Does anybody know what time does the town hall open and close on weekends? I'm going to obtain a permit for the run. I couldn't find an address to the town hall. The permit is $25...

No weekends, weekdays 8:30-4:30

Thanks. I guess that I gotta wait until May 10.

I don't know if it is worth the effort or the money Notaro.

Originally posted by Slipknot
I don't know if it is worth the effort or the money Notaro.

I'm with Slip on that one. Bought it last year and never used it. Either the tide was wrong, the line was long or I was just too drive to drunk over there.........gawd I love vacations :D ;)

Because the herrings won't be around too long, slips? And my money will be heavily spent on equipment for transporting and building a basket?

10-4 good buddy.

Notaro - you would be to find a different place. You can't get there at 4 in the morning to stand in line with your bucket on the odd chance you might get 6 or so.

With all the persons that use that place, they basically live there.
They will hang out for 5 or 6 hours, to be in line, just to be able to get a couple of the herrings that are available. You might get lucky. After the "initial" group group of guys gets there fish, if you get there say 3 or 4 hours after the gate opens, you might get some. The warden just waits for more fish to come up or drop back. Don't let anyone tell you you wont be able to get fish there, just get there early or be ready to wait a long time to get some.
You can always search the edge of the shore line for dead ones, see if you can get a bunch, then take the dead ones you get somewhere else along the canal and fish chunks.

I have to agree with everybody else that it is just not worth it down there. You have get your bucket in line at like 4:00 in the morning to have a good chance at getting some fish. I had a permit there twice and just found it way to aggravating to get one again. Nothing worse than getting up ridiculously early to stand around waiting to get fish and either the line is to long or they just aren't coming up at that point in time, I mean for the most part it has to be high tide for them to venture up that pipe. Save yourself the $25 and go buy a flat of fresh herring and drift those around that area. While it may not be quite as effective as live at least your fishing and not sitting on a bucket listening to everyone complaining.

alright, thanks, guy. i will drift a dead one or i can get my herrings at somewhere. thanks for the advice.

Get a permit and go. You will be able to get herring. If you don't get a permit, and decide to go, and then not be able to get any because you don't have a permit, well then you'll be even more bummed than sitting there waiting with all the grumps. The "adventure" and "experience" of fishing the Bourndale herring run is just that, an "adventure" and an "experience". You get a permit, get there early and wait (realize there are 2 catching "periods" during "open" days). It has been my experience that good things come to those that wait. If you want to catch a fish at the herring run, you gotta just realize that
1) Theres going to be a crowd
2) You may have to wait in a long line to get your alotment.
3) You may have to wait in a long line in line to get any herring at all (you might not even get any) or you might only get 5 or 6 (depends on how many are there, how many guys show up).
4) Even if you do get herring, you might not get a striper.
5) If you get herring, and fish them during a hard running tide,
you may (or may not) catch anything.
6) Stripers at the herring run "turn on" at slack tide. So, do you want to fish the ones you have during a "running tide" or do you want to wait to fish slack?
7) Realize that there may be 100 guys fishing around the run, and there might be 20 fish caught. Not everyone catches fish
there every time they go (some guys do though).
8) Fishing at the herring run is an "experience".
Get there early in the morning. Leave at midnight if you have to. There may be no parking spaces (thats how many persons go there).
9) Just as many persons go there to "watch" , ride bikes, hike and picknick. It is a "recreational area". If you go there on a Saturday afternoon, you will not find a parking space.
10), You will get tangled up in another persons (or 2 or 3) line. Often.
11) Go there on a weekday morning, real early. There will still be a crowd, but it will not be like a "weekend" crowd.
12) If you get 1 dozen live fish, even under the best circumstances, you will have put all that effort into geting them to fish for about an hour or so. (rotate your fish. Fish one for a cast, take it off and put another one on, in "rotation". If you just fish one fish until it "expires" you might get 3 or 4 "drifts" out of it until
it expires. If you fish them "in rotation", you might get 5 or 6 casts out of them until they croak. Hook them some where so they don't die on the first cast. Livelined herring don't last to long after they have been casted out a couple times. Stripers want a nice "lively" one most of the time. Your "live herring" will last longer and stay alive longer when fished during a "slack tide". It wont have to swim against the strong current at that point in time, and won't exhaust itself as quickly.
13) Save any dead ones, move to an area where no one else is fishing (hop in your car and go to the parking lot at the railroad bridge). find a rip, chum and fish chunks.
14) The warden will "punch your card" (permit), and that does it for your alotment for the day.
15) Your chances of catching a big fish are slim. The guys that get them fish the "prime" rips at the "prime" time. So, if you go, for the first time, and want to fish a "running tide"you won't know where the "prime" rips are (unless you know where the telephone pole numbers are that have the "productive" rips). And if you do know, then most likely, someone will already be "guarding" or fishing at that spot.
16) The fish will usually hit best "far out", Ya you can sometimes get them in close, but most of the time, they are "out there". Just don't cast your herring to hard or it will go flying off the hook and you will be "down" one herring.
17) You don't have to worry about "fishing a rip" during slack tide.
18) When the current is runnung hard, the whole canal is one big "rip". Some spots "rip" harder than others.

Have fun

If your not going to fish the crowd right at the run realize

19) Fresh dead ones will catch, but if you decide to fish with dead ones, move away from the run because most everyone will be livelining and you will get grumpage.
20) If you decide to fish fresh dead ones in a running tide, use a
rubber core sinker to get them down into the strike zone.
21) Make sure you have extra hooks, leaders made and extra sinkers.
22) You might catch more fish away from the run, than if you
fished right there.

Striperman, that seems like alot to remember.

Notaro, make things simpler on your self. Learn the herring thing when they come up here. Your on the south shore, there will be herring galore in Weymouth soon. Learn the tricks of the trade where you know the terrain a bit better.

then worry about expanding down there when you know its your thing and you work all the kinks out.

Just a suggestion.

23) You can also try to "snag" herring outside of the run, in the canal itself (signs are posted that show you where snagging is allowed). So if theres a big long line, no herring inside the run, get out your snagger and see if you can snag a few. The warden wont punch your ticket if you do manage to snag some (the chances of you being able to snag some are slim, you might be able to, then again you might not). You can also try snagging some out of the canal if the run is closed. I think its ok to snag them inside the canal on days the run itself is closed.

24) Bring your wetsuit and snorkle and a net. You can dive down into the water and chase them around. But herring swim pretty fast, so eat your wheaties before you go.

I suppose it is alot to remember. Well, if you do decide to go, I hope all that information helps you get that moby thats out there with your name on it.

Amen brotha... and thanks for the knowledge.

Originally posted by schoolie monster
24) Bring your wetsuit and snorkle and a net. You can dive down into the water and chase them around. But herring swim pretty fast, so eat your wheaties before you go.

I dont think you are allowed to "snorkel" in the canal without a permit.

25) Bring your scuba gear and chase them... eat two bowls of wheaties to adjust for the added weight of the scuba gear.

awww man, I gotta leave now. The weekend calls. peace out

:confused: :confused: where did all that info come from? Seems like just last week you were asking all kinds of questions:rolleyes:

Notaro, I only plan on using my permit at the Weymouth run a few times this year. You can have some of mine if you want.

Don't know how you're gonna transport though.

Originally posted by CAL
Notaro, I only plan on using my permit at the Weymouth run a few times this year. You can have some of mine if you want.

Don't know how you're gonna transport though.
thats cool. well, i will find a way

Originally posted by Newell Guy
:confused: :confused: where did all that info come from? Seems like just last week you were asking all kinds of questions:rolleyes:

You guys should lighten up. I wonder if he will go to the run? I always enjoyed fishing there even the way it is now. Watching the people there is almost as fun as fishing itself. If you fish the canal as much as I have, you "learn" a few things sooner or later.
Every canal man has their own way of catching. Fishing at the herring run is fun, if you make it fun.

striprman, i just went to the canal. my parents and i saw herrings there. i showed my mom and dad about how the canal rats rig up basket and etc. they now realized why was it important for me to go. but transporting herrings is another problem. i gotta rig up a cooler rqack on my car and put an aerator. but money, money...

Originally posted by Notaro
striprman, i just went to the canal. my parents and i saw herrings there. i showed my mom and dad about how the canal rats rig up basket and etc. they now realized why was it important for me to go. but transporting herrings is another problem. i gotta rig up a cooler rqack on my car and put an aerator. but money, money...
Ya, alot of guys make bait carrying systems for their trucks. I never transported herring long distances. I always got my canal herring at Middleboro, Wareham, The canal, or Mashpee river, So I wasn't on the road travelling more tan 20-30 minutes. I suppose if you made a good bait live well system and went to
the Weymouth run, you could transport them to the canal. About the only time I fish right at the run itself is when I'm able to get herring right there. If you get 3 or 4 permits, you could get herring any of those 4 places at various times of the day. When I am able to get herring somewhere else, I usually fish somewhere (in the canal) besides the run. When the bass are feeding on herring in the canal, you don't have to fish right there (it is a convienience to be able to get your fish right there and just walk a short distance to start fishing though). I think if I got herring at Weymouth I'd fish closer to someplace in Weymouth or just bring them to the canal and fish chunks. Ever fish the point at Webb state park?

I use to get a permit and the gate was open all night and you just jump right in the run .. net a bunch and fish .. I hate that shoulder to shoulder stuff.. glorified shiner fishing .. I'd rather jig macks..then again I'm old and grumpy ..

Striprman...I have one word for you


DECAF!

striprman, i cant say that i have. i had a few lucks there, but no keepers or big cows. other sharpies always catch a step ahead of me, lol. if i have a car, i would be fishing no matter what.