Ryan Collins
My waders had just sprung a leak, and water began to rush in. I thought about turning back, but I had come too far to go home now. ​
The temperature of the water was relatively mild, so I figured I would have at least an hour before the toes on my right foot went numb.
Earlier in the evening I had listened to MFCC contributor Cullen Lundholm's presentation at the Cape Cod Salties, when a strong urge to go fishing suddenly descended upon me.
An unusually warm 30mph gust of wind blew through the bare trees which hung over the shoreline, as I sloshed my way through the water. It was now 11:30pm, and I was all alone.
More...
By midnight I had reached the point of land where I planned on doing most of my fishing. The spot looked great on Google Earth, and I was eager to see if anyone was home.
After several fish-less casts I decided to change lures and try a "secret plug" given to me by a member of My Fishing Cape Cod.​ I cast the plug out into the night, and began a painstakingly slow retrieve.
A nearly full moon shone brightly over my right shoulder, as another gust of unseasonably warm wind filtered through the winter forest, and across the water.
The Holdovers Are Here
That's when I felt a very slight, but noticeable, thud on the end of my line.
"Oh my God" I remember thinking. "That might of been a fish."​
I fired another cast into the same spot, and let the plug settle, before bringing the line tight. I turned the handle of the reel as slow as I could, and the plug began to slither just beneath the surface.​
Days and nights spent hiking and fishing all over Cape Cod, the South Shore and even in Boston, had brought me to this moment. I sensed something special was about to happen.
SLAP!
The sound of a striped bass crushing my plug echoed through the marsh. I reared back and set the hook as the striper thrashed vehemently on the surface.
I was hooked up with my first striper of the season, and it was a good fish.
Congrats Ryan, when I met you at the boat show you hadn’t hooked up yet. Low and behold less than a week later, not one but four decent fish. Determination and perseverance ,you have it in spades. Was also hoping to catch a look at that lure. Probably already have it.
Thanks Charles! Good seeing at the boat show.
I would say any lure similar to the Daiwa SP Minnow would of gotten it done. Perhaps I will even try the SP next time out.
Normally I would share the plug I was using, but I do not want to lose the trust of the angler who shared his secret with me.
Good luck if you give it a shot this week!
Sounds li,e my younger years at the powerp.ant outflow. Obligatory leaky waders and all. Ya gotta really want it lol.
LOL, good to hear I am not the only one with the leaky waders! :/
Hey Ryan
Great early catch! You topped off other fishing news this week. Herring scouts in the river plus warmer than normal water temps all combine for high hopes this spring.
That is great news about the herring Jack.
I think it will be an early run!
Good seeing you at RISAA.
Good job Ryan, hope to see you trying again in Boston, I know next time you will get it, you got great info in RI show.
Yes thanks again for the intel!
Have you caught any stripers at that spot yet?
Good job ol’ boy! You certainly earned you success!
lol, Never give up!
Thanks for reading Peter.
Who video’d your first catches. certainly not your fiancée at that hour of the night!. The first one looked like a real keeper. Did you measure it?
I stick a GoPro camera in the sand/mud. The camera has a setting which allows it to shoot video/photos automatically, so no need for a camera man.
You are right….not many people (including Lauren) would be caught out there at midnight during February! However she has spent all nighters out on the boat before.
I believe that first fish was a keeper, however I did not measure it, so I will never know for sure. I would guess it was 30 inches and around close to 10 pounds….it was a fatty.
Fantastic four in February, way to go Ryan! I think that gets the excitement going for all of us. Thanks for providing the boost. By the way, I’m back online and living right on the Merrimack River in Newburyport…north shore striper heaven…counting the days now.
Great to hear from you Chris. I know you sent me an email and I plan on going through my inbox this coming week. Great to have you back onboard MFCC.
Wow that is excellent to hear about the Merrimack. Guys pull 60 pounders out of that river every so often from what I’m hearing!
Ryan,
I know where that is! Sure is a fishy looking spot, do you think fly fishing during the day along the marsh might produce, using an intermediate line. Just one question small or large bait? Have a question about parking, will pm you.
I don’t think they will have any trouble at all sucking down a large bait. I was using a 6 inch plug.
I will check my private messages now. Thanks for reading!
Ryan! Great fish! Great report! I am getting the bug badly. I am hoping early March to get my first fish of the year! Keep the great reports coming! Look forward to crossing paths with you sometime this season
Thanks Ryan! With all this warm weather I have my fingers crossed for an early spring run.
I also hope to have lots more in-person events this season. Be great to connect at one of them. Tight lines!
Green with envy… or is it burning with jealousy. Coming up from CT Tuesday to spend some time in Eastham. I was thinking of pickerel or large mouth from our pond, but you got me thinking about Sunken Meadow or the inlet at first Encounter.
lol, sounds like you have a nice trip planned Mark.
Regardless of where you decide to fish, I am sure you will find plenty of solitude out there this time of year!
That would of been a great birthday present, it’s mine today. But here in southern Pa I’d need to use a plug with a jackhammer attachment as most of the ice here is still around 10″ thick. I live vicariously through your Winter fishing.
Happy Bday!
That is wild to hear about all that ice down there to the south of us.
Happy to hear you are living vicariously through these reports!
Nice!!! Congrats! Am I the only one hoping to catch a glimpse of the secret lure in one of the photos?!! haha.
LOL, I am sworn to secrecy!
Great job! It sounds like you were fishing the top part of the water column?
Thanks! Yes, not right on the surface, but definitely the upper portion of the water column.
Congrats! Stripers in February…must have been a great feeling hooking up for the first time this year. Nice job!
It was great! 3 out of 4 of the fish fought well. One of the bass barely even kicked and seemed to be in a coma.
You dog!
When I saw you at the meeting you mentioned that you were considering going out later that night. On the drive home I was thinking about that and feeling a bit jealous. I admired your determination and thought I should get out also. But then I thought about standing in a marsh in the middle of a February night, asking myself what am I doing here, with very low odds of catching anything, that vision didn’t appeal to me.
Way to go Ryan. Lead by example.
Congratulations
Great seeing you at the Salties meeting Steve! Thanks for sharing your ideas for new MFCC events too, I really appreciate that.
I probably would of gone straight home to bed after the meeting had the air temperature not been in the 50s. Conditions were very comfortable (minus the water in my waders).
Either way spring is coming! Lets keep in touch regarding your MFCC ideas.
Tight lines!
Wow! Nice job Ryan!! That’s gotta feel good to get one in February. I’m dying to get one, out going tide?
Felt great to get into some fish!
I fished the very last of the incoming, and the start of the outgoing.