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As many of you know, I had been planning a trip north for months. I wanted to hunt for Albies and / or big bass. It would incorporate a visit to my daughter in Massachusetts and some bopping around Cape Cod with my wife. Mid week, she would get on a train home and I would stay in the area to fish for 5-6 days as I made my way home. I wanted to fish Monomoy on the Cape, but really was planning to chase the Albie bite for 2 days, wherever I could find it, before heading to Orient Pt on Friday.
As the dates approached, I anxiously started watching the wind reports for the region. As soon as the 10 day prediction window arrived, all I saw was 20+ for days… I accepted that there was a real possibility that I would not be able to find fish, or even get out on the water, but I would make the best of whatever the situation I found on the ground.
I identified a small window when the winds would be manageable in Chatham, MA - Monomoy. I gently presented the facts to my wife, as it would cut into our allotted family time. She didn’t blink an eye before she said “Then I think you should go fishing!” I do love her so….
I set out in a picturesque Cape Cod cove and headed out towards open water. I had heard there were a lot of seals in the area. As it turned out, they were the only ones working the copious amounts of “Pogy’s” (local for Bunker). Beautiful paddle. No fish.
The next day found us doing the tourist thing in Provincetown. The winds were too high to launch, so I didn’t feel bad about not being on the water. I did manage to sneak in a couple of hours casting from shore while my wife partook of a deeper cultural experience than I was interested in with prime water calling to me. Again, no fish. I did get to see whales 1/4 mile off the beach as I flailed fruitlessly with my surf rod. That was kinda cool.
On our drive back, I spoke to the guys at the Goose Hummock shop in Orleans (great shop - very knowledgeable) and explained my dilemma. They told me what I feared most - that the Albie bite was off due to the winds. At least in areas I could access from my yak. They suggested I try the Canal from shore as this was the time the big linesiders are starting their southerly venture.
The winds were still high when I dropped my wife at the train in Boston, so I beelined my way to Canal Bait and Tackle (another great shop!) and got an education on canal fishing. As I was there, I witnessed a parade of locals coming in and giving stunning reports of the morning’s action. I plopped down my credit card and raced to the suggested access point with lots of heavy lures to get down deep in the strong currents.
As I was gearing up in the parking lot, I watched all the fisherman that had been catching, saying the bite had ended with the tidal shift. I flailed around in the 15+ winds anyway, hoping for a straggler. It was not to be - again. My epic fishing trip was literally getting blown away….
The next morning, it was more of the same, except that no one was catching anything in the canal. I was finally able to launch my kayak in the afternoon. It was in a part of Buzzards Bay that had seen Albies recently. I had about a 6 hour break in the winds and I wanted to fish in a way that I was familiar with. I did manage one 24” schoolie for 4 hours of effort, but it felt good getting the skunk off the trip.
DSCN4268.jpg
The following morning found me on the canal again where I landed a 26” striper. It almost felt like I was reeling in a dink with he heavy surf gear. i hauled it up on the rocks, but it shook the hook as I was reaching for my camera.
After several more fishless canal sessions, I prepared to head down to Long Island. It was clear that I would be able to fish only 1 of the 3 days as heavy rains were also predicted to accompany the strong winds. All my hopes were boiling down to one 8 hour window of kayak fishable weather.
I set out after visiting the folks at Wego B&T in Greenport. They weren’t much help. I asked for Albies, they said "the Sound.... They're everywhere"
The conditions were perfect. The tide was falling in the early part of the trip, past the familiar spots from last year and flooding later to return me to the launch. The winds were going to shift in a way as to be minimize any surf I might have had to contend with when landing.
I caught the first Bluefish about 20 minutes in, getting the skunk off. It was a feisty 24'er that put a strong bend in my rod and a smile on my face.
DSCN4274.jpg
I kept paddling with a renewed sense of optimism when I saw a boat working in the distance. Then I spotted the birds. I quickened my cadence and soon found myself amongst scattered pods of Albies and a growing number of power boats. I immediately put on a 7/8 oz Epoxy Jig.
I made my way towards the closest working birds when a jackass in a big power boat came gunning right into them. I cast in front of them, and was concerned I cast over their lines. I didn’t want to waste a second untangling from them. I hooked up immediately while they failed to do so. It felt great!!
G0017078.jpgG0015861 copy.jpg
At first the fish did not realize it was hooked. To the point that I wasn't sure it was an Albie. Suddenly, it woke up and the drag screamed and the rod bent in half. I fought it for what felt like 5 minutes before I finally boated a strong 23”er.
G0017208.jpg
To say that I was immensely satisfied would be an understatement. All the disappointment and low expectations (due to weather / wind) vanished. I had accomplished what I had been planning months for!!
I wasn't ready to call it quits, however. I was just getting pumped. I chased pods and hooked into another which I fought for a while, but came unbuttoned near the boat. Throughout the entire foray, I was playing dodge ball with 4-5 power boats that were in on the action and didn’t care that I was near by in a kayak.
The fish would surface, the gulls would respond and so did the boaters. It felt like Whack-A-Mole. Since I couldn't play their game and win, I opted for the "let them come to me" ploy and it worked. I hooked another that made the drag scream for sustained periods. In the end, it became tail wrapped and I hauled it in backwards.
G0015885.jpgDSCN4278.jpg
The bite scattered and died within 45 minutes, as did the power boats. I saw another fleet about a mile away and made my way towards them, hoping to repeat the fun. When I got there, however, I realized they were all bottom jigging, for Sea Bass (I believe).
Since that wasn’t the action I was craving, I decided to make my way back to towards the launch, following the tide and the wind. I cruised close to shore and trolled a Redfin and cast a bucktail towards the rocky shoreline. I barely had to paddle. The winds and current kept me moving at almost 2 mph without lifting a blade.
I did not produce anything until the last point when I caught a small Sea Bass. I had seen interesting marks, so I circled back and got a 20" Blue. It was then that I started seeing birds. I soon found myself next to a Bluefish blitz. It attracted more birds and more boats. It was dodgeball time again. The fish acted just like the Albies. Here one second, there the next. I hooked 2 and landed one.
I noticed the predicted rain was starting to materialize so I headed towards shore, supremely happy with my day. As I got closer, I noticed large flocks of birds feverishly working something in the water. I didn't see any fish, but I could not resist checking it out, I have never seen such of concentration of birds in one SMALL area. They were squabbling and fighting and I was able to get close - still no fish. I did not want to cast into them because I was sure I would tangle one up. Without visible fish, I deemed it as not worth the risk. When I arrived, the birds scattered and left no evidence other than very cloudy water. I suspect they were feeding on the carcass of something and it sank when I scattered them.
The conditions had been perfect all morning. I could not have scripted the winds and tides any better. Catching a few more Albies would have been nice, but I was stoked with my results! The rain and winds arrived less than an hour after I landed.
DSCN4286.jpg
I completely forgot all the angst and disappointment that proceeded those magical 6 hours in my kayak. I am already thinking about next year when I hope to be dancing the Epoxy Jig with my good buddy, Albie. All to the music of screaming drag!
IMG_0978.JPGG0017145.jpg
As the dates approached, I anxiously started watching the wind reports for the region. As soon as the 10 day prediction window arrived, all I saw was 20+ for days… I accepted that there was a real possibility that I would not be able to find fish, or even get out on the water, but I would make the best of whatever the situation I found on the ground.
I identified a small window when the winds would be manageable in Chatham, MA - Monomoy. I gently presented the facts to my wife, as it would cut into our allotted family time. She didn’t blink an eye before she said “Then I think you should go fishing!” I do love her so….
I set out in a picturesque Cape Cod cove and headed out towards open water. I had heard there were a lot of seals in the area. As it turned out, they were the only ones working the copious amounts of “Pogy’s” (local for Bunker). Beautiful paddle. No fish.
The next day found us doing the tourist thing in Provincetown. The winds were too high to launch, so I didn’t feel bad about not being on the water. I did manage to sneak in a couple of hours casting from shore while my wife partook of a deeper cultural experience than I was interested in with prime water calling to me. Again, no fish. I did get to see whales 1/4 mile off the beach as I flailed fruitlessly with my surf rod. That was kinda cool.
On our drive back, I spoke to the guys at the Goose Hummock shop in Orleans (great shop - very knowledgeable) and explained my dilemma. They told me what I feared most - that the Albie bite was off due to the winds. At least in areas I could access from my yak. They suggested I try the Canal from shore as this was the time the big linesiders are starting their southerly venture.
The winds were still high when I dropped my wife at the train in Boston, so I beelined my way to Canal Bait and Tackle (another great shop!) and got an education on canal fishing. As I was there, I witnessed a parade of locals coming in and giving stunning reports of the morning’s action. I plopped down my credit card and raced to the suggested access point with lots of heavy lures to get down deep in the strong currents.
As I was gearing up in the parking lot, I watched all the fisherman that had been catching, saying the bite had ended with the tidal shift. I flailed around in the 15+ winds anyway, hoping for a straggler. It was not to be - again. My epic fishing trip was literally getting blown away….
The next morning, it was more of the same, except that no one was catching anything in the canal. I was finally able to launch my kayak in the afternoon. It was in a part of Buzzards Bay that had seen Albies recently. I had about a 6 hour break in the winds and I wanted to fish in a way that I was familiar with. I did manage one 24” schoolie for 4 hours of effort, but it felt good getting the skunk off the trip.
DSCN4268.jpg
The following morning found me on the canal again where I landed a 26” striper. It almost felt like I was reeling in a dink with he heavy surf gear. i hauled it up on the rocks, but it shook the hook as I was reaching for my camera.
After several more fishless canal sessions, I prepared to head down to Long Island. It was clear that I would be able to fish only 1 of the 3 days as heavy rains were also predicted to accompany the strong winds. All my hopes were boiling down to one 8 hour window of kayak fishable weather.
I set out after visiting the folks at Wego B&T in Greenport. They weren’t much help. I asked for Albies, they said "the Sound.... They're everywhere"
The conditions were perfect. The tide was falling in the early part of the trip, past the familiar spots from last year and flooding later to return me to the launch. The winds were going to shift in a way as to be minimize any surf I might have had to contend with when landing.
I caught the first Bluefish about 20 minutes in, getting the skunk off. It was a feisty 24'er that put a strong bend in my rod and a smile on my face.
DSCN4274.jpg
I kept paddling with a renewed sense of optimism when I saw a boat working in the distance. Then I spotted the birds. I quickened my cadence and soon found myself amongst scattered pods of Albies and a growing number of power boats. I immediately put on a 7/8 oz Epoxy Jig.
I made my way towards the closest working birds when a jackass in a big power boat came gunning right into them. I cast in front of them, and was concerned I cast over their lines. I didn’t want to waste a second untangling from them. I hooked up immediately while they failed to do so. It felt great!!
G0017078.jpgG0015861 copy.jpg
At first the fish did not realize it was hooked. To the point that I wasn't sure it was an Albie. Suddenly, it woke up and the drag screamed and the rod bent in half. I fought it for what felt like 5 minutes before I finally boated a strong 23”er.
G0017208.jpg
To say that I was immensely satisfied would be an understatement. All the disappointment and low expectations (due to weather / wind) vanished. I had accomplished what I had been planning months for!!
I wasn't ready to call it quits, however. I was just getting pumped. I chased pods and hooked into another which I fought for a while, but came unbuttoned near the boat. Throughout the entire foray, I was playing dodge ball with 4-5 power boats that were in on the action and didn’t care that I was near by in a kayak.
The fish would surface, the gulls would respond and so did the boaters. It felt like Whack-A-Mole. Since I couldn't play their game and win, I opted for the "let them come to me" ploy and it worked. I hooked another that made the drag scream for sustained periods. In the end, it became tail wrapped and I hauled it in backwards.
G0015885.jpgDSCN4278.jpg
The bite scattered and died within 45 minutes, as did the power boats. I saw another fleet about a mile away and made my way towards them, hoping to repeat the fun. When I got there, however, I realized they were all bottom jigging, for Sea Bass (I believe).
Since that wasn’t the action I was craving, I decided to make my way back to towards the launch, following the tide and the wind. I cruised close to shore and trolled a Redfin and cast a bucktail towards the rocky shoreline. I barely had to paddle. The winds and current kept me moving at almost 2 mph without lifting a blade.
I did not produce anything until the last point when I caught a small Sea Bass. I had seen interesting marks, so I circled back and got a 20" Blue. It was then that I started seeing birds. I soon found myself next to a Bluefish blitz. It attracted more birds and more boats. It was dodgeball time again. The fish acted just like the Albies. Here one second, there the next. I hooked 2 and landed one.
I noticed the predicted rain was starting to materialize so I headed towards shore, supremely happy with my day. As I got closer, I noticed large flocks of birds feverishly working something in the water. I didn't see any fish, but I could not resist checking it out, I have never seen such of concentration of birds in one SMALL area. They were squabbling and fighting and I was able to get close - still no fish. I did not want to cast into them because I was sure I would tangle one up. Without visible fish, I deemed it as not worth the risk. When I arrived, the birds scattered and left no evidence other than very cloudy water. I suspect they were feeding on the carcass of something and it sank when I scattered them.
The conditions had been perfect all morning. I could not have scripted the winds and tides any better. Catching a few more Albies would have been nice, but I was stoked with my results! The rain and winds arrived less than an hour after I landed.
DSCN4286.jpg
I completely forgot all the angst and disappointment that proceeded those magical 6 hours in my kayak. I am already thinking about next year when I hope to be dancing the Epoxy Jig with my good buddy, Albie. All to the music of screaming drag!
IMG_0978.JPGG0017145.jpg
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