H#oly dog s*** am I tired. Over the past couple weeks, I've been skunked out, had a brand new motor s*** the bed and have been unable to get the smell of dead bait off of my hands. Even with Irish spring...and that's the "winter blast" version.
Now if you aint catchin, yet your hands smell like funk for a week, I'd say that pretty much sucks.
I like fluke and I see there is a special spot just right here for us all to talk about the best methods of ambush, the best rigs or bucktails. But, most people don''t seem to want to share that. I see a whole lotta peeps coming here to view what they can take but don't add much. I'm new yes, but I will report on my day today. Will say where it happened and where it did not.
Apparently, of all the members on this site I am the first to catch a keeper fluke this year based on lack of photos..but I doubt that...okay, now that I have that off my chest, today had a terrific forecast. High tide at 10am in Waterford. I needed to test out my new effed up motor on real water and I was thinking, might as well bring your sheet and fish. Engine runs in a bucket fine, but on the water, different story.
So yesterday, I went about prepping all my battery powered trolling equipment as a backup, so I could sleep. But I think I got in almost three hours. I had to be there before anyone else and I wanted a full warm up just as the sun was rising. This way, I could get out a little way, with some eels, in the morning..and if that grabbed my bawls, well then I had plenty of time to fish new bucktails/floro/ Berley later during a more clam tide.
I have been watching the moon cycle, the winds and precip chances. Today was the day because of a five hour in tide starting at sunrise. Most important concern since I use an inflatable, whats the wind going to be..and I know, things change...every day in fact I look to see whats ahead..but when you look several hours before you leave and the reports show below 4 miles SSW between midnight and six..that makes me feel at ease..well a little.
So I arrive with this new motor and then have all the electric equipment packed just in case of emergency. Loaded on the dingy...engine running, warmed up after 20 minutes, all s*** in the boat including flairs and I'm off.
Lets start with the rigs I crimped yesterday with fluorocarbon, leaders directly to the spro bucktails with large eye sockets....the colors were green sparkle and yellow...They were out of white...to these bucktails, I tipped with a six inch white swimming minnow grub with a long tale. I'll save the fluke stuff for later in the day......
Now first thing in the morning, I'm looking for a good spot for Stripers. Since I know they like to feed at night and in the dawn...Although it is not new moon, once I got out there well before high tide, the wind was freaking howling and I'm in shorts and a neon yellow shirt...WTF, are you serious...my mind says go back home and watch tv with some whole milk and cookies...my heart says "Effff that man, just do this."
I see the washing machine in the bay, I take a guess on a spot and drop my first eel...didn't take long before something was toying with it...so, I'm getting strikes and I'm trying to set the "J" hook and I almost did...but missed it...now after a little more reading I realize, I will use some of those Octopus Jap sounding circle hooks from now on since I read the fish hook themselves...now the wind is doing strange s*** not foretasted and there is no one else out on the water. And its dark..I don't like that...now I've got foot and a half waves plowing into the bow sideways and the motor is cutting out..I have to feather it to keep it going. I do a drift and fly back towards the launch...sun comes up, things look better and in a couple hours the winds have actually died down instead of increasing per the weather...Alright, I have missed out on a Striper, lets get to the Bucktails and see if I can get a few fluke.
I slowly made my way out to Black point. Because the current was very strong it took six oz to keep bait down...My largest Bucktail is 4 oz...and I messed with this for a couple hours tipped with Berkley gulp squid....water moving, tide change, I move boat out further east towards the sound..I switch to a brand new 2 oz buck tail..no sooner do I drop that and a fluke swallows the freaking thing...wow...the net was ready with a tight line and it was in. Got out the tape measure and realized I had a keeper, nice meal and my best fluke EVER for me.
Excited, I put the fluke on ice instead of bleeding him and this messed up his pretty colors...I was rushing thinking there were more in that spot and I didn't want to lose it...well me and everyone else around me motored out because didn't even a robin fish bite s*** after that.
Winds calmed, my motor bogged, but I made it back to shore and Defender was right down the street. I had an appt with them regarding the problems with this brand new motor. Nice people, I drop it there..I get home and already have a call from the service manager..He says, hey we see this all the time, your carb is gummed up from "china" gas. What? Okay, I bought new, do I get a new engine..I'm concerned about break in with this mess..."No sir, I assure you this is a reliable engine and you are all set to pic up this weekend." Umm what about the stalls when in choppy waters while bouncing around..what about the engine pitch...no good answers but the guy said he will make sure everything is taken care of under warranty.
Back to fishing...I remember I was fishing for porgies in late august of last year and this guy pulled up and got a monster bass..Reports at the time were saying the bass were were all out in LI sound...those fish are there all the time after spring..its just a matter of tackle, experience and timing...I will try for my first bass again soon (As an adult.) and will use a better rig with a circle hook and longer leader of fluorocarbon...My foot long long was too short I think. As far as the fluke, I'm not sure why I didn't get more..I didn't see anyone else catching anything...they all motored off.
Anyway, point is, the fish are there...and keep fishing...and please be safe..
Did I mention I pissed in a milk jug twice..worst part is most of it landed at the bottom of the boat. Maybe that has been the smell. Okay, now to remember to copy this post for when I click "post and it vanishes.
Last edited by snapper on Sat Jun 22, 2013 6:37 am; edited 1 time in total
Now if you aint catchin, yet your hands smell like funk for a week, I'd say that pretty much sucks.
I like fluke and I see there is a special spot just right here for us all to talk about the best methods of ambush, the best rigs or bucktails. But, most people don''t seem to want to share that. I see a whole lotta peeps coming here to view what they can take but don't add much. I'm new yes, but I will report on my day today. Will say where it happened and where it did not.
Apparently, of all the members on this site I am the first to catch a keeper fluke this year based on lack of photos..but I doubt that...okay, now that I have that off my chest, today had a terrific forecast. High tide at 10am in Waterford. I needed to test out my new effed up motor on real water and I was thinking, might as well bring your sheet and fish. Engine runs in a bucket fine, but on the water, different story.
So yesterday, I went about prepping all my battery powered trolling equipment as a backup, so I could sleep. But I think I got in almost three hours. I had to be there before anyone else and I wanted a full warm up just as the sun was rising. This way, I could get out a little way, with some eels, in the morning..and if that grabbed my bawls, well then I had plenty of time to fish new bucktails/floro/ Berley later during a more clam tide.
I have been watching the moon cycle, the winds and precip chances. Today was the day because of a five hour in tide starting at sunrise. Most important concern since I use an inflatable, whats the wind going to be..and I know, things change...every day in fact I look to see whats ahead..but when you look several hours before you leave and the reports show below 4 miles SSW between midnight and six..that makes me feel at ease..well a little.
So I arrive with this new motor and then have all the electric equipment packed just in case of emergency. Loaded on the dingy...engine running, warmed up after 20 minutes, all s*** in the boat including flairs and I'm off.
Lets start with the rigs I crimped yesterday with fluorocarbon, leaders directly to the spro bucktails with large eye sockets....the colors were green sparkle and yellow...They were out of white...to these bucktails, I tipped with a six inch white swimming minnow grub with a long tale. I'll save the fluke stuff for later in the day......
Now first thing in the morning, I'm looking for a good spot for Stripers. Since I know they like to feed at night and in the dawn...Although it is not new moon, once I got out there well before high tide, the wind was freaking howling and I'm in shorts and a neon yellow shirt...WTF, are you serious...my mind says go back home and watch tv with some whole milk and cookies...my heart says "Effff that man, just do this."
I see the washing machine in the bay, I take a guess on a spot and drop my first eel...didn't take long before something was toying with it...so, I'm getting strikes and I'm trying to set the "J" hook and I almost did...but missed it...now after a little more reading I realize, I will use some of those Octopus Jap sounding circle hooks from now on since I read the fish hook themselves...now the wind is doing strange s*** not foretasted and there is no one else out on the water. And its dark..I don't like that...now I've got foot and a half waves plowing into the bow sideways and the motor is cutting out..I have to feather it to keep it going. I do a drift and fly back towards the launch...sun comes up, things look better and in a couple hours the winds have actually died down instead of increasing per the weather...Alright, I have missed out on a Striper, lets get to the Bucktails and see if I can get a few fluke.
I slowly made my way out to Black point. Because the current was very strong it took six oz to keep bait down...My largest Bucktail is 4 oz...and I messed with this for a couple hours tipped with Berkley gulp squid....water moving, tide change, I move boat out further east towards the sound..I switch to a brand new 2 oz buck tail..no sooner do I drop that and a fluke swallows the freaking thing...wow...the net was ready with a tight line and it was in. Got out the tape measure and realized I had a keeper, nice meal and my best fluke EVER for me.
Excited, I put the fluke on ice instead of bleeding him and this messed up his pretty colors...I was rushing thinking there were more in that spot and I didn't want to lose it...well me and everyone else around me motored out because didn't even a robin fish bite s*** after that.
Winds calmed, my motor bogged, but I made it back to shore and Defender was right down the street. I had an appt with them regarding the problems with this brand new motor. Nice people, I drop it there..I get home and already have a call from the service manager..He says, hey we see this all the time, your carb is gummed up from "china" gas. What? Okay, I bought new, do I get a new engine..I'm concerned about break in with this mess..."No sir, I assure you this is a reliable engine and you are all set to pic up this weekend." Umm what about the stalls when in choppy waters while bouncing around..what about the engine pitch...no good answers but the guy said he will make sure everything is taken care of under warranty.
Back to fishing...I remember I was fishing for porgies in late august of last year and this guy pulled up and got a monster bass..Reports at the time were saying the bass were were all out in LI sound...those fish are there all the time after spring..its just a matter of tackle, experience and timing...I will try for my first bass again soon (As an adult.) and will use a better rig with a circle hook and longer leader of fluorocarbon...My foot long long was too short I think. As far as the fluke, I'm not sure why I didn't get more..I didn't see anyone else catching anything...they all motored off.
Anyway, point is, the fish are there...and keep fishing...and please be safe..
Did I mention I pissed in a milk jug twice..worst part is most of it landed at the bottom of the boat. Maybe that has been the smell. Okay, now to remember to copy this post for when I click "post and it vanishes.
Last edited by snapper on Sat Jun 22, 2013 6:37 am; edited 1 time in total
Thanks John..I see a lot of your freshwater reports. They are always very informative about location lures and fish. You fish like crazy. The salt thing for me was addicting, once I got a taste off getting on the fish, there was nothing like it. Lung and Carp have been especially helpful...there are a couple others I may be forgetting, but its all good!
I never realized how much went into fishing. I just thought people tossed whatever and the fish were supposed to bite. I think that is what the general public thinks, until they try but continue catching sea weed and old boots. If they don't give up right away they realize there is a LOT to learn.
I never realized how much went into fishing. I just thought people tossed whatever and the fish were supposed to bite. I think that is what the general public thinks, until they try but continue catching sea weed and old boots. If they don't give up right away they realize there is a LOT to learn.
I don't know what youre whining about Snap, I see plenty of fluke reports posted here
OH OK the old " bad Chinese gas" excuse, got to love it, hopefully that engine will be fine for you now.
Glad you put some fish in the boat
Yeah man, the "Chinese gas" did not sit well with me. So I slept on it...located the president of "Defender" and left him a calm but informative voice message detailing pretty much everything. That was two strikes for frightening my kids out in Stonington. Not checking well enough on the winds last year, MY fault....spending more on a new engine to make sure things were a little more reliable and powerful, "China gas" that one I can't accept. Poor kids, when the motor cut out we got washed up onto sandy point with waves coming in the boat. My son got out and tried to hold the boat in place with me pull starting my shoulder socket out....we ended up having to beach the boat...but the kids handled the situation like champs.. At the end off the day I told em, you guys can have whatever you want for dinner tonight. They didn't complain once...and at one point, they jumped in the water and went swimming while I fished across the channel. It was nice seeing them jumping, running and playing together from a distance. This is the last year for that since my son is 14 and my daughter is ten. He's growing like crazy, his voice is starting to get deep and he has a girlfriend. By next year he will be as tall as I am... The object was to make some memories. And we did..
Fresh fish and scallops..and a glass of wine..and gotta have a good movie to go with it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2m4tfBg9S4
Shoot man, I could have done that maneuver.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2m4tfBg9S4
Shoot man, I could have done that maneuver.
