NUMENON |
PONDERING CORE ESSENCE
NUMENON |
So much has changed since my Rhode Island youth. To the point, striped bass returned! While they never truly or totally disappeared, they were simply not part of my world. If they existed to any fishable extent in Rhode Island's waters during the late 1970's or early 1980's, nobody talked about them; at least not anybody I knew. I was introduced to stripers in Casco Bay, Maine in August of 2000. I've been fortunate to fish for them just about every season this Century, and I've probably caught close to 2,000 of them. Ninety-seven percent of these have been caught within a few hundred yards of our "float" at the end of our communal landing. I'm fortunate to have had this access, and I'm fortunate to have encountered so many fish on my intermittent trips. I love fishing there, but I have to admit, I've been frustrated by lack of consistent access to other striper grounds within the bay. Sometimes the fish aren't present in front of me. Even if I'm on fish from the float, perhaps the stripers would be bigger elsewhere? Perhaps they'd be more likely to take a topwater lure? Perhaps I could sabiki some macks and live-line them for some real bruisers? And if I were to hook a cow, perhaps I could chase it down instead of simply watching line melt off my reel? With the recent acquisition of the Maritime 148, I've taken some steps to remedy this frustration. And while I purchased this boat with plans for a long-term future on Casco Bay, I'll be honest; the boat is on the Cape, and I'm currently day-dreaming about black sea bass! It's probably been more than 40 years, but I have caught black sea bass in the past. On very occasional summer-time head-boat half-day trips from southern Rhode Island or Martha's Vineyard in the mid-to-late 1970's, the quarry was scup and sea bass. I caught both on the heavy tackle provided. I have specific memories of the take and dogged pull of a single, outstandingly nice scup, and I remember a particularly bounteous day with my father out of Martha's Vineyard. While I remember having caught sea bass, I haven't retained the specifics of any particular fish. I recall them as having been black, ugly and small; really nothing beyond that, and I know that these memories do not do them justice. Apparently, this species has been aggressively expanding to the north. While I remember them as small, summer fish and a subordinate, incidental by-catch to scup, their numbers and average size around Rhode Island Sound and Buzzards Bay have exploded! Moreover, they are available for a longer part of the season, and advances in tackle and tactics have made them a more sporting quarry. In short, black sea bass are now a "thing" for the southern New England saltwater fisherman. The peak of their availability in Buzzards Bay likely coincides with my ability to pick my new boat up; let's say mid-May. The bigger stripers and bluefish might not have arrived by then, and so it only makes sense that I am dreaming of black sea bass. I was wrong about them being ugly, too. The males, especially, are decorated with beautifully iridescent blue highlights, and they all feature interesting fins and filaments. They are heavily scaled and will make a fantastic subject for some gyotaku! I understand they taste very good, and I suspect they can pull just fine, especially if my bait or jig is presented on light spinning gear. If my timing is right, their seasonal abundance will provide lots of action. If my timing is really on, then they will provide a fun, day-time break from pursuing shy, shallow-water stripers during low-light periods. So, much has changed since my Rhode Island youth! It's kind of cool to be reminded that change is not necessarily a bad thing! Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways
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Steve LachanceVia Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Michigan and now, back to New England! Archives
June 2024
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