LOCKJAW
June 8, 2011
- The problem facing a number of anglers this weekend was not locating
fish; it was getting them to eat. A cadre of acquaintances canvassed the
flats in the Rock Harbor area of Cape Cod Bay and had no problem
locating immense schools of striped bass and despite employing tried and
true, well tested, guaranteed and cant miss patterns all but drew blanks
with only a handful of well proportioned stripers to show for their
effort.
Crab patterns, small sand eels, smaller sand eels, smallest sand eels
and even a top water offering or two could not tempt the inhabitants of
these massive flats with any consistency. While behavior like this,
particularly in this area is not an anomaly; it can be quite frustrating
even for veteran long rodders. The amusing component of this scenario is
that a comparable day during the same week could yield many striped bass
(most of them in the 30-35 inch category).
EPIC BAIT
I had the opportunity to serve first mate with Captain Lenny Renauld of
Sterling (more of a quahog run than a serious fishing outing) over the
weekend. We witnessed an epic distribution of sand eels (4 inches) in
the Stage Harbor-Harding Beach area of Chatham. At one point I pitched
the comment "I literally cannot see the end to the diving
birds." While my first few offerings led to a couple of boated bass
leading to air of optimism, the morning would not surrender another
strike.
BLUEFISH
Bluefish have begun to filter into Cape Cod Bay and are now present
around Billingsgate and Sunken Meadow. These are not the
"gators" that will occupy this real estate later in the season
and generally fall in the 5-7lb. category. These early season marauders
will often fall prey to top water offerings such as gurglers, crease
flies and sliders and are superb fly rod fare.
 TB
in AB
Tom Blailock had the opportunity to ply his craft in Mexico this spring
and files this brief report…
"Hi Jim - caught
this tarpon using one of the flies you sold me before my Belize trip.
This fish was caught this past April in Ascension Bay, Mexico using a
Great Bay Evolution 10 weight. I will be back for more of the
flies!"
Good fishing and safe
wading,
JB
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