Conference wahoo::fishing-v2

Well...how did the FishTeaser do this past weekend at the Merrimack?

Any reports?

    I have a prepared FishTeaser story.
    Which may even surpass the tuna tale I told a few years ago.
    Unfortunately I have moved to WMO from BXC and my workstation
    is not fired up yet.
    I will mail you the story direct and will post it here as soon
    as my workstation awakens.
    -< Tuna Tail >-

	I know this isn't Striper or Blue information, but the Mackerel
were in Vineyard sound this weekend.  The boat in the next slip came back with
a large cooler overflowing and two 5 gal. buckets full yesterday.  This is
about three weeks behind last year if memory serves me correctly.  For anyone
wanting to stock the freezer with bait for the season ... I hope this helps.

	Rick

	I finally have my workstation active in WMO.  Sorry for the delay.
	Following is the "tail" of the "FishTeaser" and the attempt(s) made
	to launch her for this season on Sat,Sun and Mon 1,2 and 3-May.

	It's a tad long so bail out anytime ;^)

	-< Tuna Tail >-

	Oh... so that's what "A Hole in the water" means!!!

        1-May-93 Saturday
        4:00am  Drove from Oxford 80 miles alone to Salisbury State Park
        6:00am  Put Boat in water Engine would not start (Dead Battery)
                Note: I jump started the engine a few weeks ago for first
                      time runup at home.  I then had the battery re-charged
                      but did not test it again before launch.  I also replaced
                      the fuel hose but did not test it (to regret later) :-(
        8:00am  Boat back on trailer.  I called my wife at home to tell her
                I'm going to get new battery and for her to meet me per our
                plan at 11:30am at the launch ramp anyway.
        9:00am  Drove with boat to Walmart in Seabrook on Rt-1. Got new battery
                and also a water hose so I could test the engine on trailer. ;^)
        9:30am  Stopped at Salisbury State park entrance and bought the season
                launch pass for $30.00.
                Got about 100' past the gate shack when I noticed my trailer
                left hub cap fly off.  I stopped and picked it up but could
                not replace it as the wheel was off center 8^0  I jacked up
                the trailer and the wheel practically fell off due to
                disintegrated ball bearings.  Put wheel in trunk of car.
		Disconntected the trailer and drove to Riverfront Marine
                in Amesbury to have a new bearing put on.
        11:00am Drove back to park with new installed ball bearings and
                by chance met my wife on the way in downtown Salisbury
                getting our grinders for lunch :-)
        Noon    Having put the rim/tire back on we went to area near the launch
                ramp to test the engine.  Put the ear muffs on and attached
                the hose and tested the engine which would not start?
                It would turn over but not fire up.
        12:30pm My wife and I had lunch sitting in the boat on the trailer
                at the launch ramp parking area the 2nd time for me this year :-(
        1:00pm  We both drove to Shrewsbury 70 miles to my dealer.
                We each had a portable CB so we BS'd all the way down ;^)
        3:00pm  At dealer but nobody from service was working naturally. :-(
                The parts person who sold me the fuel pump walked over
                and checked it out.  He stuck his key in the connecter
                to the engine and pumped the ball and little/no gas came out?
                Apparently there was an air leak at the Ball connections.
                Mind you this was the way it was bought.  I had to
                make the connections to the boat and to the engine and they
                were sealed fine.  The factory installed ball connections
                were faulty so he gave me a new one and I installed it
                there at the dealer.  I tried the engine and still no dice?
                I checked the sparkplugs and they were all oiled up.  The boat
                has a seperate tank for oil and automatically feeds the engine.
                This worked fine but with not gas going in that's what
                caused the clogging.  I installed new plugs and she fired
                up fine.
        4:00pm  Went home and ran the engine to make sure all is well and
                to re-charge the "new" battery.
        5:00pm  Decided to go again on Sunday but had to be after I saw
                my oldest daughter and a school mate carry the Oxford
                Middle School banner at the front of the parade which was
                the yearly start of the T'ball-->Little League season.
                I planned on having the FishTeaser at the parade area and
                leave from there back to the Merrimack.  Ya right!!!

        2-May-1993 Sunday
        8:00am  In preparing the boat I noticed that my right turn signal
                on the trailer was not working.  I replaced bulbs and checked
                the wiring but couldn't get it fixed when finally I noticed
                that  one of the male pin connectors was broken.  I didn't
                have time to get parts before the parade I wanted to watch.
        noon    Saw Parade
        12:30pm Zipped over to K-Mart and got replacement trailer connectors.
         3:00pm All fixed including installing a new set of trailer
                lights along the rear axle under the boat.  Not required
                but wanted to replace it as I was in the "mood" ;^0

                Now it was too late for me to go Sunday night so had to
                decide whether to take Monday off or wait for almost
                two weeks.  (The following weekend was booked)
		Tough decision.....NOT ;^)

        3-May-1993 Monday
        3:30am  Left for Salisbury State Park and "FINALLY" did get to
                launch and actually got the boat moving under it's own
                power in the water :-)
                She ran fine.  I was alone and had a great time relaxing
                after an interesting and challaging weekend.
                Cloudy till around noon and chilly ocean breeze all day.
                Caught no fish but used up some Sea Worms and Clams.
                Went out to 100' depth but nothing biting.
                In river lot's of marks on fishfinder but mostly baitfish.
                About 20 or more Harbour Seals hanging around Badgers Rocks.
                They were grey'er then the one's I noticed a year ago in
                November?  Pulled up lots of seweed with shrimp attached.
                Large dredger was at the mouth of the Merrimack all day
                dredging along side the South Jetty and depositing it's
                stuff off Plum Island near the Church.  With this activity
                the river was pretty dirty from the dredging.
        5:30pm  Pulled FishTeaser out and this was much earlier then I
                thought I could as my car (front wheel drive) has
                difficulty in low tide conditions.  But the ramp was
                pretty much clear of moss so I was able to pull her out
                fine.  Maybe the moss doesn't show up till summer?

        Don't ask how much $$$ I poured into my "Hole in the Water"....

        -< Tuna Tail >-

    Now THAT'S what I call a shake down cruise!  I think we've all had a
    few similar outings we can relate to.  At least you were smart enough
    to do it early in the season, and not when you could see fish
    breaking just out of casting reach from the boat ramp :-)
    
    Mark,
    

    A friend of mine who fishes the Danvers River said he caught his
    first striper of '93 on tues 5/11 it was 24" and caught on
    a worm from his dock.  Saltwater Sportsman did an article on
    him in their May issue because of the large number of stripers
    he tags (something like 800 of em) all caught in the Danvers river.
    So I  guess that the season is starting to happen, and if this
    year is anything like last year (for stripers), we are all in for a 
    real treat.
    
              John

    re. .6
    
    John,
    
    I just moved to Danvers last month.  I've been trying to find a spot on
    the river to cast from, could you maybe give me a little hint??????
    
    thanks in advance
    
    jim
    

I used to fish over by the Salem power plant or by the old Coast Guard
station.  The warm water discharge at the power plant used to attract the
bait fish like magnets with stripers/blues right behind them.

Tim Lucia should be able to give an update on access over there.

Yo...Tim?

    
    re. .7
    
    Jim,
    
    Thre are only a few spots that seem accessable to shore fish.  I
    usually fish by the Crane Laundry/Sam and Joe's bridge.  This area
    is pretty good as soon as the tide begins to drop.  Also, alot of people
    like to fish by the White Fuel bridge.  I have also caught fish by
    the River Drive Apartments.  This area is very productive at night
    using very small poppers.
    
    The Danvers river has a decent amount of fish with even a few keepers
    mixed in, but my first choice is the Plum Isl. area. Over the last
    few years, I have really done well there.
    
                                           John  

    	Suprise, suprise...THEY'RE BACK!!
    
    	I'm sadly relaying this information :(
    
    	My brother-in-law went down to south cape beach in falmouth to see if 
    	there was any striper action happening...He got there at 7:00am, and 
    	was getting hits with squid and mackerel on his surf-rig, he watched 
    	a nearby fisherman pull a schoolie out, but that was it.  Later he was 
    	rotating thru his tackle box, using surface lures, and when he got to 
    	the Kastmaster he zinged it out and started a hour-and-half barrage of 
    	blues!  He and his friend each pulled 10 blues between 8:30-10:00.  
    	Meanwhile the guys next to them (without waders) weren't cathing 
    	anything.
    
    	I had backed out earlier in the week, but when I got back they had
    	spelled my name in bluefish in his driveway, gave me the picture of it.
    	Anyway the first blues hit the grill not to much later.  Boy!
    	nothing like fresh blue with cajun spice.  I also took home a few 
    	filets as his friend doesn't like bluefish...too bad ;) 
    	
    	Its definitely starting feel like summer...	
    
    	T_C
    	

.8 says it all, almost.  Some people fish off the Beverly/Salem bridge and
the railroad bridge.  The launching area by Kernwood bridge is another spot.
Finally, if you can fish the river along Kernwood Country Club (the golf course)
you should be able to catch fish.

I've also seen people fishing under some of the power poles but I don't know
how to get there on foot.


Tim

    I fished the Merrimack the other day and hammered the schoolies.
    I had fish for about 3-1/2 hours.  The total was approximately
    40 fish with the biggest at 32".  I guess it's safe to say that
    the schoolies are in.
    
                       John

John,

What were you catching the schoolies on??  Plugs? Worms? Eels?

Thx.

    re .13
    
    I was catching schoolies using a red and white bucktail jig with
    a Mr. Twister worm on the hook.
    
                                    John

	My wife and I with our Dog took the FishTeaser out from Allen's Harbour
	in Harwichport Sunday morning.  Could only stay half day but it was
	beautiful.  An offshore breeze made some small whitecaps and drive
	back to shore a bit interesting but not challanging.  Fished for only
	an hour with no luck.  Did not have any live bait.  Did not see/hear
	of any fish action while out.  No much marking the fishfinder either.
	Saw a few Jelleyfish.

	After reading the previous notes I think I'll be going to the
	Merrimack next trip ;^)

	Sounds great
	-< Tuna Tail >-

    John,
    
    Can you give directions on how to get there from here (Hudson/Marlboro
    MA area)??
    
    			Bart

    
    495 to 110 (Salisbury)
    
    Stay on 110 all the way (maybe 10 miles +/-) and you will see the signs 
    for the Salisbury Reservation, which is 1/2 a mile before the center.
    
    

Are there any bait shops near the Salisbury St. Park?  I recall seeing one 
place (Tim's Bait Store?) along the road to the park, but don't know if it's
open or what time.

Hmmm... maybe I'll check out the river this Friday.

Any suggestions as to bait??  Sea worms?  Eels?  Plugs?

-Joe-

    
    There is a bait shop shop on the right abouy a 1/2 mile before the
    reservation. I'm not sure about there hours though. A good place to
    call in advance before coming and also for an update of what's going
    on and the bait styles would be Surf Land on Plum Island. I don't
    know if their number is posted here in the file but 508 area code
    information will be able to supply it.
    
                                                             Guy
    

	There's another bait shop on the way to Salisbury.  I live
	in Charlton MA and take 495 to exit 55, which I think is
	Rt 110 but I'm not positive. Go R off the exit heading east.	
	Within a couple of miles on the left, about a 1/4-1/2 mile 
	before the intersection w/ Rt 1/1A?, is a bait shop offset 
	from the main road.  

	To get to the other bait shop mentioned, you'd continue straight
	through the main intersection and it would be on your right.

	All this striper talk sure has me motivated to finish rebuilding
	the ol' Thompson, which can't come soon enough!

	Ken

    I went back to the Merrimack yesterday-5/24 and did o.k.  I had nine
    schoolies.  The biggest was about 24".
    
    To the guy that was wondering on how to get to the mouth of the
    Merrimack, you just need to take Rt.1.  I always fish on the Plum
    Island side of the river.
    
                          John
    

    
    2 weeks ago, a friend of mine heard that schoolies were running down
    near Cotuit on the cape.  We took a day off and headed down (left MR
    at 4am...) and hit the spot this guy mentioned.  4hrs, nothing.  No
    hits, no baitfish, nothing.  We decided to stick around for the 
    evening tide (7:05pm) and hit a jetty in Osterville.  Other folks were
    hittin, but we didn't have the right gear.  We fealt we learned some
    things, but still no stripers.
    
    Last night we decided to head down early this morning (high tide at
    3:15am).  Made it to Osterville (That's where they were before!) at
    4am.  Fished until 6am...nothing.  No hits, nothing.  We were packing
    up to head back when a guy pulled in next to us and asked if we had
    caught any.  When we said "NO", he said he'd been fishing since 4am,
    and had "HAMMERED" them.  16 fish in 2hrs on his fly rod.  When we
    asked where, (you guessed it!) COTUIT!!!  Same place we were skunked
    last time...
    
    	We may still be "striperless" ...but it was a damn good way to
    start the day...(back in work by 8:30am)...
    
    	maybe this weekend when i launch the boat (hopefully...)
    
    
    jim

    
    
    	BTW, I may head up to the Annesquam Rvr this weekend, (don't want
    	to deal with the Merrimack on Mememorial Day Weekend), and thought
    	maybe I'd spend some time trolling up and down Plum Island...
    
    	If you're out, we'll be in faded Grady White bowrider with a 
    	red boot strip...
    
    
    	jim

	All this talk about Schoolies in the Merrimack is getting to me ;^)

	Not sure what the wife has planned for this weekend but a trip to
	the Merrimack may be in the cards?

	Although I really don't relish the Holiday weekend up there.
	I was there once trying to fish and there were so many boats zipping
	up/dwn the river that Small Crafts Warnings should have been posted 8^0
	The Ocean was glass but the River channel was a choppy mess.

	Fot those interested: 	Surfland Bait & Tackle
				28 Plum Island Boulevard
				Newbury, MA 01951	(right on the Island)
				(508)462-4202		Kay Moulton/Liz Cowie

	P.M. High Tides for the Merrimack this weekend are:
	Friday 5:44pm	Saturday 6:41pm   Sunday 7:38pm   Monday 8:36pm

	Also don't know the name but there is a bait shop just after you
	go right in the center of Salisbury about 1m or so on your right.
	Small place and don't think it's open early for "real" fisherpersons ;^)

	I'll be aboard the "FishTeaser" monitoring VHF CH9 or CB CH19
	-< Tuna Tail >-

    
    
    	I feel the same way about the Merrimack (as mentioned earlier...)
    	On busy weekends like this one, it turns into "Combat Boating"...
    
    	If they're in the MK, they must also be in the Pisq. in Portsmouth,
    	which seems to be a little easier to deal with.  I may try the
    	Annesquam one day, and launch from Hilton Park in Dover after
    	that.
    
    	jim
    
    
    	p.s. Last weekend I heard that someone caught a 38" off the
    	bridge at Wenworth in Little Harbour...
    
    

I had a very good experience at Plum Island this weekend.  I got there about
1pm, right at dead high tide.  I fished out on the jetty for flounder (which
were not to be found, the boats were just leaving the river, apparently 
loaded up, according to others who had been there a while) for a while and
the switched one rod over to a bucktail.  On the beach side, I caught two
small stripers, 14" and 16".  The next several hours produced nothing.  I
left, had dinner, and returned.  From about 7pm to 8:15pm, the stripers were
in the river thick enough to walk on,  finning and breaking bait in all 
directions.  I had my 7' medium action spinning rod with a Penn 5500SS loaded
with 8# test.  The tide went slack at about 7:40, but the action continued
until a little after 8, when I had to leave (for external reasons).  I ended
the night having caught 13 stripers (11 + the two from the afternoon) and a
shad (1-1/2 pounder).  The smallest striper was about 14" and the biggest 
was close to 30" (measured against the rod, which was later measured) and
about 10#.  I convinced about 10 other people to bring their lighter 
equipment on the next trip.  All told, I saw over 100 fish landed and I could
only see about 20 people fishing.  There were easily 75 people there until
the rain came at about 7:30.  A good 50 of them remained right through it.
The folks that were fishing there were all very nice.  I witnessed several
children catching their first striper(s).  A very enjoyable trip.  I'll
go back soon.

Tim

    I was on the lower cape this weekend and fished LaCounts Hollow beach in
    Welfleet. I caught 4 20-24 schoolis on worms in 1.5 hour before
    midnight high tide.
    
    
    Now back to the boat and regularly scheduled cod fishing....
    
    Bruce

    What about Blues in the Hampton-Seabrook areas. I have reservations to
    go out the beginning of July. Has anyone either seen or heard of any
    catches in that area yet.  I have fished for most other species. All
    but not blues.  Please reply if anyone sees or hears. Thanx
    
    Tom at MKO
    
    

 The blues remain several weeks away. They are usually on Stellwagen
a good two weeks or more before they hit the Seabrook/Hampton area.
Striper action is heating up; the keepers are starting to arrive.

    My partner and I finally got to finish the chores on the boat so that
    it could be launched on Mem. day weekend.  Finished up on Sat., and
    headed to R.I. on Sunday morning.  Launched in the N. Kingstown area,
    and we got in the water and out onto the bay just in time for the Air
    Show at Quonsett Point (sp?).  We sat in the bay at the end of the
    runway for the whole show.  We went back on Monday morning and headed
    south, under the Jamestown bridge to do some exploring.  About an hour
    later, she had unfolded one of the seats and was catching some rays
    while I had a couple of lines out trolling.  I came around the north
    end of an island and noticed a couple of boats on the other side of the
    bay and wondered if they were catching anything, as I was not, and
    locals had said there wasn't much happening yet.  I kept watching the
    boats and realized that there was a flock of seagulls "working the
     water".  I had heard/read about this, but had never seen it.
     
     Needless to say, my partner's nap was over.  I went back and started
     reeling the two lines in, and kicking her to wake her up (I was a
     little excited...)
     
     We flew over to the area (6-7 boats by now) and got right in the middle
     of the bluefish school.  They were headed down the channel and we
     chased them for about an hour.  What a BALL

    RE: .30
    
    		It's good manners to fish the edges of such schools...
    	If you go motoring into the middle and put the school down, which
    	happens more often than not, the folks in the other boats may start
    	talking to you in rather loud voices...  They may also wave a digit
    	or two at you. ;^}
    					B.C.

    
    
    	Good point...although I'm not sure how you would have determined
    where the "edges" were...it was pretty spread out.  About the only
    digits that got waved happened when 3-4 sale boats decided to tack on
    over and see what was happening.  Made for some interesting
    interpretaions of "right of way"...
    
    	jim
    

Went out yesterday to the mouth of the Merrimack R., launching from
Salisbury St. Pk.  Fished from 7AM to about 4PM.  Only picked up 3 schoolies.
Saw one keeper landed in the boat next to us (38").  They were trolling
an umbrella rig with live eel.  Lot's of folks out there but the action
was limited, possibly due to unbelievable boating pressure.  Lots of folks
fishing from shore, including fly fishermen.  Saw one guy catch 8-10 stripers
about 10-12" long.  Small, but he had a blast!

As we were launching, we spoke with one guy who was just pulling out.  They
got on the water about 3 AM and had a blast using top water plugs.  They said
they got many schoolies and 2 keepers.  

I think the next time I go out in my little 15 footer it will be 1) on a 
weekday with less boat traffic and 2) much earlier in the AM to get some
topwater action in.

Hey...TunaTail...when we getting together again??

Joe

RE: .33
>>Hey...TunaTail...when we getting together again??

	Joe, Had ya stayed till 5:00pm you would have seen me.

	I decided to go fishing this weekend instead of seeing Rosss Perot
	or continuing my house staining.

	My wife and I stayed at the Susse Chalet in Amesbury Sat night.
	She studied for exam Sat night while my brother and I went fishing
	5:00pm-9:00pm (He needed to get home)
	Only fish that hit was on my light tackle 6-8# test and I told
	my brother to take the rod.  We were trolling and he was holding
	my rod 17# test. I had the light rod in the holder.  He took it and
	I reminded him to not touch the drag.  He fought it for "15sec" as
	the fish was "reel"y zipping the line out as I was slowing the
	FishTeaser down and bringing in the other rod.  The line "SMAPPED"
	I asked what happened and he said the fish was "taking too much line"
	so he "tightened" the drag.  "I was less then amused"  That was the
	only hit of the afternoon and we didn't see much other activity

	We tried sea worms and live eels also.  The hit was on a lure.
	I would have stayed all night but my son was coming at midnight.
	Next note will tell Sunday's Fish Story :-)
	-< Tuna Tail >-

	After my no fish Saturday my wife, my son and I went out at 5:00am
	Launced from the Salisbury State Park ramp.
	Started to troll lures right around Badgers rocks.
	My son nailed a 28" 10# striper right away. (That made his trip)
	I got a smaller one later but didn't measure/weigh it as it was too small
	and I had difficulty getting the hook out.  Swallowed deep :-(
	But she swam away fine.

	No more Stripers caught rest of day on lures, sea worms, live eels
	dynomite....woops just kidding ;-)
	
	It was a beautiful warm day and calm on the river/ocean and even
	the "mouth".  A 14' boat would even do fine at the mouth!!!

	We went out to 90'-100' depths and nailed Mackeral on light tackle for 
	some activity.  My son and I also caught a sea robin apiece while
	doing some bottom fishing for how ha's.

	Not much action in other boats seen.  A few schoolies here/there.
	On way back in 1:00pm ish a boater flagged us down.  His engine
	had seized and he was anchored in the channel near the Plum Island
	moorings.  We towed him back to the Salisbury ramp where he launched 
	from.  He was alone and had fished all week (on vacation) and
	"said" he had caught over 300 fish with 3 keepers.  From the looks
	of him/boat I would believe him.  This was the week but not the 
	"weekend" for stripers.

	Just to add flaver to my stories....On the way home we got a flat
	on our trailer tire.  Naturally I didn't have a spare but while
	getting the car jack out of my car I wondered if my car "doughnut"
	spare would fit?  It did!! and we made it home about 50 miles on it
	on I-495 (rt-117 where we had the flat) to I-290 & I-395 to Oxford ;-)

	I guess I can finish my house staining now :-(
	-< Tuna Tail >-

Thanks for the info on Tim's Bait Shop.  I'll ring the bell.

Any weekend reports?  Any signs of the blues yet?

-Joe-

re:            <<< Note 288.36 by XCUSME::TOMAS "I hate stiff water" >>>

> Any weekend reports?  Any signs of the blues yet?

Yes to the first question (see -1).  Didn't see/hear of any blues,
but I heard they are starting to arrive.   This weekend was a work
the bugs out of the rebuilt boat, and I was being very cautious,
so I didn't head out of the mouth of the river.  No sign of any
blues in the river though.
----

BTW, saw millions of baitfish in the river, but I don't know what
they were.  Too small for pogies or macks.  Any idea what they were ?
One striper was caught by using a strip of mackeral about the same size
while drifting around these schools.

Ken

re:
>>BTW, saw millions of baitfish in the river, but I don't know what
>>they were.  Too small for pogies or macks.  Any idea what they were ?
>>One striper was caught by using a strip of mackeral about the same size
>>while drifting around these schools.


There were a lot of sand eels in the river when I was out.  Long & skinny, 
about 3-5" long.  Saw some larger minnow-like bait, but definitely not pogies.

Any one know if any of the bait stores sell live pogies?

-Joe=

re:            <<< Note 288.38 by XCUSME::TOMAS "I hate stiff water" >>>

> There were a lot of sand eels in the river when I was out.  Long & skinny, 
> about 3-5" long.  Saw some larger minnow-like bait, but definitely not pogies.

I bet that's what they were.  

> Any one know if any of the bait stores sell live pogies?

There's another bait shop on Rt 110 coming from Rt 495/95, a good 1/4-1/2 mile 
before you get to Rt 1, on the left, that sells live pogies.  There's sort
of a small fork in the road, where a small road goes parallel to the main
drag, and the bait shop is on this road.   It was closed at around 5:30 am.

BTW, I noticed a sign on the Sunoco gas station on the main road before the 
big intersection that advertised frozen macks and seaworms.  If they are open
24 hrs, it might be a good place to check if you're out there early.

Ken

    
    Talked with the avid Striper fisherman across from my fathers house
    yesterday and he has been doing real good. He showed me pictures of 
    fish from the early morning. He and a friend caught 8 legal fish
    ranging from 36" to 39" and released all but the first 36" as it was
    the first legal striper the friend had ever caught. He has been doing
    pretty good this week. All fish caught on early saturday morning were
    on live mackeral which he ran out off shore to catch and held in his
    livewell. Oh, he is launching out of Salisbury Reservation also.
    
                                                      Guy
    
    

    
    Went to Plum Island last night and nailed my first blue of the year.
    I was using chunk mack. on the beach front and caught one around
    nine pounds. I lost about three others.  I also caught 2 stripers
    using worms.
    
    As far as bait is concerned, I guess a large school of pogies were
    on the beach front all day Sunday, but there was nothing chasing them.
    
                         John 

    Well I'm going to plum Island tonight after work with a friend of mine.
    This will be my FIRST time surfcasting for blues/stripers. I'm going
    to spags for lunch to pick up some lures. Any suggestions on Hot items?

    re: .last
    
    	I had pretty good luck Saturday morning (1 bass, 1 blue, lots of
    	missed bumps) with something called a 'Tora Tube' - its like a
    	2 oz gitzit with a bullet shaped jig head.
    
    			Robert.

    Finally chartered a boat out of Harwichport this weekend as I could no
    longer handle rejection from the larger stripers. We were originally
    going out at night to take advantage of the full moon but unfortunately
    we were fogged out and I couldn't make it Sunday night so we scheduled
    to meet at 4:00a.m..
    
    Began fishing around 5:15 a.m. about an hour out of Harwichport. The 
    captain wisely passed right by Monomoy as he said the place would be
    overcrowded. We were fishing the rips at a steady trolling speed with
    squid imitators (bucktail jigs with porkrind).
    
    There were three of us not counting the captain and mate. Each had
    their own pole and was responsible for jigging the bucktail in a squid
    like fashion. My wife (of course) got the first hook up. A 33" striper!
    I thought we were going to lose her overboard with that first one but
    once she got the hang of it she wrestled it in.
    
    We picked up and moved as there didn't seem to be anything else there.
    At the second sight all h*ll broke loose. My wife hooked up again!
    While I was cursing my misfortune my arms were being pulled out of the
    boat. A double hook up!!! Both these fish were in the 34" range but ex-
    trememly healthy. Fish were measured and released all three poles in
    the water and bang I got one on. My buddy has one on and so does my
    wife.
    
    This was unbelievable. These fish were strong and healthy. All three
    landed and one keeper 36.5" estimated weight was 27lbs. This went on
    for about two hours. All the stripers except one were 33"+ but only one
    was a keeper. We also had some blues mixed in my largest being about
    18lbs.
    
    All total we landed about 20 stripers and 7 blues. All large and
    healthy fish. I personally landed 7 stripers and 4 blues so when the
    fishing got slow I was more than ready for a rest.
    
    I take my hat off to the captain. He was really into the fishing at one
    point he also threw a line in and started jigging hooking up and
    handing the pole to my wife who was trying everything she could to not
    hook up as she ran out of juice quickly while fighting these bruisers.
    
    So if any of you land bound striper fishermen want to get it out of
    your system get some guys together and call Tom Szado (508)-432-2876.
    His prices are negotiable and so are his times and I gaurantee you sore
    arms. Hopefully I'll be able to make a night time excursion under the
    full moon this year.
    
    What a blast!!!
    
    Bob M�
                                        

Hmmm...

It's been pretty quiet in here lately.  Has anyone had any decent action in
Salisbury??  Are the blues in yet?  I'd like to get out real soon again but
don't want to go unless the stripers/blues are hitting well.

If they are hitting, what's been the "hot" setup?

Hey, Tuna-Tail...what's da scoop?

Joe

Joe,
	Boat has been in the yard since 13-Jun when we got the Flat on
	the trailer.

	This weekend the FishTeaser saw some action....
	Good news is that my daughter juli 13 is ok
	Good news is that my John Deere riding mower/tractor is ok
	Bad news is they hit the FishTeaser and knocked it off the
	cinder blocks holding her up :-(
	Good news is I still had the jack extended and resting on a cinderblock
	so it only fell about 12" or so ;-)

	Too much action at work :-(
	Still have to stain two porches :-(

	Will let ya know when I have time for gathering at Salisbury?
-< Tuna Tail >- 

	PS: YES my daughter is still alive ;-)

	Lots of stripers on sunday around badgers rocks at Salisbury.
	I went out for a few hours and managed to bring 2 on board, one 
	small one and another at 35" and *heavy*.   Lost at least 3 more 
	which were definitely around keeper size judging from the *great* 
	fights and from what I saw as the fish surfaced, just before the 	
	line would break (on about 3 different occasions).  Must be some 
	sharp rocks to cut through 50 lb leader (attached to 30 lb line)!  
	Great action all around though.   

	I used cut pogies, but some guys using live pogies cleaned up early
	in the morning.  So how does one go about finding and catching yer 
	own live pogies ?  I have a weighted treble for snagging through a 
	school, but how do you find the schools ?  

	Saw no blues at all, and according to Tim's bait, they are "spotty".
	
	Made it out past the mouth, and saw some boats, but saw no blues.
	Incredibly strong currents on sunday all throughout the river!
	Without a good anchor, you'd be limited to what areas you could fish.

	Ken

Thanx for the update, Ken.

re: catching pogies

They only way I've ever caught them is by ripping a weighted treble through 
a school.   You can usually find a sizeable school by either watching the 
surface for boils or watch the gulls.  May sure the hooks are very sharp.  
I've heard of folks who just leave the pogie on the treble after it's been 
snagged.  Since it's wounded, it acts as such and will attract a hungry 
striper.

Otherwise, you have to net them which requires a license.

So you broke off a couple using 30# line?  Hmmm... I guess I better be 
ready to lose some as I use much lighter line, usually 15-20# test.

Hey, Tuna-T...  boy!  It seems that every time we hear from you that you've 
got a big Tail 'o Woes!  Can the excuses ... the hell with the porch ...
GET ON THE WATER!!  Gotta get those priorities straight!

Joe

    .47 I also had the line break on one of my fish. It was "Wire" line no
    less with 50lb. monofilament backing and that's where it broke. On the
    monofilament. My only experience with stripers were small schoolies in
    the 15 to 20" class. So when I hooked into these bruisers it was a
    whole new ball game. I thought the captain was trying to be dramatic
    when he brought out those rod seats that you put around your waist.
    He wasn't.........
    
    I saw the fish that broke my line when he came out of the water and he
    was by far the biggest of the day. Too bad I lost him :*(. I'll get him
    next time. I just wish he didn't have a 100' of wire line stuck to him.
    
    As far as the pogies go. My brother-in-law and myself would often find
    them swimming around the harbors and river mouths. We just always
    seemed to get lucky. Other times we would see the gulls dive boming
    while the blues themselves were working them up.
    
    Now that I think about it. I didn't see any pogies this weekend and
    hardly heard of any blues either. I wonder if they are on the
    decline???
    
    Bob M�

 re: pogies

 Pogies will break the surface at dawn and dusk. It's easy to identify them
once you've seen a pod because they break water in a distinctive way.

 During the day, keep your eyes peeled for "nervous" water. Small ripples
in the water where there's no corresponding wind is a definite tipoff. Also
sometimes you'll see a dark spot in the water where you know there's no
rocks/seaweed. The school may be pinned against the beach by predators
(particularly during an east wind) and you can try dragging your weighted 
treble through the school.

re;            <<< Note 288.48 by XCUSME::TOMAS "I hate stiff water" >>>

> So you broke off a couple using 30# line?  Hmmm... I guess I better be 
> ready to lose some as I use much lighter line, usually 15-20# test.

30 lb line w/ 3 feet of 50lb leader.  I don't think the line broke from
tension, it broke because it was cut on sharp rocks/shells.   Though 
fighting a ?lb 36" range striper with a current as fast + furious as the
merrimac was on sunday does put a lot of strain on the line.  Still though,
the drag was set way before the line-breaking point, and it looked cut.

re: pogies

I've seen the bubbling before from pogies, but not around the merrimac.
I think it was in the Fore River in Weymouth where a commercial netter
was scooping em up.

Any particular spots to look for in the merrimac ?

Ken

    joe,
    	Wish I could can the excuse...
    	I need some as I called the wife around 1/2 hr ago and she
    	wasn't amused I'm still at work 10:30pm....so far :-(
    
    	Working some stuff with two consultants in California via
    	telephone and FAX.  We don't have data lines hooked up :-(
    
    	Nice to read the reports and dream a bit ;-)
    -< Tuna Tail >-

    Went to plum Island last night with a friend of mine. Fished from 6:30
    to 9:30. Rich caught 1 schoolie on sea worm (25 inches) and I caught
    1 blue (20 inches) on a bomber. I talked to a regular and he said it
    was a slow night.

    
    Fished my secret spot in NH last night.  Fished 7 to 10 pm.  Hooked
    up a 34 " using live eels.   I had 2 dozen hits on my eels through the
    night.  They must have been little guys.  They would run with the eel
    but I couldn't set the hook.  I was getting PO'ed after awhile.  I
    might try again tonight.  I think low tide is about 7 PM.
    
    Ken

   The Merrimack is not a sure thing but still a pretty good bet.  The
   choppers were all over the Joppa Flats yesterday morning.  One of the
   guys wading was into them.  They disappeared about 9:30.  As
   frustrated as I was with the wind I caught and released 4 and a 
   couple decided to keep the fly.  I knew I should have packed my wife's
   spinning rod....

   The birds signaled stripers chasing bait on the Newburyport side of
   the #15 can around noon time.  I released 4 healthy schoolies and quit
   early.  There were enormous schools of sand eels to compete with in
   enticing these fish but it does get the heart pumping.

   I've gained quite a bit from this file and from the flyfishing file
   and from the folks at American Anglers in Salem NH about the river and
   I have much more to learn.  I only flyfish so this might seem self
   serving but so what....  Treat these fish as you would a fresh water
   bass.  Use artificial lures and baits when possible.  A gut hooked
   fish with the hook left in may swim away and die months later. It
   really bums me out to see a 24" striper floating belly up.   If you
   are still reading....  I crush all my barbs...  you don't have to beat
   a bluefish into unconsciousness to retrieve your lure.  These fish are
   releasable if you pay them some respect.  Just a bit more and I'm 
   done... - to catch more fish....  sharpen your hooks; two chain saw
   files held side by side will put a quick point on your hook. Don't
   anchor up - you will cover more ground, ergo more fish will see your
   offering if you drift.  And lastly, if you want to catch blues
   retrieve your lure as fast as you can - slow don't work.  Oh, one
   thing - watch for the birds diving; I can't believe how many
   folks are oblivious to this..

    re: 54
    
    Ken, I've had nights like that too, where you get lots of pickups
    and very few hookups.  It can really drive you crazy.  I'm not
    sure it is just small fish.  I wonder if the fish are feeding on other
    foods, such a pogies and just playing with the eel.  It may be
    a coincidence, but I've noticed that more when there is phosphorus
    (sp?) in the water.
    
    Good luck,
    Mark
    

    
    Anybody know what the tides are for this saturday morning? (7/10)
    This is for the Merrimac river. Tuna Tail if you or anybody
    else for that matter are going to be around, it looks like 
    Gus and I are going to be at the ramp at 4:30a.m. Maybe earlier
    depending on the tide. Look for us if you can make it, gray/white 
    ford truck, red/white 14ft glastron boat.
    
    Walt

re                       <<< Note 288.57 by ESKIMO::BING >>>

    
>    Anybody know what the tides are for this saturday morning? (7/10)


	I only have the pm tide: 5:01.  If you get to the ramp around
	4:30 am, you'd be there right around high tide or so.

	Ken

    
    Thanks Ken. And yes I will pick up a tide chart so I don't
    have to keep bothering you folks 8')
    
    
    Walt

Walt,
	Can't make the Merrimack again :-(
	Tonight Fri 4:09pm High Tide
	        Sat 4:53pm High Tide
		Sun 5:40pm High Tide

	I may take Next Friday off.
	Got VAXmail from Simon Moxley from England.
	I took him out last year and he caught lot's of Blues.
	He's flying in this Saturday and will be in PKO next week.
	We are planning to fish Fri pm and maybe an all nighter?

	Will let all of ya know schedule in case your around
	Again will launch from Salisbury State Park Ramp
	Most likely will try to be there before afternoon rush :-)

	-< Tuna Tail >-

    Well I took the familey out to Markey's (sp?) seafood place across from
    Browns in Salisbury or Seabrook and as we were sitting on the deck
    waiting for our order I witness some kids throwing some food over the
    railing and into a body of water. I dont know if its a river or what
    but I was shocked to see at least 15 stripers flashing around eating 
    whatever they could get before the Seagulls got it. Most look like they
    were in the 22-30 inch but there were 2 that were Huge. I wonder if
    Markey's will allow you to do some fishing from the deck while u eat?
    :-)
    
    Is this common at this spot??

    I witnessed the same thing a couple of months ago. There were two guys 
    fishing from the rocks on the side of the deck but they couldn't hook into
    them. It was funny cause they came in to eat and they sat outside on
    the deck while it was cold and misty outside. They brought with them
    two drop lines and were trying to fish nonchalantly;') They still
    couldn't hook into them though! 
    
    A couple of weeks after that, I tried fishing from the rocks. I figured
    I could cast under the deck but I hit the tide wrong. Low tide really
    is low there!
    
    Gus 

	Is there a general rule of thumb for when to fish say, 
	the Merrimac, with respect to when the tides are ?   Seems 
	like whenever I've gone out there, high tide is around noon 
	or so.   So arriving at dawn means you arrive at low tide,
	and it seems to be great fishing until high tide, when action
	slows down.  I suspect that the stripers go up river, but have
	no experience finding them.

	What I'm wondering is how's the fishing if you arrive at high
	tide and fish through the low ?    Like this weekend high tide
	is around 5 or 6.  So arriving at dawn means you'd fish from
	high through low tides.

	Any comments ?	

	Ken

 Re: Markey's

 Try using french fries for bait, with no sinker. No kidding. That's
what the're eating, so match the "hatch." Some guy got a 40 lb'er
that way last year...

    Yea but with french fries u would be hooking more seagulls then fish.
    
    How does 1 take a hook out of a bird? :-)

Well, Tim "Lucky" Lucia and hit the Merrimack out of Salisbury on Saturday 
night using my 15' boat.  We got on the water about 7:30 P.M. and fished to 
about 1 P.M.

I had my first striper (24" long) on within 5 minutes using seaworms.  I 
proceeded to pick up two more up to 28" before Tim finally connected.  In 
all, we picked up 5 fish up to 28-30".  All the action came between 7:30 
and 9:30 drifting the outgoing tide from the Toothpick to Badger's Rocks.  
We later anchored and tried live eels, but not even a pickep.  No one was 
doing anything after dark.  We had worms, mackeral and eels with us, but all 
the fish came on worms bounced off the bottom.  

It was a great night out there and the air was fantastic.  Except for one
real JERK who came within 20' of us and put up a *HUGE* wake while we were
on a drift (with all lights on), it was relatively calm.  Needless to say, I 
did yell out a couple of profanities as did another guy trolling nearby.

Gotta get ou there again real soon.

Joe

    I had an 'interesting' experience at Salisbury State park early
    Saturday morning. Got there around 5 AM (as usual), stopped at
    the gate and told the attendent that I was going in to do a little
    fishing (as usual), and was told - 'Nope. You can't go in without a
    pass - and you can't get one until 7:30 AM'. First time I've ever had
    a problem - I noticed as I first entered the park that a few cars with
    trailered boat were leaving, I wonder if this kid at the gate told them
    the same thing?
    I ended up trying the Plum Island side - could see plenty of fish
    hitting bait in the channel, but nothing at all in close.
    
    I wonder if this is SOP for the park and I have just been lucky for
    the last 3 years.
    
    			Robert.
    

    I went into Salisbury at 6:20 and didn't have a problem. I told one of
    the two at the "gate" that I wanted a seasons' pass which he said I
    would have to get on the way out. There was one smart "a" that tried to
    tell me I owed $5 and I ignored him and kept going. 
    We didn't fo that great either as we only picked up one bluefish. No
    stripers, although I took my boat outside the jetties and saw a whale
    about 60 feet in front of my boat. I was only in 60 feet of water and
    1/2mile off shore. ( I had my Loran turned on). It'll be interesting to
    see how the pictures come out.
       Sorry about your luck. This is the first time I had heard of anyone
    being turned away, although I had heard it is the rule that if you
    don't have a seasons' pass you're suppposed to go by their hours.
           John  A.k.A. "Capt. Pepe"

    My mind has gone up in smoke so I need some help.
    
    	Fishing the river at plum Island when is the best time to fish?
    Is it and hour before till and hour after low tide?

    As for the questions on "best tide" for the Merrimack, most of my
    success as been on the top of the outgoing tides.  I believe that has
    to do with how and where you fish.  I think others do well at other
    tides, but I haven't figured out how to do that yet.
    
    I'm amazed at the lack of fish reports from the weekend.  I was out
    friday morning.  We caught a few undersized stripers and maybe 50
    small bluefish.  They were up the river on both sides of the rt 1
    bridge absolutely nailing some small baitfish.  We had a ball on
    light tackle and surface plugs.  They were jumping clear out of the
    water all around us.  They saved what was otherwise a very frustrating
    morning.
    
    Mark
    

Anybody got any reports from Cape Cod. I was in Eastham over the weekend
and Fished Sunken Meadow. I didn't have any luck, one person caught 
a blue (small). I'm Heading back to Eastham for  next week for a couple of
weeks and every weekend through August. I hope to have some luck or I'll
go back to clamming.

          Mike

    
    	Anybody out there fishing the cape ??
    
    	Eastham, outter beaches, baysides, maybe south cape in Maspee??
    
    	Getting set to go on vacation(fishing), I haven't seen many 
    	people referencing their cape expeditions...
    
    	Todd

    
    	Re: -.2  WOW! At least there's one person out there thinking
    		fishing exactly like myself...8^)
    
    	

    Well Walt Bing and myself went out striper fishing saturday morning
    and this is how it pretty much went.

    3:30m am Walt arrives at my house. We load up his gear in my boat and 
    a quick stop to dunkin donuts and off we go. At @4:30 am we're at Tims
    bait shop. A quick look at the sign, hours open at 5:00am on saturdays 
    and sunday. Arrgghhh. Trying to remember were the notes file mentioned
    another bait shop and couldn't. We wait intil 4:45 and decide to ring the
    bell, just a quick ring incase he is up! 5:00 am he opens. We pick up 
    some eels and, 2 boxes of sea worms and a mackeral. We're off again.

    Arrive at the Salsbury State Park and to our dismay we get the same
    response as someone mentioned earlier, sorry we can't let you in until
    7:30 am without a seasonal pass. Double arrrgghh. Off to the Newburyport
    State launch.

    Finally get out on the water, about 6:00 am. As were heading towards
    the mouth we notice the sand eels are breaking the surface around us
    with a few bass breaking with them! Walt decides to drift a sea worm
    and I throw on a Rappala. Still no hits and we can see them breaking the
    surface here and there!

    We move the boat back up towards the Newburyport bridge and start
    throwing popers at them. Walt gets a quick hook up with me hooking up to 
    one right after his. It was great, we lost a few and hooked onto two
    each. There was this one bass that gave us a great show, jumping at my
    poper several times, just missing it, all the way up to the boat. As the 
    outgoing tide got worse so did the fishing. We tried the eels after that 
    and the worms but there was too much boat activity going on.

    All in all it was a good time and we got to see the mighty current up close 
    near the rocks, boy that sure isstrong! No keepers this time but I'll be
    back out come saturday;')


    Gus


    P.S. We talked to a couple at the boat luanch as we were leaving, and 
    they had been there since 2:00 am, there hottest time was from 5:00 am on
    were they eached caught and released 16 or so bass each.

    

    Fished monday night for a short while 7:00 pm to 8:30 at plum
    Island/merrimack river and got skunked along with a friend. About 30
    people fishing from shore. I saw only 1 schoolie caught during this
    time. We had intended to fish till 1 a.m. but the bugs/fleas were at
    an all time BAD.

    re: Eastham....
    
    I'm stay in Eastham the week of 7/24 - 7/30. In the past I have
    fished from shore and usually go to the ocean side beaches at
    night 2 hours before high tide. I have caught schoolies at 
    La Counts hollow in Wellfleet. I also got a bluefish at a beach in
    truro. Once 2 years ago the blues ran the beach at cooks brook
    a 2PM and I had some real fun.
    
    This year I'm bringing the boat and mooring it at Wellfleet harbor.
    Any one have suggestions on places to starting fishing on the
    bay?
    
    Bruce

    We caughts blues on the NW corner yesterday in the AM. Had 2
    quadruple hooks to start the day!. Big fish was 13.5lbs.
    
    Bruce

    Bruce, from my days fishing the bay, the places I remember were "The Path"
    off of Wellfleet, the area around the Target Ship, Wood End and
    Wellfleet Harbor itself. Of all the places, The Path was probably the
    best. This info is several years old since I haven't fished the Cape in
    over 5 years, but it might be a decent starting point.
    
    Wooden head hoochies on the outriggers seemed to work well along with 
    Rapalas or lead-head hoochies on flat lines.
    
    Good luck. 
    
    Art
    

re:76
This Past weekend they were catching the blues in Wellfleet harbor and
cahoons hollow. I had the kids with me and they were not in the mood 
to go chasing through Wellfleet this past weekend. 
 Where abouts do you stay when in Eastham ?


          Mike

re: Salisbury St. Pk hours

Since the park won't let you in before 7:30 AM, can you post directions for
the Newburyport launch ramp.  I'd generally be coming in from Rt 1 north from 
NH.

Thx.

Joe

    For the guys heading down to the Cape I posted a report in here (.44).
    If you want to get into some serious fishing he is the man to speak
    with. His hours and his pay are flexible.
    
    If you want to try from shore when I was down there for the 4th the 
    Herring River was producing both schoolies and keepers. The keepers
    were caught all the way up at the marsh which is strange and the
    schoolies were being caught at dead low tide. I think (which isn't
    often) that the lack of baitfish was moving the keepers to go further
    up the river in search of.
    
    Bluefish seemed nonexistent from shore (at least around the Harwichport
    area). My wife doesn't let me travel too far from home these days :^(
    so I can't tell you what was happening anywhere else.
    
    The Worcester Telegram on Friday's gives an excellent fish finder
    report for the Mass area. He was dead on the money as far as the Cape
    went on the 4th of July.
    
    If you like I can give out some of the report Friday Morning.
    
    Hope this helps......
    Bob M �

    We rent a house near cooks brook beach on the bay. My boat will bw
    in Wellfleet.
    
    Bruce

    	Bruce,
    
    	There is some deep water gulleys just out from Wellfleet Harbor 
    	that draw Tuna later in the season that are targetable spots.
    
    	The blues and stripers run through these areas, "the gut" is 
    	a famous spot on the bayside of Great island, in wellfleet harbor.
    
    	Most of the boats head up to race point, or down to the target ship
    	and use their fish finders to locate the deeper holes in the floor 
    	where during the day the stripers sometimes lurk.
    
    	13.5 is a nice blue, I've heard people say the fish are bigger, but
    	I've only ran into sub 10 pounders...?
    
    	I'm on my way to Eastham this coming week, 17-24, but the weekends
    	and certain week-night tides are reserved for fishing the rest of 
    	the way till end of the season.
    
    	T_C

Bruce,
 We used to stay on cooks brook beach rd until we bought the trailer.
Be careful and check the chart close on wellfleet. We had a friend who spent
the night on a sandbar waiting for the tide to come back in. 
 They called the coast guard, Cost guard had them count to ten and 
back, not for direction finding but for sobriety. The coast guard had
the Orleans police go tell thier wives they would not be home tonight.
That does not go over to big especially if you have plans.

                 Mike

    I've tried fishing the Merrimack several times at Plum Island from
    the beach and the river is flowing so fast that shortly after my cast
    my weight and bait are down stream. Should I continue to increase the
    weight until it holds bottem or what should I be doing??

    Just out of curiosity.... Has anyone been fishing at the LAwrence dam
    in the Merrimack? Are strippers still around?
    
    Steve

    re:80
    
    As you go over the Newburyport bridge, rt 1, you'll take a right , a left
    would take you over to plumb island, you follow that road maybe a few
    hundred yards and it's on your right. There will be a sign that says
    parking and a little ways after that sign is the state launch. 
    
    Gus
    
                                         

About weights-- Depends on what you are fishing.  I've found it very successful
to have mack chunks or worms bounce along the bottom.  How fast is a function
of weight.  You are better off having the bait drift, but how fast you can 
afford is a function of how many people are around.  In a boat, you use the 
minimum amount of weight to maintain periodic contact with the bottom.  Both
the boat and the bait drift in this case.  From shore, you fish an arc, which
can be as small as 30 degrees or as wide as 120 degrees, depending on how close
other people are fishing.  A five or six ounce weight is about right.  When it 
drifts down stream and starts to come towards shore, reel it in an fire it out
again.

Later,
Tim

    I "may" be going to the Merrimack tommorrow 15-Jul Thursday ;-)
    Simon Moxley from Digital England will be meeting me at the
    Salisbury State Park Ramp around 6:00pm-6:30pm.
    Simon was visiting last year and came aboard the FishTeaser and did
    quite well catching Blue's.  Hope to have him bring in a Striper
    this year.
    
    I will be towing the FishTeaser to DAS Dascomb Road in the am 
    I'll work the morning but most likely will head out around lunch :-)
    
    If any of you's are around the Merrimack from say 2:00pm-11:00pm
    tommorrow flag us down or call me on VHF 9 / CB 19
    
    -< Tuna Tail >- aka Dick

Well, Tuna-Tail... did you make it out yesterday??  Wind was a tad stiff, eh?

I'm thinking about heading out some afternoon/eve next week, depending on 
tides and weather.

Any signs of the blues in numbers??

-Joe-

-joe-
	Ya I did go out last Thursday 15 July
	Here's the "Tail"
	
	6:00am left Oxford heading North I-395 with daughter Kelley (9yrs old)
	6:15am Blow Out on Trailer Tire I-290 Worcester :-(
	7:00am Arrive at Boat Dealer in Shrewsbury using car doughnut tire ;-)
	       Dealer not open till 7:30am so we go for breakfast.
	7:30am Get new tire/rim $105.00 and I put it on trailer.
	9:00am Arrive at work in DAS Andover (All boat gear stuffed in car)
       12:30pm Leave work for Merrimack River and put all stuff back in boat
	       Go to Surfland Bait & Tackle and get Seaworms, eels, frozen macks
	       and other supplies.
	4:00pm Launch FishTeaser and go fishing (Nothing)
	       Launching was interesting as I have no parking brakes on my car
	       and it would not hold the boat in any gear :-(
	       Kelley too small to hold boat during launch so I tied the boat
	       to the trailer and zip it off.  After the FishTeaser was afloat
	        the car was ok to hold steady on ramp in gear. Motor off ;-)
	6:00pm Back at Salisbury State Park ramp and pick up Simon Moxley 
	       Digital England for his 2nd trip on FishTeaser
       	       It was a beautiful evening.  Some pretty good offshore breezes but
	       they were warm all evening and the water was not too choppy.
	       Fishing was lousy and nobody else was doing much.  We saw one
	       fish caught and released.  Looked like a small schoolie.
	       Simon caught a small skate off shore in front of the church using
	       sea worms.
	       Kelley brought up a large crab using cut Mackerel.
	       I was skunked :-(
	9:30pm ish MAYDAY call from vessel off Marblehead.  Person fell overboard
	       and was out.  They requested immediate CPR help.  We were anchored
	       off Badgers so no way we could be of assisatance.  Monitored call
	       and Coast Guard was on their way.  More info from vessel in 
	       distress was that person had been eating and drinking "heavily"
	       Coast Guard wanted them to clear the person's airway to start
	       CPR if needed.  Apparenly the person fell overboard and no-one
	       noticed for a bit.  He may have been in the water a bit untill
	       they found him.  I received no other info.  The boat was heading
	       full speed to Marblehead.
       10:30pm Got boat to ramp.  This time I had Simon sit in my car to hold
	       the break down as I drove the FishTeaer onto the trailer.
	       Great idea but now I had to play switch with Simon who's 6'3"
	       and every time he tried to get out the car would inch it;s way
	       into the Merrimack.  So I told Simon to haul her out.  He seamed
	       a tad confused and needed the overhead light turned on to see
	       which pedal was which and the shift etc???  Anyway after careful
	       coaching from me he hauled her out without even screaching the
	       tires.  I said he did a great job and he say's not bat for
	       someone who doesn't drive a standard car and who normally drives
	       on the "Right" side of the car ;-)

	Anyway as we all agreed it was a beautiful clear warm breeze of an
	afternoon/night.  The sunset was beautuful and it was relaxing.
	At least we know the fish will be there next time ;-)

	-< Tuna Tail >-  more to come..... 

Geez, T-T ...  it's getting so that I enjoy your stories of getting to and 
from the ramp better than what you actually did (or didn't) do on the water!!

-Joe-

-joe-
	Glad ya preciate a good yarn now un then.
	Specially a true one :-0

	Makes me wonder if anyone will show up for the Noter's gathering
	at the Merrimack this year?

	Me being a portrayer of nasty luck un all.

-< Tuna Tail >-

    
    I/m back from vacation and wanted to add two things to the report
    Gus put in last week. Like Gus had said we were fishing in and around a
    big school of sand eels when 2 guys came by and we heard one say to the
    other," They're wasting their time those are only sand eels breaking
    the surface". 5 minutes later we were into fish. We had that whole
    section to ourselves. The top water action was great, when we first
    pulled up I threw out a sea worm and set up my 6'6" rhino rod with
    a Zara Spook. A fish jumped and I threw the spook at him. As soon
    as the spook hit the water two things happened, the fish started
    slapping the heck out of the spook and my other rod almost went into
    the drink. It was bent in half so I grabbed it, set the hook and
    figured oh boy this ones a keeper. Meanwhile my other rod is dancing
    around with a bass on it. What to do what to do! I finally realize
    my big rod has the bottom so when Gus rushed over to lend a hand
    I naturally gave him that rod and picked up the other with a fish on.
    It was alot of fun but as the tide went out the fishing slowed to
    nothing. I'm trying to talk Gus into going this saturday so *maybe*
    we'll have another report next Monday.
    
    Walt

    Saturday I went out again and I took my cousin John with me this time.
    We launched out of the Newburyport and where fishing by 6:30 am. We 
    fished over on the left hand side after the bridge and where using
    poppers and striper jigs. Total catch for the day was 10 stripers and
    one flounder. No keepers, no blues but a fun time. 

    Now if I can only figure out why my 28 HP Evinrude keeps running 
    on one cylinder and not two! 
    
    Gus

    RE: 288.95
    
    	If you were running a 28hp Evinrude on one of two cylinder's
    	does that mean you only had a 14hp motor on the Merrimack?
    
    	;-)
    
    	-< Tuna Tail >-
    	

     Aaaa Yup thats a right;') I guess I better fix it before I get into real
    trouble on the Mighty Merrimack. So when are ya heading out again Tuna
    Tail??? If I can fix it before the weekend, I just might take Walt with
    me saturday... 
    
    
    Gus

I'm thinking about heading out Friday afternoon into the evening.

What's the tides for Salisbury?

Anyone else heading out Friday?

-Joe-

I'll be heading out one night this week but not sure which.

			Jim

    I'll be fishing the Merrimack at Plum Island tomorrow from 5ish to 9
    ish. Low tide is around 7:15 tomorrow night (I think). Will be looking
    for my 1st keeper. I'll be on land though :-(

    Joe,
    
    High tide for the Merrimac River on Friday is 3:14 PM. Add about
    12Hrs20 Min. for AM and you're all set.
    
       John  Who will be on my "FiSH-I-DO" on Sunday morning early. I start
    Vacation Sat., so I'll be out next week also. I've got a 22Ft. SYLVAN
    with a hand crafted hard top.
    
    

    Gus,
    	Looks like a few Noters may make it Fri/Sat or Sun.
    	The FishTeaser is ready to go.  I just mounted the spare tire
    	bracket on her last night so ready for next flat on our
    	wonderful road "destruction" network ;-)
    
    	I may try to go.  May drive FishTeaser to DAS Andover as it's
    	only 20 miles to Merrimack and fish aftterwork.  Maybe stay
    	the night and fish early am HighTide into the day Saturday?
    	Will check with the boss at home and see what her and the
    	girls schedule is this weekend.
    
    	Anyone else want to try and do a noters rendevous this weekend?
    	If so we will need to pick a time/place best for most.
    
    	Reply with day/times you could make it.
    
    	I may be able to do Fri pm/Sat/Sun anytime at Salisbury State Park
    	launch ramp.  If anyone can take a boatless noter indicate.
    	I took 3 along last year.  This year if family joins me I'll
    	have 4 aboard and that's my max for fishing.  If they don't I'll
    	be happy to have some noters join me.  Will let you know tommorrow. 
                                                                           
    	-< Tuna Tail >- Dick aboard FishTeaser 19' SeaNymph White/Blue
    			     center console 70hp Johnson FLAG FLYING HIGH
    			     monitor CB CH19 and VHF CH9

	I'd love to make a noters gathering, but this weekend, and
	the next, is out.    Wedding sat (dammit! ;-), flight to CA
	on sun, and I'll be in CA for the week, returning on the sat 
	the 31st.  After that, pretty much open, though it looks like
	a day off during the week would work out best.

	Hoping to avoid another disaster on the Merrimac this time!
	(xref note 1071 in boating).   The water is out of the system,
	new plug threads installed, and the hole in the boat is almost
	fixed!  

	Ken

Friday is looking pretty good right now.  Seeing as high tide is just 
after 3 PM, I'll probably leave work around 1 PM to catch the tide change.  
I may have a friend with me.  Depending on how the fishing is, we'll stay 
to the low tide change. 

No radidio...I'll be in my 14� blue Princecraft w/25 Merc (tiller steering... 
no console) and bow mounted electric motor.  Will mostly be hanging out 
drifting the Toothpick down to Badger's Rocks and beyond and maybe just 
across on the opposite side of the river hitting the tidal rifts.  May also 
try upriver a ways to the rock pile on the left near the first group of 
anchored boats (don't know the name of 'em) and maybe even up to the bridge.

Joe

    Anybody fish the Merrimack last night around Plum Island? I'm waiting
    for 4 oclock to come around this afternoon so I can wet my line this
    evening and wondering if my "keeper" is still waiting for me?

Any signs of the blues in the Merrimack?  I know a few have been taken but
they've been real hit or miss.

Are the pogies in yet?

Still planning to hit Salisbury tomorrow afternoon.  Anyone else planning to
be out there?

Joe

    It looks like a saturday may be a go for me. I'll be putting in a
    couple of coils and plug wires in tonight, if all goes well, I'll
    take it out on a lake tomorrow night to check it out.
    
    
    Gus
    

    Last night surf fishing the Merrimack from Plum Island was slow once 
    again. I picked up 1 schoolie (about 27") on a eel but that was it.
    Only saw 2 more schoolies beached and released from 6 to 9:30 pm.
    
    
    	Mr Keeper Is still playing games with me. :-(

    Joe,Gus,
    	Looks like you both will be there Sat afternoon.
    	I did not bring the FishTeaser to Andover today.
    	Most likely will be in the Merrimack late morning Saturday.
    	I will launch from Salisbury State Park Ramp.
    	If the FishTeaser is on the water you will know as my car
    	towing her is an 88' Grand Prix SE White with PEROT stickers ;-)
    
    -< Tuna Tail >- aka Dick 4 PEROT

DIck,

I'm heading out TODAY (Friday) ... will be on the water just about high tide
(3 PM or so).  I'm not sure that I want to have to deal with all the boat
traffic and "crazies" that are on the water on the weekends, especially in
my little 15' boat.  The last time I was out with Tim Lucia, a couple of 
jerks came r-e-a-l close while we were drifting and damn near swamped us.
Good thing that I didn't have a gun aboard.  Hmmmm...I do have a flare 
gun... nasty, eh?

Good luck.  Let's compare notes on Monday.

Joe

    Joe,
    	I know your on the water now but wanted to send this anyway.
    	I'll be on the water tommorrow around noon ish and fish/boat till
    	around 5:00pm or so.
    
    	Sunday I am driving to the Cape to go with my brother-in-law on
    	his 27' boat and fish off Chatham light.  He called the house today
    	and my wife called me here in Andover to ask if I could "help" him.
    	As he cannot handle the boat and fish alone :-)
    
    	It  was a tough decision ......NOT
    
    	Fishing report will be posted on Monday.
    	Hopefully not another Fish Tail ;-)
    	-< Tuna Tail >-

    I went out in the Merrimack yesterday (Thursday).  Put in at the public
    ramp in Newburyport about 5 AM.  We fished badger rocks, trolled up and
    down the jetty with lures for a few hours and got skunked.  We saw only
    two stripers get taken, both on live pogies. (They looked short to me,
    but I didn't see anything get thrown back.)
    
    As the tide came in we got some live eels, went back to the rocks,
    trolled the marsh, still nothing.  The wind turned pretty fierce as the
    day went on so we bailed out at full high tide.
    
    Hope its better for you guys this weekend
                                             

        
    WOW! What a trip report I have! It's sort of long so here's
    the short version first. It consisted of almost not going, 3hrs
    sleep, a burglary, a new nickname for Gus, a huge 30" striper, and
    not 1 not 2 not 3 not even 20 but 25 stripers total! The best day
    of striper fishing I have ever had. Gus did okay too I guess 8')
    
    Anyway we almost didn't go cause the tide was at 3:30 and we didn't
    want to get up at 1 to go so we decided to get up at 2 and head out.
    I stayed at Gus' friday night and didn't get much sleep but we had
    a good time shootin the bull. Drove to the newburyport ramp and saw the
    lights on at the tackle shop right before the brige. He doesnt open till
    5 a.m. but we stopped anyway and asked if he was really open. He
    laughed and said he didnt have a choice, someone had used a crowbar to
    force open his door then they stole his cash register. So to be nice
    guys we offered to buy 2 dozen seaworms and headed out. Got to our
    "spot" and tossed poppers, didnt get nothing till the sun came up then
    the fun started. Bass were breaking all over the place. I was using
    an 8' med action rod with a creek chub popper and Gus was using a
    popper designed for blues. The one with a single hook in the back.
    Anyway not that I keep score but before I knew it I had Gus beat 12-13
    fish to 1. He was threatening to throw me overboard but he couldn't
    catch me. I think the probelm was that popper he was using. he had
    all kinds of hits just no hookups. I think the fish were grabbing
    the front were there were no hooks. So about 9ish the top water action
    stopped and I dropped a seaworm over the side 2 minutes later BAM
    another one on and I had to run around the boat somemore to keep Gus
    from throwning me in. he starts fooling with something and BAM I got 
    another, this time he puts on a worm and still I get another and him
    nothing. It was great! he did end upcatching some more fish though. His
    total for the day was 7 and mine was 18. The biggest being a whopper
    of a 30" that hurt to put back. The kicker of this story is that we 
    could have caught more but wanted to try for some blues so we left the
    "spot" and cruised around then went home, but there is no doubt in
    my mind that we would have caught more if we had stayed there. Oh yeah
    Gus' new nickname is Bird dog, he'd cast at a fish breaking and it
    would slap the heck out of his popper but never get hooked so I'd
    accidentally cast in that direction and catch the fish. I told Gus
    "you find em' I'll catch em", hence the name Bird Dog. Just to show
    what a nice guy I am I even drove the boat for awhile so Gus could
    get first shot at any fish breaking while we were moving and offered
    to let him use my rod and popper (for a nominal fee of course) which
    he declined. Anyway it was a great day and no we won't say where we
    were, but to rub it in a little we caught these fish while drifting
    then anchored and caught them with seaworms.
    
    Walt 

    Gus,Walt,
    	Nice report and glad you found the action on the Merrimack.
    	These are the day's you will always remember :-)
    -< Tuna Tail >-
    

    Friday night I checked the FishTeaser and the brake lights did not work
    on the trailer :-(  I tried to fix them Sat morning went to Northeast
    trailer in Oxford (my town) and he wasn't open.  Some folks working
    in the yard said he's normally open on Sat but when the weather is 
    nice he closes :-(  I called my dealer and he didn't have the connector
    I needed to replace :-(  He said try Northeaset trailer in Oxford :-(
    I had already tried KMART but they didn't have the right one either.
    Frustrated I re-rigged the harness to work all the signals/lights 
    and even the flashers worked but no break lights.  I figured to use
    the flashers when I was breaking :-)
    
    The wife 2 daughters and 1 Siberian Husky (not my idea) launched at
    around 2:30pm Saturday afternoon at Salisbury State Park ramp.
    Drove boat to the Boat Works and found the Jack-A-Hearts owned by
    a Deccie in DAS.  We had picked up eels, sea worms, 2 frozen mack's.
    
    All of us fished but no luck at all.  Not even hit's.  Excitment
    for the day was our Husky was very quiet on the boat.  We soon
    found out why.  She did a liquid dump in the FishTeaser :-(
    As the dog is the ladies varment they had to clean up the boat
    wipe/wash down the mess.  Anway we went out of the mouth and did
    some trolling in/out of the mouth no luck.  Fished mostly in river
    using sea worms/lures.  Did not try eels.  My wife did try the
    "FLYING LURE" that she bought at The FAIR and no luck with it either.
    
    All in all beautiful day and we all had a nice relaxing time.
    Got the boat in/out of the water fine even without parking breaks ;-)
    
    Looked around for the other noters that may be there but didn't find
    any.  Need a better discription of your boat color markings etc.
    
    Oh yeah.  Lot's of boats and those fishing I only saw one fish taken.
    A skate :-(
    
    Looks like Gus,Walt picked the right time at the right place :-)
    
    -< Tuna Tail >-
    
    

    Sunday I went to the Cape.  Arrived at my brother-in-law's house
    at 5:00am.  We went on his boat and fished mostly at anchor off
    Chatam or Monomoy.  Off Chatam there was too much beach grass floating
    up/down the shoreline.  Mostly fished bottom.  I brought along my
    Sea Worms, eels and 2 frozen macks from Saturday's Merrimack trip.
    He brought Sand eels.  Only catch of day was off Monomoy where I
    caught 3 skates and 1 Crab :-)  The Skates were pretty big and
    on my spinning rod made for a nice hawl from the depths fun.
    This was the only area where no ocean grass was cluttering up the
    water.  Did not see anyone catch a Striper or Blue.  Didn't appear
    much was happening although it was a beautiful day and we really
    enjoyed the relaxing time.
    
    Left Cape at 6:00pm and although I was prepared for the traffic there
    was no backup at the Rt-6 bridge and it was clear on/off the Cape.
    Nice surprise for long drive home.
    
    Anyone besides Gus and Walt catch any "real" fish :-)
    -< Tuna Tail >- 

Well... it looks like you didn't fare too well, Dick.

My buddy and I got on the water about 3 PM on Friday and the tide was almost 
high.  We drifted worms from the Toothpick to Badgers and I only had one hit. 
We saw one boat anchored  near Badgers that picked up several stripers on 
mackeral chunks, and TWO were keepers (but I really question one of 'em).

Anyway, we *finally* got into fish about 7:30 drifting worms off the bottom 
along the rip in front of the beach on the Plum Is. side.  Action lasted 
until about 8:45 PM and the final tally was 10 fish, 5 a piece, with the 
largest being about 28".  We even had doubles at one point!

It was fun.  Wind was very pleasant, and except for the usual jerks in 
the *BIG* boats looking for the *small* boats to swamp, it was a great time. 
 
-Joe-

    
    Dick,
    
    FYI.  City Line Sales has a good selection of trailer connectors.
    Open sunday mornings too.
    
    Didjya finish all that staining?
    
    Fred

Started out Saturday about 10 am. Went out the mouth of the merrimack
and started trolling in front of Plum inland. Had trolled for about and
1 and a half. Then over heard someone on the radio say that they where
caughting Blue over in front of Helibut point. Pulled up the rods and
went over to check it out. 

When I got there all the boat where stacked up about a half a mile out.
Started over to them, then I noticed that the gulls where diving into the
water about a mile out and where there are gulls doing this there are blues.
Put the rods in and in less then 1 minute "DOUBLE". My two bothers where
both hooked up and having the time for there lives. Boated both fish 
and set up for another troll. Hooked up again in just about a minute.
After that I lost the school and didn't find them again. 
3 blues that day all about 15 lbs, real nice fish.


When out again Sunday. Wind was Northeast about 10 miles an hour. Chopping
theses up so I headed for Isles sholes. On radio Saturday people also said
they where catching blues there and wanted to go out against the waves. In case
it got rougher, that way I would be coming back with the waves. (New boat
and still getting use to it.) Got out there and not much was going on.
Catch one sand shark (while trolling).


Going to try and get out Wednesday or Thursday night for Stripers.


				Jim

I was out both Friday and Saturday in the Merrimack and outside no fish caught.

Fished for stripers in the AM both days anchored by Badgers rocks.  Boats all
around catching fish but me.  Gotta be doing something wrong.  Used cut macks,
herring whole and cut and sea worms.  Some keepers were taken.   I was there 
both days from 9 am to about 12-1 pm.  

Friday PM ran to Ipswich river mouth.  Small blues busting with birds working
4-5 schools.  When I got close they sounded.  They wouldn't hit anything.  
About 15 of them followed my hopkins right up to the boat, looked at me and
took off.  Finally after chasing theym for a couple hours and throwing everythine
in the tackle box at them, I called it quits and headed for Ipswich and striper
fishing.  On the way back I passed the same birds working; learned my lesson
just kept on going.

Anyone else see the idiot in the 35+ ft sailboat troll thru the anchored boats 
off badgers under full sail.

I looked around for any deccie boat names but didn't recognize any.  I'm in a
22' Angler with the name Rock'n 'n Reel'n on the side.  I keep it at River's
Edge marina and am always out fishing if the weather's reasonable.

Gordon

re: .120

Gordon,

If you were hanging out near Badgers on Friday PM, then you may have seen us. 
I was in a 15' blue aluminum Princecraft w/25 hp Merc.  We did OK once they 
started hitting around 7:30 PM.

I'll try to keep a look out for you next time.

Joe

    I was there Sun Morn 4.30 a.m nice and calm but on the way
    home not good The big boat have no respect for little guys.
    
    Got my first Striper 28inch what a rush, got it trolling out
     around the bend of the mouth. 
    
    We were out of there by 9.30 I couldn,t believe how much gas you
    use figthing the current. 14ft deep v you feel like the the tidy bole
    man out there. We only took about 5 waves over the bow pulled the plug
    a full speed good thing the water drained.
    
    Hey Joe we were right out there by plum island same time what a zoo out
    there. 
    
    
    We caught 3 fish total I'M hooked But now I need a bigger boat 
    good luck and be carefull out there in small boat or any boat
    for that matter.

    My wife picked up the trailor hookup yesterday at Northeast Trailer in 
    Oxford so was happy to see that at home upon arrival :-)
    
    Fred   - Where is City Line Sales located for trailer supplies?
    Jim    - Shark caught while trolling?  Were you going reel slooo ;-)
    Gordon - May have seen you.  What color boat?
    
    As for the FishTeaser The name is only on the aft and on the 
    white doughnut life perserver mounted in front of the center console
    On the side of the boat "Striper" is in Blue Letters.  That happens
    to be the Sea Nymph boat type.  Not sure if I want to take that off
    and put "FishTeaser" on both sides?  Anyone else done this?
    
    Fred - Still not done staining/painting but only two porches left.
    	   Will attempt to complete this weekend so no fishing planned :-(
    
    I guess we all still need to try and plan an exact date/time/place
    in the Merrimack for our gathering. Any ideas?
    
    -< Tuna Tail >-

    
    I heard on the radio last week that someone hooked an 8 foot
    Mako somewhere in or around the merrimack. So be careful washing
    washing your hands in the water 8')
    
    Walt

    
    City Line Sales is on the left as you cross into Dudley
    from Webster.                 
    
    Could say it's on the west bank'a the french river.  :^)
    
    An' whuzzis about radidio'n boat discription.  I'd never
    give that out!  Liable to be recognized doin' evvitin
    wrong'n ketchin' no fish'n be picked on !! :=)
    
    My chores should be done this year so's I'll be able to
    get my scow out there in the spring.
    
    Fred 

    Tuna Tail,
    
    Do you have downriggers mounted on your boat?  If so, I've seen you
    at Salisbury several times.  I only noticed "Striper" on the side of
    the boat and never looked for another name.  In fact, I saw a boat by
    that description last night.  Was that you?
    
    Speaking of last night, does anyone know what happened at Badgers?  I
    was upriver due to wind.  At 10:00 all hell broke loose at the Coast
    Guard station and two of there boats go screaming downriver with sirens
    screaching and lights flashing.  Boy, can those boats move!  They went
    down to the mouth and were obviously searching for something.  Some
    guys at the ramp heard on the radio that a boat hit badgers and went
    down, and they couldn't find the boat.  I'm not sure how reliable they
    were, so I was wondering if anyone could elaborate.
    
    Mark,
    
    P.S. Fishing last night was extremely slow.  The strong winds blowing
    up and across the river made fishing tough.
    

    	Went down to P.I. last night and fished from shore on the river
    side right where the jetty starts with a couple of DECies from about 6:30 
    - 8:30. Used worms, sand eels, and cut pogies with no luck.
    
    	Picked up and went to Hampton and fished the pier near the bridge
    for a little while and nothing. As we were leaving, a couple guys that
    were fishing the bridge closer to the Seabrook side from 7:30 - 10:00 pm 
    said they got 3 stripers using sand worms with the biggest being 30". 
    Other than that I didn't see or hear of anything being caught last night. 
    The high tide at the mouth was about 6pm so we were fishing the
    out-going tide. The wind was blowing pretty good but it was fairly calm
    in the river otherwise. Hampton inlet was pretty rough by the bridge
    though.
    
    	RAYJ

    Mark,
    	Don't have downriggers on FishTeaser.
    	Have 4 rear mounted rod holders for trolling
    		2 straight back and 2 at 45deg angle.
    	Have 4 vertical rod holders up front ahead of the center console
    	2 each in front of the 2 livewells.
    
    	Most identify feature to be seen from a distance is that
    	alongside my VHF white 8' antennae I have a 9' bamboo pole
    	which fly's the American flag higher then the antennae :-)
    	Both mounted to the center console.
    
    	I have seen the downrigger "Striper" also.
    	I'm not sure if I want downrigger's as they appear to clutter the
    	back end of the boat when not in use?  When I don't use the rod
    	holders for trolling then it is clear for casting :-)
    	Any comments from downrigger users out there?
    
    	In notes gone by I mentioned having a >14' shark alongside a
    	rented 14' boat with 35hp just inside the Merrimack mouth
    	next to the North jetty.  I was trolling at the time and 
    	reeled in both rods quickly and left the area somewhat fast 8-0
        The shark had gashes on it's back not big/wide but long.
    	Assummed it was hurt or sick or both?  Didn't ask ;-)
    
    	-< Tuna Tail >-
    

    
    Anyone know how the fishing is on the Cape Cod canal?
    
    Walt

    re: .last
    
    	From what I've been hearing, the Canal was HOT last week. I've
    	had a few people tell me that you could toss anything out there
    	with a little silver on it and hook up with a bass. Don't know
    	whats happening this week though.
    
    			Robert.
    
    P.S. - I was vacationing in Dennisport last week, only saw one school
    	of blues run the beach (out of casting range of course!) and didn't
    	learn about what was happening at the Canal until I got home :*(

    Does anyone have any experience fishing the Hampton river in a boat??
    Can you go out into the ocean, if the seas are calm, without worrying
    about strong currents?? and last but not least, where is a good boat ramp
    to launch from?? 

    I was talking to my next door neighbor the other day and he told me
    that while they were at Hampton beach, he noticed a girl come
    running out of the water scared by a big fish. He walked in and tried to
    get a better look when he said he saw these huge stripers just under
    the surf. He couldn't believe how big they were... Sooo, naturally I 
    would like to check this out. 

    Gus

    I made an emergency stop into Hampton River and yanked the FishTeaser
    out of the public ramp on the North West side of the river after the
    bridge.  There is a pier alongside the ramp.  Pretty good ramp but
    not sure what the price would be to launch from?  They did have parking
    but not much if it's a busy day?
    
    It' on Rt-1A just before you get into the touristy part of Hampton
    
    I haven't been back as I launch from Salisbury State Park and if you
    pay it's $5.00 per launch or $30.00 for season pass which I have ;-)
    
    Hope this helps?
    -< Tuna Tail >-

    	I was down there Monday night and there was a VERY strong rip
    running under the bridge. Not something you'd want to try if your boat
    is the least bit underpowered. 
    
    	I've also seen it fairly calm. It depends on the conditions at the
    time.
    
    	RAYJ

I've launched my 24' boat at Hampton Harbor many times. Excellent
traction on the ramp. You launch and go tie up at the public floating
dock while your driver comes back.

They went from free to $8 in one fell swoop. I don't know how much it is
this year. There is a public rest room there that's maintained by the
state. There's a gas dock, bait and tackle shop there.

Downers: beach traffic when you get back in the afternoon; and the
nuisance (no, I *don't* believe they have ANY REDEEMING VALUE) "personal
watercraft" - waterbikes? sea doos?) that congregate on the ramp. I've
had them cut in front of me while my truck was backing the trailer down
the ramp, and pull six of their bastardly buzzers onto the ramp, blocking
me from getting out of the water. I circled the boat while my buddy
exchanged "words" with them, as they sent a courier for ice cream or
something. They didn't budge. [Maybe I shouldn't be so subtle...]

Art

re: They didn't budge. [Maybe I shouldn't be so subtle...]

I'm sure that if you continue to back the trailer down and gently push 
them out of the way, they might get the message.  Otherwise, get a hold 
of someone in charge of the ramp and complain.  Or take down some numbers
and report them to the water cops for blocking a public access.

    You guys are to nice. I'd give them 1 warning and after that i'm
    backing up. Whats 1 more scratch in my trailer??

    Art,
    	I agree with you.  From what I've seen of those who drive jet-ski's
    	their lack of courtesy and consideration of other's is apparently
    	what motivated most of them to dump $$$ into that piece of junk.
    
    	Only difference between the owner of a jet ski or a
        cigarette boat is $$$ or $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ ;-)
        Similar ratio for noise ouput/wave action/dork capacity.
    
    	I'm guessing the reliabilty of the engine is opposite 8^0
                         
    	-< Tuna Tail >-  

The only jet-skier I've seen that seemed to have some common sense was the 
once I saw *FISHING* for stripers at Badgers Rocks!!  Why did he have commom 
sense?  'Cause he was fishing, dummy!

I agree with ya.
But
This person was one of the few IMHO ;-)

-< Tuna Tail >-

    SAT.-31 JULY 1993
    
       BLUEFISH- QTY.= 2   BOTH 12 + LBS.
    
       Fog came back in with a N.Easterly breeeze, so we called it a day
    and motored in slooowly on the Loran to Merrimac River.
    
       Distance out= Approx. 3.5 miles
    
    Sun.- 1 Aug. 1993
    
       Bluefish- Qty. = 7  all except 1  12+ lbs.
    
       Gorgeous day. Flat with slow rollers.
    
       Distance out from Merrimac River. 3.3 miles - 5.0 miles
    
       Went through one school that had to be 100 yards across.
    
       All fish were on the surface. Only 2 caught down about 30 ft..
    
          John

Any weekend striper reports from the Merrimack?

Any blues in the river?

Thinking about heading out Thursday P.M.

-Joe-

    Joe,
    
    	Fished stripers for a couple of hours Sat. morning while waiting
    for the fog to lift a little. Fished with live eels and had a few on,
    but no size. Saw a few others caught next to us also but no size as
    well. We didn't have any strikes on the eels from blues and didn't see
    any caught.  The blues we caught this weekend were well offshore which
    seems a little late for them coming in this year.
    
    	Did manage to catch one small blue in the river across from
    badgers' rocks a couple of weeks ago.
    
        John

    I fished Great Bay Saturday morning.  Did not put any stripers in the
    boat, but the fishfinder was thick with them in all the holes from the
    Sullivan Bridge to Oyster River.  They were not interested in drifted
    worms the way we've caught them in the Merrimack.  I did catch one last
    weekend on a mackerel chunk.  I think pogies or pollock live would be
    best, fresh-dead in chunks second best.  There is too much weed in the
    water here to do much trolling.  Lots of silversides around, don't
    know what else they're feeding on.
    
    I set up a 14' aluminum utility boat for bay/river striper fishing,
    this was my first outing.  It worked out well - with the battery & 
    fuel mounted well forward strapped down to cedar floor, and a small
    console on the center seat to hold the fishfinder.  I also added 7" 
    to the transom on either side of the outboard for more freeboard and 
    a place to mount the trolling motor and put in conduit/raceways for the
    electrical, fuel and fishfinder lines.
    
    I'll try it again next weekend if the weather cooperates.  No problem
    with boat wakes here and not crowded for fishing - generally only a single
    boat in each drift.  I only saw a couple of other fish landed however -
    on whole frozen herring.  The local charter captain does very well here 
    - guarantees fish.  He livelines (pogies, I think), fishes 7:00am to 
    2:00pm.  Most everyone else was fishing eels, (or topwater plugs...)
    even in the daytime.
    
    So what else might interest these fish?  clams?  squid?  crabs? 
    softbaits?  I did try working a bucktail & porkrind off the bottom.
    
    Anyone want to try Great Bay?
    
    wondering_what_they_will_strike
    
    Jack

    I had the boat down in wellfleet last week. I did not do any
    serious fishing trips but did do well on blues from 4-14lbs around
    the path and up near corn hill. We had them on top with popers
    and 8lb test and had some fun.
    
    So much for fun fishing. Tuna for the next month.
    
    Bruce

    John,
    	Thanks for Blues report offshore from Merrimack R.
    	I may take the FishTeaser out again this weekend.
    
    	I finally finished staining both porches this weekend and
    	totally MT'd the garage and cleaned that out while stain drying ;-)
    
    	All I need to do is attach the new trailer connector to my car
    	that my wife bought earlier in the week and the FishTeaser is
    	all ready :-)
    
    	"Except" that I have appointment for my car this Friday at the
    	dealer to fix the non-existing parking brakes and a few other
    	things so launching will be for the boat....not the car ;-)
    
    	-< Tuna Tail >-

re:    	...so launching will be for the boat....not the car ;-)
    

Aw gee...and I wanted so much to read about your boat towing the car ... 


	UNDER!


-Joe-

-joe-
	Don't worry.  
	I'm sure my future tale's won't dissapoint you ;-)

-< Tuna Tail >-

    I fished before work this morning and only caught 1 striper.  BUT,
    it was just shy of 40"!!!!  That's my biggest so far and I'm pumped!
    
    Mark,
    

    A VERY large school of juvenile cod was swimming with me just off York
    Ledge yesterday (yes, they surrounded me and stayed around and over me
    as I moved about), when suddenly all of them in front and over me
    turned and dove for deeper water. Suddenly alone, I looked up to find
    the diver who didn't know how to swim without scaring the fish. (I was
    set to deliver quite the lecture when we got back on the boat.)
    
    I looked up to see a school of bluefish cruising by about 10 feet over
    my head. WHOA!
    
    I settled down on the rock and pulled all hoses to my body, crossed my
    arms, stopped exhaling, and stayed stock still. There's no explaining
    the way my heart raced. I looked up after about 5 seconds to see the
    last of the school cruising by overhead.
    
    There *is* something ominous about them in the water. The three sharks
    that had come over and then followed me earlier in the dive produced
    no such affect on me (though they did on a smaller school of juvenile
    cod I approached with a shark [dogfish] on either side of me).
    
    Just thought a couple of you might find this little bluefish anecdote
    mildly interesting....
    
    John H-C 

    
    Tuna Tail et.al
    Gus and I are planning on launcing from Newburyport this saturday
    morning at about 4:30. We will be in a red/wht Glastron so if
    anyone's going to be around look for us and say hi.
    
    One problem we've run into is where to get bait at 3 a.m. The 3
    tackle stores we know of are closed, but I saw the Sunoco station
    with a sign saying they sold sea worms. Does anyone know if they're
    open 24hrs and if they also sell eels? This station is alomost right
    across from the movie theatre.
    
    John HC,
          Good story. Have there ever been any reports of divers being
    "eaten" by blues?
    
    Walt
 

    re -1
    
    The SUNOCO is open 24 hours, but I am not sure if they sell anything
    other than sea worms and frozen baits.
    
    Brian
    
    Alliance 
    36' white and orange lobster boat moored at the RT1 bridge.
    
    

Walt,
	Not sure yet of weekend itenary but will look you's up if I make it.

	Friday is vacation day and car is at dealers for brake job etc etc :-(
	May take family to Riverside Park so not sure if I can pick up car after.

	Good to know you'll be out.
	Enjoy

	-< Tuna Tail >-

    
    Gus and I will be at our "Hotspot" so maybe it's best you don't
    come looking for us. Wouldn't want to give away our spot ya know 8')
    
    Walt

    Walt,
    	I prolly won't be able to make it anyway :-(
    
    	But if I do it'll be easy to find ya cause I won't check
    	where I normally fish.....cause I've had zippo luck
    	with any of them so far this year :-(
    
    	Or I'll shut of the engine and listen for all the "hoop-n-hollerin"
    	;^)
    
    	-< Tuna Tail >-
    

    
     
    Well a few of us from work went out last night on the Atlantic Queen II
    out of Rye Harbor in search of blues. Only one Blue was brought onto
    the boat,  two were miss gaffed and a few sand sharks were also caught.
    It was a great night to be out on the water though, and we will still had
    fun harassin each other as well as the crew;').
     
    A week from Wednesday we will give Al Gauron a try. For anyone who is
    interested, the Atlantic Queen II leaves at 6:00pm and returns for
    10:00pm. Al Gauron leaves at 6:30pm and returns for 10:30pm...
     
    Gus

It looks like I'll be hitting the Merrimack tonite (and then starting 2
weeks vacation), from about 6 PM on. I'm going on a friend of a friend's
boat, so I don't know what the boat is other than a 20 ft with small cuddy
cabin. 

Hope they're hitting.  Will be using worms, mack chunks and eels.

Catch y'all in a couple of weeks.  Happy fishing!

-Joe-

We got into some big blues off Halibut point last Friday about 2 pm about an
hour before high tide.  They were from 12 to 15 lbs.  Also hooked and lost what
I think was a good sized striper.  Maybe they're finally coming in.

Gordon

    
    Went out Sunday morning. Took my cousin out for his first time striper
    fishing. I set the rod up for him with a popper and tossed it out. See,
    this is the way you work this lure, pop, bang, set the hook and hand him
    the rod. He had a good time bringing in a schoolie, but we only caught 
    one more the rest of the morning. Real slow, no one was catching any that I 
    know of.

    Questions: I'll be heading out in the wee early morning hours on
    saturday in the Merrimack, weather providing. I want to try using live
    eels. If I pick them up friday afternoon, will they still be alive by the
    time we use them at @3:00 am??? 

    Whats the best way to fish these critters in a boat??? Drifting???
    anchored?? Weights or weightless?? Thanks for the info.. Anyone else
    heading out this weekend??

    Gus
                                                        

Gus,

How to keep eels alive:

1)put them in a cooler without water (yes, no water).
2)put a damp (not soaking) towel on top
3)put ice on top of the towel

They will last several days like this.  I've kept them in the fridge too, as long
as they are damp and cold, they'll last a while.  Certainly until 3am.

How to fish them:

I like to put a hook (3/0 octopus style) through both lips, point up.  If
in the Merrimack, you may want to use a 1 or 2oz sinker (Note: Don't use a
fish-finder or other sliding rig--you want it to tumble along the bottom).
Otherwise, use no weight at all.  I prefer drifting when possible, although
you can anchor and let the eels drift down current, reel them in, repeat, etc.

Tim

    I keep eels on ice also.  I carry a rag to handle them when I put them
    on the hook.  Between the chill of the ice and the rag they are easy to
    handle (until they warm up a bit).
    
    I use a small cylindrical, wide-mouth, screw-top plastic cooler - the 
    kind they make for carrying soup.  I drilled many 1/4" holes in the 
    bottom to let slime and ice melt drain out.  I through in a little 
    seaweed too, though not sure why.  I keep the little cooler inside a 
    pail on the boat, just carry it for surf fishing.  It's compact and 
    the eels - even up to a dozen at a time in this small container - keep 
    fine.  
    
    At home I keep them for up to a couple of weeks in a five gallon pail 
    with a cover.  I run an aquarium aerator in it.  Never managed to get 
    them to eat anything, every time I look in they're swimming around
    pretty hard (may be the light when I open the top).  I keep them in the 
    basement, change the water every couple of days, try to keep the water 
    cool.  I've never had one weaken or die there, don't know how long they'd 
    last.
    
    I fish them just as Tim does, a bit of weight (1/2 oz), a 30" light (15
    lb) mono leader, octopus hook or similar).  I lower the rig
    slowly (so the weight does not get ahead of the swimming-down eel
    alowing him to wrap the line above the wieight), keep the
    revolving-spool reel in free-spool while I fish, feeling for pickups.
    
    I don't think you need to let a stripper run far with an eel -
    increases the chance of gut-hooking, and the bait is so small.  I do 
    think you want the first thing he feels to be a hard hookset.
    
    I see that I've already told you more than I know (that's a Digital norm,
    right?).
    
    Jack

    Thanks for the replies. If any of you are out there saturday, and you
    see a little 14' Red and White Glastron with beige seats, come on over
    and say hi. I'll probably fish till about noon time.

    Gus

       I watched my Brother-in-Law land a 20" Striper from the Rocks
    at the mouth of the Annisquam River last night at 8:00 (High Tide).
    
    note: He was using a blue/white Atom Popper, and I was using a
    	 white Buck Tail jig.
    
    
    						going back there tonight,
    
    								Bob
    

    Has anyone else heard about proposed changes to lower the size limit
    on stripers for '94?
    
    It was mentioned in last weeks Fisherman, tucked away under the
    Mass. Coastal South Report, under the header of MASS COMMERCIAL
    STRIPER SEASON CLOSED.  Most of the text was about the Mass
    commercial season being closed because the quota was reached.  Then
    it went on to say:
    
    "With favorable proposals for a uniform size limit for the
    1994 season, Mass, Rhode Island and most of the states north of
    New Jersey will be enforcing a 34-inch minimum legal size will will
    reduce borderline law enformecent problems and promote further uniform
    management for this precious resource."
    
    
    It also stated that most of the commercial catch was in the 36"-38"
    range.
    
    Personally, I don't want to see the limits lowered, but I am very
    suprised to find this info in such an obscure spot.
    
    Anyone other opinions?
    
    Mark,
    

Mark, they are not lowering the limits.  What this means is that RI will be
enforcing 34" not 28".  I believe the fed limit is 34, RI was (is) 28 and MA and
everyone else is 36".  Someone correct me if I'm wrong.  The problem was if you
fish a beach which spans MA & RI, are you restricted by the 36" or 28" limit?
If all states enforce at least 34", then this becomes less troublesome for
the environmental police, et. al.

Tim

    Tim, that would make me happy if that is what they meant.  I'll keep
    my fingers crossed.
    

    Well, we went out with Al Gaurons last night from 6:30 to 10:30 in
    search of Blues. First stop at the Isle Of Shoals, the captain was
    marking alot of fish and said that on Monday, the boat limited out,
    @200 fish caught! Our hopes were real high. 

    The boat had 71 people on it, a little too crowded:'(. The guy next to
    me hooks into one, it was like a domino effect, I hooked up my friend
    to the left of me hooked up, and my third friend with us hooked up.
    Of course, there where lines tangled every where, and while waiting for 
    someone to gaff them, they got off. All three of them! We were bummin. 

    The next stop, there was nothing caught, and the last stop we
    hooked into sand sharks. Pull em up, time to go ;'(....
    
    Oh well, it was a great night out there, weather wise, and the beers
    tasted real good after a long day of work, and I do mean long;')..
    
    Gus
                      

    DOES ANYONE HAVE THE RESULTS OF THE BATH BLUEFISH TOURNEY HELD LAST
    WEEK-END?
    

    Sounds like the guy in third got jilted!
    
    Jeff

    Are there any reports of activity in the south. IE. Buzzards Bay, Woods
    Hole, or the islands?
    
    Don

    
    
    Right you are Jeff, my error. the correct weights were:
    
    17.40
    17.20
    17.11
    
    /mike
    
    

Well, it looks like I'll be hitting the Merrimack in Salisbury late tomorrow 
afternoon well into the night.  Since the tide will be incoming, I'll 
probably drift from the mouth up past Badgers to the Toothpick.  We'll have 
worms, mack chunks and probably pick up a few eels.

Anyone else planning to be out there?  Any recent reports?  Has anyone done 
well further up river towards the Rt 1 bridge on the incoing tide?  How 
about the rock pile on the left heading up-river just where the boats are 
moored?

-Joe-

    Finally picked up my first Striper last night! It's been a long time
    coming...40 inches, 22lbs caught at Dover Point under the bridge on
    a live sand eel. The tide had just started back out...It was a great
    fight on 17lb test...took about 20 minutes to get it in the boat.
    Pound for pound I think they give a better fight then a king salmon.
    Lot's of drag screaming runs! It was pretty fun watching the wife
    trying to scoop it up in a net half as big as the fish too...:-) 
    
    Marty

Where do you get live sand eels?  How big are they?

-Joe-

    
    Joe,

        The eels I got two weeks ago where bought at the salsbury bait and
    tackle??? I drive down 495 and take the salsbury exit. The bait and
    tackle shop is on the left a couple of miles down. The eels we used
    where about 12 to 18 inches. Are you talking about the smaller size
    eels?? If so, I'm not sure what size those are.

     FWIW when we fished there the weekend of the 14th, they were catching
    keepers on live porgies or herring, I couldn't get a good look at them. 
    They where just hooking them either in the back or the mouth and casting 
    them out.

    Gus who will be out there this saturday morning. 

    RE Last few
    
    	Most of the tackle shops that sell eels call them sand eels even
    though they're really just small American Eels.  I've -never- seen what
    we call sand eels (actually sand launce) in a tackle shop.
    
    					B.C.

I know that "sand eels" are rather long and slender, silver sides with dark 
back, and swim in large schools.  The ones I've seen run about 4-6" in 
length.  In fact, I've recently seen them at the mouth of the Merrimack. 
Tim Lucia did tell me that he's seen (caught?) sand eels around 10-12" long 
well offshore.  *THAT* is what I though was the bait being used several 
replies back.

If the bait used is our favorite slimey American eel ... I know where to get 
them.  Now let's hope that the big cruisers are around tomorrow night anf 
are feeling hungry.

BTW ... still no comment on best places to go in the Merrimack on the 
incoming tide.  Anyone care to share a few secrets?

Thx,

Joe

    
    When I used to fish the Cape cod canal alot I used sand eels for bait.
    You could buy them "fresh" or "frozen'. I preffered the fresh ones
    cause they stayed on the hook better and longer. They were up to
    6inches long or so and worked really well. I've only seen them sold
    down the cape however.
    
    
    Walt

    The eels we were using can be bought live at several places in the sea
    coast area of NH. The ones we were using last night came from a lobster
    pound type place on RT1 in Hampton falls. It's on the right hand side
    heading north, about a mile north of rt88. Another place that comes to
    mind is the Bait and Tackle shop at the State launch in Hampton. They
    are the 12 to 18 inch length ones. Usually green and white although
    sometimes they are yellowish to brown in color. 

>The ones we were using last night came from a lobster
>    pound type place on RT1 in Hampton falls. It's on the right hand side
>    heading north, about a mile north of rt88.

 Marshview Lobster Pound

I have done fairly well recently on the incoming tide in the Merrimack.  Try
trolling/drifting/anchoring around badgers rocks or across the river on Joppa 
flats.

Last thurday was the best day this year.  There were big stripers (with some
keepers mixed in) busting bait on top ( like bluefish) near the nun next to
badgers.  We caught and release 20+ stripers that day from about 2 hours before
high tide to slack tide.  At slack high tide the bite turned off.  The fish were 
from 12" schoolies to keeper size.  Lost what looked like a keeper next to the
boat.

Hooked a few on a surface popper.  Great fun on top.

I'll by out there tomorrow AM from 7 on

Gordon (rockn 'n reeln)

Got on the water Friday about 5 PM on the incoming.  Anchored just upstream 
of Badgers for a while and picked up 2-3 schoolies.  Then started doing 
some drift fishing from the mouth on in to the green buoy ... nada.  Went 
back to anchoring in the same spot above Badger's until the tide turned 
around 9 PM.  Again, just a few picked up.  Real slow.

Finally got tired of that and drifted from the Toothpick down to Badgers.  
On almost every drift, we picked up at least one, and we had doubles on a 
couple of times.  Made it rather interesting as we were both on fish as the 
boat was being swept towards Badgers.  It was fun trying to fire up the 
engine and jockey away fromn the rocks (tiller steering) while both of us 
were fighting fish.

Finally tally ... I picked up 15-16 while my buddy managed 5-6.  No 
keepers.  My largest was about 30" with several in the 25-28" range.  
Interestingly enough, very few other boats said they caught anything.

We used both sea worms and mack chunks, but all the fish came on worms 
except for 2.  We were going to buy some eels, but the folks at Tim's Bait 
shop said that mackeral was doing better for the big 'uns.  Hmmm..

Great night!  Warm breeze ... moon was out ... hated to leave at 1:30 AM as 
they were still hitting on every drift.

How'd the rest of you do over the weekend??

-Joe-

	I had a Dentist appt Fri am :-(
	So took rest of day off :-)
	Prepared the FishTeaser and drove to the Cape.
	By the time I arrived at Allen Harbour Harwichport 2:00pm ish the
	offshore breeze had roled in a thick fog bank :-(
	I launched the boat anyway to see if the fog would go away but
	it stayed and the wind picked up.  I went out to the mouth but
	could only see about 100yds and seas were rolling.
	So took her out and drove back home 120miles :-(

	Wife and I then drove 80miles to Salisbury State park Saturday.
	Launched around 3:00pm after buying some sea worms/frozen macks.
	Drove to southen tip of Plum Island (first time) and picked up
	5 small blues on lures trolling.

	We also fished outside the mouth and drove out to 100' depth and
	using cut macks each caught a dogfish (shark) so we headed back in.
	In fiver fished usual places and picked up 3 stripers on seaworms.

	Anchored in the flats just in front of the plum island docks and
	stayed the night sleeping in the boat.  At 4:00am I caught another
	3 small stripers using sea worms.  On way to FishTale Diner for
	breakfeast I caught 3 poggies as they were busting surface all
	the way from the flats to the diner.

	Never did try them so released them still kicking later in the morning.
	It was an awesome trip and the weather was fantastic.  But during
	our launch from the ramp a fast movng downpour hit and lightning was
	hitting on the horizon.  We thought about not launching but decided
	to go and come back if we needed to.  Many Many boats were heading in
	as we were heading out ;^)

	After that sudden rain it was clear and calm on the ocean.
	Crystal clear evening Saturday night.
	Pulled out around noon on Sunday.  Not much action anywhere Sunday
	morning from what we saw or heard on radio except maybe for the
	Isle of Shoals some blues were being caught.

	-< Tuna Tail >-
	
		

Went out Saturday 7 am.  Drifted live eels at badgers and over the flats with
no results.  About 10 decided to try for blues and headed towards breaking rocks
no hits.  Then ran out to the isles of shoals.  All the half day boats from 
newburyport north were there and  100+ private boats.  No-one seemed to be
catching anything around the lighthouse.  Went over to the last island nothr
and hooked up on all three lines (2 people in the boat) they made 4-5 runs
when they got close to the boat. the big one 17 lbs and the rest 14-17.  Had to
leave about 2pm and got caught in the thunder storm in the merrimack at 3pm.

We had a good day with 8-10 big blues.

Sunday we over to Halibut point and caught 6 blues about 10 lbs.

A nice weekend on the water with relative calm seas.  This was the first decent
bluefish this season.

Gordon

    These reports in this topic seem to cover mainly the North shore with
    some stuff from the Cape thrown in.  What about the gap in the middle?
    I have a non-trailerable boat based in Boston Harbor which is capable
    of getting to Stellwagen or Jeffries for bottom fishing, but for
    migratory species, it's a long ride to most of the places mentioned
    here unless I make a really long day out of it.
    
    Can anyone recommend striper/blue areas closer to Boston that could be
    gotten to for a more casual 1/2-day trip?  What about just outside the
    harbor outer islands?   I see a lot of boats out there when taking off
    from Logan but at that altitude it's hard to see what they are doing
    (could just be commerical lobstermen).   What about offshore
    Danvers/Beverly/Salem?  I see a lot of fishing-type boats based there?
    Where do they go for stripers or blues?  Or don't they?

    When they're in, I routinely see stripers swimming around the New
    England Aquarium. So, that'll tell you they're in the harbor itself.
    
    John H-C

Although I have no first hand experience, I hear that the striper/blue fishing
is fantastic.  Pick up a copy of the fisherman and read the reports in the
back.  Most of the harbor islands and rips have stripers and blues.  every
year I hear of a 50 lb bass caught there.  Places that come to mind are
the B bouy, hull gut, salem/beverly .

Gordon

    I used to fish all around the harbor. The reserve channel is a great
    spot becuase of the Boston Edison warm water output. You should get
    both blue and bass in there. Winthrop and dorchester bays both
    produced bluefish in the early AM. Look for schools of pogies. You also
    used to get them right at the washington street bridge
    where the charles empties out. I hear many reports of bass by the
    brewsters and boston light. Also deer island rip is famous for bass.
    
    Good Luck.
    
    Bruce

    
    
    		THE MOUTH OF NANTASKET RHODES ACROSS FROM BOSTON LIGHT 
    IS A GREAT PLACE TO DRIFT FISH ON THE POINT AT THE TURN OF HIGH TIDE.
    THE TIDE WILL KEEP YOU STATIONARY FOR HOURS. THE STRIPER CONCENTRATION
    ALL ALONG THE BEACH IN HULL IS SIGNIFICANT BUT THE BEST IS JUST AT THE
    END AND JUST INSIDE THE HARBOR ITSELF.

    
    Also I forgot Hull gut.

    
    	re:190
    
    		The gut is much nicer fishing from the shore. The current
    	from High to Low is treacherous. I have fished inside Hingham bay
    	a few times near the channels and found them to be OK..also..
    

Went out to Salisbury yesterday with two other guys in a 22' Glastron.  
Tide was outgoing with high around 8:30ish.  We stayed until about 10 PM 
and only picked up a couple of schoolies on worms near Badgers.  Used eels 
after dark with a couple of short takes, but that was it.

Although high was around 8:30 or so, the tide STILL wasn't running very 
much when we left.  I've always had my best success on the outgoing tide 
a couple hours after high between the Toothpick and Badgers.  

QUESTION:

Where should I be fishing on the incoming tide on the Merrimack???

We may be heading back out Wed. nite where high tide won't be until around
11:15 PM, so we'll be fishing a stong incoming.  Should we head UPRIVER
towards the Rt 1 bridge?  Above the bridge?? 

Any and all suggestions are welcome.

-Joe-

	5-Sep Sunday 
	Got bait at Tim's Bait who opened at 5:00am. (Sea Worms & Frozen Mack's)
	Launched FishTeaser at 5:30am Salisbury State Park ramp.
	Aboard was my wife jean our daughter Kelley 9yrs and her girlfriend
	Tammy 9yrs (first time saltwater fishing).

	Kelley bag's first fish 6:00am near north jetty using sea worm.
	Nice 5# striper and she had a great time bringing it in all alone :-)
	Had breakfeast at the FishTale.  They liked the idea of docking
	the boat and walking up for B'fst.

	Nice day to drove to Isle of Shoals.  Lot's of boats anchored or
	drifting or trolling for Blues.  We trolled around the Islands
	using lures and had two hit at same time.  Let boat drift amongst
	lobster pots as I was fighting one and my wife the other.  The girls
	were taking a nap.   Got my Blue near the FishTeaser but it ran and
	right around a lobster pot line....SNAP.  gone lure included :-( 
	Got FishTeaser fired up and moved it away from the mine fields.
	jean brings in a nice 15# Blue.  While holding it up (tail held) I
	asked her to come over for photo session.  She placed her rod on the
	transom and one wave later overboard :-(  This was the nice new 
	Penn Slammer rod with Penn 704Z reel which I bought her for Xmas.
	Only two fish caught on it.  Oh well...at least we have a picture of
	the Blue the did it.  My wife was in tears but I told her I'd rather
	have the rod go over then any one of us.

	We needed to get away so we drove the boat to 300' depth near
	New Scantum (sp?) toward jeffries.  About 9 nm offshore.  The
	depthfinder registered 300' then 10'?  It reset to 300' then went
	to 15'.?  It reset to 300' then hit 8'?????  It did this 5 times then
	we all found out why......WHALES.   I saw one's tail and the girls
	saw two other's breach as I was manuvering around to get out.  We didn't
	see them again? But it was fun...and scarey at the same time.

	Headed back to Merrimack R. But girls wanted to catcha a shark.
	I remembered my last catch so stopped in same area and each of the
	9yr old's pulled in a dogfish which they loved catching.  I used
	cut Mack's on Cod rig;s and it worked fine.  Took pictures of sharks
	with the girls and they patted them.  Tammy wanted to take her's home
	for show and tell :-)  I said it would be better to release them
	unharmed so they can go back and get bigger and be with their friends.
	She said ok ;^)

	We came back in and docked at the Newbury port pier $1/hr so I gave
	them $2 so we could go and eat at Hilton's.  It was good.  Filled up
	the FishTeaser and she took 20.4 gal in her 24gal tank 8^0
	Fortunately I had two 5gal portables aboard.
	
	My wife slepted in our car with portable CB and I and the girls 
	slepted aboard the FishTeaser in Jappa flats all night.
	I picked up 3 schoolies from 2:30am to 4:30am while the girls slepted.
	Beautiful night but fog started rolling in from ocean.  I managed to
	get my wife around 5:00am and we went to the FishTale for B;fst.
	Came back and fog was still a tad thick.  We anchored back at the flats
	and picked up another 4 schoolies.  I hooked them all but let the
	girls pull in the last two as we agreed.  One of them Tammy pulled in
	and when aboard she yell's eeekk what's that coming out of the fish's
	belley?  I looked quickly and said it was poop ;-)  She said the
	"poop" has writing on it?  I said  %$$#^& it's a tag.

	Sure enough it was tagged and said $5-$1000 reward for return of
	tag.  I told Tammy we will split the $$$ :-)
	Anyway I was told this is just a gimmic and you just get a hat
	some info about the breeding and when/where this fish was released
	it's weight and length etc.  20" 5#

	Anywone else caught a tagged fish?

	I weighed it and measured it and took a picture before releasing it.
	I have already mailed the tag in and when I get whatever in the mail
	I'll have Tammy come on over and open the envelope/package so she
	can select her 50% worth first :-)

	Address on tag was HRF Box 1731 G.C.S. NY NY 10163

	-< Tuna Tail >-

    Ahhhh, give her 100% of the prize...even if it's a $1000.00. None of
    this 50-50 stuff.
    
    

re:-1

	I was and still am considering your suggestion.
	How do other noter's feel?

	I wish the Captain of the boat "I" caught the Tuna on had
	your same sentiments.  I would be $2,900.00 ahead right now ;^)

	-< Tuna Tail >-
	

	

    
    RE: 193.
    
    
    		My brother-in-law caught a tagged fish a couple of weeks
    ago. He got a hat. ( nice hat though)
    

re:-1

	Thanks for info.

	I like helping the tag program so don't expect anything.
	But as Tammy the 9yr old read the $5-$1000 tag it will be 
	difficult to explain "false advertizing" to her.
	I'm not a hat person so she can have that and most likely
	I'll give her some $$$ if the program don't fork over what
	the say.  I'll also write them a letter recommending they
	re-write their claim if no $$$ included as lying to kid's
	or anyone is not a way to gain support for any program.

	-< Tuna Tail >-

        The Lawrence Eagle Tribune, Sunday (9/12) newspaper had a
    	picture of a Striper fisherman holding a 50 Pounder that
    	measured 54" in length. This keeper was caught on live Eel
    	from a boat near the mouth of the Merrimack River.
    
    	note: The article says that he (Michael Gallant) was using
    	     20 Pound test line and that it took him 30 minutes
    	     to land the fish.
    
    
    						keep em' tight,
    								Bob
    

Yup,  according to Tim' Bait shop, the 50"er was taken off Badger's Rocks.

Nice fish!  

-HSJ- (still looking for a keeper!)

	Wow, helluva nice fish!!

	I came with in *1/2* inch of my first keeper a couple of weeks ago.
	Nothing like the monster mentioned, but still a nice FAT heavy one!
	
	Ken

    
    I'm headed up to Wells beach, Maine, with my wife and son tommorow. 
    Gonna take a much needed 3 day weekend. Anyway are there any places 
    worth fishing nearby there? There's a beach right down the street were
    I've seen half eaten pogies on shore so I could fish that early before
    any swimmers show up or there's a stone wall that I've seen folks fish
    from once. If you know the area you probably know where I'm talking
    about. I dont know the street names or anything I just know how to get
    there from here 8')
    
    Walt

    Walt,
    
    The most commonly fished area is the Wells jettie, which is at the end
    of Atlantic Ave., which is the left at the end of Mile Rd. (off Rte. 1).
    I don't know how old your son is, but you could also go to Wells Harbor
    (also off Rte. 1) and try your luck there fishing off the pier.  If 
    you've got a decent surf casting rod, give the beach a try.  
    
    					Steve

    
    Thanks Steve. My son is 1.5 yrs old so I won't be taking him along
    this time. Maybe next year. I'm not leaving till after work and it
    looks like it's going to be real lousy all weekend 8'(
    
    Walt

You  may want to try the mouth of the Mousam River on outgoing
tide.  It has nice beach access on the south side.  There may
just be some stripers there this wkend.  Mousam is a small river...
you should be able to cover nearly the entire width with spinning gear.

Mousam (Moo-sam) is a few miles north of Wells center.

jm

You may want to try the Ogunquit River at high tide, you can park at the 
beach and cast from the bank at the backside of the parking lot.  This river
is about a foot deep at low tide and about fifteen feet deep at high tide.  

Last September during a visit to Ogunquit my girlfriend and I were crossing
the bridge to the beach and there was a large school of either blueback 
herring or poggies swimming in a tight pod next to the bridge at high tide.
We were watching them for about a minute or two when four or five stripers 
(all keepers) came swimming out from under the bridge and began nailing the
bait fish down low.

I missed my first chance at a getting a keeper because my tackle was left
back home.  I won't make that mistake again.

Regards...

Mike

    
    Thanks for all the tips. Unfortunetly the weather did not cooperate
    and I did very little fishing. I managed to fish at Nubble light for
    about 20 minutes and that was it. I wasn't even going to fish but I saw
    someone else pull up and catch a striper on his first cast so I said
    what the heck. 20 minutes later I was soaked due to an un-noticed very
    large wave that caught me off guard so i left for some dry clothes.
    I did find all the places mentioned so next time I'll be alot more
    prepared. We did see around 12 or so seals while there.
    
    Walt

Awfully quiet in here... no one's fishing for stripers?  

Has the "fall run" begun yet?  How's the merrimack been lately?

-Joe-

	It has been quiet in here...  I haven't been out for several
	weeks for Stripers.  How long do stripers generally hang around
	the MA coast ?    I'd like to get out once more, at least, to
	catch that keeper ;-)

	Ken

    	The largest Striper ever landed from shore was caught on Nauset
    beach the 1st week of November in 87(?).  The good fishing is just
    starting!
    					B.C.

	Agree it's been slow in here.
	I'm considering going this weekend to the Merrimack.
	Tide's look good and the weather seems to be ok.
	Haven't heard much about the wind's though?
	
	The girls are not with us this weekend and my wife can't come with me
	as she has lot's of homework. I'm trying to get my son to join me.
	If he comes alone I will have room for a noter or two?

	Let me know
	-< Tuna Tail >-

	

    Still haven't contacted my son up in NH.
    
    He's an aquatic biologist for the state and is in the "field"
    meaning lakes/rivers testing the H20.
    
    Anyway he'll hopefully call me at home.
    
    Just in case I have room for someone or two to join me and we don't
    connect here during the day you can reply here.  If you don't hear
    from me back by 5:00pm today send a mail message to me on
    CAPL::LANDRY_D and give your home phone #.  I'll call ya if I have
    room aboard the FishTeaser.   I will check mail from my PC at home.
    
    -< Tuna Tail >-
    

    CANCELLED 	CANCELLED   CANCELLED   CANCELLED   CANCELLED
    ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------
    
    	I just read in the BOATS notes that the Merrimack R will be
    	ruined this weekend with a powerboat race both Sat and Sun :^(
    
    	Needless to say I'm cancelling any thought whats-so-eva of
    	being near the Merrimack with those BOZO's wasting gas,
    	creating noise pollution, going nowhere but worse yet...
    	ruining any chance of catching a fish within 10 miles of them :^(
    
    	Guess I may head on down the Cape to West Harwichport and
    	launch from Allen's harbour.  I may just zip on over to 
    	Monomoy and bang some biggo striper's that hang around the
    	shoals ;^)
    
    	Invite is still on for any noter that may be able to join me
    	space available that is ;^)
    
    	-< Tuna Tail >-
    
    	PS:If you wan't to catch some fish...... 
    	   Stay away from the Merrimack R. 25-Sep/26-Sep!!!!!
            

    I think the power boats will be on the Merrimack in the
    Lowell/Tyngsboro section only this weekend..

    Can someone confirm this!!!!
    
    This would be great.
    
    I have seen them practicing out of the mouth so was concerned when
    I read the BOAT note
    
    I'll ask in that file also
    -< Tuna Tail >_

    Re-read the BOAT note and "YES" it's Lowell area :^)
    
    So it's back to planning the Merrimack trip.
    My son cannot make it as he is in a Frizbee tounament in Vermont
    this weekend.  I've got to talk to him about priority setting ;^)
    
    My wife now want's to join me and will do homework aboard the
    FishTeaser.....sure!!!!
    
    -< Tuna Tail >-

Captain David Scott operates one of those 6-pack charters out of Newburyport
and writes an article/update on local (Merrimack River area) Saltwater 
fishing in the Sunday Lawrence Eagle Tribune.  His writing is refreshing
because he doesn't editorialize like the guy he shares the page with.
I'm sure many folks here have seen his 27' Mako with twin outboards called
the "Reel Treat".  

In yesterday's article he says that last week's Striper fishing was the
best of the season from the Rt 95 bridge to Badgers and all the usual
haunts in between.  He particularly had success an hour before high tide
but noted that fishing was fairly good all day.

My interpretation of all this is that more keeper bass are being caught
by those that are familar with the techniques that work this time of year
and are willing to put in the time.

>the techniques that work this time of year

 Such as?

    RE:.217
    
    	John,
    		Yup.  Seen the "Reel Treat" many times in the merrimack.
    		Nice boat and set up.
    	-< Tuna Tail >-

    My wife and I launched the "FishTeaser" 5:00am Sat Salisbury Pk ramp.
    Drove to mouth of Merrimack to warmup engine and check water action.
    It was so calm we decided to head out......way out!
    Plotted course for Jeffries but stopped 15 miles+ out where a party
    boat and some fishing boats were anchored.  I didn't anchor as it
    was 300'+ depth.  Did catch a dogfish and a cusk while my wife
    caught some Zzzzzz.
    
    Water was very very calm.
    We drove by the party boat and I saw the fin of a Killer Whale.
    We then saw many whales (humpback's???) breaching and generally
    cruising by.  One within 20'+ of the "FishTeaser". I estimated it's
    size at over 30'+ 8^0
    
    We watched them for 30min or so then headed back.
    Had bird folling us so I slowed down for it to catch up.
    A "Woodpecker" landed on the transom and looked tired and dazed.
    It noticed us then flew up to land on a rod then flew away.
    We were still 15+ miles out.  (Didn't notice many trees our there?)
    
    We then approaced a fishing trawler who had a billion (more or less)
    seagulls flying around or sitting on surface behind the trawler.
    I wanted my wife jean to take a picture of as it would make a great
    shot.  As we approached the birds took off but before my wife got
    a piture dolpins breached right by the FishTeaser.  It was awesome.
    Looked in our book at home and they were Common Dolphin's.
    There were around 30 of them and we followed them and they followed us
    for 30 min.  My wife got some great pictures of them including one
    baby around 2' long clinging to it's mom.  The biggest was around 8'.
    
    We let them go out to sea then headed for shore but on way we spotted
    3 more whales breaching.  (when I say breaching I mean blowing their
    spouts...not jumping out of the water.  We didn't see any of the 
    whales tail's just their hump and fin out of water)
    
    We then anchored off the South jetty.
    We caught some skate, flounder and a searobin but no stripers or blues.
    Heard folks catching some Mack's but no other action except someone
    caught some schoolies and one keeper.
    
    All in all a wonderful day for a cruise on the ocean and longest trip
    for the FishTeaser.  (Preparing for trip to Nantucket someday...) 
    
    Except on way home we blew out bearings on the same tire that I had
    it happen to before :-(
    
    Already removed both tires and bought the parts for replacement.
    Hope to have her ready for this weekend ;^)
    
    -< Tuna Tail >-
                                                    

    I fished the refuge at Plum Island Sat. night and hammered the
    schoolies.  Just before dark, the beach front was loaded with what
    looked like large schools of sand eels.  As soon as it got dark, the
    bite was on.  My largest of the night was about 33 or 34 inches.
    At one point the action was non-stop and it was difficult to get the
    rod into the sand spike without getting a hit.
    
    I took my brother-in-law with me.  It was his first time striper
    fishing, and he did not know what expect.  Well, I heard more than one
    complaint from him that the action was too fast, and he didn't have
    enough time to drink his beer!!  Well, we should have a couple more
    weeks like this anyway.
    
                            John

Hi Mark..

re .218  >the techniques that work this time of year

Late season fishing on the Merrimack includes live eels, pogies and
chunk bait in and around the rocks, (Half Tide rock, Badgers, Lunt, etc).
Bass like rocks, unfortunately propellers don't.  I've yet to fish
within 100 yds of Half Tide rock though I know that many bass hang out
and are taken there.

Another successful method is drifting sand worms over the flats.
98% of my fishing is with a flyrod which has a different set of
challenges.   Big fish prefer a big bait and sometimes you got to
hit em on the nose with it.

    RE: .222
    
    	Only 98% John?  Do the guys in the other file know this???
    
    	Fished the East end of the Canal on Fri night.  First few hours of
    dropping tide chunk Macks w/no weight.  Caught one small (28") Striper
    out of dozens of bites.  We figure it was mostly small bass that couldn't
    fit the bait in their mouths running off with it.
    	Should have used the fly rod.
    
    					B.C.
    

    re: .223
    
    Yeah, we know about "Renegade John"...The word is out that he's Gone
    Native, bought himself a throw-net, and now "flyfishes" exclusively with 
    live pogies...
    
    Forgive Him, For He Knows Not What He Does
    
    /dave

    
    You guys have really got me primed to get all my gear, the boat
    and camper back in shape for next year.  Things around the new
    home are at a point where I'll be able to "enjoy" one or two
    weekends a month by then.
    
    4 years of starvation from "my toys" is long'anuff!!  :^)
    
    Fred
    

Bruce & I got to the boat at 6:30 in anticipation of an inshore codfishing trip.
The wind at the Boston buoy was already 18Kts but we decided to go out and
check the lobster pots since we were there.  There was a pretty decent chop in
the sound and we knew going outside for codfish was not going to be pretty.

After pulling the pots, we decided to give a couple of jigs in the sound.  We 
didn't catch any codfish, but were into spike mackerel pretty heavy.  Soon, we
started putting them in the livewell.  

We pulled up to one of the local islands and put live spikes out on balloons.
I don't think the first one lasted more than 10 seconds.  We took five fish
from the first spot in 1/2 hour, no keepers, but several over 30".  We lost
several more.

Now we're out of bait, so we get some more and pull up to another island where
we proceeded to get 5 more stripers and lose several more.  This time, however,
we picked up twin keeps, between 36.5" and 37".  Kept one, released the other.

Several other boats were in the same area(s) and were throwing plugs, but I 
didn't seem them get a single fish.  All the fish we caught were footballs,
the fatest stripers I've ever seen.

Whoever was questioning the end of the striper season be warned--it's still 
going strong!

Tim

 Now's the best time to catch big fish. They're fattening up for the trip
south. I'm hearing about a lot of action in the So ME, NH, No MA area.
Lots of keepers.

    Received envelope from The Hudson River Foundation.
    It contained: - A check for $5.00
    		    A one page form to fill out
    		    A bright green flyer announcing the $5 to $1,000 REWARD
    		    A self addressed return envelope.
    
    I gave the $5.00 to Tami the 9yr old who reeled in the Striper.
    
    The flyer indicated that in February they will hold a drawing.
    Nine tag numbers will be randomly selected.  HRF will award
    $100 to the first five fishermen, $500 to the next two and $1,000 to
    the last two.
    
    In the comments section of the form I asked where/when was the Striper
    was released and size/weight upon release.  I'll reply here if I hear
    anything.
    
    Still hoping to fish Merrimack time/weather permitting
    Anybody else doin anythin?
    
    -< Tuna Tail >-

    I went up to the refuge fri night picked up a couple of schollies but
    
    froze my but off.`

re: .193 & .228

	An update to the tagged Striper caught by a 9yr old friend of
	my daughter's on 6-Sep-93 in the Merrimack.  See .193 & .228

	Since then I received a form:
	Hudson River Foundation Striped Bass Tag Return Questionaire

	It had some of the previous information I sent hand written in and
	I was to fill out the mt spaces.  Although most of the data not
	filled in I did send in with the tag.  Filled it out anyway and
	mailed it back.

	The other day my wife got a phone call from a National Environmental
	Group/Foundation? based in Virgina.  I was home but my wife didn't
	get me as I was changing the oil on "her" car :-(  Anyway she 
	answered all the questions like "did you catch any other fish
	that day? type/size/released? etc"

	They also asked if the survey person that called before was courteous?
	It was then we found out that a person called in mid Nov and talked
	to my daughter.  She didn't tell us about the call :-(

	Yesterday I received a "Certificate of Participation" in the
	Hudson River Foundation's Striped Bass Tag Recovery Program.
	It sated The Tagged Striped Bass you caught at Newbury, Ma on 6-Sep-93
	was originally tagged at Hudson River, Off Middle Manhattan, MY
	on December 8, 1992
	Signed by John R. Waldon, Pr.D. Program Director (Sp? from signature)

	Hudson River Foundation for Scientific and Environmental Research, Inc.

	Kinda neat as I had written back asking where the fish was released.
	I also wanted to know it's length/weight at time of release.

	My wife had said the person she talked to said they were very
	appreciative that we had taken the time to send them the information.

	Will keep ya posted.
	Next thing is the drawing in February.
	>> from .228
	>>The flyer indicated that in February they will hold a drawing.
	>>Nine tag numbers will be randomly selected.  HRF will award
	>>$100 to the first five fishermen, $500 to the next two and $1,000 to
	>>the last two.

	-< Tuna Tail >-

    1994 STRIPER REPORTS
    

    
    I probably shouldn't say anything but I was down the Cape this
    past weekend and the herring and smelt are in the canal and the
    lower part of the herring run. The bass can't be far behind. I was
    thinking of going down either this weekend or next to try for some
    bass just for the heck of it. If I do I'll post the results.
    
    
    Walt

    Fact of the matter is my buddy caught a 42 lber monday night at the
    run. There also catching schoolies in the South Cape Beach area. I'm
    heading down next week. I'll let you know.

    Where's the run...
    
    	Inquiring minds and all that....
    
    -< Tuna Tail >-

    re: .last
    
    	Probably the Herring run at the Canal. A good way to find it is to
    	look for the 'Herring Run Motel'.
    
    				Robert.

    RE: .previous
    	
    	...sounds plausable to me ;^)
    
    	-< Tuna Tail >-
    		

I went down to visit Red Top and take advantage of their big sale.
Picked up a Ben Doerr Surf System 8'6" graphite rod to go with my
5500SS for 20% off ($114 - 20% = $92.xx).  I also grabbed a bunch
of lures.  The herring are there, although not in the numbers that
they will achieve later in the run.  I checked with Red Top and
one other shop and neither had any confirmation of a striper being
caught.  I heard an unconfirmed report of 1 schoolie caught there 
on Saturday.  I was quite dismayed to see the blantant disregard 
for the signs which were posted there.  Kids bombing the herring
with rocks and people netting (or "colandering") the herring right
at the base of the run.

The signs were confusing.  Does anyone know exactly what the regs
are?  The signs say 12 herring limit/day.  If not, I'll call Red
Top and get the exact regs and post them here.

Tim

    THE KJ REPORTS SCHOOLIES IN THE SACO AND KENNEBEC RIVERS ALREADY. ABOUT
    2-3 WEEKS EARLY.
    

    I was talking to the guys at Budds Bait in Bourne today.
    They started weighing keepers last night and this morning. The herring
    are really heating up in the run on the canal and keepers are being
    caught down to Truro on the Cape. Few bass are around Woods Hole as the
    seal colony is still there.
    Jeff 

Really?  I've not heard any Merrimack reports since Saturday (I was
there Sat.)...The reports were an occasional schoolie, which were
thought to be part of the (small) year-round population, possibly from
the Marblehead/Salem power plant population.

Tim

(going striper fishing Friday night at Plum Island)

    I was at Plum Island on tuesday fishing the mouth of the river. I hate 
     to report that there were no fish but there was a lot fo seals. Kay
    from Surfland said some guy hooked a seal and was fighting it for 45
    min.
    
    Ken
    
    

    
                             -< Cape Cod Canal >-
    
    Stripers everywhere! Very few keepers taken though. This was my first
    trip to the Canal to fish the Herring run. UNREAL! Not only was the
    striper action VERY hot, it was a trip just catching the live herring
    for bait.
    
    Most of the fish that I seen caught- which was probably a 100+ , was
    durning the slack tide in the morning. Yesterday we had numerous hook
    ups, but only three fish on shore. People were hooking up all around
    us. I did not see any keepers taken but the shorts that were caught
    were the FATTEST fish I have ever seen. They are just gorging
    themselves on the massive amounts of herring. We figured the reason why
    why didn't get any keepers is because the smaller ones are just nailing
    anything that gets thrown at them, and they are not allowing the
    herring to get down deeper to the bigger fish.
    
    Looks like this is going to become a yearly trip!
    
    WILDMAN
           

    Well, not being an expert or anything. I think the BIG ones, aren't
    around yet. In my limited experience with fish, its the big ones that
    push the little ones around!  :^)
    
    Don

    Monday I went out on my cousins boat on the merrimack river and 
    had a great day of fishing. Plenty of schoolies around and talking 
    to the guy at the bait shop, they have been catching keepers up by the
    chain bridge early in the morning during high tide using cut hearing.
    Can't wait to get back out there! Anyone else out this weekend??
    Tuna Tail???
                                           
    Gus

    Well I broke my drought, this weekend caught 3 stripers Thursday
    off of Newcomb Hollow Beach down in Wellfleet.  All of them were
    around 26 inches.  Saw a bunch of shorts no keepers caught.

    Most of the "hollow" beaches on the outer cape were supposedly 
    producing shorts but no keepers, also I heard Duck Bay was good on
    the innner.
   
    The bait of choice seemed to be sand eels.

    George

	Took Fri as Personal day and arrived at Harwich 4:30pm (beat traffic)

	Fri caught 1 Striper from shore (very small)
	Sat caught 3 Stripers from "FishTeaser" (biggest 26")
	Sun caught 4 Stripers from "FishTeaser" (biggest 28")
	Mon skunked while aboard the "FishTeaser" :-(

	My brother-in-law fished with me and caught same amount cept on
	Sunday he also caught a 30" blue....kinda early for Cape but heard 
	this morning that others were caught along shore but spotty.

	We fished in Pleasant Bay, wind constant with white caps and all
	were caught on silver/black rapala at depth of 4'-10' with weeds.

	re: .244  Gus, I wanna go to Merrimack soon.  Thanks for report ;^)

	-< Tuna Tail >- dick

    
    Went to the canal sunday morning. Not a thing. Nobody caught squat,
    at least where I was. We stayed away from the herring run because
    of too many people/not enough herring. My grandfather said it's been
    bad and that the state has been trucking herring from the first pool
    up to herring pond. Too many people catching them in the run and taking
    them home to eat.
    
    Walt

    Fished the Merrimack Sunday with my son and Brother-in-Law.Caught well
    over a dozen schoolies with the largest about 30". When the fishing
    slowed down went for breakfast at the Fishtail Dinner which is now
    under new management. Liked the old mgt much better. Went out about
    five miles after breakfast and caught a cooler full of mackerel to be
    used later in the season as bait.
    
    Jim

Friday night produced 20 schoolies for me, 14 to 26 inches.  It
was packed and all were catching fish.

    Hello All, went to the Merrimack Saturday. Caught 37 1/2 stripper on
    mackeral. Lot's of schoolies on lures. Can't remember when it has been
    this good.
    
    gerry s.

    The first few bluefish are being picked up by netters off of the NH/MA
    coast. If you want macks for stripper fishing, get them soon.
    
    Steve

 Steve-

 What's the water temp been like lately?

    I would guess 52-56. That is the air temp in the morning with an east
    wind and fog.
    
    Steve

    Water temps off salem have been 50-52 still very cold....The
    fisherman said a giant was stuck up off tantas last week...pretty
    early. Maybe warmer water offshore?
    
    Bruce

    I went out of Salisbury last night.  No big fish (just a 35 1/2" on
    eels).  The action was good, but spotty.  Had a blast with a flyrod.
    I lost one very nice fish on the long pole.
    
    We did ok fishing in the fog until time to come in to the dark ramp.
    We could not see a thing.  Finally some headlights came to the
    ramp so we could see it.  I sure wish they'd put up a light there.
    It was so foggy that I ran off the road in my truck on the road out
    of the reservation.
    
    Mark,
    

    The Portland Press Herald in Maine reported that the Blue's are
    starting to come in now. I am planing a nice fishing trip over the 4th
    to hopefully pick some up..
    
                       Jon

    
    Does anyone know what the legal length limit is for stripers
    in Maine? Also any ied awhat the tides will be for the week of
    July 17th in Old Orchard Maine? thanks
    
                           
    Walt

    The legal limit on Strippers in Maine is 36 inches. I have a house and
    boat in York Maine therfore I keep a tide chart on hand for York Maine.
    At York Maine the tides will be high:
    			A.M.		P.M
    	July 17		6:17		6:43
    	July 18		7:24		7:47
    	July 19		8:32		8:51
    	July 20		9:36		9:52
    	July 21	       10:35	       10:48
    	July 22	       11:29	       11:41
        July 23			       12:19
        July 24		0:30	        1:07
    
    I would assume the tides at Old Orchard Maine would be about the same.
    
    Jim

    
    Jim, thanks for the info.
    
    Walt

I seem to remember that the federal limit was lowered to 34" and that only
Massachusetts kept the 36" minimum length.  Check with a Maine bait shop.

Tim

Went out yesterday to Halibut point.  Got 10 blues about 8-12 lbs on the 
outgoing tide.  The were spotty and had to troll around for them.  Nice day to
be out there.

Also saw a dragger up on the rocks on Dry Salvages.  Looked like it had been
there a while.  Anyone heard what happened?

Gordon

re: .260

Tim...NH limit also remains at 36" for stripers.

Will be hitting the Merrimack Sunday PM.  Anyone else planning to be out there?
No radio onboard...just look for a blue 14' Princecraft w/25 Merc.

-Joe-

Well...my son and I hit the Merrimack R. yesterday (Sunday), launching from 
Salisbury St. Pk.  Got on the water about 1:00 P.M. well before high tide.  
Wind was strong and lots of chop in the river, so we headed up river beyond 
the Rt. 1 bridge for a couple of hours and drowned some mack chunks.  Got 
one or two pickups but that was it.  headed down to Badgers around 3 PM and 
drifted worms and mac chunks, but didn't pick anything up until around 6:30 
PM out by the south jetty.  Got 3 schoolies, the largest about 24".  Heavy 
swells at the mouth so we stayed inside.

only saw one other boat pick up a small one.  Anyone else do any better 
this weekend?  If so, where and using what?

-Joe-

SUBJ:	Fishing Trip Report for Saturday evening/Sunday morning

   My neighbor and I fished Nauset Inlet Saturday night from 9:30 to
   Sunday Morning 0630.  My neighbor (Jim) and I picked up 11 fish.
   I caught 6 and Jim caught 5 all stripers.  My biggest was 33 inches
   with most fish running around 26-28 inches. I caught 5 in one hour
   around 2:30 one hour after high tide at 1:30.  Jim caught 3 during that
   time.  Nauset Inlet is a ~2.5 mile hike from the Orleans (Nauset) Beach.
   At about 4:00 we started back to the parking lot stopping every
   1/4 mile or so to make a few casts.  At about 0500 got back to the
   Orleans beach front and decided to fish for a half hour.  Jim picked
   up 2 on two casts and lost one on third cast.  I missed two in a row
   and caught one after about 15 minutes (You could see them in the waves).
   About 0530 decided to pack it in and get breakfast.  All fish caught
   were on Large Rebel plugs mine on a Mackerel color (Green/Black striped)
   and Jim on Silver black back.  All in all a good trip.  We got back home
   at 0830.


                                            Culprit 

    
    Went out on the Merrimac saturday a little after noon. The fog was
    thick, almost too thick. Saw one fish caught by the bridge, that
    was it. Water was calm, quite a few boats, lots of sand eels,
    and people still going 90mph.
    
    
    Walt 

    Fished the Merrimack at Plum Island sunday morning from 7:00-9:30 a.m.
    My buddy and I got skunked. Surfcasters every 15' along the river. It
    was very crowded. There were only 3 schoolies taken from what we could
    see between this time. We were using sea worms and mackeral (sp?)
    hunks.

    Fished Merrimack River Sunday morning. Launced at 5:00 am up at Ferry
    Landing. Caught lots of small fish on the flats on light tackle. The
    fishing dropped-off between 7:30-8:00. Went for breakfast while the
    tide slacked off. Went outside the river just off the church to do some
    flounder fishing. Pleasantly suprised with the good flattie fishing.
    
    Jim

    re:261
    
    About the dragger on the Salvages, I went diving around Thachers 6/19
    and the Capt. on the Unity said that it went a ground a couple days
    before in the fog.  Rumor has it, the Capt. of the wreck didn't care
    about the nets or electronics.  He wasn't to interested in getting it
    of the rocks.  It's been pirated already.  If I wanted to get out of
    the fishing business I'd wreck my boat in the fog.  It's kind of
    strange that these guys make a living on the ocean and didn't know
    that area.  
    
    Ken  

Any weekend reports from the Merrimack River?  Any blues around?

What's hot 'n what's not??

I was hoping to get out on the Merrimack in Salisbury on the 4th, but my 
partner backed out and I wasn't going to try to launch alone from the state 
ramp with the big crowds.  All I need to hear was ... "Geez, Joe...we were 
killing 'em!  Big ones too!"

	Aaaarrrgghhh!

-Joe-

    Was out on the river Friday night. Lots of good fish in the river. Our
    largest fish was 35" with another at 34". We had quite a few smaller
    fish. I heard of 30lb fish taken while we were landing one of our
    bigger fish. Had to leave early as we ran out of eels. Didn't see any
    Blues.
    
    
    Jim

    	Called around yesterday (Al Gaurons, Smith & Gilmore, and Eastmans)
    and they really haven't started fishing for blues yet. Most are
    starting their first Blues trip this Saturday.
    
    	It was either A.G.'s or S&G that said they were going out yesterday
    and would go again if they did well, otherwise they would wait a week or
    so. I didn't hear how they did though.
    
    	If it doesn't rain, I'm going to try my luck on a half-day mackeral
    trip later today. With the Blues around there won't be much more time
    left to pick up macks.
    
    	RAYJ

    To give you guys some idea of how many keeper bass are caught
    daily/nightly in the Merrimack, Tri-Coastal Coop bought 1700 lbs this
    last Sunday. I find it hard to believe, but thats what I was told.
    
    Steve

    This is not a first-hand account, but it comes from an absolutely
    unimpeachable source and it's amazing.
    
    Pat Riley, who is the skipper of the Applejack out of Scituate told me
    that he and two of his charter-captain buddies went into Boston Harbor
    last Thursday or Friday at 6 am. They fished for bass for about an
    hour, didn't hook up and decided to head in for breakfast when they saw
    fish breaking on the surface. They were bass. And big ones.
    
    They were the only boat around, caught 46 bass in all, in less than 4
    hours. 18 of them were keepers!!!! Of the ones released, most were in
    the 30" range. 
    
    I guess this is more evidence of the resurgence of the bass population. 
    I guess that's an understatement.
    
    Art
    

    We have been getting our technique down on striper fishing the
    north shore. We are constitently finding bass in tight to the rocks.
    No keepers landed yet, but we had a couple break off in the rocks
    that were clearly bigger than the 30" fish we boated. With the bass
    so prevalent, I'm not missing the bluefish at all.
    
    Bruce

    
    A party I know that fishes along the N.H. coast has boated 10
    keepers in 4 trips. He has his methods and they are working very
    well for him.  Last year he boated some keepers while at the
    Isle Of Shoals fishing for Macks. The first fish he caught hit
    a mack he was catching.
    
    Bear

    Re .272>
    Steve,
    	I wasn't aware that stripers could be sold. I hope that doesn't put
    too much pressure on them. I like the way they are filling in during the
    blues drought. The conservation measures put in place thus far seem to
    be paying off.
    	Actually I'd like to see a slot system put in place. I don't like
    the idea of keeping the breeders while letting the jouveniles go. But
    that's another subject.
    Sea ya,
    Paul
    

    	Went out yesterday on Eastman's for a half-day trip. The mackeral
    were real spotty (as expected) but the last stop of the day put us on a 
    school of pollack, which were fun.
    
    	Didn't see or hear of any blues taken for the day but the pool
    winner on the half-day boat was a 41" striper @28 lbs.. Get this, the
    guy was bait fishing with clams on the bottom when he caught it. Pretty 
    hefty pool fish even for an all-day boat, nevermind a half-day mackeral
    trip.
    
    	All in all it was a pretty good day. The captain (Leo) stayed out
    until 5:35 because the action was so slow earlier and he found the
    school of pollack so late into the trip. We were supposed to be back at
    the dock at 5:30. I caught more fish in the last 15 minutes than my father 
    and I caught combined in the previous 3 1/2 hours.
    
    	The captain and crew were pretty pleasant and attentive. I forgot
    to ask but it looked as if the half-day boat was allowing people to
    bring beer. I definitely saw beers coming out of coolers but forgot to
    ask if it was OK to bring some (for next time).
    
    	RAYJ

    
    	Could someone over there describe what a striper looks like to a
    scotsman?Sounds like a small barracuda?28lb's sounds good fun.

    	If you're into, or have seen, fresh water aquarium fish called
    Zebra Danio's (sp), take that and multiply times a couple hundred or 
    so ;-) That's almost exactly what they look like. I'm not sure what
    kind of fish you have in Scotland to compare it to.
    
    	RAYJ

 Lots of people trolling within sight of land at Seabrook/Hampton. 
I think they were missing the action: a big slick was right off
the Seabrook side of the mouth of Hampton Harbor. A couple decent
fish were taken by the lone guy who was fishing. I was in a family
way and not actually fishing myself, but it didn't keep me from checking
things out. :-)

re: .-1
What kind of fish stripers or blues?  I have often thought of fishing that
area on the busy weekends.  The boat traffic in the merrimack makes it real
dofficult to fish and troll.  Off seabrook beach and hampton harbor there are
lots of lumps and rockpiles which should hold bass and blues.

There were three half-day party boats on Hampton shoals last monday pm.  I 
thought they might be bluefishing so trolled over that way.  They were mackeral
fishing and I didn't see a single fish brought aboard.  They kept moving trying
to position themselves on this small hump.

Gordon

 Blues.

First keeper of '94 came aboard on Saturday @ over 38".   Only have a yard
stick and she hung over both ends by at least an inch.  Weight = ~21 lbs.
Caught several fish in the 30-35+ range, a 25 & 27.

Tim

    Went out on Sunday from 6:am to 2:30 pm out off Westport with my four
    son's. Never saw so many fish two keepers plus numerous others quit
    catching blues because we got tiered. As far as you could see in any
    direction blues were breaking water.
    
    John
    

Went out yesterday AM about 10:00 to try and catch some mackeral for bait.  Heard
they were getting them on Hampton Shoals.  On the way out there could smell a 
strong fishy odor.  I said to my wife there must be blues around.  Started
mackeral fishing and a huge school of blues went by finning the surface.  Put 
on a popper and got one right away.  They were real finicky only got one out of
each school.  School after school came by.  Got a couple and lost a couple in
about an hour fishing.  Had to go in and pick up my daughter and family.

I guess they are here now.

Gordon

Believe it or not, blues can be finicky.  I've often had trouble getting them
to pounce on a popper when they are finning.  My theory is that they are
spawning, but they could be just resting.  Oddly enough, you are MUCH more
likely to get a blue to come up 30+ feet to hit a popper than to turn its
head.  It's really neat to cast to a fish you can see and to watch its
reaction.  Sometimes there is none.  Sometimes they disappear completely.
Sometimes they move out of the way.  Sometimes they attack.  Repeated 
annoyance usually elicits either a strike or the disappearance of the fish.

I'd like to make at least one bluefish trip to get some in the freezer.  The
stripers are so plentiful that we're not bothering to go chasing the blues.

Incidentally, the finning behavior appears most apparent when they first come
North of the cape.  They are feeding heavily before this time (in May) south
of Cape Cod.  They also are tightly schooled in large numbers during this
time and it's not uncommon to see schools of several hundred finning.  Later
in the summer, they settle down to smaller schools and wolfpacks of 5 to 20
fish or so.

    I have found that when Blues are finicky,its best to increase the speed
    of the retreive. I mean you really crank the popper in making as much
    of a commotion as possible. Regarding .283,Tim, did you get your keeper
    in the merrimack? I was out Friday night but the fog was so thick we
    never got much below the RT 1 bridge. I was going to try it again early
    Sunday morning but it was still foggy at my house at 3:30 SO I went
    back to bed. 
    
    Jim

Well, despite the fog, a friend and I hit the Merrimack R. around 7:00 PM 
Saturday night and fished thru the night until about 8:00 AM Sunday.  The 
fog was thick, so we anchored near the toothpick.  We used live eels and 
mackeral chunks.  Finally got my first pickup about 2:30 AM when my reel 
started clicking as the fish ran with the eel.  By the time I got the rod 
out of the rod-holder, it had dropped the eel.  

Around 3:30 AM we decided to try to find Badger's Rocks in the fog.  No 
compass, no Loran or GPS, just dead reckoning.  Ha Ha!  As it turned out, I 
ended up even with the rocks, but on the Salisbury side instead of out by 
the channel.  Then, around 5 AM, the fog had seemed to lift to the point 
that we could see light son Plum Island and boats drifting the channel, so 
I decided, what the hell.  

We pulled anchor, motored over to the channel and started a drift.  All of 
a sudden, the fog totally surrounded us and we had no idea where we were.  
All I did has head upstream against the outgoing tide.  At one point I 
almost ran over a guy fly fishing on the sand flats, so I went around, lost 
him in the fog, and then ended up going full circle and was bearing down on 
him again!  This time, I managed to get headed in the "right" direction, 
only to end up somewhere on Joppa Flats.  My buddy said let's anchor here 
and wait for the fog to lift.  I said no way because the tide's headed out 
and this area will soon be high and dry!

We finally found a boat with Loran and followed it upriver until we saw the 
toothpick.  What a fiasco!  Although I wasn't *too* concerned, it was a 
little nerve wracking to be totally turned around without having any 
bearings.  Oh yeah...to top it all off, we got skunked!

Next time, I'll at least bring a compass so I'll know which way to go to 
find a shoreline!

-Joe-

>At one point I 
>almost ran over a guy fly fishing on the sand flats, so I went around, lost 
>him in the fog, and then ended up going full circle and was bearing down on 
>him again!

 That was you?!!! ^&*(%($!!!!

 :-)

>> That was you?!!! ^&*(%($!!!!


Ahhh ... if that was YOU standing out there, I wouldn't have turned!!

I didn't get my keeper in the Merrimack ;-).  Joe -- Believe it or not, the
fish can feel/hear the clicker.  I used to fish the clicker with mack chunks
but I've had too many fish drop it.  Without any resistance or noise, the 
hookup percentage goes way up.

>Joe -- Believe it or not, the
>fish can feel/hear the clicker.  I used to fish the clicker with mack chunks
>but I've had too many fish drop it.  Without any resistance or noise, the 
>hookup percentage goes way up.

 I find Shimano's "bait runner" feature to be perfect for this. The "bait 
runner" lever disengages the drag. When a fish takes the bait and runs off
with it, the spool rotates freely and there is minimal resistance. Once
you turn the crank, the drag is reengaged. Additionally, you can adjust
the resistance on the spool when the bait runner is engaged, so you can
prevent seaweed or wind from pulling a lot of line out. It seems 100 times
easier than the rapid drag adjustment method that other guys use with spinning
reels, especially since I _know_ my drag is set properly when it is engaged
and they are guessing as to how much drag they have set.

I use a lever drag (Penn 25GLS) in a similar manner: I can put the exact
amount of tension I want with my thumb.  The bait runner has caught my eye
for such applications, but I have had problems with shimano & their warantee
service.  Also, I seemed to get more line twist with my shimano spinning reels
than my Penns.  How well are they going to stand up in the salt is another
concern.

Tim

Tim,

Thanks for the feedback on the clicker.  I suspect that's exactly what 
happened, but I also suspect it may have been a smaller fish.  The problem 
is sitting for hours on end and holding the rod with the reel in free-spool 
can get tiring.  Maybe I'll file down the clicker so that it doesn't make 
as much noise and decreases the tension.

BTW... Silstar has a baitrunner spinning reel that looks pretty decent for 
about $50.  It has a separate drag setting for the tension on the spool and
it makes very little noise.  Flip a level and it engages the drag.

I was originally looking to buy a Penn 5500SS at Zylas, but they didn't 
have any.  They showed me the Silstar, and although it looked interesting, 
I  wasn't sure about the quality, so I ended up buying a Daiwa Regal 4000 
with 4 stainless ball bearings.  I really like it and it casts great.

Still hunting for a keeper!

-Joe-

Joe,
	Click too stiff?  Thumb too tired?  Crank the casting friction
adjustment down until you have the slight tension that you need.  Just be
aware that as you go with less initial tension on the line you stand a much
greater chance of a backlash if an aggressive fish gives it a good yank
instead of just moving off with it.
					B.C.

B.C.

It's more the issue of sitting for hours in the boat with the rod in the
rod-holder.  The clicker makes it nice as it alerts you to a pickup.  As 
Tim, suggested, though, it may transmit the vibrations down the line.  
I could, as you suggested, simply leave the reel in free-spool mode and
tighted up the spool a little, but there would be no indication of a 
fish running with the bait as it would be silent.

I know there are other devices designed to indicate a pickup where the line 
passes thru the device (eg. little clips with a light that glows), but since
I'm fishing a running tide, the live eel sometimes gets agressive and may 
set the detector off.

I'll work on trying to reduce the clicking sound with some modifications
to the reel.

Thanks,

Joe

    After a fairly slow start this season, things finally came together
    last night.  I fished the Merrimack from the green bouy at the mooring
    field down to the green light below badgers.  I got 5 total, 3 of
    which were keeper size.  More amazing than that, I got the 3 keepers
    and a 32" schoolie over the course of less than 1 hour ALL WITH
    THE SAME EEL.
    
    Mark,
    
    P.S.	Boat traffic was unbelieveable.  Everybody and his brother
    		must have been out last night.  Were any of you there?  How
    		did you do?
    

A couple of us fished the low tide last night from the beaches and along the
river.  We were there 2 hours on each side of low tide, but had no action.  No
one else seemed to be having any luck.

We were playing with plugs and flys.   Probably should have used eels...

...bill

    Mark,

         I take it you were drifting the eels off the bottom?? I'll be
    heading out tonight with my friend for awhile. Anyone else going out?

    Gus

    I'll be out with my B-law tonight. We will be in a 21ft starcraft
    center consol. We monitor ch 68 as th Tin MAN. Hope the fog and rain
    cooperate. I've had good luck on the same drift Mark was  doing. 
    
    Mark what time did the bite start?
    
    Jim

    I'll be using my 14' red and white Glastron, no C.B. I hope the 
    weather cooperates also..
    
    
    Gus

    Went to the Cape Saturday evening to do some surf casting.  Went to
    Chatham light first spent about 4 hours there around high tide and
    first couple hours of out going.  Only one small school bass, had 
    another on for about 45 seconds but felt like same size fish.  Moved
    to Nauset beach for low tide and caught two 34 inchers, one was a
    a real football Nice fish, lots of sand eels in the water.  Not a bad
    outing considering I found a new spot to try during my vacation (first
    week in August) Can't wait.  Chatham beach looks dead this year, think
    I will spend most of my time at Nauset.
    
                                           Culprit

    So, no weekend reports from the Merrimack?  Didn't anyone go out?
    
    Mark,
    

    I was out on the merrimack Friday night. We caught nearly twenty Bass.
    All the fish were under twenty 28inches. Not many boats out due to the
    rain. I did talk to another guy who got a couple of keepers. We were
    drifting EELs after dark. 
    
    Jim

    I went out saturday morning. Didn't have much luck alot of boat
    traffic. Went out of the mouth for a little while trying to fish
    60 ft of water with live eels but nudda... I did hear the blues were
    around saturday night. I'll be going out tonight to do a little
    trolling with my cousin for them little critters...

    Gus

    
    Re: -1  I hook them through both lips...
    
    
    Went out of the Mouth last night fishing the Plumb Island side for
    blues with my cousin on his boat. Started trolling with rapalas and 
    within minutes my cousin had one on. Fished awhile longer and he 
    started getting sea sick so we headed back in. Good thing too as the 
    fog was getting pretty thick. Can't wait to get back out there!
    
    Gus

    Anybody been out to the Halibut Point area lately? I was thinking of
    making a trip out there for Blues. Here it is the middle of July and
    I've gotten nearly a hundred Bass and not one Bluefish! If someone
    suggested this could happen a few years ago, He'd be locked-up.
    
    Jim

Hooking eels -- I've recently read that you should not hook them through both
lips but rather in the mouth and out 1 eye socket.  They stay on the gook much
better for repeated casting and fish abuse.  Next time I fish eels, I'm going
to try it.  Anyone have any experience doing it this way?

I've also caught many many bass and no bluefish.  And you know what?  I don't
really miss them all that much.  I do enjoy watching them hammer a popper on the
surface, but the size & quantity of bass this season more than makes up for it.


Tim

    Hooking through the mouth and out through the eye is one way, but I just go
    through the mouth and out one of the nostril holes.  I sure this does
    the same thing.  I also stun them before hooking them, because they can
    tangle a line faster then you can get them in the water.  I also use a 
    7/0 wide gap bait holder hook and sharpen to a very sharp point.  I
    haven't livelined eels this year, because I am having so much fun with
    the large Rebel swimming plugs and the size of Bass I am catching is
    about the same with the Rebel as with the eels.  I might try the eels
    again in September and early October when the big boys are on the move.
    
                                                  Culprit

    
    
    Can someone tell me what time high tide is Friday night??Thanks...
    
    Gus

RE: .311

	Don't we have a full moon coming up on Friday?  That would put
high tide in the middle of the night...  How's that Gus?  Close enough
for you, or do you need an exact hour?  Just fish all night and you're
bound to hit it!
				B.C.

High tide in Salisbury for the 22nd is 12:04 P.M.

I'm thinking of taking the afternoon off and heading out into the evening.

Anyone else going?

-Joe-

    B.C.  You are *ALWAYS* the ever-helpful one !!!  It's kinda like
    "where should I fish?"..... "In the water..."
    
    
    Gus (the other one) Man

Mr. Surrette,

	If you will take note of Joe's reply you will see that during
the full moon the tide -is- indeed "in the middle of the night"!  Let me
also point out, Mr. Surrette, that in 2 weeks when we have the new moon
the tide will also be "in the middle of the night"  Should I go on about
the fact that for either quarter moon it's in the middle of the morning?
That's about 6:00 for those of you who need to know the hour...

	Bottom line is:  If you know what the moon is doing you don't
really need a tide chart.  You don't need the exact time, the fish don't
care what your clock says....
						B.C.

    RE:312
    
    Geeez sorry I asked B.C.! I was looking for a time because I have found
    it to be most productive in the Merrimuck two hours prior and after
    high tide! I was hoping to catch this time frame after work or there 
    abouts... Hope this helps...Thanks....
    
    Gus

    high tide in York Maine is at 11:41 PM on Friday night. Adjust the time
    for your location.
    Jim

    Regarding the hooking of eels, I just started using a pair of work
    gloves to handle the eels with. They seem to work better than the
    rag,as I was consistantly hooking the rag and the eel together. Then
    its a three ring circus trying to get the hook out of the rag and the
    eel rapping itself around my arm. We also put the eels on ice which
    really helps. Another trick is to leave the reel in free spool, and
    toss the eel into the water imediately after hooking. This prevents the
    eel from balling up on your line. Eels ya got ta luv em !
    
    Jim

RE: .317

	Geeez sorry I answered you Gus!

	To all of you who decided to give me crap about this, just what is
the problem???  Gus asked for high tide friday and I not only told him when
it is, but I also gave him a rule of thumb to follow in the future!  I'm
very sorry if my being 4 minutes off the tide charts with my rough guess
is such a big deal!  Of course, that couldn't possibly mean that knowing the
moon phases helps know the tide....

	Here, let's just try the standard answer instead....

	Next time you're buying bait, ask the person in the bait shop for
a -free- tide chart!!!

	Gus, high tide -is- after you get out of work, you -can- make it
in time...  Don't be late, the fish have their watches synchronized!!!

					B.C.

	i was out at halibut point this past saturday....this was my
	1st time blue fishin so i didn't know what to expect...there
	were at times ~100 boats out there trollin....action was what
	i would call sporadic....didn't seem to be very consistent...
	the blues seemed to be pretty deep and skittish....we were out
	there from ~8am till about 3pm....we didn't catch any in our
	boat however lots of boats were getting them but the action 
	seemed slow....didn't see any blues 'finnin' in this area...

	on the way back to the merrimack we caught up with a school
	that was finnin....but again, once the boats got anywhere near
	them it was all dive and then they were gone...i picked up
	1 about 7lbs....most of the ones i saw were in the 7-8lb range...
	largest one that i know of caught on saturday was a 14lb'r....

	hope this helps....

	denny

    Sorry B.C./Gus.  I was just bustin'....
    
    
    I'll go crawl back under my (moon) rock!
    
    TOG
     

    B.C. thanks for the info on the moon phase/tide its going to come in
    real handy when I don't have a tide chart on me. You learn something
    new every day. Only nine days to go before vaction at the cape!!!!

Don't let the ice come in direct contact with the eels.  Put the ice in the
bottom, a wet rag, towel, newspapers, seaweed on top, and the eels on top
of that.  They can drown if the ice melts and makes too much water.

I read in the same place that they are only slimy in the air, not in water.
Next time I'm slingin', I'll try hooking them in a bucket of water.

Tim

>They can drown if the ice melts and makes too much water.

 Eels drown in water?

    I think he meant to say they die in "fresh water"........
    
    Salt Water Ice Cubes is Hard to Make   ;'}
    
    Bob M�

    
    No, what Tim meant is if the ice melts and the eels uses the oxigen
    out of the water then they do drown just like any other fish. Keep
    em cold and damp is the secret.
    
    Also, I don't buy the easier to hook in water theory. When they are
    swimming around in my live well they are near impossible to grab and
    get out without a net.
    
    My 2 cents.
    
    bruce

Wrong.  They live just fine in both fresh and salt water.  They'll drown from
lack of disolved oxygen.  If you force them under water by placing a towel on
top, enough oxygen to sustain them won't be exchanged from the atmosphere.
Fish drown every year in main when the blues chase pogies into coves.  So much
activity is happening that all the disolved O2 is consumed and they just drown.

Eels are quite capable of processing oxygen right out of the air, as long as 
their gills are kept moist.

Tim

    I think what they will drown in is their own slime.  Certainly
    freshwater is no problem.  I keep them alive for weeks in fresh water
    in a five gallon pail with an aquarium aerator in the basement.  Kids
    like to show their friends dad's "pets".
    
    I drilled many small holes in the bottom of a wide-mouthed 2qt plastic
    thermos (with a handle like a pail).  I put eels in this, then seaweed and
    ice.  I carry it surfcasting with the lid on, doesn't matter if it
    falles in the water or tumbles over in the rocks.  In the boat I place 
    it in a 5 gallon pail.
    
    do keep them chilled.
    
    Jack
                                            

"Lucky" Lucia and I will be on the Merrimack out of Salisbury tomorrow, 
from about noon until sometime in the evening (or until the heat gets to 
us!).  We'll probably try for some flounder of the south jetty and then do 
some drifting for stripers.

Anyone else planning to be out there?  I've got a 14' blue Princecraft w/25 
Merc and a bow-mounted electric motor, so yell out (sorry, no 2-way readio 
on board) if you see us.

Joe

    Great Bay stripers:
    
    There were schoolies breaking the surface under a few terns last Wednesday
    (7/20) morning - about mid-tide (incoming) - near Goat Island.
    They were also right off the Hilton Park launch just past low.
    
    Only caught them on small poppers cast right to the breaking fish,
    retrieved slow/erratic.
    
    This is the mid-summer pattern from last year.
    
    There may be larger fish underneath them, but I have not learned to
    catch them with lures yet.
    
    Most people fishing the bay are livelining harbor pollock (daytime) or
    eels (night).
    
    
    Kittery, Maine surf
    
    Fished poppers and swimmers on the incoming tide Friday (7/22) evening.
    Saw one short strike and caught one harbor pollock.  Not very active
    considering the tide & time of day.  It was beautiful though - big
    moon, nice breeze, strong tide.  We got wet.
    
    
    jack
    
     

    
    I spent all of last week up at Old Orchard Beach, Maine. Fished
    the camp ellis jetty for 3 days,nothing. Went out on a charter 
    (6 of us on 1 boat) one blue was taken. Lots of fish were marked
    but they just wern't biting.
    
    Walt

    I spent the end of last week fishing Cape Cod Bay. The fishing was
    dead--nothing! We tried all the spots from sunken meadow,Billingsgate,
    the path all the way up to the hopper and got skunked. We even spent a
    day over at the Chatham inlet with the same result. Must be the summer
    doldrums.
    
    Jim
    

    Launched "Yankee" from the Salisbury ramp at around 6:30 last night.  My
    father and I drifted sandworms along Plum Island.  I caught two
    stripers about 100' away from where "Captain George" is moored, neither
    were keepers.  Called it quits at 9:30.  
    
    Hope to be out there this Friday after work if the weather is decent.  
    
    Len

    
    After many stripers in the 28-35 inch range, I got a keeper on Sat
    morning about
    7:00. It measured in at 44 inches, that's right 44 inches. I got it on
    my own
    rubber eel rig that I make. I was using one of my 7 foot spinning rods
    with
    17 lb test mono. He hit hard and was taking line like crazy. I tried to
    get into
    open water, I was fishing in 6-10 feet of water near the rocks on the
    north
    side of Long Sands Beach in York. I was running out of like so I turned
    the boat
    to chase him but ran out of line before I completed the turn. I started
    chasing
    him and retrieved line as fast as I could. He finally tired and wedged
    himself
    in the rocks. After a bit I worked him out of the rocks and backed the
    boat out
    into deeper water where I had room to work. He was very tired at that
    point and
    made only a couple of small runs. I couldn't believe the size of him
    when I got
    him next to the boat. He was worth the wait.
    Jim
      

    re:-1
    
    	Nice fish. Did you weigh him ? My best this year is a 39"er at 23
    lbs.. Had a pretty good night last Monday and boated 9-10 stripers with
    three of them being keeper sized.
    
    	Unfortunately, the biggest keeper swallowed the bait and didn't
    fight as good as it probably could have. None the less, a 3'+ long fish
    is always fun to catch.
    
    	Best fight came from a 37" striper that I hooked in the jaw. The
    other keeper sized fish had been caught by my friend before. I threw it
    back too since it was pretty beat up. It looked as though a prop or
    something hit the left side of the fish and took a bunch of scales off
    and messed up its face. Aside from the damage, it was alive and doing
    well.
    
    	RAYJ

    No I didn't have a scale with me and neither did the marina. It was a
    
    One of the things I like about my rigging of the rubber eel is that
    the fish doesn't get a chance to swallow the lure. I hate to gut hook a
    non-keeper and put him back when I know he won't make it.
    
    I'll be out there this weekend trying for another. Last year I got 2
    keepers 12 hours apart in the same area. One at 6PM and the other at
    6AM. Not so lucky this year.
    Jim  
    
    
    one thing about my rigging o

Ray,

Where did you fish and what were you using for bait?  My last couple of
times out have been pretty poor. And since there hasn't been too much
activity in here, I figured the action was slow and I'd wait until the end
of the month before trying Salisbury again. 

-Joe- (still looking for my first keeper!)

    re:337,338
    
    	I have a friend of mine that was nice enough to take me out and show
    me his techniques. In return he asked that I not devulge all his secrets.
    He spent all last year trying for a keeper with no success, so he has
    put his time in and was nice enough to take me out and show me.
    
    	He did say that it was his experience that it was generally a
    keeper sized striper that swallows the bait. Out of all the ones we
    caught that night (about 20 or so), only 2 of them swallowed the bait,
    Both of them were keepers.
    
    	RAYJ

    BATH BLUEFISH TURNAMENT WINNER WAS 17.47 LBS. $14K PICK-UP.

Does anyone know the weigh-in rules for the BAth Maine Bluefish tourney.  I 
thought I read that the fishing area was the whole Northeast, but you had to
bring the fish to Bath Me to get it weighed.

It seems to the the best tourney for blues in the NE.  The prizes certainly are.

Gordon

    I was fishing in York Maine on the north side of Long Sands Beach. It
    was at 7:00 in the morning, 3hrs after high tide. I was using a rubber
    eel rig that I make up. I went out again on Sunday morning but got
    nothing. There as a seal swimming around so I guess that drove the
    stripers out along with the thunder on Sat afternoon. Hopefully I'll be
    able to get out this weekend if the storm from down south doesn't kick
    up the seas too bad.
    Jim

    I don't think the striper fishing has been slow.  I picked up 2
    'keepers' last, one 37" and one 40".  The 40" fish weighed 25 pounds.
    Also got 3 very heavy sublegal that were 35" and 35 1/2".  I weighed
    one of them with my hand scales - 20 pounds.  Not bad for a sublegal
    fish.
    
    You just have to put in the time to find where they are at any given
    time and keep at it.
    
    By the way, I see that 3 guys were arrested and convicted for keeping
    sublegal bass and exceeding the limit.  Apparently it was in the
    Merrimack around the middle of June.  Guess they lost there 17' boat
    and gear.  I love it!
    
    Mark,
    

The official weigh in station is at Waterfront Park in Bath.  Fish can be 
taken from any New England waters but must be weighed in by Sunday, 4 pm
at this location.

Tourney runs Sat and Sun, usually the 2nd wkend in August.  Grand prize is 
a Toyota pickup.  Cash and daily prizes for fish over 18#.

I entered it the last 2 seasons but couldn't land anything bigger than 13.5 lbs.

Maybe next year.

jm

    re:344
    
    	How much is it to join this tourny and how long does it run for ? 
    Sounds interesting.
    
    	RAYJ

    Regarding Bath ME. ,I thinks about $40 per person to join and it runs
    on a Saturday and Sunday.
    
    Jim

    Spent another half day in Westport sat 9/24, went out of Westport
    Harbor with Bill Reynolds. Water was still turned up a bit from
    friday storm so fishing was a little slower than usual. My eleven 
    year old son landed a 44" 30lb bass and we also got couple fo big
    blues. Lot of real big fish spotted on sonar few hits that did not hang
    hang in there. Anyone wants good day of stripper fishing in the
    Westport area Bill is your guy. First trip we took in July caught about 
    15++ strippers with two keepers along with to many to count blues. Were
    going to try and get out one more half day before season ends.
    
         JJD

Surf fished Plum Island last night 'till the mid-night low tide. 
Got 2 fish around 25". Many hits though.  Lots of people
there; everyone got something.  Got poured on, but hey,
that's a small price to pay. Was at the sandbar...

Had good luck with fake white worms. Used eels too, but they
weren't working. 

Biggest fish I saw was 32". I think the sandbar is a
schoolie day care site.

...bill

One can only assume that the lack of recent postings can only mean that the
stripers have migrated south.

Interestingly enough, last weekend I drove down to Cape May, NJ to pick up
my son who was :graduating" from Coast Guard boot camp.  I spoke with a couple
of guys surf fishing on the beach and the striper actions is just starting to
pick up for them.  I considered hitting a local tackle shop that rented rods, 
but that didn't go over too well with my wife.  

Oh well....(sigh) ... 

it's gonna be a l-o-n-g winter!

-joe-

    Kay at surfland said they took a couple of 25 lb'ers on worms last Fri.
    night. I was surf fishing Sat. night. Nothing for me and the guys I was 
    with. But, a hundred yards down the beach a couple of guys got 6 smallies.
    Noone has reported any Blues to them at surfland.
    
    Paul
    
    

    re: .last
    
    	My experience has been that Kay at Surfland will say anything to
    	get you to buy stuff. I've made many a 2 hour drive to find no one
    	catching anything (and no reports of any for days) on the word of
    	Kay at Surfland that 'Everybodys catching them!!!!'.
    
    			Robert.

Yeah, I always seem to get the same report from Tim's Bait shop in Salisbury.

"Yup, the river's loaded with 'em."

or...  

"Two 50 pounders were caught last night."

They knwo very well the expression... "set the hook and reel 'em in!"

-joe-

Don't forget that a lot of what they report is also second hand.  Temper
everything you hear about fishing with the experience you have yourself.  I find
it hard to believe with the amount of fishing I do that I haven't stumbled on
any of these "spectacular" fishing trips.  I've had some really good ones over
the years, but have not got a striper over 39".  The people who consistently do
extremely well are very secretive about it.  Some places are worse then others
(with respect to tackle shops).  Kay seems to be pretty fair in her advice.  The
Fisherman, on the other hand, is about as far from the truth as you can get, in
my experience.  There is just enough useful advice in it to make it worth the $,
plus it gives me something to look forward to once a week.

Tim

	With the water temps that we had this season it would take some
extreme weather to drive most of them out.  Remember that some of our rivers,
like the Parkers, had a winter population of Stripers.  Also remember that
the largest Striper ever taken from shore came from Nauset on (I think) Nov.
4th, 1982...  73 lbs.  Caught by Tony Stetzko.
	I'm not sure about the Plum Island area cause my contact in the Essex
had to pull his boat.
	Cape Cod still has Bass, I caught 22 of them on Sunday morning in the
Canal.  Unfortunatly they were all between 18 and 22 inches!!!  I had to do
plenty of walking for them but that was the only thing tough about it.  I
traveled till I found birds working over fish and hooked up on my first cast.
There were larger Stripers working further out but I couldn't reach them with
the small popper and they wouldn't touch the big one.  I probably could have
caught even more with a little bucktail, but they were willing and I wanted
them on top!
	I just wish my flyrod hadn't been 1.5 miles away... Oh well, next time.

					B.C. 

    Note that Nauset is on the south side of the cape where the
    water get much warmer than up here. Water temp this weekend
    was 54 degree of Marblehead.
    
    Bruce

	I believe that Nauset is on the East side of the Cape (unless this
picture on my wall is wrong) and "usually" has about the same water temp as
Cape Ann...

	My point actually is that there are winter populations of Stripers
up into the St. Lawrence River.  The fact that you don't read any reports of
fish doesn't mean that there aren't any around, it just means that you have to
work harder to find them.  This time of year most of the summer fishermen have
packed up their stuff for the winter so there's a whole lot less man hours being
put into it...  Or less bait in the water means less fish caught, whichever way
you want to look at it.

	I personally plan to be fishing for them for at least a few more weeks.

						B.C.

    A buddy of mine called me last night and said that his mother-in-law
    who lives down at Cape Cod read in a local paper on sunday that the
    length of a keeper striper was lowered down to 28". Anybody read this
    or confirm??
    
    John

According to the NMF report I received last week they are considering lowering
the size limit to 28" and increasing the recreational daily bag limit to 2 fish.
They may also increase the commercial quota from 285,000 lbs to 807,000 lbs.  I
do not believe the decision has yet been finalized as they are holding public
hearings to allow folks to express their opinions.  I believe there is a hearing
in Danvers, MA some time this week.  They will also be ruling on a petition from
some Massachusetts Environmental group to ban the sale of striped bass in MA all
together....

    John, this months Field and Stream has an extensive article on stripe
    base and the implication was that east coast fisherman shouls keep eyes
    open for this change. They did not say what the change would be but
    there was one in makings. It is good article andworth reading. Bass 
    population in numbers not size should be equal to late 60's early
    70's this year.

    Hi,  I'm new to salt water fishing and quite frankly am wondering if
    striped bass that is discussed here is the same "sea bass" that is
    served in local resturants and is enjoyed by many.  Anybody know if
    they're one in the same?  I'd like to try my hand at stripers - of
    course hoping for a keeper.  My wife and I enjoy fresh fish and look
    forward to hearing any comments or advice!
    
    Thanks,
    Marc

    "Sea Bass" and "Striped Bass" are different fish.

    Are stripers good to eat???  I don't think I've ever had one.  If so
    can anyone recommend a good way to cook 'em?
    
    Thanks!
    The Rookie.

    
    Stripers are my favorite!
    
    Place fillet in buttered glass dish, put thin layer of mayo
    on fish, put sliced onion on top then sprinkle crushed ritz
    crackers over it. drizzle butter over crackers cook at 325
    till done (fish will be flaky)
    
    Walt

Striped bass and sea bass, while being totally different fish, are both
mild, white-flesh fish (as opposed to the more robust such as bluefish or
mackerel). The grain of the striper is smaller than cod or haddock, and
the grain of seabass is smaller yet. They're both excellent fish for
baking.

(invitation for guffaws) I've never seen a sea bass (in New England)
larger than about eight pounds. Striped bass are regularly caught in the
20-30# range, and have been caught up to 70# or so.

While I have only caught sea bass bottom fishing with bait, I've caught
most stripers while fishing with moving lures. 

Art

    Thanks for the info!  Sounds like a great fish if I were lucky 'enuf to
    get one!  I usually only get to fish on vacations and then it is
    generally around the Canal (Cap Cod).  Would stripers normally be
    caught from the Canal area from shore or is that asking too much?  
    
    The Rookie.
    

    
    When the stripers so show up the canal is an excellent place
    to fish. ALOT of people fish the herring run when the herring show
    up, so it can be crowded. My advice would be to fish either side of
    it up to 150-200 yards. Live lining herring is productive early in
    the season then switch to cut bait, sand eels( fresh are better than
    frozen so ask first before buying) or lures. For more info on the canal
    and other area's look under the keyword directory for "Stripers" I
    think it's note 5. You can also add WAHOO::FISHING to your notebook.
    That is the old version of this file, you can read but not write/reply
    and there is alot of info there also. 
    
    Walt
    
    ps DIR/TITLE=STRIPER would show you all notes with the word striper
    in it.

re:                     <<< Note 288.365 by MPGS::BIBEAULT >>>
>        -< ummmmm, sounds gooood! - can they be caught near the canal? >-

There's a great tackle place with a Cape Cod Canal striper guide and 
live bait service in Franklin MA that should be able to provide you with 
lots of info on how to catch stripers at the canal.  I've never done so
myself, but I checked into the place when I was looking for a striper rod,
and they seemed very knowledgeable.  There's someone there that makes really 
nice surf rods starting around $125.

As for the name of the place, I'm drawing a blank, by BC (::CRONIN) referred
me to the place about a year ago.  BC, are you out there ?

/Ken

    Thanks - Hey Franlkin, MA that's on my way home to over the mass line
    to little old Rhode Island.  I cut through Franlkin all the time -
    especially on my way to the Cape...  If someone comes up with name of
    the tackle shop pls post it.  I'd like to stop in.  I'll check the
    other notes file to find out when to fish for em(time of the year I
    mean - and time of day I guess too.) also how to clean them as well...
    Thanks gents - I'll keep reading!!!
    
    Regards,
    The Rookie.
       

	Roy's Tackle Shop  Franklin, MA

	Take King St. exit and go east.  Take 1st left on Union St.
	You'll wind through a residential area then come to a 3 way stop.
	Continue straight ahead and watch for Roys on the left.

	Roy may not be around there much this year, he's got a commercial 
	bait business started (fresh iced Pogies right in Franklin on your
	way to the Cape!) -and- I heard that he's opening another shop on
	the Cape (4-Corners area in Bourne?).

	I don't think a decision on the size limit has been made yet.  Let's
	hope they don't do anything too drastic.  Just because Stripers had
	a few great hatches and young of the year checks doesn't mean they're
	out of the woods yet...

					B.C.

<                     <<< Note 288.369 by SUBPAC::CRONIN >>>
<                          -< Sorry, been out sick... >-

    A likely story;-);-)   Probably just sick of winter and preparing for the
tarpon in Boca Grande Pass !!  That's enough to give anyone a "fever".

   Whatchagot   3 more weeks???  Send me mail about your schedule once you get
down here.

Al

Last evening at the Kings Grant Inn in Danvers MA, the Mass Division of Marine
Fisheries Commission conducted a public hearing on the proposed amendments to
the Striped Bass management plan.  A meeting was also held on Tuesday on
Martha's Vineyard and another meeting is being held tonight at the Mass.
Maritime Academy, Buzzards Bay.  Tonights meeting starts at 7 PM if anyone is
interested in attending.

This was the first of this type of hearing that I've attended and it was very
interesting to hear the many opinions.  There are several proposals under
consideration by the commision and they are interested in hearing opinions on
what requlations should be established in Massachusetts for 1995.  The
proposals as I recall them go something along these lines:

	Size 		Recreational		Commercial
	Limit		Fishery			Fishery
	_____		____________		__________

	28"		Daily creel limit	Quota of 807,000 lbs
			of 2 fish

	32"		Daily creel limit	Quota of 878,000 lbs
			of 2 fish

	36"		Daily creel limit	Quota of 999,000 lbs
			of 2 fish

	The current size limit is 36" for both recreational & commercial
	fisheries with a 1 fish limit for recreational and a 238,000 lb quota
	for commercial.  The 1994 Mass commercial season lasted 24 days.

The Atlantic States Marine Fishery Commision which was established to manage
striped bass by the federal government, has officially declared that the
Chesapeake Bay stock of striped bass has recovered to the level of the 1960s
and early 1970s (average of 1962 through 1972) as of January 1, 1995.  The
Chesapeake Bay stock is considered the most significant source of striped bass
on the east coast and the majority of the fish we catch in Mass come from the
Chesapeake Bay stock (something like 70%).  The ASMFC has established that
states may reduce the legal recreational size limit to 28" in coastal areas
and to 20" in the producer areas like Chesapeake Bay with a daily creel limit
of 2 fish.

According to the fishery's marine biologist who presented the scientific data,
the reason the producer areas have a lower size limit is due to the fact that
the majority of the fish in these areas are smaller because stripers remain on
their natal grounds for a period of years before joining the coastal migratory
stock.  When they do migrate, members of a particular year class don't all
leave at once:  50% leave at age 3, another 50% at age 4, another 50% at age 5
and so on.  In Chesapeake Bay about 80% of the resident striper population is
between the ages of 2 and 4.

I believe the consensus of opinion at last night's hearing was to keep the
size limit at 36" with a 1 fish/day recreational creel limit and to keep the
commercial quota at the present level.  Althought the majority of opinion
expressed was from recreational fisherman, I believe that most commercial
fishermen also want to be cautious and support maintaining higher size limits
with an increased quota.

There was a lot of scientific data presented.  The following list are some of
the facts that I found most interesting:

      - Recreational fishing accounts for 90% of the striped bass harvest while
	commercial fishing accounts for only 10% in Massachusetts (this data
	was generated from both landing and tagging data).  Since 1989 the
	commercial fishery has been held constant while the recreational
	fishery has increased 5 fold.  In contrast between 1972 and 1979 the
	split between recreational and the commercial fisheries was 52% versus
	48% for the commercial fishery.

      - The striped bass stocks are equivalent to the average of the years from
	1962 through 1972.  During the 1960s and 1970s the average removal rate
	along the east coast was 46% with a removal rate in Chesapeake Bay of
	64%.  This means that about 1/2 of the available fish were harvested
	every year.  In comparison, the 1994 removal rate was 17% of the stock
	for both recreational and commercial combined).  Amendment 5 would
	increase this level to 26%.  The scientists feel this increase is
	conservative and are confident that the striped bass stocks can not only
	sustain this level, but are confident that stocks will continue to
	increase substantially at this removal rate.

      - Recent 1993 studies indicate that 100% of female stripers are sexually
	mature at 31 inches and about 85% are sexually mature at 28 inches.
	The stock simulation model the DMF has developed to estimate stock
	size uses a more conservative figure of 100% at 36 inches.

      - There was some concern on the weight of stripers in recent years.  In
	the 60s a 36 inch fish weighed in excess of 20 lbs.  Today 36" fish
	are being consistently caught weighing as little as 15 lbs.  The
	scientists are concerned that this may be due to a lack of available
	feed as stocks of prey fish such as poggies, herring, shad etc continue
	to dwindle along the east coast.  We may have saved the striper but
	what impact does this have on stocks of the fish they prey on?  To
	further illustrate this concern, it was mentioned that the number of
	fish being caught that are feeding on crabs and lobsters is increasing
	and the overall condition of these fish's mouths is poor.

      - In 1994 there were approximately 2400 striped bass commercial permits
	issued in Massachuestts.  Out of the 2400 permits, only 700 permit
	holders actually sold 1 of more fish.  The average weight of a fish
	sold in Mass in 1994 was approximately 20 lbs.

The decision on what Massachusetts will do has not yet been made, thus the
purpose of these public hearings.  They said that the period for people to
express their opinions will close on April 4th.  Contact the Mass Division of
Marine Fisheries, 100 Cambridge St. Boston MA 02202 for more information or
to express your opinions on the striped bass plan.

There was also discussion on how to manage the commercial quota.  3 proposals
were offered:

      - Same as today (start July 1st and stop when it is filled)
      - Have monthly seasons such as June 1-15, then July 1-15, then August
	1-15 etc. until the quota is filled.
      - Allow monthly quotas and when filled, shut the season down until the
	next month.  The season would be June through October.

Personally I support reducing the legal size limit down to 32 inches and 
increasing both the recreational creel limit to 2 fish/day as well as the
commercial quota.  I also support allocating the commercial quota on a monthly
basis which I feel allows for a more even distribution of the fish.  The fish
aren't always were you might be fishing on July 1st, but there's a high
probability they'll be around other months of the summer.


Well that's my $2.00 worth...

the Baitmaster

	RE: .371

		Good note Dave, lots of info.  One -small- nit though.

	Stripers are opportunistic feeders, they'll eat almost anything
	in the ocean.  Crabs and lobsters have always been a perfectly
	normal part of their diet, just like freshwater Bass love crayfish.
	Back in colonial times the prefered bait was a nice Lobster tail!
	We've caught them on green crabs while fishing for Tautog over
	sand and mussle beds.

	One way that Stripers end up with their mouth worn out is from
	rooting around in the sand for Sand Eels (Sand Launce, the fish
	not American Eels).  We caught lots of Stripers up in the Cape Ann
	area last year with worn out chins that were stuffed with Sand Eels!
	If you went into shallow water up there last year it was just
	-loaded- with Sand Eels.  If you looked real close you could see
	little 1/2 grapefruit sized depressions.  These are from the Stripers
	digging their chins into the sand.

	Remember that we all seek out the rocky areas cause we -know- that
	the Stripers like those areas.  One of the things they like is the
	easy access to a great variety of suitable food for them.  They'll
	readily eat lobsters, crabs, little Tautog, Cunners, Flounder, etc.
	in addition to all of the foods that we usually use for bait.

	Again, good note.  I'd also like to see them relax a little on the
	recreational fishermen, -but- keep a close watch on the stocks
	so we don't get into trouble like before.  I also think the poaching 	
	would be less if the minimum size were more reasonable.  People
	have to remember that it's not just the commercial folks who are
	supporting this, it's the folks who have dedicated their lives to
	caring for the fisheries.  I don't know of any of these folks who'll
	get rich from relaxed limits.

	Three cents worth?			B.C.

The point of the argument that was presented is that one possible cause for
the smaller weight of stripers in recent years is that feed is less plentiful,
thus the fish are having to work harder for less (much like life at Digital - 
hey maybe Digital will make a come back just like the striper ???)

The subject of stripers feeding more often on crabs, lobsters and the like was
brought up as a possible example that bait fish just aren't as plentiful.  Yes
Stripers are opportunistic feeders, but according to what was discussed, when
given the choice, they'll pick the easy meal baitfish over crabs and the like
every time???

I've never asked a striper personally, so I can't say what they prefer.  In any
case I was just reporting was was discussed at the hearing....

Only 5 weeks left to get the boat ready for water !!!!

Dave

According to a friend of mine - there was an article in the local Newburyport
paper recently that indicated the DMF has decided on the changes to the striped
bass management plan for Mass.   He said that they reduced the size limit for
both commercial and recreational fishing to 34", with a daily creel limit of
2 fish for recreational and a commercial quota increase to 750,000 lbs.  Also
the commercial season will start on 7/1 and end on 7/21 then opening again on
8/1 through 8/21 and so on until the quota is filled.

Can anyone confirm this report?  I've not seen or heard anything about it from
other sources...

The bass are hearding north !!!

Baitmaster

    I was at a NIBA (boaters association) meeting last Thursday night and
    heard the same info. 34" minimum and 2 fish/day. I don't remember the
    exact numbers they mentioned for the commercial quota, but 750,000 lbs
    sounds about right.
    
    I believe that is THE decision.
    
    Art
    

    ...  and a commercial quota increase to 750,000 lbs.
    
    	Well, it was a good few years - I actually had hope for a short
    	while there that we had accomplished something with the recovery
    	of the striper. It'll be the '70s all over again in a few years.
    
    			Oh well.
    				Robert.

I don't think it is fair to attempt to blame the commercial fishery for the
demise of the striper in the 1970's or to infer that the increase in the
commerical striped bass quota in Mass for 1995 will impact current or future
stocks of stripers!!!

According to the biologists that have successfully orchestrated the stripers
return, the commercial landings of striped bass over the past 5 years has
accounted for only 10% of the stripers taken from available stocks.  The
recreational harvest accounts for 90% !!!  Over this same period, the
recreational fishery has increased 15 fold while the commercial fishery has
remained fixed.  In the 1970s the ratio of commercial to recreational was
48% to 52%.

These same biologists state that a conservative estimate for the removal rate
the stock can easily sustain is 26%, which was the projected removal rate for
the 28" 2 fish/day proposal (with an >800K lbs commercial quota) the federal
commision allows for the combined fishery (both recreational and commercial).
I do not know what the current regulation represent in terms of % removal rates,
however I do know that the new regulations represent something substantially
less then what the biologists state the stocks can support.

In any case I believe we should trust the commissions to do what is right for
the stripers.  They will continue to monitor the stocks very closely and if
there is any significant change, they will take the steps necessary to correct
it.  They've done a good job so far, let's give them a shot for the future.

Also if you are worried about the fishing pressure on stripers, you should be
more worried about the 2 fish/day creel limit then the commercial increase
because that is where the vast majority of the stripers in 1995 will be caught.

IMHO

Dave

    	Anyone have any idea how they calculate (approximate) the recreational 
    poundage ? Also, anyone know last years commercial striper poundage ?
    
    	I'm kind of glad they went to 34" instead of 28". It just seems
    that it will give the fish more time to breed. As the size limit went up 
    over the years, so did the size of the typical catch. I would assume
    that dropping the size limit will have a similar reverse effect. There's
    just something about catching a 3'+ long fish that I find I like ;-)
    
    	RAYJ 

re: .377

>I don't think it is fair to attempt to blame the commercial fishery for the
>demise of the striper in the 1970's or to infer that the increase in the
>commerical striped bass quota in Mass for 1995 will impact current or future
>stocks of stripers!!!

	I don't blame the commercials solely for the demise of the striper
	on the '70's, though they are certainly equally at fault as the
	recreationals.

	The problem is that the commercials HAVE been given an increase.
	The door is open now, perhaps 750,000 lbs will have no affect on
	the population, but next year's 1.5 mil lbs will, and if not the
	year after that it will be 3 mil lbs, until the stocks do suffer.
	Then the foot dragging and finger pointing begins until the stocks
	are decimated and the fishery must (once again) be shut down...

>According to the biologists that have successfully orchestrated the stripers
>return, the commercial landings of striped bass over the past 5 years has
>accounted for only 10% of the stripers taken from available stocks.  The
>recreational harvest accounts for 90% !!!

	yes, and your point is? During those 5 years the striper population
	has been healthy!

>In any case I believe we should trust the commissions to do what is right for
>the stripers.  They will continue to monitor the stocks very closely and if
>there is any significant change, they will take the steps necessary to correct
>it.

	You have a LOT more faith than I do!!! They will do whatever they
	are told to do when push comes to shove. And now that the commercials
	are back in the qouta game, there's MONEY at stake, much more
	important than a damn fish! One disapproving look from a high level
	politician, and they'll roll over.

>Also if you are worried about the fishing pressure on stripers, you should be
>more worried about the 2 fish/day creel limit then the commercial increase
>because that is where the vast majority of the stripers in 1995 will be caught.

	Yep. This worries me a lot and I think its a BIG mistake - But if the
	stocks suffer, recreational fishermen have proven usually to be
	willing to do the right thing. Of course, what will happen now is
	that if the stocks suffer, the recreational quota will be lowered and
	the commercial quota will be increased - we're talking money now..

			Robert.

I heard the lenght in 34" one fish per day,  This was in the Fisherman this weeks edition.
Commercial limit is 750000 lbs with a season previously described in a former note.

Anyways, here the chart published by the state (MA) for estimating weight

	length		weight
	14 inches	1.2 lbs
	15		1.4
	16		1.7
	17		2.0
	18		2.4
	19		2.8
	20		3.2
	21		3.7
	22		4.2
	23		4.8
	24		5.4
	25		6.0
	26		6.8
	27		7.5
	28		8.3
	29		9.2
	30		10.1
	31		11.1
	32		12.2
	33		13.3
	34		14.4
	35		15.7
	36		17.0
	37		18.3
	38		19.8
	39		21.3
	40		22.9
	41		24.5
	42		26.3
	43		28.1
	44		30.0
	45		31.9
	46		34.0
	47		36.1
	48		38.3
	49		40.6
	50		43.0
	51		45.5
	52		48.1
	53		50.7
	54		53.5
	55		56.3
	56		59.3
	57		62.3
	58		65.5
	59		68.7
	60		72.0

Gordon  (Rock'n 'N Reel'n)  Just a three more weeks

    
    If the commercial fishermen are allowed 750,000 pounds of legal
    fish, how many pounds of dead shorts are they allowed to toss
    back in.
    
    Walt

Stripped bass  can only be caught commercially by rod and reel.  Therefore there are
no more dead shorts and probalby a lot less than recreational fishermen who I have 
seen drag the fish up on the beach, measure it, weigh it, and toss it overhand into
the water.

Gordon

    
    Gordon,
    
    So there are no trawllers out there scooping them up? I didn't
    know that. And you are right about having to be gentle with
    shorts, they do die easy. 
    
    Walt

Once the quota is increased, it is VERY DIFFICULT to decrease it.  Then you are
"Taking away from" the varied interests.  The striped bass are going to get beat
on this year by commercial interests since there is not much else for them to
fish for.  750K pounds will last about 2 weeks, tops.

Tim

    	Where does all of this commercial catch wind up ? I rarely, if
    ever, see striper sold in fish markets.
    
    	Ray
    

    	Went back and found .371 that shows what the current commercial
    limit was. The commercial increase is approximately 300%. I'm still
    wondering how they determine what the recreational catch is.
    
    	I assume it has something to do with the measurement of total
    stocks (i.e. %recreational = total stock - commercial catch.) If this
    is the method, it equates *all* loss other than commercial to the
    recreational angler. Do the commercial numbers somehow accomodate the 
    approx. poundage of the dead shorts they release ?
    
    	Of course this brings up the question of how they determine what the 
    total stocks are. Anyone know off-hand how any of these numbers (other 
    than commercial #'s) are generated ? I'm finding it hard to believe
    that the recreational angler accounts for 90% of the catch. That would 
    mean recreational anglers took almost 2.4 million pounds of stripers ?
    
    	RAYJ

    > Where does all of this commercial catch wind up ? 
    
     Restaurants, primarily.

One of my friends in southeastern Mass. did a brisk business (for about 3
years) brokering stripers. He told me his clients were some New York City and
northern NJ restaurants. (He only got out of it because he got elected to
a local office.)

He bought stripers from local fishermen, and he was a partner in a boat
(Narragansett Bay - Buzzard's Bay area) that fished exclusively for
stripers. He invited me to go along on a trip, but cautioned me that it
was all business and blood & guts; no fun, no joking, because of the big
money that was involved. I declined.

Outwardly, his boat -- and the boats who sold to him -- looked like
recreational fishermen on a fun-filled day trip, and that's the way they
wanted it.

So the statistics showed that recreational fishermen caught all
those stripers (the ones that the statistics-keepers found out about,
anyway).

Down around Little Compton - Tiverton - Westport - Dartmouth - up the
western shore of Narragansett Bay, and in Newport - Middletown -
Portsmouth - there are *hundreds* of small boats filled with guys who go
out for an hour or two before work, and an hour or two after work, and
sell their catch to local brokers (like my buddy). To them it's a
business. But let a badge stop them and they're just out for fun. It's
been my observation that they seldom get checked, anyway. (I grew up down
there, and I lobstered full time - legally -  out of Westport for a while
when I got out of the Navy. *I* never got checked because I was a native
and "in".)

What do you think they catch in the gill nets off Newport and Sakonnet
Point? Answer: everything that swims. I've *seen* some nice stripers come
over the side in those gill nets. Attempts to regulate them are fought at
local and state level. The gill netters keep mum when the NMFS,
conservationists, and others hold their meetings about rod and reel
statistics. They know what _they're_ catching. They quietly work about
three days a week and make more than any of us in this conference.

It burns my butt when I hear someone say that the "recreational
fishermen" catch the bulk of the stripers. Who was it that said "There
are lies, damn lies, and statistics."

...back to to work...

Art

	The attached information was extracted from the March 1995 'DMF News'
that I received in the mail.  There was a section on the most commonly asked
questions which I've extracted here (without permission) but I doubt that that
is an issue given that the DMF News is a free publication with the express
purpose of communications about fisheries management in Massachusetts.  I hope
this addresses several questions asked in the past few notes.

The final paragraph of the overview section reads: "Finally annual assessments
will continue to be conducted and if scientics detect declines, harvest rates
will be lowered.  But given the current condition of the Atlantic striped bass
resource and the modest scale of planned fisheries, such cutbacks are not
anticipated in the foreseeable future."

Answers to commonly asked questions follow:

WHAT FACTORS DO YOU THINK CAUSED STRIPED BASS STOCKS TO BE SO SEVERELY DEPLETED
PRIOR TO ASMFC ACTION IN 1981?

	Unfavorable spawning conditions (changes in habitat, climate or other
	abiotic factors) after 1970 were responsible for over a dozen years of
	consistently poor juvenile production in Chesapeake Bay.  At the same
	time, while juvenile production waned, large fisheries that were
	built-up prior top 1970 were allowed to continue to operate virtually
	unchecked.  Excessive fishing mortality then weakened any compensatory
	reserve that the spawning stock may have had, hammering home the
	inevitable consequence of stock depletion.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THE STRIPED BASS STOCK WAS IN THE SAME SHAPE THAT IT IS
TODAY AND WHAT WAS THE REMOVAL RATE THEN?

	For management purposes, we measure striped bass stock size in terms
	of spawning stock biomass (pounds of adult fish), or SSB.  Scientists
	have developed a stock simulation model that estimates a relative index
	of SSB. The SSB index value shows that today's stock size is equivalent
	to what it was between the 1962 and 1972 period.  The average removal
	rate then was 46% as compared to 17% today.  Amendment 5 will allow the
	removal rate increase, but it will not exceed 26%.

IT SEEMS LIKE THE RATES OF REMOVAL TODAY ARE MUCH LOWER THAN THEY WERE
HISTORICALLY, YET WE WILL BE ALLOWED TO HARVEST NEARLY AS MANY POUNDS (OR MORE)
HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THIS?

	The rate of removal is that fraction of all fish in the stock of legal
	size (exploitable stock biomass) that is removed by fishing.  Today's
	slice of the pie may be the same as yesterday's, but today's pie is
	dramatically larger.  The exploitable stock biomass (ESB) in 1995 is
	expected to be nearly 7 times greater that the 1972-1979 average ESB.
	Also, because current day management mandates larger minimum sizes,
	yield-per-fish harvested is much higher today.  The striper bass
	minimum size in Massachusetts between 1945-1980 was 16 inches - it has
	been 36 inches since 1989.

WHAT PERCENTAGE OF STRIPED BASS AT 28 INCHES WILL HAVE SPAWNED?

	Recent work (1993) shows that 100% of female striped bass were sexually
	mature at 31 inches and about 85% were sexually mature at 28 inches.
	The stock simulation models devised by scientists to measure stock
	status as a precaution use more conservative maturity schedules,
	estimating 100% maturity occurs at 36 inches.

WHY DOES THE COMMERCIAL CAP INCREASE BY SO MUCH?

	There are two considerations made in calculating the cap: (1) the
	change incurred when you move from the current level of mortality to
	the new target mortality, (2) and the change in stock size, going from
	the reference fishing season to the target fishing season.  Remember,
	commercial caps have been held static for the past 5 years while the
	stock has doubled in size.  Thus, the fraction of the total stock
	harvested by the commercial fishery has shrunk each year since 1990.
	Recreational harvest, on the other hand, has grown each year in step
	with stock increase.

IS IT TRUE THAT STRIPED BASS RECREATIONAL FISHERIES CONTRIBUTE FAR MORE TO THE
CURRENT REMOVAL RATE THAN COMMERCIAL FISHERIES?

	That's very true.  The number of fish harvested by the Massachusetts
	recreational fishery between 1991-1993 was nearly 5 times greater than
	that harvested by the commercial fishery, and the total catch
	(including catch and release) in the recreational fishery outnumbered
	the commercial catch by 10 to 1.

DOES RAISING THE COMMERCIAL CAP MEAN THAT RECREATIONAL FISHERMAN WILL HAVE
FEWER FISH?

	Not necessarily.  Since striped bass recreational ,catch statistics are
	not available prior to 1979, we rely on information gathered from
	tagging studies to characterize the historical allocation between
	recreational and commercial fisheries.  Between 1972 and 1979, the
	allocation of the resource was 52% recreational and 48% commercial.
	Although no conscious management effort was made to alter allocation,
	it has shifted dramatically since then to favor recreational fisheries;
	90% recreational vs 10% commercial.  Current statistics are supported
	by both landing and tagging data.  The recreational allocation may be
	lowered under Amendment 5, perhaps to 70-80%, but it can't be predicted
	with any certainty.  Partly because the plan does not allocate quotas
	to both fisheries.  The upper bound in the recreational fishery is
	confined by creel limits, not a season cap.

	Participation levels and angler preference to keep or release fish are
	important determinants that influence the recreational harvest.  For
	example, in 1993 the Massachusetts recreational harvest decreased from
	the previous year by about 15%, but the number of legal size fish that
	were caught and released by recreational anglers increased nearly 3
	times.  This is a clear demonstration of how angler preferences
	favoring the release of fish can serve to lower harvest and affect
	allocation.

    Thanks for typing that in.

    I stopped by the Stop&Shop in Beverly today and I noticed about
    four 18"-24" stripers laid out for sale in the Sea Food section.
    I asked the guy at the counter if these were in fact stripers and
    he confirmed that they were. I didn't ask further if these were salt
    water, fresh water or farm raised fish (don't even know if they farm
    raise stripers). If anybody has any other info concering the selling
    of these stripers, please reply.
    
    
    John

    I've spoken with the brothers that run the Quarterdeck (and Grappa) in
    Maynard about stripers, and they said that nearly all of the stripers
    sold to the restaurant and grocery markets are produced in fish farms.
    Consistancy of size, freshness, availability, and price apparently are 
    the major selling points.
    
    /dave

	And just to toss out a little more info...

	   All of the Stripers that I've seen in markets, in the last few
	years anyway, were of the Hybrid type, the Striper/WhiteBass cross.

	   Their bodies are shaped more like a White Perch (which is really a 		
	Bass), taller in the body. This shape usually shows in the fillets 
	also which come out wider but usually thinner than the pure Striper.

	   Even when our commercials are catching Stripers this year you may
	not see much non-hybrid Striper in the markets.  Even back in the
	old days most of the fish went to NY.

						B.C.

About a year ago, or maybe it was last week, there was an article on
this in the Boston Globe.  I seem to remember that the operation
featured in the article was just south of Boston, perhaps Quincy, Ma.

Anyhow some of the things that I found interesting;  The entire
aquaculture plant was indoors in a metal building and was supposed to
be super efficient.  I remember something like 5k to 6500 square foot
building.  Stripers fed pellets in a tank grow much more rapidly 
than in the wild.  I also remember that they didn't need much lighting
since these fish like to feed nocturnally.

Back in the mid 60's I remember selling lots of 18" to 24" stripers
to the fish markets in Buzards Bay.  Basically we paid for bait and
gas for the next day's fishing.  Usually we got .15/lb and occasionally
.20.   What I saw recently on one of those Saturday moring shows was
a system where by the sportsman buys tags, the kind held by those
plastic fasteners.  Any kept striper had to have a tag affixed through
the lower jaw or gill.  The tag could not be reused.  Of course some
agency needs to enforce any system but it did seem like an equitable
approach to those who want to eat what they catch.

    Talked with friend from Westport area yesterday and he said Bass were
    in chasing herring already. Anyone been out yet and had any luck or
    heard of fish being caught yet? Drove by the herring run on canal last
    weekend but did not have chance to stop, lots of people in parking area
    not sure if any herring were in canal? Maybe its time to go fishing.
    
       JJD

	   Folks say that the Herring are in the Canal.  I spent about
	2 hours in the area between the Railroad Bridge and the Bourne
	Bridge last Sunday.  Tide was just after slack high, running West.
	Not the best time or tide to be there, but it was time on the 
	water.
	   I didn't see any Bass, any bait, or any birds working.  I also
	talked with someone who was at the East end and had the same report.

	   Of course that doesn't mean that they're not in there!  To me
	it only means that I was: (Pick one or many) Not in the right place,
	not at the right time, not at the right tide, not using the right
	tackle.
	   For what it's worth, I was using a flyrod with a small bendback
	in Chartreuse/White.  There was some weed in the water and this
	fly did a good job of shedding it.  Can't wait to see Bass being
	caught on Herring, then I can use some -real- flies!

						B.C.

My son is in the Coast Guard and stationed on Martha's Vinyard (yeah...real
tough duty!).  He said that some locals were already picking up some stripers
off the beaches and rocky points.  He didn't know if they were just schoolies
or if there might have been some keepers.

-Joe-

	   The Herring Warden at the Canal reports measuring a 37" Striper
	for an angler late last week.  Roy's Tackle Shop also is reporting 	
	keepers in the Canal.

	   Goose Hummock in Orleans reports rumors of keepers at Sunken
	Meadow in Wellfleet.  If they've got them they should be in other
	known spots in Cape Cod Bay like Barnstable Harbor too.

	   Surfland on Plum Island reports the Merrimack is loaded with
	little schoolies.  The big ones won't be far behind.

				Go get em,
				   B.C.

    What has NH decided vis a vis size and bag limits?

    I believe NH is sticking to the 1 fish 36" limit.
    
    Mark,
    

And mass has 2/34", I believe?

    
     re last.
    
     Time I'm pretty certain that the Mass limit is 1 34" fish/Day.
    
     Mike

    This weekend I took some vacation time to fish Martha's Vinyard. 
    Flyfishing off a jetty on the north shore between Oak Bluffs and
    Edgartown I got into a bunch of schoolies Thursday evening on an
    outgoing tide.  The fish I managed to land were small, but I also
    lost a couple in the twelve pound range.
    
    While Friday was a washout due to bad weather, Saturday night in
    the same spot I connected with a school of bluefish in the 8-10lb
    range.  This was unexpected since its so early in the season but
    the fish were very cooperative.  Didn't see a bass that day at all.
    
    All fish but one went for a white Lefty's deceiver fished on
    intermediate sinking line.  Because of the clarity of the water,
    leader color and strength seemed to make a difference ... hooking
    up with clear 15# tippet was a snap but I lost a dozen fish on the
    light tippet (some blues). With a 30# Maxima (brown) tippet I got
    fewer hits.
    
    Let's hope the fish move north soon!   Mark

    
    
      Legal length limit on N.H. stripers is now 32"   I verified this with
    Fish & Game. This will put a few more fish in the boat !!!!!
    
    Steve

    Launched my new boat for the first time Fri from the Bass River.  Ran 
    into blues just outside the mouth.  They were hitting anything we 
    trolled.

    Wind picked up Sat, and we didn't get anything, should have gone
    bayside.

    Sun went out of Rock Harbor and was trolling in the Brewster flats,
    nailing schoolies, largest were 2 at 26".  The only plug they
    would hit was a chartreuse bomber.  

    Great weather and great fishing, I should have done this years ago...

    George

    Schoolies are now in at Great Bay and the Piscataqua river.  Got 3
    last night fishing the last hour or two of the falling tide.  All
    fish hit a 4" blue backed bomber.

A friend and I launched out of Hilton Point (Great Bay) on Sunday.  Got on
the water about 5 AM.  We picked up about 20 stripers, mostly small schoolies,
the largest being 28".  We used white bucktails, white tubes and 6" sluggos.
Lots of top-water action early until about 9:30 AM.  After that...nadda.

Not knowing the river well, we wnt looking for them in the downriver rips and
deeper holes but were unable to find them.  Herring were in and we managed to
snagg a few to use a live bait.  No luck.

All in all, a fun time for first time out, but still looking for that
elusive keeper.

BTW... watch the tides carefully if you launch at Hilton's Pt.  We barely
managed to get my small 14' boat out at low tide.  Ramp is very shallow.
A couple of larger boats trying to get out at low tide had to wait
a couple of hours for the tide to come in.

Anyone else have any luck this weekend?

-Joe-

    
      I managed to catch 10 Sat. morning at Plum Island. Largest about 24"
     I was surf fishing at the sand bar...
    
     Steve

    Steve,
    
    	What did you catch them on in the river? I fish plumb Island
    thursday nights after work. Sometimes surfing and sometimes drifting
    in a 16' rowboat with a 25hp motor.

    
    
     My favorite at PI when the water is clear is a hopkins chrome lead
    head jig with a white bucktail. To this I add a 6" white rubber worm.
    When surf fishing I use a 3 oz. model. It's always a killer.......
    
    S.

    Went out of Westport on friday afternoon with Bill Reynolds. Lots of 
    fish everywhere as well as fog. One of several trips I take with my
    four boy's each year out of Westport, three keepers, number of large
    blues and the fish that got away. Every year Westport area has more and
    better fish looks like conservation is really working.
    
            John
    

    
    Went out saturday a.m. and got skunked. Had one small striper splash
    at my popper in the morning and that was it all day. Went out of the 
    mouth and tried for mack's, flounder and ended up catching a small
    skate, actualy two, Gus got one too. First time we've been skunked
    in a couplke years too. Oh well it was still fun.
    
    Walt

    Regarding .411, was that Westport mass or RI. I've been thinking about
    trying a trip out of Westport Mass and maybe over to Cuttyhunk but am
    not familiar with the area. Was out the MR Sat am and caught a few
    small bass but it was slow compared to other mornings there this year.
    Did manage to get a few flaties for the table.
    
    Jim

    Jim, that was Westport Mass, boat I use is Pajamas captained by Bill
    Reynolds ex decie. Group of us from work are going down in August and I
    am going to schedule full day tuna trip with my boy's. If your
    interested numbers for Bill are  508-636-4641    508-582-9285
    
                                              John 

    John, Thanks for the info. I'm going to see about seeting up a Bass
    trip. I would think late Sept or Early October would be good.
    
    
    Jim

    Jim, bass fishing in westport should be good in sept, I usually
    schedule my first rip in june and another iin late august or sept. Few
    of us going from work aug4, I'll let you know how we do, also going to
    do tuna trip in late august.
    
       Good Luck
    
           John
    

    I'm spending the next 2 weeks at a house on the Seabrook/salsbury (sp?)
    line on the beach. I'm planning on Surfcasting early mornings and late
    nights. Any good places anybody can tell me about around the area would
    be appreciated..
    
    Hurls

    Hurls, when you come off 495 and head toward S.B. there is a bait shop
    on your left hand side. The guy's in the bait shop are usually very
    helpful as to where the fish have been hitting. If you get a chance to
    stop over to Plum Island it is usually good fihsing.
    
         JJD
    

Another place to fish is in Salisbury State Park by the "toothpick" which
is near the boat ramp.  There's a couple of rock jetties that as well
as sandy beaches that are easily accessible.

    The Plum Island side off the river at low tide is a good bet. Best time
    is when water is low early in the am. I heard there were blues taken
    there the other morning. The Hampton river is also good. I'd try that
    on the ebb. Good luck.
    
    Jim

Anyone been out striper/blue fishing lately?  What's doing and where?

I was out last Sat. out of Dover Point.  Fished from 2:30 PM to about 
10:30 at night.  Picked up about a dozen schoolies, all on topwater plugs.
We tried both chunk mackeral and live eels, but no luck with bait.

A couple of guys said that blues were in the river but we didn't find them.

Planning to try again this weekend.

-Joe-

    I haven't actually fished myself, but my sources tell me that there are
    "lots of fish around." (Meaning stripers). This is for the
    Hampton/Seabrook/Merrimack River area.

    Fishing was slow last night in the Merrimack.  I only managed one 30"
    (tagged) fish.  I assume the heavy boat had an effect on the fishing.
    
    Fished Friday morning with live pogies.  The pogies were HUGE and
    the bass were big, but mostly not big enough to swallow the baits.  We
    probably had 50 hits on them.  It was great fun, but I only hooked and
    landed 2 - 34" and 35".
    
    I've gotten two tagged stripers so far this year.  I've never gotten
    any before.  The first was tagged by the US Fish & Wildlife.  It was a
    small tag stuck under the skin.  They had an 1-800 number and sent me a nice
    cap - that was cool.
    
    The tag last night was from the Littoral Society in N.J.  That tag
    was run thru about 1" of flesh, in one side of its back and out the
    other, and then tied together to make a loop.  The wound seemed OK, but
    it seemed awfully deep, and prone to infection.  I was happy to remove
    it.  Is this standard tagging practice?
    
    Mark,                                                 
    

Fished most of the weekend in the merrimack and outside for blues.  We caught 7-8 
stripers each day between the jetties just around the turn of the tide (low - 
incoming).  There were no keepers all fish in the 25-30 inch range.  All fish caught
trolling.  Late morning had to leave the crazies and boat traffic was too much to
take.

Headed for Halibut PT to bass fish; but half way over the blues were swirling on top.
Trolled up a few big fiesty blues for the afternoon.  They were in the 10-14lb range.

Gordon (Rock'n 'n Reel'n)

	   Last Friday my brother put a 40 inch, 20 pounder (weighed
	7 hours later at Maco's) in the boat.  Outside of Barnstable
	Harbor, 2 hours before high tide, live Eel.

	   There were schoolies cruising all over the flats outside the
	harbor feeding on teeny little 2-3 in. Sand (Launce) Eels.  Got
	a few follows on the flyrod, but the fish were extremely skittish
	in the 3-6 feet of water.  A few other boats started chasing the
	birds around and in no time at all the Bass got sick of it and 		
	everything stopped.  We headed for deeper water where we found
	fish.

	   If you're after these shallow schoolies -please- use caution
	approaching them!  We were one of a half dozen boats sneaking around
	the working birds and setting up drifts for our approach.  We worked
	them for over an hour, then all it took was a few jerks to end it
	for everyone.
					B.C.

    
    	Anyone fishing the Merrimack this evening?? I'll be out on the
    	river by 6:30 and will be fishing till after midnight live lining
    	eels. 
    
    	Gus
    
    
                                                    

    I was there last night and the night before.  Fishing was pretty
    slow.  Maybe the fish will move in tonight and you'll get lucky.
    Let us know how you do.
    
    Mark,
    

    I'll going down friday night. We were there last friday night and got 7
    or 8 fish bass. We also caught a small blue and a fluke.
    
    Jim

    I'll be down their with my buddies Saturday and Sunday. Give us a shout
    tomorrow and let us know how you did.......
    
    Bob M�

    Well we started fishing around 7:00pm. I was using a popper and my 
    friend was using a castmaster. He landed a small striper around
    8:30 over by the toothpick but thats all we got for the night. We did
    get a few good hits while live lining the eels later on in the evening
    but there were no hook ups. It was still lots of fun being out on the
    river and the weather was perfect. Sure beats staying at home and watching
    TV;').

    Gus	

    P.S good luck this weekend guys. Unfortunately I have some staining to 
    do on my deck and other various chores so the weekend is out for me.

    Well, did any of you guys get out over the weekend?  any reports?
    
    Mark,
    

Pretty quiet at Plum Island on Sunday.  Saw one keeper taken from Tri-Coastal on
a herring (tuna bait).  LOTS (6-7) of dead shorts along the river.  Ignorant
non-fisherman types beating on the fish population again.  Makes me sad.

No bluefish, although I saw a guy with "a bluefish" in a bag.  The bluefish
clearly had stripes and was not very big.

Tim

    Likewise on Saturday: we couldn't *buy* a fish, and didn't see anyone
    else having any luck whatsoever. Inside or outside, from the chain
    bridge on out past the outer channel, nada. Lot's of sighing over the
    VHF as well...
    
    There was a sh*tload of bait in the river around the #11 and #13 cans
    all day - and plenty of birds working them - but not a fish to be
    had...
    
    Only up-side was it was a *beautiful* day to be on the water - the ocean
    was as calm as a pond and the sun was bright and hot. Finally gave in
    to temptation, anchored off the PI beach, and went swimming in the
    early evening...
    
    Wish I knew more about this striper business to understand what
    happened in a mere 10 days to change from loads o' fish to zip ;^)
    
    /dave

    Fished yesterday afternoon 4-9ish with a buddy. Trolled 18" tube worms
    with seaworm at the end and picked up 3 schoolies. 24",22" and 19".
    Tried eels,cut bait with no luck. Ran into a Ton of pogies around 7:30
    and was able to snag 6 of them and live lined them after with no luck.
    
    	Still looking for me first keeper. :-(

    Well, my luck wasn't much better. Started fishing around 5:00 p.m.
    around the 11 and 13 cans and nothing was doing. My buddies girlfriend
    got a nice flounder (16") but that was it. Once the sun set we moved to 
    the toothpick. The tide was at peak and I managed to snag one of those
    zillion baitfish in the river. Chunked him and threw over. I picked up
    a 20" right off the bat and threw back in. About 10 minutes later
    Godzilla hit!!! I felt a subtle tap and set the hook only to have this
    fish take off. He "was" huge!!! Unfortunately, as this year seems to be
    going my 17 lb test decided to break (:^( I never got a good look at 
    him but the tide was neutral and he was a tugging monster.
    
    After that my buddy decided he was tired. Just when the fishing was
    picking up so we left. Didn't bother to go out on Sunday as I told my
    buddy to stay home and get his beauty rest ;^)
    
    The fishing sure has slipped over the past couple weeks. Too much
    pressure is what I am thinking.
    
    Bob M�

    >After that my buddy decided he was tired. Just when the fishing was
    >picking up so we left. Didn't bother to go out on Sunday as I told my
    >buddy to stay home and get his beauty rest ;^)
    
     A cardinal sin. I never leave when the fish start biting unless I have
    other committments. It always happens, too. You fish all day, and
    nothing happens. Just before you're supposed to leave, the fish
    anticipate it and they start biting. :-)
    
     I've got a fishing/hunting buddy who's usually ready to call it a day
    after just a few hours of no action. Perhaps I could coach you in the
    use of verbal abuse to keep your buddy out longer. :-)

There was tons of bait on Sunday, complete with birds.  All sand eels (the
cormorants kept coming up with them).  Classic looking signs, but no fish. 
There must have been better pickin's somewhere else.  I did see several pogie
parts washed up that looked like the result of some activity from earlier in the
day.

Tim

    Thanks for the offer with the verbal abuse but I think I have a good
    handle on it. I probably would have put up a better fight for staying
    had his girlfriend, The Queen of Agita, Verbal Abuse and Humiliation
    not been on board. She was literally driving me bonkers. I think she
    has been fishing 3 times in her life and she knew it all. She even
    told me what a moron I was for losing a big fish after waiting all that
    time to bite. Before that, I hooked the small schoolie and handed the
    pole to my girlfriend to reel in. After bringing it in and releasing it
    I told her that it was a nice catch. Well this woman then proceeds to 
    tell my girlfriend that she did not catch it. That she simply was given
    the pleasure of reeling it in!!!!
    
    At that point, given the opportunity to catch a 50 lber while listening
    to that or going home, I chose the later. The next morning I told my
    buddy to let me know the next time she was going cause I wouldn't be!!
    
    Anyone find the number of that Captain Jack out of Rye? I think I'll
    take my girl out for some fun and try and make it up to her!!!
    
    Thanks Anyways,
    Bob M�

    I was out Friday night with my B-Law. We caught eight or nine small
    bass with the largest only about 22". Bait of choice friday was sand
    eels. A few fish were taken on plugs. I heard of one keeper taken
    around 10:00 p.m.. 
    
    Jim

The guy docked next to me was fishing Friday (we were both out)  He got 20-30 fish 
anchored near the toothpick.  He said he was fishing both mackeral and sand eels and
dodn't catch a single fish on mackeral.  No keepers but plenty of action.

I picked up a couple 30 inch fish trolling.

Gordon

    >I probably would have put up a better fight for staying had his 
    >girlfriend, The Queen of Agita, Verbal Abuse and Humiliation
    >not been on board. 
    
     Aha. Now it all makes sense. :-) You were probably only too happy to
    have an excuse to get her the hell off the boat. :-)
    
    >Well this woman then proceeds to tell my girlfriend that she did not 
    >catch it.
    
     Sounds like a real charmer. My condolences.

    Thanks for the sympathy but I think my buddy needs it more.......I
    would hate to lose my best fishing buddy but she could turn me into
    a land lover real quick...... Sorry for venting........
    
    I'm going to get me one of those Big Boys yet!!!!!
    
    Bob M�

    I will be up at Old Orchid Beach next week, and was wondering if anyone
    had any recent updates on the Striper/Blues fishing in this area?
    
    I will be finshing the Hampton/Salisbury area the following week, so
    I'd appreciate any updates on this area also. Thanks in advance!

    Has anybody been fishing around the Merrimack and Plum Island anymore?
    What a difference in the numbers of boat fishermen at the mouth of the
    river! It is about 10% of what it was a month ago!!
    
    We were out last Saturday from 11:00a.m. to 11:00p.m. and managed to
    boat three. With the largest being 28 inches we also managed to lose
    a few as well. I was just wondering how everyone else was doing out
    there as it seems to have gotten pretty slack.
    
    The blues should get pushed in after this hurricane with it's Easterly
    winds coming through.....
    
    Let's hear from you guys..........
    Thanks,
    Bob M�

I haven't been out recently and was hoping the stripers & blues were in at 
the Merrimack.  As of early last week, the Piscataqua R. up by Dover Point 
appeared really quiet.  I suspect the increased water temps may have had a 
big impact.

Weather permitting (i.e. no serious hurricane effects), I may try the 
Merrimack sometime this weekend.

Anyone else had any luck?

-Joe-

    Surf casted at Plum Island on Saturday.. Two schoolies. Surf casted on
    Sunday.. Zippo. Got one schoolie in the channel on Sunday at the Plum
    Island Bridge.
    
    Pretty quiet..
    

    sunday there was acres of maurading blues about 6 miles off hampton.

    Thinking of heading out in the merrimack tomorrow after work with my
    buddy and his 14' boat. With felix (sp?) coming towards land and the
    seas building to 5-10 foot swells what if anything will this do to the
    river?? On a normal day we have no problems with the boat but if the 
    river acts like the ocean should I surf cast instead??

The mouth of the Merrimack is extremely dangerous any time there is an easterly
flow and an outgoing tide.  Given that the marine forecast for the next few days
predicts small craft advisory in Boston Harbor, I'd advise against trying to go
in a boat.  You can always bring the boat and see what it looks like and go surf
fishing if it's not cooperating.

Tim

    I definitely agree with -.1 with regards to the mouth proper up to
    around the old CG station. An outgoing tide with a good blow and swells
    coming in could be a bit too hair-raising to be a fun day on the
    water.. But if you stay well upstream (anywhere from Badgers on up) and
    use common sense you should be in good shape...
    
    Whether the fishing will be any good is another issue (it's been 
    deathly quiet for the last three weeks)...

I was in the Piscataqua (Dover Point to the mouth) last Friday evening.

One schoolie on a bucktail.

Very quiet.

Jack Hutchinson

    With all the concern about rip currents, one would expect that such
    currents would be prime fishing spots from the beach given the tendency
    for stripers to wait for prey to be washed to them. Food for thought.
    (Of course, if the fish aren't around...)

    I went out on the Ipswich river last week.  There was 15-20 MPH wind
    out of the Northeast so we din't venture out into the bay or the ocean. 
    We trolled some lures for about four hours and picked up 16 stripers.
    The largest was 29", most in the low 20" range.  Great fun on light
    tackle and an average day in the Ipswich/ Parker river area.

    What are the Maine reg.'s on keepers?  34"  one fish daily?
    
    I hope Felix makes up his mind before I head up to Old Orchid Beach
    next week.
    
    Don

I believe Maine stayed with 1 fish 36" / no commercial / no sales

Jack Hutchinson

Any weekend reports??

My son (who is in the Coast Guard and stationed on Martha's Vinyard 
...yeah, I know ....tough life, eh?) spoke with the Merrimack R. CG station 
and they said 7-9' swells were rolling into the river with ocassional 
breakers, so I decided against it.

Went to Dover Pt. and drifted around down by Goat's Is.  Picked up 2 fish, 
the largest about 28" on mack chunks.  Action was still pretty slow.

So....anyone brave the surf??

-Joe-

I was on the river from wednesday until sunday and fishing wss very slow.  No-one
seemed to be catching much at all.  I did hear that the early am guys did better
the best was at dusk off the dock on thursday night.  All schoolies to 15 inches
but I couldn't keep two lines baited with macks.  I quit about 9:00pm to watch 
a movie with the wife.  The fish were getting progressively bigger as the tide
dropped.

Got a couple of blues Saturday pm on mack chunks anchored (out of the wind) by
carr island.

Got out Sunday, not too bad 4-5 foot big swells, couldn't find a bluefish.  The
party boats were all at breaking rocks off Salisbury but they were getting a slow
pick.

All in all great weather except for the wind and heavy surf.

Gordon (Rock'n 'N Reel'n)

    
    I was out on the MR wednesday night with my son. We released half dozen
    bass, the largest was over 34" along with a 32" fish.
    
    
    Jim

	   Took yesterday as a vacation day and spent the day in the 
	Gloucester area.  Marked a few fish around Halibut Point and 
	dragged some big Raps over their heads a few times.  No takers.

	OK, drop a big Hopkins down there (60ft.) and hook up on about
	the 3rd jig.  End up with a 22" Cod.  Hmmm... Nice to see a
	school of them in that close, but we were looking for some Blues.

	Went out to Middle Ground, carefully I might add as it was a bit
	on the rough side.  We spent the rest of the day with schools of
	Blues that were so thick that they just blocked out the bottom!!!
	These fish would come up from 30ft. to hit big poppers on top.

	It was quite a mix of sizes, ranging from about 8 to 15lbs. and
	-really- healthy!  Nice fat fall Bluefish with some serious girth.
	Best Bluefishing that I've had in years!

	A word of caution to anyone thinking of trying this area.  The
	friend I was with has fished this area intensly for over 15 years
	and he knows where he's safe in his boat (25' Hydrasports w/twin
	Johnson 200's).  This can be a -very- dangerous area, especially
	in conditions like yesterday.  Know what your doing if you go out
	there!  Study a chart and be sure you understand what you're
	getting into.  We saw almost the whole bottom of a big Grady when
	the guy got into the wrong area and just made it up over a -big-
	breaking swell out of the SE.  Must have (and -should- have)
	scared the crap out of him, cause he moved so far away he wasn't
	catching anything after that!  It could have been a deadly situation
	if he had been side to the wave... Scary!

	The tuna fleet was in pretty close, we could see them as soon as
	we cleared the mouth of the Essex.

	Also had a nice little diversion when a group of about a hundred
	Dolphin came by!   All in all a great day, can't wait to do it
	again!  Now if only I didn't hurt from head to toe...

					B.C.  

	Was teaching rescue diving at Loblolly cove in Rockport on
	Saturday. Must have seen about 200 stripers swim underneath us.
	Didn't notice a keeper in the bunch, but there were too many to 
	tell for sure.

	-kg

Well, after too many years of fishing for a KEEPER, I finally caught, not
one, but TWO, and lost 2 others that were definitely keepers.  I have to thank
Dave "Baitmaster' Auger for taking me out this past weekend and taking me to
his "special and secret" places in the river.

Dave said that he'd have to shoot me if he showed me his secret spots, so 
instead he just blind-folded me.  Ever try to cast blind-folded?  Dave's still
trying to get the hooks out of his head! 8^)

Pogies are still in the river as well as some keepers.  We caught 5 and lost 3.
Thanks, Dave!

-Joe-

P.S. Hey Dave, I peeked!  But your secret spots are safe with me (heh heh).

    Joe,
    
    Did the "Baitmaster" hereto known as the "SEALMASTER" take you
    to his favorite Sealing Hole? His skills are really slipping when
    he thinks a seal feels like a bass.........
    
    Steve

Yeah...we visited his favorite seal-fishing hole.  

Dave:  "Look, Joe.  Over on those rocks.  There's some keepers!"
 Joe:  "Huh?"
Dave:  "Yup. That one looks like the one I almost caught yesterday!  Damn
	this almost spooled me twice!"


BTW... did Dave also tell you that he is going blind??

re:

>>His skills are really slipping when he thinks a seal feels like a bass.....
   

because he's almost tried to lip the sucker!!

-Joe-

Joe - While we're at the firing range - Why don't you tell us why you lost the
      1st two fish?  As I recall you forgot to set the hook on the 1st fish and
      the bird's nest that resulted from your putting the reel into free spool
      after the fish had already started peeling line was unbelievable!!!  I
      haven't laughed that hard in a long time.  I won't mention all the other
      bird's nest I had to untangle in the dark for you or the number of times I
      had to untangle the line you wrapped around the motor.  Just think how
      many keepers you could have caught if we'd actual spent more time fishing
      instead of untangling!!!

Steve - A little jealous that I took someone else out fishing?  Joe may lack some
        experience catching keepers, but at least he is trainable and he doesn't
	have a ring through his nose like someone I know...BTW should I speak
        with your wife now and ask her permission to take you out fishing next
        summer?  I never thought I'd see the day that Steve Hayes couldn't go
	fishing because his wife wanted him to do the laundry, make dinner and
	cut the grass....

I'm sure I haven't heard the last of this
Dave
AKA 'Baitmaster'

    Okay everyone the SealMaster is getting perturbed at all the
    harassment he's getting. 
    
    People he doesn't even know have been asking him:
    
    	o Did you kill Andre?
    	
    	o What kind of seal was it?
    
    	o How'd you get the hook out?
    
    	o 400 lbs! Wow you'll be eating seal meat all winter!
    
    	o Aren't seals protected?
    
    	o Why were you fishing for seals?
    
    WELL STOP THIS NONSENSE!!
    
    
    DAVE HAS NOT GIVEN US HIS SEAL OF APPROVAL TO HARASS HIM!
    
    HE IS ASKING US TO STOP BLUBBERING ON ABOUT HIS "CATCH".
    
    HE WANTS TO PUT AN END TO THIS TALE.
    
    HE'S WITHIN A WHISKER OF CRACKING.
    
    LET'S MAKE A DEAL TO STOP BARKING AT HIM.
    CAN WE SEAL THIS DEAL?
    
    STEVE

    Well ok looks like I'll be out in the Merrimack again this friday from
    about 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. still looking for my first keeper. Does anybody
    want to give me a "HINT" where I might find one?? I dont think I can go
    thru another winter without a keeper. Largest one to date was 30"
    
    hurls.

A "hint"??  Sorry... the "SealMaster" had me blindfolded the whole time!

For all I know, we were just off Revere Beach! (hmmm...except we didn't
snag any bodies). 8^)

I value my life....thanks.

"ButtonLipped" Joe

    Well my buddy and I fishing the MR friday from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
    We boated 25+ stripers but all in the 15" to 24" range. :-(
    
    	Lots of action but small ones..
    
    	Still looking for my first Keeper..  :-(

    I saw the same in York Maine on Friday and Sat. There were more
    stripers around than I've ever seen. My largest was 34". I did see
    4 keepers caught on Sat. One at the same spot, I caught the 34" at
    the same time. If it wasn't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all.
    Jim

    The striper fishing in the Piscataqua/Great Bay area was rather
    variable this weekend.  On thursday (while vacationing) a friend and
    I got 30 schoolies on a morning trip.  Despite the bad weather I
    fished Saturday morning as well and worked pretty hard to get only 4.
    Sunday morning I took only one fish and that sequenced seemed to be
    pretty typical with others I spoke with.
    
    Has the storm sent the bass south for the winter??
    

	   A little late, but...

	   Sunday 10/22 afternoon.  Left Sesuit and went west into a stiff
	3-4ft chop.  Took about an hour to get over to Barnstable Harbor.
	It smoothed out once we were in the channel and partially blocked
	by Sandy Neck and the flats along the channel.  Make mental note
	to -trailer- over to Barnstable next time!

	   Marked -huge- clouds of bait behind every hump in the channel
	and other fish scattered all over the water column.  Depth averages
	about 20-30ft. through here with some taller humps and some deeper
	spots.

	   Made a couple drifts through with nothing to show for it but a
	couple nervous Eels.  Tide changed and so did everything else.

	   Bottom of the incoming, literally thousands of birds working
	over 10-20 seperate schools of fish!  We started catching schoolies
	on every cast.  Only 2 other boats working and every rod bent every
	time we looked around.  Larger concentration shows up a little
	farther out so we go to look.  Now we're catching Blues of about
	3-4 lbs.!  My brother had never seen it like this and was going
	nuts!  Some larger Blues mixed in, biggest boated about 9-10 lbs.

	   There are still a lot of fish around and very few people after
	them.

	   Don't forget the Canal around first light also, we had some
	great topwater action with big poppers casting to fish working
	under the birds.  Just maybe again this weekend...

					B.C.

	   In case anyone missed it, there was a report of a fishkill
	from the very cold weather a week or two ago.  It seems that
	several hundred schoolies were found dead/frozen when some
	hunters went over to see what all the bird action was about...

	   This just happens to be in the upper reaches of Barnstable
	Harbor.  I guess some of the bass we were catching there in 
	the end of October (see .471) liked it so much they just had
	to hang around...  Some of them chose the wrong spots on the
	wrong day...

	   They're baaaaaaccckkk!!!
						B.C.

	   FYI, Frank Daigneault is presenting a show on fishing for
	the -LARGE- Stripers that we all hope to have in our future.
	He's the author of 3 of the best books on the subject of
	Stripers.  I've seen him a few times, and I plan to go again
	tonight.

		Beyond The Keeper, Moby Stripers is, I believe, the name
	of this show.

		April 4th, tonight

		Sheraton Hotel, Milford MA

		7:00 pm  (He drew a lot of people last time he was here)

	Directions:

		Route 495 to Milford Exit 19, West about 100ft. and turn
		right on Beaver St.

		You'd have to be -really- slow to miss the place, you can
	see the hotel right beside 495 from either North or South.

		If anyone is interested in a little social activity before
	the show drop me a line, I live about 1.5 miles from the hotel.

						See you there!
						    B.C.

		My wife just informed me that although the hotel has
	always been the Sheraton, and the ad in the paper for the show
	says the Sheraton, the hotel is now the Radisson!

		So... Look for the sign that says Radisson...

		The sign does say formerly the Sheraton...

		Changed on April 1...

				Sorry for the mis-information,

						B.C.

    Is there a cost on this??? I Think I'm going to try and make it this
    evening..

	RE: .475

		Yup..  $10.00      kids $5.00

    
    I was down the Cape yesterday, and there are LOTS of herring in the
    herring runs. My grandfather said alot of the rivers and bays have
    small schoolies in them but no keepers yet that he knows of.
    
    Walt