To me there is nothing more fulfilling in these early spring days, when stripers are a wish as opposed to a sure thing, than to wander a new shore; explore a new cove and try and figure out the water.
The past couple weeks I've had a good time spending an hour or two, mostly beach walking, along various rivers and coves of Buzzards bay; rod in hand, more for practice and familiarity, than for serious fishing. In these cold spring mornings the whole coast is open to a fisherman; you can park and walk anywhere, and get friendly hello's from the most territorial beachfront homeowner. All too soon the "no parking" signs and "private property" speeches will appear.
But for the next few weeks the coast is yours for the taking.
I love the clear waters of spring; little growth marring the bottom; any life clearly visible throughout the water column. Today I followed jellyfish, both the medusa heads and little ctenaphores, marvelling in the colors and motions as they drifted with the tide.
All too soon, my morning calm will be changed to the more frenetic pace of being at the right spot at the right time with the right tide. Now it doesn't matter; after a long winter without; simply being on the water is the treat for the day.
New places are fun now; trying to associate a map with the coastal structure; trying to ascertain how water, wind, and tide will interact, trying to cover as much new territory as possible while there is time to relax and enjoy the views.