Conference wahoo::fishing

Welcome to the notesfile, Marty! I'm sure you'll enjoy reading it!

As far as the seacoast goes, it's been a long time since I've done any 
saltwater fishing, however, I do know that the blues and stripers are 
running.  Assuming you have rods and reels suited to that type of fish, I'd 
suggest that you stop in at any of the local bait/tackle dealers and have 
them tell you what type of lures/bait to use and buy from them.  Their 
prices might be a little higher than places like K-Mart, but you get 
first-hand experience and information that will be reliable.

Good luck!

-Joe

    Welcome to the salt.  The Stripers are running fairly well this
    year.  Flounder are also being caught with the tide.  Blues are
    very spotty, no heavy concentration yet.  Stripers are taking
    white jigs with white pork rinds like champs.  There is a length
    limit of 33 inches this year.  I use light tackle for the Stripers
    and Blues (6 to 6 1/2 foot baitcating rod and reel).  The majority
    of Bass will be under the legal limit (33") but with light to med.
    tackle you will have an exciting day of fishing.
    
    The Stripers seem to have a significant pattern.  Not much action
    till the tide starts to go out.  If you can position yourself near
    or in the mouth of the Merrimack you may get into some nice fishing.
    For the surfcasters the Jetty at Plum Island is producing with the
    tide.  Good luck to all.

    Thanks for the suggestions Joe. I do have a good assortment of
    saltwater equipment although one of the few times I've oceaned
    fished I had the most fun with my ultra light (4lb test) and
    a school of mackeral. The thought of a 10lb blue on the end of it
    pops into my head more and more as the weekend nears !!!
    
    I'm also interested to see how well the 19 footer handels the
    ocean waves. Of course, if it's dead calm this weekend I won't
    be disapointed either. I'm bringing a friend who's a confirmed 
    "chummer". 
    
    Marty

Marty,

The thought of taking a 10lb blue on ultralight gear sounds like fun...BUT, 
I wouldn't suggest it unless... 1) you use a wire leader,  2) you have LOTS 
of line on your reel, and  3) you have LOTS of time to play them.  

Blues have a mouthful of razor sharp teeth that can do a number on 20-30 lb 
test line...4lb test line would be like breaking a spider web!  And, if you 
decide to try lighter line, I'd make sure that you had a couple hundred 
yards of line on a reel with an EXCELLENT drag!  The drag MUST be real 
smooth or you can kiss a 10lber good-bye!

The bait/tackle shows will also tell you where to go and the best tides to 
fish.

Let us know how you make out.

-Joe-

    This is for anyone who is trying the salt for the first time...
    
    The mouth of the Merrimack can be and is considered in bad weather
    as one of the most dangerous ports on the east coast.
    
    It is difficult to catch fish in the channel. ( not impossible )
    Bass love the rips. You may see a boat over in a particular area
    fishing and they might have fish on that does not mean it is safe
    for you to put your boat over in that same spot.
    
    These men have spent years and years fishing this river and they
    know where every rock is. They also know where ever rip and lie
    that might hold fish.
    
    You may also follow some boat up the river figuring he knows where
    the channel is etc. etc.   Wrong. Many of them are just running
    around and are an accident looking for a place to happen.
                                                             
    I suggest you get a chart and look for the cannel and make your self
    familar with the hazards.
    
    o when leaving the jeddy going out to sea. In my opinion it is always
    best to run down the north jeddy . After you get beyond the jeddy
    you can cut it sharply to port and get out of the strong rip.
    
    If you come down the center of the channel and there is a rolling
    sea sometimes in a small boat you will not be able to turn around.
    
    This rip runs for over a mile at time out to sea.
    
    Make sure you know were Badgers rocks are. there is a red marker
    there and you want to pass that on you right return; on you left
    ( port ) going out.
    
    Take a walk down before you launch your boat see what the sea is
    like.
    
    The other hazards are half tide rock, Lunt rock, and there are some
    sumerged rock jeddies that are marked on the cart as a dotted line
    over near Woodbridge island.
    
    Have a great time but please be careful,
    sincerely Bear

    Thanks for all the info guys. I caught some blues while out
    with a friend in his boat a few years ago. we were on the
    east side of the Isle Of The Shoals fishing for cod. I was
    using a regular boat rod with 20lb test line and a cod rig.
    We got into a bunch of small polluck (~10 in.) and I got
    tired of reeling in the rod from 100ft. I felt the small tug
    which was becoming to familiar, and decided to have a sandwich
    and beer before reeling it up. About a minute later the line
    started moving away from the boat at a rapid rate (=lunch on deck,
    beer all over the place!!!). I grabed the rod and after a great
    fight reeled in a 16 lb blue. The hook was positioned in his
    mouth so that when he bit down he was chomping on it instead
    of the mono. After this we started trolling with rebel divers.
    We didn't have any steel leaders so we tied them directly onto
    the line. We caught 5 or 6 more similar in size to the first.
    They were rough on the lures but all were hooked so that the
    line was well out of the mouth. I've found in fresh water fishing
    that as the leader size I use goes up, the number of strikes
    goes down. I hate going to steel leaders if not necesary even
    though they are the excepted practice. Any thoughts ???
    
    The ultra light I'll be using is a 5.5 ft ugly stick with a shakespeare
    reel. It'll have 250 yds. of 4lb. stren on it. The drag on the reel
    is excellent. Best fish with this setup to date has been a 4lb
    landlocked salmon. I never had more than half the line out while
    playing him so I figure I can manage a few more pounds. Pat,
    have you caught fresh water fish with the same outfit you use for
    salt ? If so, what species and pound for pound were the blues
    harder fighting ?
    
    I'll give a full report next week when I get back...
    
    Marty
    

    Thoughts regarding steel leader...
    
    Your observation about the size of leader holds as true in salt
    water as it does in fresh.  It may not matter as much when you've
    found a school of blues in a feeding frenzy, but the rest of the
    times you can cut down on the number of strikes when you have more
    visible tackle.
    
    Heavy monofilament makes a fine leader.  I use 60 lb. test Ande
    when going for heavier bluse (8 lbs and up), and 40 lb test when
    going for smaller ones. You don't need much length unless your fishing
    in fairly shallow water where your line might get pulled over bottom.
    About a foot or so whould do fine.
    
    I have fished with people who have felt that steel leader is a must,
    and usually have much more fun than they have had.
    
    Good luck.
    
    Kevin

    Marty, I use the baitcasting setup for fresh water and salt.  I
    do put a heavier weight line on for salt water.  The reasons being,
    I use a heavier lure and the size/fight of the fish you catch.  I also
    like a 4 to 6 lb test for fresh water but wouldn't rely on that
    for blues or stripers.  I personally don't like to throw off a $2-$5
    lure because I screwed up a cast.  
    
    Pound for pound I think stripers fight equally well as largemouths
    but stripers do get considerably bigger.  Blues on the other hand
    fight like hell.......
    
    Sorry I didn't include the information about the DANGEROUS conditions
    at the mouth of the Merrimack river.  Weather conditions etc. can
    produce very serious safety hazards for any size boat.  I have heard
    horror stories about this area.  If the ocean is calm you shouldn't 
    have any problems except for traffic.  Try to time your fishing
    in this area approx. 2 hours before and after high tide.  I have
    been out in a 15 ft. boat (during good weather) at that time and 
    experienced no problems.
    
    Good Luck
    Pat
       

    A word to the wize. Check the weather forcasts (marine) before you
    venture out. Pay special attention to the wind direction and speed.
    If they're talking about 15mph+ winds or any wind with an easterly
    component with it (ie. NE, SE, E) don't go near the mouth of the
    Merrimack unless you like fudged undies or worse.... Doesn't take
    much to get 8 to 10 foot rollers at the mouth. 
                                                           
    
    
    			Can be fun if you "pick your day"
    
    
    					Jim

    Well,
    The trip is over...My jeep ate a transfer case before
    the trip so I was forced to tow the boat with an old
    Pontiac Lemans (1977-133k miles) . The car developed
    a bad fuel pump on the way down. I spent half of Saturday
    figuring out that this was the problem and replacing it.
    I actually started fishing around 2:00 in the afternoon.
    Trolled between Hampton and salisbury for several hours
    with no hits. Decided to go out to Jeffreys Ledge as the
    water was very smooth and at 45 mph doesn't take long.
    Fished maybe a half hour(6 cod in this time frame) when
    the skies became dark. I had the pleasure of being 30 miles
    out in a 19ft boat in a severe thunderstorm. Made it through
    this and the engine started to die out. Water in the gas
    I suspect.  When a good sized whale came out of the water
    about a hundred feet from us I was convinced it was time to
    get a bigger damn boat. 
    
    All in all I still had a great time. I need about a week down there
    to really have enough time to know the area, etc. Thanks
    for everyones comments,
    
    Marty