Fishing 2018
This season had its ups and downs, but overall it was successful. I fished mainly from my small 16' center console and my buddies 21' on commercial days. I did a charter trip on the Emma Jack out of S Yarmouth for a tournament and came in 3rd place with the striper on the scale pictured below.
I had by far one of the best days I've ever experienced in Cape Cod Bay in August. I worked a midnight shift and towed my boat to work with me. When I got out of work I made my way to the ramp but did not get far before the skies opened up on me. I had to wait until the rolling thunder storm passed. As I made my way towards the east end of the canal the skies opened up again. I did my best to keep from getting struck by lightning and wound up snagging a few macks with the sabiki. On my way to meet up with a buddy on another boat the calm waters exploded all around me. I was set up with a small white top water plug for schoolies. This plug was not prepared for the thrashing it was about to take.
For about 2 hours as the tide went high and slack their was a feed like I've never seen. I caught fish on everything I through at them. Live lining macks, tube and worm, but my personal favorite, top water plugs. I kept the biggest fish of the day, ( I now regret the fact that I did this and would have rather put it back). I brought it to Powderhorn Outfitters because I thought it would get me a state pin. Unfortunately it didn't make the 40 lb cut and wound up somewhere in the 36 lb class.
On my buddy's commercial boat most nights/days were fishless. But we managed the get one day where we hit the limit. The season never closed due to the quota never being met. A gloomy look at the overfished fishery. Overall many small fish were around, as long as they are given the chance to grow, and regulations change, the fishery should bounce back.
