Nightfighter's poll got me wondering.

I would be very interested in seeing how our individual success (or lack of) this season falls along the lines of boat vs. surf.

From what I've seen and from the folks I know personally, boat anglers are doing very well with bigger fish vs. surfrats who are experiencing some struggles. This will always be true to some degree, but is the gap wider than normal. Or is it fairly typical of past years?

It seems that numbers of smaller fish are down for alot of people, including boat anglers.

I just was curious and hoped a few people would weigh in on this topic. I'm relatively new to full-time saltwater fishing and just starting to become more "aware"... two years ago, I thought high tide was always the best time to fish and in some cases, the only time... ROOKIE! I also don't hang out on other boards, so this is really the first year that I've seen input from alot of other fishermen and women. I think its a great forum.

I see this year as a very strange one. In the spring we do alot of fishing on the south side of the cape, and usually pick up alot of fish, not so much size but alot of numbers. This year the week of May 12th BC, myself and part of my family, 9 all together caught over 1000 bluefish but only 325 + bass. For the south side that is very off as far as number go. Don't forget that we had a very cold spring, and by the time those blues rolled in early I think it threw some of the bass off as far as the usuall spring numbers go. I don't know whether or not those smaller bass just kept on going so they didn't get eaten in the bays or weren't there at all this year. I am talking fish in the 10 to 24 inch size.

We also have been very off as far as the shore fish numbers go, as some guys have said, some spots aren't hardly producing at all and these spots have been pretty hot for the past several years.

One Theory I have thought about this year as far as Boston Harbor goes is that the fish have alot of food to eat, unlike prior years were they were starving or just not finding alot of food. So the fish would eventually move into the rivers to find that food. This year from observations on the boat over the last month. There is alot of food out there. Not just Mackerel, but alot of herring and Silversides. More that I can ever remember seeing this long into the season.

As far as the quality of bass I think that around this area and on the cape, they are much heavier and healthier this year which is great to see. But even on the boat in the harbor, we are almost missing a whole class of fish in that smaller size range of 10 to 23 inches, "where are they". I don't know, but it greatly concerns me as they are the future of this sport. We are seeing alot of fish in the 25 -45 inch range this year, much more than normal. But that seems to be slowing as the mackerel are all most gone now. What I hope to see now that the mackerel are thinning out is that the fish start moving into the shore area's for the surf guys. There are alot of bluefish around right now, and I think that when those little baby bunker move in as they have aready started that things are going to go nuts everywhere around the middle of August.

It also seems that the water temps are warmer than normal, as you can tell by the tuna moving in on the harbor and other places like Kittery Maine. Just a theory, I am no scientist by any means, but have been noticing alot of changes this year, compared to the last several years.

Okay what am I doing wrong, Fisherwoman fishes with a group of 9 and gets 345 bass and 1000 blues in one week, I fish a whole week and only get a few bass. I think the fishing is deffinately better this year. Fisherwoman's observations about the smaller bass is on the money. I hope she is right about the fish moving closer into shore soon.

Hey Specialist, that was one of the best weeks we have ever had for the blues and we target that area every year as that is when the squid show up and the blues are right behind, but we bass fished daily and usually the bass numbers are better than the blues, was a strange situation this year. But don't worry that doesn't happen all the time. But when your on vacation and can fish 24-7 when those fish show up. Life Is GOOD!!!!!!

I usually don't get to fish on my vacations. My wife has other plans. I am hoping to get out friday, saturday or sunday night. I plan to try eels at Squaw rock,and then move south till I get to the Hull gut. Hope the fish are cooperating.I was gonna see if my sisters boyfriend wants to go. It's nice to have company.

What she said :). Although I didn't get to the south side except for a couple nights with FW/BC, which by the way were tops in my book, my experience pretty much mirrors FW's. Great healthy big bass, nowhere near the numbers of 15-25 inch bass I'd normally be catching at a rate of 30-40 per outing. Good and bad situation I guess, good for quality and bad for quantity and maybe some years down the road :(.

Specialist, that place and time is never repeated until the fall run, if we're lucky. The fall run has so much bait getting blitzed by bass and blues - it's truly a site to see!!! That early run of bass and blues on the Cape is also amongst the best saltwater fishing you'll ever find - also lasting for a few weeks.... I was not able to partake this year but I will make a trip or two next year as it is truly amazing...

Specialist, when you move south, don't go to the Gut - it is probably the most overrated spot down there. Some big fish do get caught there (historically anyway)... If you go there, at minimum, work your eels behind the High School to the lot before the school (along the seawall). Low tide will be just after midnight so you'll have the drop or the start of the incomming to play with... Remember, a fair amount of rocks helps and you start to see rocky structure the further you go east of the High School - just be carefull amongst the rip rap in there and buddy fish (borderline Korker spot)

Thanks for the advice , I will be bringing my sister's boyfriend with me. I may try to pick up some korkers tommorow.