Conference wahoo::fishing-v2

230.0. "MV Holloween Report - Tricks or Treat!" by HYEND::HAMELIN () Tue Nov 03 1992 13:45

    Having fail to capture anything during my second try while the Martha's
    Vineyard Derby was on, I was relunctantly convinced to give it another
    try last weekend....
    
    Friday 10/30, 3:30 pm - Met by a buddy at the V.Haven pier and
    immediately head for Tashmoo. Fished 5 hours using lures, pogie and
    eels without success. Saw one of four flyfisherpersons catch 2 small
    stripers. Returned to my buddy's house to meet the late arrivals and
    we the 5 of us set out for up island. Fished Squibnocket, Philbin, the
    Wall then over to Lobsterville and another place nearby - nothing.
    Returned to the house for 8 am breakfast and 3 hours sleep. By now I'd
    fished high, low and slack tides using fresh, frozen, and scented
    baits.
    
    Sat 10/31, noon - Pack up the coolers and set out to Wasque (low tide).
    Decide to head along south beach to Edgartown ponds only to spy some
    "fool" out driving around in his backhoe. Then it hits us! A brief
    conversation and we learn that he's hard at work improving our chance 
    for success. We decide that we'll return at high tide (midnight) when
    mother nature will have finished the job of opening the ponds. Talk
    turns to good luck and big fish...and the secrets is all ours!
    Decide to try Cape Pogue until 8pm then get a few more hours sleep.
    
    Sun 11/1, 12:30 am - Load up and head out for the ponds. This is like a
    dream. We've all read about the big catches that happen after the ponds
    flush and our talk turns to cameras, recipes and success. Arrive at 
    Edgartown pond and no one's there! The secret is still ours! Can't wait
    to get to COOPS for weigh-ins, photos etc. That should be easy to do by
    dawn....Oh, LOOK! the trench filled in, the tide failed to wash it out
    and LOOK at all the bait that's there !!! D**M, anyone got a backhoe ??
    Fished for an hour but not a pick up. Talk about the next pond up, but
    there's very limited, very, very private access thru one road only and
    the caretaker's meaner than a troll (had to get some Holloween into
    this). Decide that we'd rather chance nature so we'll make a dash
    across the waters edge and hope we're not eaten by the trench. Tides
    fallin' so if we make it and the next pond is open we can probably get
    a few hours in before the tide starts rising too high for us to cross
    back. We decide to send out a search party, one vehicle goes the other
    stays, wait 50 minutes and follows if we haven't returned. If we can't
    make it back we take our chances with the troll.
    
             3:00 am - PONDS OPEN, BAIT'S EVERYWHERE! Out come the poles.
    Three madmen casting for glory , our fisherman's dream has arrived and
    all that's missing is the blitz!. Fish for an hour, drifting eels down
    the trench and out to see. Other poles set in spikes with chunk on the
    bottom. Nothing! Here comes a vehicle, must be the guys. Nope- someone
    else. It's the backhoe man. He gets out. Put on an eel. Cast out....
    WHAM! FISH ON! His first cast...Who is this guy ???? Ten minutes later
    we're looking at his 25-30 lb/ 40" stripper. The man says " Think I'll
    throw it back, there's got to be some bigger ones there". After I
    graciously offer to solve his dilemna, he agrees to keep it til
    something bigger comes along. Perhaps he pitied the poor man whose 10
    outings have left his freezer bare. Two cast later...WHAM, he's on
    again! Meanwhile, our reinforcement troups show up to advise us of the
    tide. TO H@#L with the tide. There's fish! The man measures his second
    pats it on the head and sends it home. Too short by 1/2". Meanwhile, we
    follow suit do all the same things using all the same gear with all the 
    same bait - nothing.
    
             First light - The brave souls we are! Let's venture out across
    the trench so we can make our way onto that sandbar. First one then the
    next follows. All for that extra 15 yards. I join 'em for awhile, but
    things get rough and wet as the tide comes on. Back to the beach, but
    that trench sure got deep. Cast once, reel in. Cast again and again.
    My shoulder cries out for a break and I've worked up a real beer thirst
    but...was that...what??? Remember let it run, slow, slow, count to ten.
    One - Five - Seven - Three - TEN ....WHAM I'M ON !!! The gang cheers
    and shouts instructions. DO this, Watch that, Careful..."Yo heh man
    aren't you getting low on line ?" All I see is black spool and then the
    knot AHHHHHHH! What now ? Run for it! So in the water I go, chest high.
    All the time gaining inch by inch as the fish decides to play me. The
    battle continues with another short run, then another! Finally I'm back
    on the sand, slowly winning the battle! Me with my Spag's special,
    frozen eel and 125 yards of 17 lb test left over from last season. I'll
    show 'em. Closer, closer, louder and louder. With each pull they'd
    chant. Finally I see it just two waves away. "I'll go behind it on the
    next wave," the backhoe-fisherman says. One of those larger-than-the-rest
    waves washes it up on shore... the man makes his move... I keep reeling
    while heading gleefully towards the water all the time thinking of the
    many ways I'll cook this beast. Then as the water receeds SNAP....
    OHHH... the man dives but gets hit by an incoming wave that washes my
    meals out to sea. The crowd, which by now includes the troll-caretaker
    gasps and sighs. "You would have loved that one, 'twas bigga than mine.
    Looked to be 'bout a 45'r".
    The rest of the day passes with but one hookup for any and it's a blue.
    The caretaker says he's not happy but he'll let us pass through if need
    be. We decide to chance the tide and barely make it back.
    
    I catch the ferry and head back, feelin' bit by the bug to return and
    try again. Got to get that first one someday ! 
    
    - 

    Great story!!!!  TOUGH BREAK!!!!!!!@#$%^&*()!!!!!!!!!
    
    There is a lot to be said for having your tackle ready, 
    " Me with my Spag's special, frozen eel and 125 yards of 17 lb test 
    left over from last season.".  Newer line and lots of it!!!
    
    Are going try any more this year?  
    
    Regards,
    Greg