Ryan Collins
The striper fishing this past weekend on Cape Cod was very good. I hope you were able to catch a few!
Once again I spent my fishing time this weekend in a 12 foot tin boat, but recently I have started wetsuiting, and swimming to offshore boulders.
I like to think of myself as a strong swimmer, but I made sure to be very careful while wetsuiting. Even Michael Phelps would not stand a chance if caught up in a big tide or swift current.
Yet with all the trophy bass which are swimming in Cape waters right now, for me the risk and potential thrill of catching one while standing offshore on a rock is worth it. ​
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This 47lb bass was caught recently onboard my 21ft boat. I would LOVE to catch a bass like this while standing offshore on a boulder.
Under the right conditions and during prime tides, I believe large bass like the one pictured above come in shallow to hunt. My idea the other night was to position myself on a prime rock and just start casting.
Would the bass show up? That was pretty much out of my control, yet I hoped they would as I dove into the water and began my swim. I also hoped there were no great whites anywhere in the vicinity.
Photo credit: Shane Uriot
Once I pulled myself up on the rock I took a good look around and began casting. A dozen cormorants sat on rocks nearby, and It was not long until I visually spotted a striper swimming a few yards off the boulder.
The bass was probably around 36 inches long. She was hugging the bottom and cruising in and out between weeds and rocks. I tried pitching my bait in her direction but she spooked quickly and disappeared.
Photo credit: Shane Uriot
At least I knew the bass were here. Several casts later I started another slow retrieve while simultaneously trying to keep my balance as a wave flooded over the boulder.
25 or so yards out from the boulder a bass swirled on my bait. I paused momentarily and she turned. I felt a strong jerk on the line, and somehow managed to set the hook without falling off my rock!
I’m ready to suit-up ! Once a surfer always a surfer, now a days i’ll just have to do it with a rod & reel instead of a board.
Well, only when the fish are there..
Go for it !
I love the enthusiasm Jim!!!
Got myself back on board with an updated credit card and catching up on everything I have missed! It is actually helping me get through winter.
I think fishing from the rock is a really bad idea. Let me put my Dad hat on for a 2nd, I would say this is just to dangerous! To slippery and to many things can go wrong….you get pulled the wrong way and land on your head, slip and fall when trying to release, etc. Sorry to be a Debbie Downer, but i vote NO, don’t do this…..I know you were not asking for permission, but we care. 🙂
No worries! And great to have you back onboard MFCC!
As you mention I think wetsuiting is much more risky than regular old surfcasting.
My parents weren’t thrilled to hear I was wetsuiting either. :/
Although they were mostly concerned with the sharks….
What adventure will you think of next? Maybe swimming with the bass and feeding them, ha,ha. Knowing you, I wouldn’t put it past you. Great post!
Hand-feeding stripers…that is a great idea Ron!
How far from shore was your rock?
About 500ft Dex.
Good seeing you today at the Canal!
I love how the 47lb COW you landed is just an afterthought in this post…that would be the highlight of most people’s season.
We are very fortunate to have these big fish around!
Good luck out there this week Ryan.