Sunrise, Stripers, and the Art of Being a Fisherwoman

Captain Tyler Putney timed our October 26th Striper Charter departure out of Bass River perfectly, and we were treated to a spectacular sunrise over flatwater just as we rounded Monomoy Point. There is something about that first warm glow of orange that always gives me a jolt of adrenaline, like my body is reminding me of how good it feels to be alive and to be embarking on an adventure.

Tyler put us on some fish pretty quickly and we threw out white and mackerel paddle tails to start. I got what felt like a nice big hit on my first cast, but the fish went deep and popped off. Still, not a bad way to start the day. Some of the guys hooked into some big fish shortly after with a couple of slots mixed in.

When the bite died off, we headed further out past the rips and joined hundreds of birds in the hunt for fish, marveling at the pogies hurling themselves out of the water. It’s always such a spectacular sight to witness gulls descending and stripers ascending towards swaths of baitfish, and even more so when we get to join in on the action.

After losing my first fish and watching the guys around me land theirs, I felt even more determined to find my own. But I also remember that I am a fisherwoman, and I love to fish, as opposed to my younger sister who really just likes to “catch.” That’s the threshold, I think, to be a real fisherman, fisherwoman, fisherperson. You have to love more than just catching fish; you have to learn to enjoy the process. I don’t mean every single part of the process – we’re free to despise the summer gnats and bitter winds of early spring. I’m talking about the waiting game, the anticipation, the art of choosing a lure or stomping ground, the humility to learn from others and the generosity to share knowledge.

To be on a boat on a gorgeous sunny day in late October, to feel the rolling shoals through my boots is such a privilege in and of itself. Five years ago, during the thick of the pandemic, is when I came of age, so to speak, in the recreational fishing world and learned that I needed to shift my expectations so that instead of feeling disappointed getting skunked, I could feel gratitude for just getting to be out in nature. After all, catching fish is just a bonus.

For me, this mindset makes the thrill of catching a fish that much sweeter. And a little while later I brought in one who measured up just short but reeling him in was fun and helped me get some warmth back into those chilly fingers.

We chased the birds for a while and marked fish all through the rips, catching a good handful more on paddle tails and topwater. One of the guys even pulled in a nice bluefish on his topwater lure. The action continued: I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many birds in my life – it was hard not to catch them in the air. One did have the misfortune of getting hooked in wing by a paddle tail ripping through the water, but Tyler handled it carefully like a pro and sent it back out into the frenzy to fly another day.

We had a few more stripers to round out the morning before heading back to shore. Thanks Captain Tyler and Ryan for another successful MFCC Striper Charter!