NorthShore WE

[bunker]

I hit the water Saturday around 6:30 a bit of swell coming in but nothing major. Just a matter of timing. Fished for about 4 hrs with nothing to show. No birds, bait or fish. I did see a couple of swirls near me but had no luck on any of my casts. Fished in on the rocks then did a little trolling further out. NADA.
Sunday an earlier start. Some nice swells with chop from reflected waves from the rocks made it a little rough. A bit spooky looking down onto the rocks from the top of the swell. Didn't stay in close for very long. Again the same scenario as Saturday. No blitzing fish, no birds and no bait. I did manage to get two strikes while trolling. I had the first on for about 30 secs. Once it got off and I was bringing in the line I got another hit and it stayed on for a whole 5 secs.. Looked and felt like small blues. Alittle later saw a big swirl about 50 yds away went to investigate and a seal popped up about 20 feet away and checked me out. I got my first kayak surf lesson on the way in. Not by choice. I mistimed it and caught one of the larger waves with a lot of luck and bracing I managed to stay upright and on track. I can see why Ruge likes to do it. After the initial shock wore off I found that I enjoyed it. May have to get a different boat and take it up.

Tight Lines

Mike D.

[kayaker]

Had similar fishing results Saturday and Sunday, at north and south ends of Cape Ann. Also got wet landing kayak, and this was at normally placid Pavilion Beach on Gloucester Harbor, where the combination of sea swell and boat wakes made for dicey conditions. Saw lots of bait in the harbor but caught nothing. Annisquam area gave up a few small stripers Saturday a.m., Folly Point area only a couple on Sunday. Last evening, however, was a different story in Ipswich Bay, with a classic late-summer blitz of large bass and blues mixed. Had only an hour to fish after work (from outboard skiff) but was glad I did. This was a big feed, with schools of fish under birds along Coffin Beach and off Anisquam. Earlier in the day, on Gloucester's Back Shore, a boating friend encountered similar fishing: large bass and blues chasing peanut bunker over a wide area. Perhaps the gamesters can smell the storm.

[RIBill]

Guys: Great stuff! Were you able to boat any bass? I hope to get up there before the action passes by southward. I'm in central Maine next week for trout/salmon, so hopefully, Cape Ann is blitz-city the following week. Thanks for the reports.

[kayaker]

RIBill: Mouth of the Annisquam was busy again last evening, with a couple of nice bass landed, but they were smaller than Monday evening's keepers and near-keepers. My son fished the east side of Cape Ann before work this morning, but he hasn't reported in yet; it has been gangbusters there (see Derek's report in New England forum). If you're fishing Rockport/Gloucester week after next, give me a call, for I'm on vacation Tuesday through Friday. Lots of fishing guests, but even if we can't get together, we could share information. -- dave

[RIBill]

Dave: thanks, will do. I miss out on the late north shore action every year and had promised myself that this would be the year! we'll see.