ON THE MOVE

September 16, 2006 - The recent weather events that have passed to our east have contributed to the exodus which could now is in full boom. Not to worry for the most intense saltwater fly angling often occurs during the latter stages of September and on into October. For many years a cadre of dedicated salters, spearheaded by yours truly, leased a cottage in West Yarmouth during the month of October and experienced some of the most memorable angling of the entire season. The focus of our attention was generally the south facing beaches of Chatham and the estuaries of Cape Cod Bay.

I personally have fond memories of greeting the morning sun while leisurely deploying surface flies adjacent to the jetties that protect Sandwich Town Beach in Sandwich and later prospecting Old Harbor Creek as the tide receded. In just about every instance I was without competition from other anglers that would often arrive long after the action had concluded. I considered this to be one of the most dependable September-October venues during high, dropping tides (during low light condition) in autumn. Due to it's close proximity to central Mass (about a 1 ½ hour drive) a 4-5 hour pre-dawn session is appealing and requires only minimal commitment. The area itself is relatively easy to understand and would offer the novice an excellent opportunity to hone his skills as stripers will normally "run the beach" well within roll cast distance.

BREWSTER FLATS
Another area familiar to late season fly anglers is Brewster Flats in Brewster. This venue is best accessed by Robbins Hill Beach (after Labor Day pay no attention to the restriction signs), located just off of Lower Road in Brewster. BF is not as sensitive as Sandwich and good fishing can be expected under a variety of light conditions. We should caution you that tide is critical to your outing since angling occurs roughly a mile from the high tide mark. It's best to arrive 2 hours prior to low tide during the drop. This will provide the angler with a generous 4-5 hour fishing session before beating a retreat to the security of Robbins Hill Beach.

We chatted with western Mass resident, Roland Gagnier, who enjoys a cottage in Harwichport during the summer months. While the fish have averaged in the 18-24" range in his two most recent outings, there has been no shortage of willing combatants often resulting in numerous consecutive hook-ups.

FACELIFT COMPLETE
The Lower Forty has been undergoing somewhat of a facelift recently and we are delighted to report that the work is finally complete. Included in the renovations were a new flight of rear steps, the relocation of our Madison Street sign, new vinyl siding that conceals a west window, T-111 replaces the vinyl façade around the entire building with a fresh coat of stain and new shutters now adorn all windows. Customer comments have been very positive as we will continue to improve the physical plant as well as the inventory selection inside.

Good fishing and safe wading,
JB