MR. TWO HANDS

June 8, 2007 - A few days ago I rose early to a vibrant rain and pudding-like fog, not uncommon to a spring morning in Chatham. I hastily gathered my belongings in anticipation of my 2-hour automobile ride back to the reality of the shop and the beginning of a new workweek.

I noticed from the kitchen window that a yellow sheet of paper was affixed precisely under the driver-side windshield wiper, obviously in anticipation on my early departure from Cape Cod. It was the doing of "Mr. Two Hands", Arthur Kostonis, year round resident of Aiken, South Carolina who is currently sharing a rental cottage with a few other saltwater zealots. Arthur is known in the area for his love of two-handers as well as his marathon fishing sessions, most of which result in extremely successful outcomes.

We had chatted briefly the evening before and his intentions were to prospect an area in Pleasant Bay, just east of Chatham Light, offering little physical commitment on his end. His written words were brief and to the point (and accompanied by a hand scripted map as to the location)…
"Hi Jim, I couldn't wake you so here is my report. Half tide dropping, 3 keepers (28"-30"), many (22"-26"), only 3 (15"), solid action from 6PM-9PM, approximately 30 fish total."

Whether you're a boat angler or sentenced to a life of wading, it is our opinion that the following few weeks will be the most productive of the season. A good mix of scoolies to keeper-size fish inhabit our entire inshore environment and it would be difficult to recommend one location over another.

CLAPTON WOULD BE PROUD
All the blues inhabiting the south side of Cape Cod would have Eric Clapton blushing just ask fishing buds Mark Kralian and Big Dave Surdel. The duo have been making frequent sojourns to the Mashpee-Cotuit area and sight-fishing, that's right sight-fishing, to cruising "pods" of bluefish just under the surface. Their success has be achieve while employing floating lines and a series if surface offerings in the gurgler-slider-crease fly category. In typical spring ritual these bluefish have shunned subsurface presentations and need to be tempted by the slop-slurp-splatter that only a surface fly can offer.

Good fishing and safe wading,
JB