I hope you enjoyed this weekend's tautog fishing episode on My Fishing Cape Cod TV! Not only was it my big debut in front of the camera, but also my big debut going tautog fishing.
Leading up to this episode, I had been told that tautog were in thick and heavy, so I knew my chances were pretty good that I might actually catch something.
In this behind the scenes post, I'll take you through the day, starting with where we launched, our bait techniques (which were more than a little gross for me) and how I managed to catch the biggest fish of the day.
As we descend into the depths of winter, I’m sure many of you are reflecting on last year’s fishing, and wondering what 2019 has in store for us.
The inevitable issue of enforcement of marine fisheries statutes and regulations, given the recent extensive poaching that’s gone on in recent years, is an issue of concern to many of My Fishing Cape Cod's members.
I thought it appropriate (in case you haven’t heard) to summarize the recent changes, as well as review the other enforcement tools available to regulators and enforcers.
Although this update hopefully covers most of the bases, those who wish to learn more information are urged to visit the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) website.
Cape Cod Bay can be a great place to splash a boat. The fishing can be good, and during summer the predominant southwest winds don't create as much of a chop as they do in places like Buzzard's Bay or Nantucket Sound.
Of course there are still certain aspects of Cape Cod Bay that are important to consider - from a safety standpoint - before hitting the water.
During the 2018 season captain Shawn Brule of TowBoatUS Cape Cod/Plymouth provided us with these boat safety tips for Cape Cod Bay, which you can watch by clicking play below.
The black sea bass has become one of the most prolific fish species on Cape Cod, providing anglers with great sport and delicious table fare.
Black sea bass are relatively simple and easy to catch. They can be caught in Buzzard's Bay, Nantucket Sound, Vineyard Sound and Cape Cod Bay.
In this "behind the scenes" blog post, I'll share with you the locations and strategies Sam Brown and I used during the filming of episode #5 to catch big, beautiful, hard fighting and delicious black sea bass.
It was late summer on Cape Cod and we were in the midst of an intense heat wave. All week long the mornings had been greasy flat calm and the afternoons scorching hot.
Leading up to the day of filming of episode 3, I had run several successful tube and worm trips on my boat the Miss Loretta. Not much else was working, as the fish were holding deep along the bottom in cool water, refusing to bite lures and even eels.
When MFCC TV director/producer Shane Uriot called me during the early afternoon of September 3rd asking for my opinion about shooting an episode during this summer heatwave, I initially hesitated.
The Golfo Dulce is a deep fjord in Costa Rica, which is home to roosterfish, mackerel, dorado, yellowfin tuna and many other sportfish.
During January of 2019 I visited this region of Costa Rica for the third time, and I brought down some members of myfishingcapecod.com with me to share in the experience.
On January 14 we hired a local commercial fishing captain and hopped onboard his panga boat. We set off to the edge of the Golfo Dulce and trolled with Rapala's for small yellowfin tuna and dorado. We even caught a few on poppers which was a rush!
It has been quite the adventure so far for myself, Lauren and several members of My Fishing Cape Cod here in Costa Rica!
On Monday January 14 myself, Jane and Tom Simpson, and Tom Dromgoole headed out into the Golfo Dulce to target big dorado and small yellowfin tunas.
We hired a local commercial fisherman named Kincho who had built his own panga style boat. Kincho is a terrific fisherman and a super nice person. I have fished with him four times now and each trip has been an amazing experience.
Wooden lures have an incredible history in surf fishing - a history that is rich in both cow striped bass, and plug building nuances. From shape, to weight, to paint, there are nearly endless combinations to experiment with.
However, the type of wood a plug is carved from is one of the most overlooked aspects of plug building.
Wood selection affects how the plug moves in the water, as well as how deep it can dive. It's certainly a factor to consider when building your first plugs.
