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Date: September 18, 2022 Body of Water: Casco Bay - Hussey Sound and Peaks Island, Maine Moon Phase: Waning Quarter Moon Boat: amybaby22 With: Alone Target: Striped Bass Time: 11 AM - 4 PM Conditions: Low tide at 11:50 AM. Hazy to cloudy; SW wind in excess of 10 mph and 75 degrees. A pending cold front came through at 4 PM with a sudden switch in wind direction to NNE and a 10-degree drop in temperatures. Water temperatures 59 - 61 degrees (+/-). Conditions couldn't have been much different than the previous day. It was unexpectedly warm, breezy, clouding up fast, and I would be targeting the incoming tide for bass. The difference at Hussey was noticeable immediately; arriving at Hussey at about slack low, the mackerel were scattered and offered just a slow pick to trolled Sabiki rigs. Still, by the time the tide had turned sufficiently to start looking for bass, I had close to 20 baits in the live-well. With the southerly breeze and incoming current, I picked up the shoreline of Peaks Island outside of Hussey and rode the current in, the opposite direction from the previous, successful day. Still, this let me explore some new, boulder-strewn water, and with a decent Striper Cup limit of photographed fish already in the can, I didn't mind a slow bite if the fish offered more potential, size-wise. I'd fished for almost an hour into the tide before I got my first hit of the day. An aggressive 28-incher ate my largest mack. This fish had eaten right up against the rocks at a prominent point, establishing something of a pattern for the day. After missing so many fish the previous day, I was happy to execute my chances well. The second fish of the day (from about the same water) registered 26 inches, but swallowed the hook. I replaced it with the recently purchased Gamakatsu 5/0; and proceeded to go 10 for 11 for the day on hooked fish. (I still had a couple of dropped runs and a single bait simply plucked off the hook by a forceful hit.) I'd landed three nice bass by the time I entered familiar water. I planned to fish all the way through this stretch to near The Pumpkin. As I approached the rocky point guarding the southern portion of Elm Tree Cove, I encountered a group of fish that kept me busy. I kept circling through and re-connecting. These were nice fish, too, ranging from an athletic 25 through 27 inches. I finally made it past this point and approached the rocky point guarding the north part of Elm Tree Cove's mouth. I connected with a strong fish after a savage surface hit. This fish found a lobster pot line during a long run against a heavy drag. Fortunately, I was able to keep tight, troll back and weave my rod through the line. I turned the fish in more open water and landed a fine 32. After another fish, I circled through again, and another 32 pinned my bait against the rocks. This one didn't fight as well, but was my fourth "keeper" of the day greater than 28 inches. I don't think I've ever done that before in my boat. Double digit catch, the smallest of which is a nice, plump 25 inches; four "keepahs" (all of which were released) for the day, two fish over 30, good execution and the smarts to get off the water before the weather really fell apart; that's a good day! What do I have to say about this? I didn't really think that the boat had buzzed up to me to compliment me on my hat; still, that was the excuse for the Maine Guide and client to approach me for some chit-chat on the mackerel situation as I put another one into the well. But they were not prepared to troll and relied on chumming; and this water was too deep (80-100 feet for the most part) to anchor. So they bombed away through Diamond Pass, leaving the macks to me. I don't know if they found their chumming spot or not. I continued to expand my Peaks Island range, and in the calm seas, I was able to maneuver my baits close to the rocks. That made a difference this day, for sure. The boulder field near the Hussey Sound outlet did not produce, but I think it might in the future. And just about the entire shoreline offers plentiful ambush spots, so I think I might even be able to toss lures around here with at least the chance for success. Repeating what works and minimizing efforts and time on things that aren't seems to be producing for me. The fish aren't the hugest and the numbers aren't outlandish, but I do believe I am making good with what's available. Now, to make hay while the season lasts! Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways
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