In honor of the Maine's Volunteer Angler's Log program: The 2023 Running VAL Region #4 (Small Point to Port Clyde) Striper Report

[Roccus7]

The fish hit my hood Mother's Day, and I've been picking 24-25" fish until this AM when I caught 2 nice slot fish, 29 & 30". Nice to be back in the saddle...

 

[Old Mud]

Nice clean one. I didn't know you came that far West.

 

[Roccus7]

Been picking, in spite of fighting the GD incessant wind of late, even at dawn. Got 5 from 20 - 27.5" the last 2 days. They definitely make you work harder, not jumping on the plugs like flies to chit. Happy Times on the Midcoast!!

 

[Roccus7]

Today's Lesson: Calm Water is very humbling...

Every day striped bass fishing should be a learning experience and this AM's glass-like conditions was a master class. I've been fishing in >10 kts of wind for the past week, and it raises havoc with popper action, but more importantly, it doesn't allow you to know what's going on as only very overt fish "interest" in your lure.

Well this AM was quite different and I had a 20 minute spurt when every cast had "fish interest", but at first there was very little evidence with actual surface disturbances. Most "interest" were subtle changes in the plug's wake or a change in the plug's wake, usually an increase in the plug's bow wake. Without glassine surface conditions, there is no way one would even know there was a fish showing interest in your plug.

What I did learn today is that fish can follow your plug for 30 or 40 yards without making any kind of commitment of hitting it; I've never thought it be that long of a follow. Now in the summer, when water temps rise above 60°F, a couple of quick, hard pops usually gets a strike from a "follower", but in the low 50°F temps of late spring, that doesn't work well. I've found that one hard pop, and then, if the follower seems a little more interested, a pop and a STOP, will get that "strike". Strike is in parentheses because the hits early in the season resemble more of a tap, than the violent crashes I would have later in the season. At least I started getting some action by employing this new popping sequence.

So I ended the morning with 6, fat, 23" fish. Five of these fish were caught in that 20 minute spurt mentioned above. During that time about 90% of my casts had definitive fish interest. Of that 90%, I'd say 80% were subtle signs of interest that only a dead calm day would reveal. Of the remaining 10%, I had overt signs like splashes, swirls and actual "hits". Of that 10%, I actually caught 5 fish and didn't drop any. Yes, I was expressing my discontent quite loudly at the fish, but that's me.

Striped bass fishing is truly a Remember thou art mortal! Experience...

 

[Roccus7]

I caught André's escaped dinner today!!
Nice morning fishing with a friend on his flats boat equipped w/spot lock, which made for a nice session. We started at my favorite rip, testing the spot lock system with a strong wind on a strong tide. The performance was good, but not $omething I'd consider for my boat. After picking up 4 fish 21-25", we noticed some action up on the flats, that only had 2' water on it and motored up to the action using the electric motor.

After seeing a break, I tossed my plug at the spot and got hit. It was a nice fighting fish, but when I got her close to the boat I could see a fairly fresh bite mark across her shoulders. When boated, this 28" fish was lightly bleeding from this wound, and I could see some necrotic tissue, which, along with the size of the bite, suggested she had escaped from a 2 or 3 day old seal attack. I intended to get a photo, but just after measuring her, she flipped out of my hands into the water. Thankfully she swam straight away.

 

[seahab]

One of the advantages of fishing early season in the back bay shallows was to watch bass follow plugs almost to the boat at times . Being able to switch plugs, poppers, swimmers and different colors was a sight to see. My all time go to will always be a yellow chicken scratch.

 

[Roccus7]

FIRST CAST CURSE!!

This morning started off with that most detestable way that striped bass screw with you, the First Cast Curse.

Saw a neighbor fishing when I got out at 05:00 so I motored up to talk and as I slowly motored over to chat with him I noticed the odd "V wake" on the surface of the water so I tossed out my plug. I quickly noticed my plug's wake had changed indicating that it was being followed so I went through my normal bag of tricks to elicit a strike and BAM!!, I was on and landed a 20" fish.

And then the Cynical Demon popped up on my shoulder, "Well you're screwed now. Might as well pack it in and head back to the barn, it's over for the day." Fortunately the Optimistic Angel popped up on the other shoulder, "Well you got up early to get here, you might as well go up to the start of this drift and take a full drift", so I did. Lots of "Wake Follows" ensued and I was able to get one to hit the lure, and I soon landed a slot fish, telling the Demon to begone.

Well, should have packed it in then, fished for over an hour with only an occasional wake follow, and even though I channeled Joe Cocker's best spastic convulsions to lure a strike at my popper, there were none. Then the wind fan got turned to high, and I headed back to the barn...

 

[Roccus7]

Another Hypothesis Down The Crapper & Unwelcome Visitor
After all my hits on Thursday were very close to dawn and then things died, I reasoned that the fish were feeding in the dark, so yesterday, I left the dock at 03:45. Then I proceeded to beat the water for 2 hours until I finally got a beautiful 30" fish to crash my plug in <3' of water, one of only 3 hits all morning. Well that lost 2 hours of sleep and my bright idea was shot to hell.

The frustrating thing was multiple pods of large fish cruising just under the surface making distinctive V wakes across the surface of the water, only to scatter and ignore your offerings when you'd cast to them.

So for today I decided on a normal 05:00 start time. Might as well stayed in bed, because the fish had lock jaw. The "Highlight" of the morning, that had me spitting bullets, was drifting through multiple pods of large fish scattering every time I casted at them, with only a couple of fish deciding to follow my plug, only to turn away at the boat. I threw the entire tackle box at them and nothing besides the normal popper drew any interest. Had at least 8 cast with "fishterest", but not a single one touched the lure. Hadn't seen bass do this since the late 60s on LI, just infuriating. It was like July when the bluefish are more intent on spawning that hitting your offerings. Not a happy face, but I decided to accept the skunking, albeit with very bad feelings...

So time for another hypothesis... Based on the observation that the 30" fish on Friday spit up 4 well-digested alewives boatside, maybe the fish are stuffing themselves early at night, and like to bask in the sun in the early morning light. Damned if I know and damned to figure out what to do tomorrow, but I will be out there casting and cursing...

 

[Roccus7]

Poseidon, what a capricious SOB...

After yesterday's skunking, I was seriously considering sleeping in, but when I woke up at 03:45 and realizing there was zero wind, I figured WTF, Poseidon be damned since I certainly can't catch anything lying in bed...

Hopped on the boat and headed to the site of yesterday's debacle. Found a flock of gulls sitting on the water and as they took off at my arrival, figured WTH, maybe the fish are hanging under the gull and tossed out an "unusual" popper, my normal Creek Chub 2500 Striper Strike, but instead of Blue Flas, it was a Menhaden color. Don't even think I popped it 2 times before there was a bass on it, a feisty 22" fish. After I landed it I was concerned, could that SOB Poseidon be f-ing with me and evoke the "First Cast Curse"??

Well turns out he wasn't ended the morning when the bite ended just as the flood ended. Thank goodness for the dead calm water, as this was a "cast to the V wake", sight fishing morning. Ended with a pair of 25" fish, along with two slot fish, 29 & 31". Didn't spend too much time measuring, as both fish were destined to be released, but I think if I did the "tail pinch" on the 31 it would have gone over the new slot limit of 31...

 

[Roccus7]

OK, I'm not too proud to accept a Participation Trophy, and things are about to get much worse...

Finally had the right idea, figuring the bass were on the feed slurping alewives up by the head of tide at first light. Got there at 04:15 this morning and I could hear the occasional bass slurping up an alewife breakfast.

Tossed out a popper and immediately saw the large, distinctive V wake of a good striper, but she turned away as the plug got close to the boat. This pattern followed for about 5 more cast when I did get a tepid hit from a large fish with no hookup. After that I kept tossing casts, only to have virtually each one having a fish following, but not taking the lure. Changed from popper to Finn-S, then to a jointed Redfin, but neither of them even got the attention of a fish, so I changed up my popper color, and once again, nothing but wakes. This continued for almost every cast for an hour, and then the amount of fish cruising around dropped off, as well as the wakes.

Kept at it for a while longer with increasing frustration, so I decided to pack it in. Just as I was about to turn the key I looked up and saw a small pod of fish swimming on the surface 100 yds away, so I crawled over there. Again, more fruitless casts, but then the miracle occurred, a feeding fish broke the water chasing bait just out of casting range. I cranked in the lure as fast as possible and launched the best cast I could. Cast was about 10' short, but I made sure I made a noisy retrieve in hopes that it would get the attention of that feeding fish and BINGO, my plug was slammed by a nice fish that took off on a long run, signaling a good-sized fish. She didn't disappoint as she was a hair over the new slot of 31" and was rewarded with a quick release. Yup, got me a Participation Trophy and not at all ashamed...

Decided to drop down into the harbor, taking a long run with the throttle open for an "Italian Tuneup", as I've been doing nothing but low RPM sorties over the past 2 weeks. Was shocked in that the town mooring field, which has well over 60 moorings, was only populated with no more than 10 boats! Crap, the season here is short enough, WTH have a boat if you don't get her launched early??

As I entered the cut back toward the barn I nearly soiled myself as I saw some huge boils, figuring that some monster bass were on the feed. Just as I was about to launch a cast 3 seal heads popped out of the water. Turned on the sounder to try to figure out what was for breakfast. Well to my dismay, looks like pogies (bunker) are now on the menu in our harbor. With that extra item on the buffet table, getting bass to take interest in a lure has become more difficult, oh joy...

When the pogies come marching in...

 

[Roccus7]

Beautiful Morning, from both scenic and piscatorial perspectives...

Casted off at 04:00 to make sure I beat the sunrise at "the spot". When old Sol decided to wake up, I was greeted by this beautiful sunrise:

And yes, that is smoke on the water because of the 57F water hitting the air temp of 45F...

Shortly after that I was greeted by a new Maine PB of 37", ~20 lbs, a true pig of a fish for these parts who fought like a Banshee. She eclipsed my previous best of 35". Was concerned when I saw that she had inhaled the plug, but fortunately, the hooks were around the gill arches with no punctures so it was a quick and bloodless unhooking. She revived very quickly and swam away strong.


Ended the AM session with "Big Bertha, a 28" slot fish, and 3 schoolies. Back at the barn at 06:00 for AM coffee...

 

[Roccus7]

Goldilocks Fishing, nothing "Just Right"...

Nice morning, with 7 fish. Thank goodness The Admiralty didn't have a dinner order in, because the high end of the fish had two 27' fish and a fat, feisty 32" fish bracketing the new 28-31" slot.

 

[Roccus7]

Quick update, I've caught 21 over the past 2 days up to 27", including only my second fish below 20", a 19" fish. That is truly scary, only reinforcing the wisdom of narrowing the slot. On both days I've had very large fish grab my plug and crash about the surface, only to spit it out, back at me. Oh well, waiting for some more water so I can head out and get abused again this AM, the glory of fishing in a protected estuary, "Noreaster? We can fish in a stinking Noreaster!!"

 

[JasonD]

OK, I'm not too proud to accept a Participation Trophy, and things are about to get much worse...

Finally had the right idea, figuring the bass were on the feed slurping alewives up by the head of tide at first light. Got there at 04:15 this morning and I could hear the occasional bass slurping up an alewife breakfast.

Tossed out a popper and immediately saw the large, distinctive V wake of a good striper, but she turned away as the plug got close to the boat. This pattern followed for about 5 more cast when I did get a tepid hit from a large fish with no hookup. After that I kept tossing casts, only to have virtually each one having a fish following, but not taking the lure. Changed from popper to Finn-S, then to a jointed Redfin, but neither of them even got the attention of a fish, so I changed up my popper color, and once again, nothing but wakes. This continued for almost every cast for an hour, and then the amount of fish cruising around dropped off, as well as the wakes.

Kept at it for a while longer with increasing frustration, so I decided to pack it in. Just as I was about to turn the key I looked up and saw a small pod of fish swimming on the surface 100 yds away, so I crawled over there. Again, more fruitless casts, but then the miracle occurred, a feeding fish broke the water chasing bait just out of casting range. I cranked in the lure as fast as possible and launched the best cast I could. Cast was about 10' short, but I made sure I made a noisy retrieve in hopes that it would get the attention of that feeding fish and BINGO, my plug was slammed by a nice fish that took off on a long run, signaling a good-sized fish. She didn't disappoint as she was a hair over the new slot of 31" and was rewarded with a quick release. Yup, got me a Participation Trophy and not at all ashamed...

Decided to drop down into the harbor, taking a long run with the throttle open for an "Italian Tuneup", as I've been doing nothing but low RPM sorties over the past 2 weeks. Was shocked in that the town mooring field, which has well over 60 moorings, was only populated with no more than 10 boats! Crap, the season here is short enough, WTH have a boat if you don't get her launched early??

As I entered the cut back toward the barn I nearly soiled myself as I saw some huge boils, figuring that some monster bass were on the feed. Just as I was about to launch a cast 3 seal heads popped out of the water. Turned on the sounder to try to figure out what was for breakfast. Well to my dismay, looks like pogies (bunker) are now on the menu in our harbor. With that extra item on the buffet table, getting bass to take interest in a lure has become more difficult, oh joy...

When the pogies come marching in...
View attachment 160072

Pogies are here, then its time for the flutter spoons!!!

 

[Roccus7]

Pogies are here, then its time for the flutter spoons!!!

In 10' of water or less? I'm thinking you need at least 20 or 30' for them to be a practical application...

 

[JasonD]

In 10' of water or less? I'm thinking you need at least 20 or 30' for them to be a practical application...

I used to jig a 3/8th oz Kroc by Luhr Jensen in 20 feet of water inside Great South Bay on Long Island and catch the hell out of them.
Back before the "flutter spoon" was a thing. Watch your line on the fall for the tell tale "tick", reel up the slack and set the hook. We would "pinhook" with Bass Assassins on Lead heads, Hopkins Shortys, Krocs and Ava 007 jigs with wine color tubes.
I had a lite spinning rod that I used a small kastmaster tin in real skinny water. I would switch a siwash hook instead of the treble and I would Yo-yo jig that too and like the Kroc, most of the hits came on the fall.

 

[Roccus7]

I used to jig a 3/8th oz Kroc by Luhr Jensen in 20 feet of water inside Great South Bay on Long Island and catch the hell out of them.
Back before the "flutter spoon" was a thing. Watch your line on the fall for the tell tale "tick", reel up the slack and set the hook. We would "pinhook" with Bass Assassins on Lead heads, Hopkins Shortys, Krocs and Ava 007 jigs with wine color tubes.
I had a lite spinning rod that I used a small kastmaster tin in real skinny water. I would switch a siwash hook instead of the treble and I would Yo-yo jig that too and like the Kroc, most of the hits came on the fall.

Oh, you're also talking to an ex-LI part-time pinhooker and I did a lot of damage with Krocs and Ava 007s back in the 70s on bass and weaks, ever vigilant for that tiny "tick" or delay on the free spool drop back.

AAMOF I once accidently cold-cocked The Admiral, having fallen asleep with my head in her lap while she was on the couch watching TV after my all-night fishing adventure. Was dreaming about catching weaks and my line stopped on the drop back so BAM I had to set the hook, and I did, except that my hand went right into her face!!

We'll have to fish together sometime...

 

[JasonD]

Oh, you're also talking to an ex-LI part-time pinhooker and I did a lot of damage with Krocs and Ava 007s back in the 70s on bass and weaks, ever vigilant for that tiny "tick" or delay on the free spool drop back.

AAMOF I once accidently cold-cocked The Admiral, having fallen asleep with my head in her lap while she was on the couch watching TV after my all-night fishing adventure. Was dreaming about catching weaks and my line stopped on the drop back so BAM I had to set the hook, and I did, except that my hand went right into her face!!

We'll have to fish together sometime...

Oh I'd love that. Lived in Center Moriches, Worked at Captree, Moriches Shinnecock and Montuak. I was just young when I started weak fishing with my dad and uncle using Tout tails, Manns "strawberry" jelly worms and 007 with a bit of sanworm on them.... ah the good old days

 

[Roccus7]

Oh I'd love that. Lived in Center Moriches, Worked at Captree, Moriches Shinnecock and Montuak. I was just young when I started weak fishing with my dad and uncle using Tout tails, Manns "strawberry" jelly worms and 007 with a bit of sanworm on them.... ah the good old days

What about "Salty Dogs" for the weaks??

 

[Roccus7]

Desperate Times Call For Desperate Measures

It's day three of a Nor'easter here that may last until next Saturday, June 11!!! Blissfully, the Big Girls have been sitting in a pool at the base of the falls at the head of tide, the site of my 37" the other day. Can't get to the very well sheltered Honey Hole until the tide is a good 3' above MLW, and with the early morning moon tides, the chance of fishing there at first light is the impossible dream.

To add to the degree of difficulty, it's tough to get them to strike anything as they're still slurping alewives, but I'm usually good for one decent hit a session with 20 or so V wakes following my popper. Got skunked yesterday and tried fishing this AM in the "lovely weather", but bagged it because even for me, sideways rain and >15 kts winds with 20+ kt winds isn't fun even when protected.

This evening the wind dropped to about 10 kts from high teens and the rain was more of a schmutz than rain so it was Game On. I saddled up and started the boat up into the pool as soon as I dared to. On the way I saw some breaking fish and found myself bound to a 23" fish, yeah, when I hoisted him into the boat he ended up hooking my hand with the front hook, while he was hooked on the popper's back hook. That was an interesting and bloody event, but I manned up and yanked the hook out of my hand, unhooked and released him and proceeded to the intended target.

As soon as I dropped the hook, there were V wakes and surface disturbances a plenty, so I knew I was going to score big. After a dozen or so V waked popper retrieves it was time for Plan B. I started to toss a rubber imitation eel, a Big Occhi, at em. Big bass can't resist eels, right? After a dozen or so casts I decided to go to Plan C and try a different colored popper, but realized I had dug out one of my few remaining X-rap Surface spooks and put it on the spare popper rod. WTF, can't catch any less than I'm catching now so let's go with Plan D!! On my first cast, a 28" fish crashed it. Thought I was going annihilate them, but no such luck, after a while I pulled in a 25", but that was it, except for lots of V wakes following the spook..

Anyway, I guess I'll be working the X-Rap, a former favorite of my brother in RI, into the rotation when the fish are abusing me, but it will be with great trepidation in that they no longer make the surface version of this lures and my inventory is quite low...