That flaky time of year
Posted in General, Trips, Cape Cod FishWire on April 24th, 2005I haven’t wet a line in search of a striped bass yet this season, figuring I’d wait for a sure thing before tiring my arm out with casting practice. There are some reports of so-called "fresh fish" coming in from Cotuit Bay, but the season has yet to begin in my mind and I’d rather focus on the ponds for stocked trout and the coves for quahogs than waste my time catching little stripers.
Last week, when the weather was summer-like, I tried Collier’s Ledge for tautog with no success — there were six seals bobbing in the water watching my every move and then the Centerville River for winter flounder. One fish was all my friend Bob and I were able to dredge up before the flowing mung discouraged us and we powered back to Cotuit into the teeth of a stiff southwest breeze.
Two days later I tried casting into a rough breeze at Shubael’s Pond. The PowerBaiters were catching trout, but I was not.
Quick tip learned from an old timer on preserving clam rakes — paint the tang and stainless with a few coats of boiled linseed oil. Same goes for the wire peck basket. I will try it later today as I tackle the spring clean-up of my shop.
