Sometimes you spend hours upon hours searching for fish. Other times you find the fish, and spend hours knocking them over the head with everything in the tackle box just trying to get that one bite.
And then there are days when you find tons of fish and they eat whatever you throw at them. I'm relieved to say that this was the case today!
Thank goodness for sonar. Without it I don't think today would have happened. I'll explain why below but if you are looking to maximize your skills with your sonar then click here for a video explaining today's sonar strategy.
I had Sergio and Randolph with me this morning, two Canadian natives that decided they wanted to catch a striped bass. These two were freshwater pros but this was the first time they ventured out for stripers. Talk about one heck of a way to break them into Cape Cod striped bass fishing.
We met at 4AM and cruised out in darkness to an area that has been producing well for us as of late. After meandering through a maze of lobster buoys we marked the mother load, and from there on out it was non-stop action until we called it quits around noontime.
I'm not sure what the bass were feeding on but man oh man were they aggressive. As soon as our eels hit the water the fish were all over them.
The fishing as of late has been more like October fishing than August fishing . If things progress as they have been I can only imagine what October will be like!
We had screaming drags and bent rods well before the sun poked its head over the horizon. As usual I expected the bite to cool off as the air temperature got hotter but not today. If anything the action improved as the sun crept higher and higher in the sky.
Both Sergio and Randolph did well handling bass up to the high 30 pound mark. I think the experience was a little different than their typical largemouth, smallmouth and walleye fishing excursions. Based on the smiles I think they were really enjoying themselves, the action and the picture perfect bluebird conditions.
- A hefty 30 plus pound striper cruising beneath the Miss Loretta.
Big bass were not the only fish caught today. We also caught plenty of smaller fish too, which is always good to see. This year especially we have seen more small bass in the 28-33 inch range mixed in amongst the monsters.
We had many instances this morning where we would mark a massive school of bass, pull a fish or two out of the school, and then suddenly lose them. It was as if the fish had completely disappeared, even though we had just marked hundreds of bass beneath the boat.
This is a problem that has plagued me for years. Finding the bass and then losing the bass. It can be very frustrating, and I know that many other folks experience the same issue.
Well I have not completely solved the problem but I think I have finally figured out how to efficiently and effectively use my regular sonar with my side scan to at least maximize the amount of time we have with the schools. It only took me about 2 years to figure out how to stay with schools of fish using the side scan, but I will say that tackling the learning curve was well worth it!
If you are interested in learning more about how to use your regular sonar, and side scan sonar, to zone in on big schools of big bass, then click here to view a video about the general strategy.
As mentioned above as soon as we found the bass we were able to get them to bite. We had some incredible surface explosions that I will never forget. We also had many instances in which "packs" of big bass would follow a hooked fish right to the boat. With the polarized sunglasses it was easy to see dozens of stripers just beneath the hooked fish.
By the end of the trip the guys were showing obvious signs of fatigue. Sorry for the low blow guys but I couldn't help but notice! Even with the sore muscles both Sergio and Randoph hung in there and had no problem bringing a few more bass to the boat before it was time to call it quits.
I'm also having a blast experimenting with the Go Pro Hero 2 camera. If anyone is interested in documenting their fishing trips then I would 100% recommend this camera. I'd also recommend purchasing the specialized Dive Housing that drastically improves the clarity of underwater photos and videos.
In the below video you can see why bass so often follow a hooked fish right to the boat. You'll also see why bluefish are sometimes responsible for cutting off a nice fish unexpectedly.
Often times the eel will slide up the line as is obvious in the video. The action that the hooked bass imparts on the eel sometimes proves irresistible to other bass and blues.
Needless to say today's trip was one to remember. Big thanks to both Sergio and Randolph for making the trek down from Canada to do some striper fishing. You guys were great!
Final tally today was at least 40 bass between 10 and 38 pounds. All the fish were released unharmed with circle hooks in the side of the mouth, minus the two the guys took home for the grill. You just can't beat that in my book.
Click here for more information on how to use your sonar to find awesome Cape Cod striped bass fishing action.
Tight lines everyone and take care!
Ryan
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A huge thanks to Captain Ryan,
It was a fishing expierence we will remember for a long time. The striper action was fast and furious and yes we were both hurting at the end of the day. Those fish were brusers.
If anyone is thinking of chartering a professional guide I would strongly recommend Miss Loretta Charters with Captain Ryan. The service is impecable, knowligable,and first class all the way.
Sergio and Randolph