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Date: July 4, 2024 Body of Water: Casco Bay Boat: Shore fishing from float and then amybaby22 With: Alone Target: Stripers Time: 4:15 AM - 11:30 AM (Slack Low and then Quadrant III at float; through High Tide and beyond along islands) Tide: Low Tide at 4:26 AM Moon Phase: Waning crescent moon; New Moon minus one day Conditions: Varying from mostly cloudy to totally clear by end of session; rain showers at 6:30 AM (brief but pretty heavy) and about 9:30 (very light). Winds generally from southwest, and varying from about 10 mph to dead calm. 60 - 70 degrees. Water temperatures 58 - 60 degrees F (+/-) and generally clear. Getting right to the point; every so often, I can say that every bait I presented got eaten! This was one of those days. I started with suspended sand-worms off the landing's float. M had been so kind as to fill more order for sand-worms the previous afternoon, and my first big juicy specimen lasted only seconds before getting eaten. After netting a nice, approximate 23-inch striped bass in the pre-dawn darkness, I rebaited and was similarly into the second striper of what would prove to be a fast-paced morning. It's a blur; but by 6:30 AM, I had run through my worm supply and had landed nine stripers to about 27 inches on 11 chances. My misses included a very rare snag-in-bottom-cover resulting in a parted line, and a tense battle to keep a very large bass within the first line of mooring buoys. In this last case, I was mistaken in putting heavy pressure on the fish to stop it short, only to find that it was already past and around a mooring. Fortunately, the hook simply pulled and I retrieved my gear. I don't think this fish was as large as the 41 from early June, but I suspect it was bigger than last week's 35. Of course, I could be wrong either way, and I do have to acknowledge that the fish were all in prime fighting condition and attitude, as we all enjoyed surprisingly cool water and mild conditions for the Fourth of July! Otherwise, I fished pretty flawlessly and executed all available chances. These were solid, light-tackle bass, too, typically between 24 and 27 inches. The slack low to early Quadrant III periods had treated me well, and by 6:30 AM I had transferred to amybaby22. I decided to search for more bait (macks or pogies.) Because of the rain and gloominess of the hour, I stayed close and just bounced from navigational marker to marker, dropping and trolling my Sabiki in search of bait. My first stop was near Clapboard West, and after collecting an immediate double, I poked around for about 15 minutes in order to find just one more mackerel. Not wanting to miss out on the gray skies, I first bass-fished the nearby west end of Clapboard and it's associated reef complex. While I consider this too be more of a "High Tide" location, it has historically been kind enough to me to instill confidence under nearly any set of conditions. Still, I have preferred spots-on-spots, and I was pleased to have my bait suddenly wake up and get solidly thumped at perhaps my favorite feature of this area. I came tight, but perhaps too soon; after a quick run, the hook popped out and I'd missed another nice fish. After an unsuccessful drift through this stretch, I ran to Sturdivant's southwest section. Here, I enjoyed a similar scenario, but this time connected and landed a feisty fish of about 26 inches. Once again, this fish came from a favorite, complex spot-on-spot. There's something good to be said for jumbled boulders, weeds and a drop into deep water! That left me with just a single mack, and it was an XL. I switched to a heavier rod with a larger pogie hook and set it out. I was now in search of a larger bass. The bait was relaxed for a couple of hundred yards before it was chased to the surface and visibly attacked unsuccessfully several times. Then it changed course and ran to the depths (15 feet or more), where it was smacked. I wound down and fought the 29-incher close and dirty; Striper No. 11 was the first "keeper" of the day. Now out of bait, I searched the waters off the east end of Clapboard and managed to scrape four more baits for the well. With the tide now at or just past high tide, I chose to explore the rocky ledges here for any more bass. But with no luck on the first pass, I returned to Clapboard's west end. Deep water here produced another mid-20s bass. Back to the east end, I suffered another unproductive pass. I adjusted my approach, though, and by specifically targeting very close-in nooks and crannies under the now-high and clear sun, I was able to quickly pull three more bass out, including another 28-inch "keeper". Out of bait (again), but satisfied with 15 stripers landed on eighteen legitimate chances, I headed in to the gas dock, where I prepped for an afternoon of entertaining folks on the water. What do I have to say about this? Sure, it was an excellent day of fishing, but it was an even better day of Maine Life. We live in Vacationland! Once the fishing was over, I shared plenty of outdoor relaxation with A, brought M and her visiting friend out for a seal and raptor tour of local islands, caught some local flavor and went to bed early enough to be on the dock at 4:30 the next morning. That's living! Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways
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Date: June 30, 2024 Body of Water: Casco Bay Boat: None, shore-fishing from landing float With: Alone, but joined by nephew, W Target: Stripers Time: 11:15 AM - 2 PM Tide: Lows at about 12:20 PM (fished Quads II and III) Moon Phase: Waning quarter moon Conditions: Mixed sun, haze and clouds; mixed southerly wind with sporadic calm periods; water temperatures 58 - 60 degrees F (+/-); warm front with pending thunderstorms. After a morning of chores in preparation for the holiday week, I rushed to The Tackle Shop for some sand-worms, hoping to make the most of a mid-day low tide with gray skies. That seemed like the prudent choice, given the current Small Craft Advisories and Thunderstorm Watches; especially so after getting beaten up on the previous day. Thirty seconds or so after the first bait hit the water, it was "Bobber Down!" I came tight to a drag-pulling fish, but the hook popped loose. I wound in my bare hook and wondered if I'd blown it by getting just one dozen worms. A few drifts later, my float got pulled under, again. I wound down and the hook found purchase; and this seemed like a good, heavy fish. After a nice fight including frequent runs and determined bull-dogging, I prepped the net for landing. I aborted that attempt, though, because clearly this fish was too large for this net; and instead dropped to my knees and grasped a fine 35-incher. What a good start to what would be a pleasant and productive session! Soon thereafter, I was joined by A and my Great British nephew, W. W was able to jump right into the action, cranking in a nice schoolie; but then transferred to net duty, which he seemed to prefer. He got to net five more bass to 26 inches (most were 23 or 24). The bite maintained itself through slack low and through the first half of Quadrant III. At 2 PM, having gone 8 bass for 11 chances and having exhausted the worm supply, we all called it quits. What do I have to say about this? This was a nice introduction to striper fishing for five-year-old W, who clearly enjoyed himself and who specifically expressed his interest in fishing. We'll try to get more in during his stay! The bite was pretty steady throughout, perhaps a little slower at dead low and during periods of calm sunshine. But I doubt we ever went more than 15 minutes or so without a chance, which really helped to engage W's interest. This was a good antidote for me, too, as the ease and simplicity of the fishing helped me recover from a punishing Saturday and recent work schedule. I think it will help me slide into the July 4th Holiday Week with a better frame of mind. (35-inchers, help, too!) Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways Date: June 29, 2024 Body of Water: Casco Bay Boat: amybaby22 With: Alone Target: Stripers Time: 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM Tide: Low at about 11:43 AM Moon Phase: Waning quarter moon Conditions: Overcast with sprinkles; strong southwest wind >12 mph with gusts to over 25 mph; 60 - 63 degrees. Water temperature 56 degrees F (+/-). A significant cold front had passed through over the previous couple of days, with a humid warm front approaching. I was confronted with mist, clouds, wind and cold water, everywhere. Virtually the entire session was invested in searching for bait, while trying to not start too far from the mooring. Clapboard East, Basket Island and any associated navigational markers were all barren. Plenty of seals were on the lookout, but none seemed to be searching too hard or successfully. The next move was to the throat between Long and Little Chebeague Islands, and I did score a single mackerel from near a floating shellfish operation. But that was it. I've not fished stripers too much in this "Chandler Cove", and I spied an enticing reef and ledge. With ebb current near peak, I decided to do a drift along this new-to-me structure. I deployed the bait in 25+ feet of water and gained control of my line and the boat. Just a couple of moments later, just as the hull hovered off he reef's shallow tip, a bass took the bait. I was fortunate to land a prime 29-inch striper from a new spot! In the cool, moving water, this bass tested my light tackle and provided a good account of itself. After a quick photo, I helped the bass catch her breath before she scooted away to the depths. I continued my exploration of this channel and navigation markers for bait. Coming up empty, I casted a fluke along an extensive current-swept break and shallows. It looked good, but just didn't produce. I ran around Little Chebeague and up the channel between Littlejohn and Chebeague Islands, hoping to find some bait in the deep water near the pinch-point. Along the way, I noted a couple of boulder reefs that warrant future assessment. Not finding any, I tried to troll a tube-n-worm (Gulp! variety) pass along a favored edge, but the wind was now howling and my control was nil. I decided to tackle the long, upwind trek home and made it with no problems and before the weather really fell apart. What do I have to say about this? Back at the dock near slack low tide, I saw a couple of neighbors worming from the float. They reported a couple of bites and landed a bass while I was mooring the boat. Gray skies, low tide, and worms; a good local combination. I've located another eagle's nest, seals are abundant, and the osprey chicks are hatching and beseeching their parents for food. There's always something to watch! Now, if I could only find some consistent bait... Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways Date: June 21, 2024 Body of Water: Casco Bay Boat: amybaby22 With: Alone Target: Stripers Time: 11:30 AM - 2:45 PM Tide: High at 12:17 PM Moon Phase: Full Moon Conditions: Cloudy, spitting rain, 65 degrees; decreasing southerly breeze to calm. Water temperatures 58 - 62 degrees F (+/-) After another full week, wormless, and off to a late start (despite the June Full Moon tides), I looked to simply fit in a short trip between weather events. I wanted to go find more pogies and catch some big bass (of course), but assessing the skies, decided to play it close to home. The east end of Clapboard seemingly held no bait (none found in a 20-minute troll) and so I hit the channel markers off the west end, finally connecting with a couple of single mackerel. The first was deployed off Clapboard's west end and reef, and survived two passes without a touch. It was returned to the well, and I replicated this effort and result off Clapboard's west end with the second bait. I ran to Sturdivant and bump-trolled the length of the island's southern face, moving with the gathering ebb current. As I approached the most complex and favored portion of this stretch (it offers everything, including an inside turn, changes in depth, and rock and weed cover), my bait re-activated, got chased down, and got overtaken in about 8 feet of water after several crashing attempts on top. Having landed and released this prime 28-incher, I continued my search with the other (final) bait. It went untouched through the rest of the stretch and so I returned to the scene of the original crime. Soon enough, the struggling mack caught the attention of another bass. This particular bass fought well above its weight class with several long runs; I was surprised when it taped out at only 26 inches. What a way to end a quick and pleasant session! Two baits, two bites, two bass; it was enough for the day! What do I have to say about this? I almost missed the June Full Moon period! Fortunately, Wednesday's holiday and this quick session got me out there (I would be weathered out the next day) and I was able to connect with some nice bass. Both strikes occurred about 2 - 2.25 hours after predicted high tide. I usually fish here at lower tidal conditions, so it was nice to connect here under other circumstances. Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways Date: June 19, 2024 Body of Water: Casco Bay Boat: amybaby22 and float With: Alone Target: Stripers Time: 4:30 AM - 11:30 AM Tide: Low tide at 3:52 AM; High Tide at 10:03 AM (fished float at Quad III ) Moon Phase: Waxing gibbous moon, Full Moon minus two days Conditions: Hazy, hot, and humid; Generally bright and still; 65 - 85 degrees. Water temperatures 60 - 65 degrees F (+/-). Given a mid-week holiday in June, I am going fishing! The fact that the holiday coincided with the approaching Strawberry Full Moon and associated favorable tides was a bonus, as was the fact that it saved me from a commute to Boston for the week! With truly hot, hazy and humid conditions forecasted, I got off to an early start. I figured I'd search for bait after playing with a few bass on worms from the landing float. I was surprised by the slow start, as I spent the first half hour without a sign of a bite. Conditions were slick, greasy calm, and eerily quiet. But just as the sun emerged over Cousins Island a few minutes after 5 AM, my float dipped for the first time; and I soon christened the new landing net with a fat and spunky 27-inch striper. What a nice fish on light wormin' tackle and what a nice start to a Wednesday! My float plunged twice more in the next 15 or 20 minutes, and I captured two additional bass between approximately 24 and 26 inches. But then the calm returned, and I went 30 minutes or so without any further action. Having gotten the local best out of this tide, I was aboard amybaby22 and on my way to Broad Cove by 6 AM. A couple of other boats were poking around the shallows, and I slow-trolled right up the gut with a tube-and-worm. I seemed to be marking bait on the sonar, but nothing responded. When I'd exhausted the deeper water, I fan-casted a few pinch-points in the shallows with a top-water dog-walker, but neither moved nor saw any sign of bass. Once again (for me, this season), Broad Cove was dead, so I was soon on my way! In search of a better bait situation, I decided to try something a little different, i.e., the channel between Littlejohn and Chebeague Islands. Even before I could deploy a Sabiki, I saw the pogies milling on the surface over 30 feet of water or so. As efficiently as possible (but not as much as I'd like), I deposited a half dozen or so healthy pogies in the well. My first drift was over my biggest-striper-ever waypoint (with big bait, why not?), but my bait went unharassed. I continued working the shoreline without a response and inched towards another waypoint, where the shoreline flat breaks into deeper (25+ feet at low tide) water. Almost directly over this waypoint, and having just noticed some mid-depth activity on the sonar, my bait awakened and was suddenly and confidently engulfed. Soon enough, I was holding my first-ever Maine Pogie Bass, a solid 30-incher! Buoyed by this success, I continued working this break and expanded my area of interest to the west, as I had a couple of baits variously chased, smacked, crashed, and plucked. This was more in-line with my Maine experience with pogies, but it was still fun (while frustrating) to watch so many predatory attempts. During one such flurry, I casted a top-water and then a fluke in the area of my bait (thinking "bait-and-switch"), but that was to no avail. The one solid take I did experience ended with the hook turned and buried into the bait, another familiar outcome on my behalf when fishing with pogies. It was time to move on as the tide continued to flood. I decided to try the eastern end of Chebeague, which has coughed up a couple of big fish for me. Despite covering a lot of water in an hour or so there, I raised nothing and in fact, never even had an overly nervous bait. I thought to go to Clapboard to catch the rocky points at high tide; but since I'd located a group of fish off Littlejohn, I thought it wise to at least check in there again, before I left the area. Good call! I was about to turn a nice, "good" day into an "excellent" day. Within minutes of predicted slack high tide, I encountered the first of what would be five solid stripers for the next hour, all on pogies. All were solid, and a couple were well above average, so this was a very good hour of fishing; especially so in the late-morning, hot and bright sunshine. All were associated with this particular break from the shoreline flat into deep (now 30+ feet) water. A couple of the bites were on top, but a couple were in the depths as the free-lined pogies went where they felt safest (or at least, where they could try to feel safe). In sequence, these fish were 27, 35, 33 and 30 inches. (The fifth was lost to a plucked bait and then a turned hook). It was a relief to see a "small" (27-inch) bass be able to take one of these baits, and the larger fish were able to take the pogies without hesitation or fanfare. These bass could choose to just slurp them down, when they so choose. A special highlight of this hour were the consecutive 35 and 33-inchers; not only did these eat decisively and fight hard, the 33-incher ate in about 35 feet of water, down deep. It was not necessary to pull the bass to the surface with these baits, they were not safe anywhere! That's encouraging for future outings. Hot and sweaty with the live-well now empty, I decided to return to the float for some hydration and rest. It had been an Excellent Wednesday! What do I have to say about this? Finally! Pogies paid off, locally! These particular bass were all fat and well-conditioned, and with the dominant 2015 year class, perhaps the local bass population has aged into a vulnerability to bunker. Regardless, all were lightly hooked and swam away, healthy. It was great to succeed with a new tactic, and now when macks are scarce but the menhaden obvious, I will not hesitate to snag a few and use them with increased confidence. I'll probably pick up another 6000-class Shimano bait-runner for use with these big baits. I've got friends and family to entertain, and while there might be some longer periods without action, when a bass decides to eat one of these big baits, it is exciting regardless of whether the bass can engulf it, or not! The visual nature and ferocity of the strikes is a bit amped, and the bass themselves should be a step up from the norm. Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways Date: June 16, 2024 Body of Water: Casco Bay Boat: amybaby22 With: Alone, but briefly joined by A for lunch Target: Stripers Time: 8:45 AM - 2:30 PM Tide: High at 7:29 AM and Low at 1:30 PM Moon Phase: Waxing quarter moon Conditions: Generally clear to bright; strong southerly wind developing at about 1 PM; 60 - 70 degrees. Water temperatures 56 - 60 degrees F (+/-) After the previous day's beating from the wind, it was nice to simply relax and enjoy a day on the water. I intended to check new areas for the season and to monitor bait and bass progress as Summer approaches. It just doesn't make sense to motor past the east end of Clapboard without checking for mackerel; I found enough here (six in 20 minutes or so, and all as singles) to keep me bass fishing for a while. My first stop for bass was indeed the east end of Clapboard; after an uneventful pass, I continued out to Hussey Sound. I should have tried the waters between Clapboard and Hussey for bait, because I saw several active seals here, while Hussey was very quiet, despite the beginnings of a strong outgoing current. When my first pass along the deep current seam off College Island surprisingly produced no sign of macks, I returned to the shoreline of Long Island and deployed a fresh livie. I was drifting along and approaching the bar connecting Long and College Islands, sharing telephonic Fathers' Day well-wishes with my brother, F, when a bass smacked my bait on top. I let him know that we might get interrupted and we continued our conversation. A few moments later, the bait got eaten and I tightened up. I switched to FaceTime and telecast the fight and landing; it was just a modest fish of 23 or 24 inches, but still fun to share as we discussed our upcoming joint vacation. After exploring some new Long Island shoreline without action, I tried for macks, but again without success. I then explored the juicy and occasionally productive rip between College and Long with a fluke, to no avail. (It sure looked like it should have worked!) Next, I set up another drift beside my favored stretch of Long Island and quickly connected with a feisty 26-incher from about 12 feet of water. But a repeated drift, extended along the north shore of College, produced nothing, and I returned to the Landing to pick up A for some lunch. We decided to grab some more Clapboard mackerel before hitting Sturdivant at yesterday's productive tide. With another half dozen in the well, I got distracted by a small school of pogies. I managed to snag one with the Sabiki before it was time to move on. The strong south wind was developing now, and it was pounding into Sturdivant. I went "large" and swam the pogie through my best water before we agreed that it was too windy and exposed to be fun, and so we returned to the dock. A relaxed on the float while I deployed a few live mackerel from the mooring. The tide was right, after all, as Quadrant III was just starting. I scored a bonus bass of about 25 inches to complete my day. What do I have to say about this? I am not exactly crushing the stripers, but it sure was a beautiful Maine day! And it was nice to be reminded by loved ones, including both daughters, that my paternal efforts have paid off! Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways Date: June 15, 2024 Body of Water: Casco Bay Boat: amybaby22 With: Alone Target: Stripers Time: 10:45 AM - 3:15 PM Tide: Low Tide at 12:45 PM Moon Phase: Waxing quarter moon Conditions: Clear, bright and windy (15+ mph N/NE); 70 degrees. Water temperatures 58 - 60 degrees F (+/-); water still clear. Off to a late start after a very full week, my only real plan was to find some bait and search for bass. A promising start (I must have dropped the Sabiki directly on the head of the single mackerel near the Sturdivant Island marker) fizzled to a slow pick, but after a half hour of effort, I had a half dozen live macks in the well. With the tide continuing to drop, I visited the wind-protected southwest shoreline of Sturdivant for the first time in 2024. I power-drifted through my best water without a touch, but extended the drift through some new (good-looking!) water. Finally, my mack woke up and ran scared; shortly thereafter, it was taken with a confident surface hit over about 12 feet of water. I landed the 29-incher in short enough order and moved up-tide to complete another pass. I tossed the mack between two obvious boulders and got smacked right away! This fish stretched to just over 30 inches. Now, I had a little confidence in a potential pattern, and I focused right on the boulder edges in about six feet of water. I ground through the next couple of hours for three more bass between 25 and 27 inches. I ended 5-for-5 and had extended my confidence zone along this shoreline in multiple directions. Despite the incessant wind, I had manufactured a good day under bright skies and with clear water. Plus, I'd saved some energy for the next day! What do I have to say about this? Summer is approaching, and both bass and bait are settling in. I might have missed out on other, low-tide possibilities (Broad Cove, Royal River, Presumpscot River, etc.), but I think I managed the day's conditions pretty well. At the very least, my Striper Cup Limit for the week is secured and anchored by a pair of slot fish. Not bad, given the distractions and demands of the week. Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways Date: June 8, 2024 Body of Water: Falmouth, Maine Boat: None, shore fishing from Landing float With: A Target: Stripers Time: 5 PM - 7:30 PM Tide: Low at 7:15 PM; Quadrant II Moon Phase: Waxing crescent moon, New plus two days Conditions: Mixed sun and clouds with scattered showers in area; breeze from all directions and about 70 degrees. Water temperatures 58 - 60 degrees F (+/); water still very clear. The morning was invested in a casual search for mackerel. Seals and dolphins were doing the same (although perhaps more urgently), and I found a few Macs along current seams in Hussey Sound, but not enough to install the live-well and change my fishing approach (yet). Plus, it was so weedy in my usual nearby haunts that it was not the least enjoyable to target stripers in this manner. So I called it quits and luckily just barely beat a torrential downpour back to the truck. I decided some worms and a nap were in order. Having secured both, A and I returned to the landing's float at about 5 PM for what turned out to be a super pleasant evening. We were a little early, and I declared that anything before 5:30 PM was a bonus. Suspended sand-worms enticed two bonus bass of about 23 inches before the bite picked up. By 7 PM, we had landed ten bass to 27 inches and still had a couple of worms left. Expecting a slower bite during slack low, but hoping for a big one, we were able to convert our last worms into two more fish, ending the session at 12 bass-for-12 worms. We'd been efficient and nearly flawless (for a change of pace!) What do I have to say about this? What a beautiful, fun and relaxing evening! Low tide and worms are my security blankets for getting bites, but this session offered so much more; A's relaxed companionship, a steady pace of action, plenty of pulled drags, a celebratory beer, and simple fun after an over-full work week. I am a lucky guy to have access to all this! And, circle hooks continue to do their work; 11 of the 12 bass landed were hooked in the roof or corner of their mouths. As for the last, the line was snipped as close to the hook as possible, and she swam off strong, too. Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways Date: June 2, 2024 Body of Water: Casco Bay Boat: amybaby22 With: N and J Target: Striped Bass Time: 9 AM - 3:30 PM Tide: High at about 8 AM, Low at about 2 PM Moon Phase: Waning crescent moon, New minus four days Conditions: Beautiful! Bright and generally calm with a mild southerly breeze; 50 - 70 degrees. Water temperatures 55 - 60 degrees F (+/-). I was joined by new friend N and his wife J for a day on the water in search of striped bass. They were undeterred by the reports of my recent trips and were very patient with my small, crowded boat! We faced some tough conditions, including a cold night, a mid-day low tide, and super bright, clear conditions. Still, we ended up having a great day! Our first stop was Prince Point. We each casted a swim-bait, fluke, or popper. I was hoping to either see or move a fish, but despite things looking good, that did not happen, so we made the big move to the Presumpscot. I had intended to push as far upstream as possible, but my little skiff was unable to get up on plane and so we were limited to just 10 mph. That made the long trip upriver impractical and so we focused on the flats outside the river's mouth. Tide and wind were opposing, making boat control difficult. We settled into simply covering water, whether it was over the 20-foot channel or in just a couple of feet on the adjacent flats. N just missed a boat side swiping fish I about three feet of water. The near miss buoyed our spirits as we continued our search. After a fruitless pass with the tube-and-worm in the deeper water above the bridge, we continued casting the flats. When a group of active birds closer to the mouth of Back Cove caught my attention, I attempted to navigate their way. At about 3/4 low tide, I just couldn't get all the way there, but I did find a small gut that led me deeper into the flats. Both N and J reported seeing individual fish, so we settled into a pattern of drift-and-cast in this very skinny water. Fish on! N fed a fine 27-incher a fluke in about 18 inches of water. We were happy to break the ice on the day's bass! We continued our search for another half hour or so, but I was getting antsy with the very low negative tide. I didn't want to get stuck here! Plus, I had worms for the dock, and we were in a position to arrive at just about slack low tide. The cool (58 degree) green water looked good, the worms were fat and juicy, and with the Spring Tide, we had a good chunk of time in front of us. And we were rewarded with two quick bites that N and J converted into nice mid-20-inch bass landed. I was glad to get J her fish, and N was getting into light tackle fishing for stripers! The day was now clearly made, but there were more fish to catch. Each of us landed another fish, and mine was a whopper at 13 inches. I was fortunate to be tending the line for our last bite. I wound down and got tight to what I knew to be a good fish. And then it took off! I was lucky it went straight "out" from the float, but there was no stopping this fish on 12-pound test. She was already well beyond the first line of moorings when I asked N to prep the Portland Pudgy to chase this fish down. And that we did! With N at the oars, I was able to regain some line and we settled into a battle between moorings. Soon enough, I firmly grasped her lower jaw; at 41 inches, she's the largest I've caught from the landing float; and from the Pudgy! The hook was firmly in the corner of her jaw; she was in fine shape. After a quick photo session and revival, she swam off strong. We fished for another 15 minutes or so to close out my tidal window, but we all knew and agreed that our fine day was done! What do I have to say about this? A full night's sleep, good friends, great weather, seven stripers and a big one! It was quite the day, made all the better by N and J's enthusiasm and graciousness. They will be back, and I will welcome them gladly! This was one of the two largest stripers I've ever witnessed from the landing, and it may be no coincidence that these both occurred in early-mid June. In fact the other fish in question was landed on a suspended worm during Quadrant III of a similar mid-day Spring Tide in June, 2022. I think the truly big girls might slide out of the Presumpscot after chasing herring and cruise along the Falmouth shoreline to recover. Not a bad pattern to have in my back pocket! Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways Date: June 1, 2024 Body of Water: Casco Bay Boat: amybaby22 With: Alone Target: Striped Bass Time: 8:30 AM - 2 PM Tide: High at about 7 AM; Low at about 1 PM Moon Phase: Waning crescent moon, New minus five days Conditions: Clear; mild E/SE breeze; 50 - 65 degrees. Water temperatures 53 - 55 degrees F (+/-) except in Presumpscot River (60) and Broad Cove (58). Off to a late start based on work and tide, I left the float in search of bait, birds or bass. I did a scouting troll of Clapboard Island and associated aquafarms for mackerel without a sign of their presence. I casted attractive shorelines and rocky points with the high but ebbing tide and moved nothing. I relocated to the mouth of the Presumpscot River and associated bay; a combination of casting and then trolling with a tube-and-worm yielded more "nothing". Eagles, ospreys and seals all indicated bait, but there sure didn't seem to be any bass around here. I finished the day's efforts in Broad Cove, arriving just before predicted low. A fly guide was working the extreme shallows and scored a single fish. I worked the gut, associated galleys and the flats without seeing or moving a fish. I was skunked, and had to save some energy for the next day; I was off to The Tackle Shop to grab some worms as a fall-back. What do I have to say about this? The report from The Tackle Shop was plenty of fish on alewives further up-river. With the colder-than-usual bay temperatures and lack of small fish, there wasn't much going on in the "usual" spots. To that I can attest! I decided to give the river and the flats at its mouth more attention until things settle in - for me. Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways |
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