Fishing 2023

     

2023 I kept working on fly fishing skills. I rarely used conventional equipment, in order to get better. Early season sea bass, I took my son Harry out for a quick trip and limited out on decent sized sea bass.

    

We took advantage of the early stocking MA wildlife does on the cape. I usually set up a couple of sand spiked poles, baited with power bait for the kids, while I practice casting with my 4 wt. The kids play in the sand while we keep on eye on the poles. On one occasion at a Cape Cod kettle pond, we were getting ready to leave and I told my daughter to start reeling in. I was packing up and not paying attention when she said, "Dad, I think I just caught a fish!" I looked up and saw her pole bent over but that she was probably hung up on something. I went over to her and helped her reel. I realized she did have a fish on the line. She reeled it in and brought it right into the beach.

On Mother's Day my Dad and I had a rescheduled float trip with Chris Jackson on the Deerfield River. It was a fun trip with lots of trout in the hoop.

On the salt water the season went by fast. The fishing wasn't as good as 2022 but was still pretty good. I was able to take out some family members that came to visit during the summer and was able to get Steve to reel in his first striper. I caught lots of schoolies inside Barney Harbor. Trying to figure out Brewster flats with a few trips. I bought a depth charge, fast sinking, fly line at the end of the year after realizing that these fish are usually down in the mid range water column. There is a special feeling catching a fish on a fly that you tied yourself, out of materials that came from animals you have harvested yourself. 

As my kids get older, I like getting them out with me more and more. I think its important to involve them and let them become interested on their own. My son was 3 throughout the summer of 2023 and he loves going wherever I go. When safe, I put him in a backpack carrier and let him watch me cast to trout. We did a camping trip to Monson, MA and I tried my hand on the Swift River. Harry came with me and we caught a rainbow. I gave him my phone and tried to get him to record me catching a fish. Let's just say that his camera skills need work.