevering my new shamrock however!
Greg J.
'Irish Wake'
22 wac

[Lucky Charm]

Hey Ralph,

I've caught two 32" + Bass pulling a yo zuri around Prudence.
the local experts use live or frozen Herring. I hope to catch up with you once this weather breaks. I'm also trying to re-ass-emble a wave runner.
Lucky is running great. New prop, transom grafix, and gsd-20 black box sounder for the 182c are ready to install. I'm just waiting for the whaler to be fixed because its on my trailer.
Give me a call if you are in the east bay. (954)646-0579
Is your house overlooking the mooring? I have heard a few stories about the tall ships. first its off then its on... I hope they come and that we dont get booked on charter.

peter

[Thru Tackin']

Greg:
Good for you with your boat handling skills. Keep at it and you'll continue to improve as you become more experienced. The first year I wanted a thruster so bad I could taste it but that desire has faded a bit until the wind and current renders my rudder useless and the unconcious kayakers are swarming the narrow channel.

Pete:
I'll be down Friday night. I'll call you.
I wish I could see my mooring from the house but the trees obscure the view. My cell is always on. 860-690-9653.

Take Care,
Ralph

[easytimes455]

I got some very good advice from an old fisherman down in one of the very "salty" areas of North Carolina. He said that you stick your head in the water and listen for rumbling. That's the fish stomachs growling, indicating they are about to bite. Wear that wet head with pride. Makes it even better if you put a chin strap on your cap so it gets wet too.

Seriously, with all the folks in your area, you should team up with a few guys with similar fishing intentions, and monitor the "bite".

Here's what I mean. On short term, fish bite at one or two specific times of day for a number of days in a row... like as much as a week or more. If you have people out fishing at all hours of the day and night, there will be one span of time when the fish will show and bite.

This may or may not coincide with the "solunar tables", which seemed to be all the rage a few years ago. They only help to reduce the likelihood of a good skunking, but they don't guarantee anything, as I learned back then.

You can do all this by talking around your home port and finding out when people are catching... and where, if you can pry it out of them. Around here, they guard their hot holes with their lives, even though they change drastically, from year to year. Once you establish the time of "bite", only go at that time of day, until you get a substantial weather change. It's an ongoing process, but once you get that timing established, and go regularly, I'm sure you will do better.

I can tell you one sure fact. I had my best night and morning of fishing on a night when not one other soul was within three miles of me with a rod in his hand... not one. I took the fish to work, the next day and cooked half of them for my whole shop... all 22 guys. I let the story out, and sure enough, one of the guys took off work and did almost exactly the same thing I did on a consecutive night, before a major change in weather pattern. So, keep your ears open at sea and ashore.

Specific baits get hot from year to year, so don't ever throw anything away. We had a speckled trout year when almost all they would bite was a Mirrolure 52m54. Three years later, they wouldn't touch it. That year it was the Christmas tree grub. A year later it was the root beer minnow... and so on.

My damn tackle box looks like some largemouth bass tournament box. I can tell you, fish seem to change tastes, year to year, but they usually come back to old favorites, from time to time.

Don't be ashamed to try ANYTHING. My father-in-law is one of the best fishemen I have ever known, and he melts all his old bite-offs down and remolds them... some damn ugly colors, I might add, but he catches fish like crazy, at least when he isn't having some sort of cancer treatments.

I just hope he gets this one fixed, so we can go fishing again.
CB

[Thru Tackin']

Sound advice CB. I'm pretty new to SW fishing but I'm learning a lot and having an enjoyable time of it.

I just like heading out in my boat and spending quality time with my little buddies (13 and 15) and if I can catch fish too well, that's a bonus.

Take care,

Ralph

[easytimes455]

I figured as much. That's my new fishing deal, too. When the grand babies are better at fishing, I have plans for them, too... if they cooperate. The one who likes to go with me now is my 31 year old son. He's also my electrical/electronics specialist on the boat. But he has to work.

I've been a "hard at it" fisherman, but that doesn't satisfy as it once did. I love watching the nine year old grand daughter bottom fish and get excited about anything that comes out of the water. Better fish will come later on, when the kids feel the challenge. I can't wait to teach them how to use a fly rod. Out of five grand kids, I should be able to hook one on some form of fly fishing. I love it, myself... wish I were better at it. My students always surpass me.
CB

[QuinnSea]

Hi Ralph:

You and I are having the same luck, I've only been out once fishing, but managed to put 6 hours on her cruising. We'll have to meet up!

Tight lines...

Mike

[Larry]

Ralph- my sure fire spot up there for fluke was always off the north end of Goat Island during a running tide (forget slack high or low- catch nothing but skates). Would use spreader rigs with wide gap hooks and strips of squid and drift fish. Most fish would be caught only a few yards from the lighthouse itself, but we caught a bunch on the inshore side as well. Fished there last summer and it just seems that the mooring field expands every year, making it hard to get nice, long drifts without bumping into someone. Anyway, might be worth a shot- although I'll warn you it was not known for big fluke, just lots of them.

I have also had decent luck catching fluke from time to time in Mackerel Cove, with the bonus that it is also just a nice place to fish.

Later in the fall, slow trolling with live eels for stripers on the West side of Goat island is usually good early morning or evenings.

There's your East Passage scouting report. I'll be up there over 4th of July weekend and again for a week in August using my father's boat, so if I see any of you guys in the bay I'll give a shout.

[Thru Tackin']

Larry:
Thanks for the tips. I'll have to beat ol' QuinnSea to the spot.

Of course contact me when you're up.

I'll swing by Snug Harbor Marina tonight and pick up a rack of parachutes.

Mike, let's hook up and do some damage.

Ralph