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Date: May 17, 2019 Body of Water: Waquoit Bay, Falmouth, Massachusetts Boat: Maritime 1480 - Premier! With: Alone Target: Striped Bass Time: 7 AM - 11:30 AM Conditions: A bit overcast and quiet, but then clearing with a strong (20+ mph) southerly wind developing. Incoming tide for the entire session; low tide was around 5 AM. Having arrived in Falmouth, Massachusetts the day before, having picked up and assembled the new boat, I thought I would start this portion of the trip on a leisurely pace, as I got to know my new Maritime Skiff 1480. But with no alarm set, I was still awake by 4:30 AM, and out of the house shortly after 5:30 AM. I was first to arrive at the ramp (for the second day in a row, and as I would be every day for the rest of the trip), and I had her launched from the Childs River town landing by 6:30 AM. I did not load any fishing gear; I intended to learn the water as I got used to handling my new tiller. When I got to the mouth of Childs River at the head of Eel Pond, I noticed some bait activity; and I convinced myself that I saw a bass bust the surface, too. With clouds and low light conditions prevailing, I scrapped my plans, scuttled back to the ramp and quickly assembled my gear from the truck. Within a half hour, I was back in position, and I was super pleased to have my third cast of the (Cape Cod portion of the) trip with a Smack-it Popper eaten by a decent, light-tackle striper! Switching to a 1/8 or 3/16-ounce jig with a 4-inch Gulp! fluke, I enjoyed a quick, productive bite. The stripers weren't large (up to 23 or 24 inches at this point), but this was fun, light-tackle, early-season fishing. With a dozen or so bass already over the new boat's gunnels, I decided to explore. I motored down Eel Pond and out the outlet. Vineyard Sound was calm and quiet; and I thought I could see cloud of birds over the Waquoit Bay outlet to the east. As I approached, I saw a frenzy of birds just west of the western jetty and joined the single boat present. A beautiful, 25-inch striper ate my first cast with the jig, and I caught a couple more before the bait sounded and the birds dispersed. The tide was coming in, but I located two more groups of fish within the jetties. The first ate the Smack-it Popper casted close to the rocks on the inside wall of the eastern jetty; and the second group hung near the tip of the western jetty, where they were vulnerable to the jig, slow-rolled with the current. One of these fish topped 26 inches and was likely my biggest striper of the trip. The wind continued to build from the south, and so I sought protection in Waquoit Bay, proper. Finding nothing of immediate interest, I chose to return to my starting point. Between 10:30 and 11 AM (at maximum high tide), I had more fast action on the jig, now adorned with a Zoom Baby Fluke in a natural green shiner pattern. Soon after 11 AM, the wind had increased to over 20 mph; with 22 stripers to the morning's credit, I pulled the plug on the session. The rest of the day was spent exploring ramp options, re-spooling a reel with 15-pound braid and scouting out sea bass reports for the following day. The wind never relented, and my first day of fishing was over. What do I have to say about this? What a pleasant surprise! I was very pleased to have encountered so many willing, light tackle stripers, especially in a new boat and in new water. This was the earliest I've targeted stripers, and while it appeared that I was on the early side for the arrival of big fish, it was reassuring to know that there were plenty of fish already present. And I was more than impressed with the new boat! She's stable, quiet, surprisingly roomy, and certainly fishy! Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways
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