This morning I had the opportunity to go fishing with my custom Gloucester Light Dory. I arrived at the launch ramp at 5:05 AM. No one was there. When I tried to unload my boat, I noticed that the axle of the boat dolly that I built was bent into a peculiar position. My boat dolly must have shifted when my utility trailer went over a massive hole in the dirt road leading to the boat ramp. So I did what every Azorean-American operating on one cup of coffee before sunrise would do: I pulled and pushed with all my weight until the wheel would rotate semi-radially and went fishing!

Having limited time, I targeted productive spots with proven frogs. After 90 minutes of fishing, I had several blow ups, but no hook ups. I decided to change my point of view. I pulled and rested my oars on the transom seat. I stood up and used a SUP paddle to reach my next stop. I put down the SUP paddle and made a long cast towards the bank at an angle only possible from a standing position. Without warning, wham! A nice chunky bass with shoulders inhaled my frog.

Having found a pattern, I paddled to my next spot. I fan casted the entire area. Without warning, wham! A chain pickerel full of vinegar devoured my frog with a vengeance! This fish pulled and fought like three bass!! I almost lost the fish at the boat while trying to negotiate a safe landing. Thankfully I had my Frabill Bear Claw Net deployed, which caught the fish at mid-dive.

My third catch was an unexpected by-catch. Thankfully I did not see the polluter! I am donating this by-catch to a non-profit organization in my town that recycles cans to raise cash for music instruments in schools.

After years of casting from a sitting position on my kayak, casting while standing up on my custom Gloucester Light Dory not only gave me a completely different point of view, but also doubled my casting spectrum from 180 degrees to 360 degrees, without having to reposition the boat. Fish beware!!!

I started planning this year’s trip to Cuttyhunk last October. The members of my crew backed out one by one because of life commitments. I formed a second crew, which also fell apart. I joined a crew who were fishing Cuttyhunk during the first week of June. Without warning, life happened and I could not physically get on and off the island between my new commitments. On my fourth attempt, I finally got onto Cuttyhunk the last week of June, thanks to John Paul from the Cuttyhunk Water Taxi and Lexi Lynch at Pete’s Place Rentals.

On my first night, I trekked for 40 minutes to “Death Rock” in my one piece wetsuit. I fished from pre to post sunset. Hight tide was right at sunset. The conditions were prime: white water, wind induced current, birds diving into the water and surfacing with bait in their beaks. Wicked fishy conditions! I looked to my right, not a soul in sight. I looked to my left, not a soul in sight. I looked into the horizon, no boat to be seen. I fan casted the entire area and fished the whole water column. No fish.

The next morning, I fished from pre to post sunrise from the “Three Amigos” rocks. I looked to my right, not a soul in sight. I looked to my left, not a soul in sight. I looked into the horizon, no boat to be seen. I fan casted the entire area and fished the whole water column. No fish.

On the second night, I fished “Liberty” rock from pre to post sunset while the rain fell with a force that dented my wetsuit. I looked to my right, not a soul in sight. I looked to my left…OMG..there was a human fishing! I looked into the horizon, no boat to be seen. I had a 120 degree arc of clear and moderately deep water that felt fishy. I fan casted the entire area and fished the whole water column. The lonely angler stopped behind me on his retreat and called out from shore in a foreign accent: “Any fish mate”? I replied: “No fish mate” and made another series of casts. I was committed to my my rock. After getting several hits on six of my plugs, but no fish, I called it a night and headed back to Pete’s Place Rentals for a much needed hot shower and sleep. Walking up “Heart Attack” hill convinced me to get an eBike!

The next morning, I got to “Heartbreak” rock by 4:04 AM. I found a stretch of clean water from 10 O’clock to 2 O’clock. I looked to my right, not a soul in sight. I looked to my left, not a soul in sight. I looked into the horizon, no boat to be seen; but I saw a 20 lb class fish jump completely out of the water! This Olympic jump was followed by a surfacing large black head, a seal! I fan casted the entire area with top water plugs. No fish. I decided to shift to sub-surface plugs and clipped on my Linsider69 yellow darter. I casted to my far left with the intention of hitting Martha’s Vineyard. Without warning, my rod bent over with force. Fish on!!

After several drag-pulling runs, I got the fish to the edge of my rock. With the adrenaline racing through my veins at speeding-ticket speeds, I reached down and grabbed the fish by it’s bottom lip with my left hand like a vice grip while my right arm held my rod up to keep tension on the line and not lose the fish. After the wave broke over me, I stood up and pulled the fish out of the water. I quickly secured the fish with my Fish Grip, which was clipped to my Ultimate Surf Belt and butt slid off the rock. I made my way back to shore while keeping the fish in the water. I took a quick length measurement and collected some scale samples for the SADCT program using my tweezers and stored them in a snack size ZipLock bag. While holding the fish by it’s tale, I pulled it back and forth in the water. When she was ready to go, she kicked her tail and I let me go to grow.

If you believe that darters only work in inlets at night, and you promise never to fish them in the surf or during the day, I will share with you the location of Heartbreak Rock. 🙂

After testing several prototypes, I finalized my DIY Frog Trailer Hook this past May.  This month, I had the opportunity to field test my DIY Frog Trailer Hook in some froggy water.

I fan casted a large area in search of fish. I eventually hooked into a fish that put a serious bend in my rod. When it started towing my kayak, I imagined it to be a gator-sized pickerel. The fish swam into a wad of suspending weed. As I reeled, my kayak moved towards the fish. I used my Frabill Bear Claw Kayak Fishing Net as an extension of my left arm while I lifted the rod with my right arm to keep constant pressure on the fish. I pulled the fish and 3+ pounds of weed up into my kayak.

To my complete surprise, the fish was a largemouth bass! If the frog was not dressed with my DIY Frog Trailer Hook, then I would have lost the fish when it torpedoed itself into the wad of weed. If I did not have my Frabill Bear Claw Kayak Fishing Net, then I would have broken my rod trying to land the fish. Neither of these hypothetical results are good. Proper technique and proper gear are both required to land trophy fish consistently and safely.

Today I had the opportunity to fish the Annual Plum Island Surfcasters Juniors Program Carp Trip. The fishing during the first two hours was slow, but the knowledge sharing and fishing stories from the Senior members to the Junior members were absorbed faster than a sponge can suck water. I mentioned to a mom (who’s young daughter hooked, but unfortunately lost the first fish of the day) that the next 30 to 45 minutes is the optimal tide window because the carp will be moving from the main river back into the smaller river. Fifteen minutes later, someone yelled: “ALARM!”. All heads turned to my rod pod. I ran over at Olympic speed and picked up my St. Croix Mojo Surf rod with my Zeebaas reel and shouted without restraint: “Fish on!” (crank….crank…crank) “OMG….it’s a HEAVY!!” (crank…crank..crank) “We got COLOR!!!” (crank…crank…crank) “Get the NET….NO…the BIG NET!!!!” The people walking their dogs must have thought that there was a five alarm fire on a river boat. Clay Patles, the Director of the Plum Island Surfcasters Juniors Program, climbed down the rocky bank and netted my personal best carp. Thirty six minutes later, my hands were still shaking from the adrenalin rush.

With each trip, I refine my carp calculus. On this trip, I modified my sinker/bait feeder chum recipe: I used a mixture of course and fine Goya corn meal. Clearly, my “carp candy” recipe worked. However, I am still adjusting the proportions of water, oats, corn meal mixture, and ingredient “x”.

The Annual Plum Island Surfcasters Juniors Carp Fishing Trip is specifically designed to help new anglers learn how to land a drag-pulling fish on a rod and reel; an angling skill best learned at the water’s edge. This trip, like the program’s other trips, also provides an opportunity for members to unplug, socialize, and share stories about life and fishing while they wait for the carp to bite. I am not sure who has more fun, the Junior members or the Senior members!

I have been a Plum Island Surfcaster since 2005. Each year I renew my membership because I enjoy fishing with senior members who make me a better angler; because I like sharing my knowledge with other members; and because I feel part of a community where the only thing that really matters is your word and if you can (or want to learn how to) fish. If you have a daughter or son who would like to learn how to fish, then join the Plum Island Surfcasters.