Ok folks,

We know the Striped ones should be arriving any day.

We also know that in all of our areas there are holdovers coming out to play.

Most of us know that sea Lice is not a very good indicator of whether a SB is just arriving or is a hold over. Color is probably a little bit more accureat an indicator but is still not that reliable. bottom line is most of us just have to use all our experience and education to ID a new or fresh fish. Please use this as a guide when you are posting to this thread.

I would like to get a thread running about where the new fish are coming in as they arrive in our vast area. Do not feel obligated to give out spots, that is not the point. Just give a general vicinity. ie...Boston Harbor, Narraganset bay, RI South Shore, etc.

I will start,

Some have been looking but no fresh fish reported in the Boston Harbor area.

A bunch have been looking in the traditional Buzzards Bay locations and zippo. Last year April 15 was the day the numbers hit pretty good.

A friend flew to Montauk for the holiday and got skunked...with a guide

what about West Wall...Wasque...and other traditional early season spots

It's S L O W and L A T E :( ... but its starting... I haven't been out since last week but all the action that I've heard of seems to be holdover or Hudson fish moving up the coast. 'Course these LI guys are keeping a bit quiet :) ...

The sad thing is at the end of April last year I had keeper bass with some low-mid 203 class in the very beginning of May on buckeyes. Not looking to good for this year...

3+ weeks late for everything is what it looks like to my unegumicated self...

Tuesday April 15th @ the West Wall there was a shot of small bass. I think these were the first of the season at this spot, unless someone else can confirm otherwise.

DCF and i went out saturday,and nada.from 5 till 2.from galiley to quonnie. only a handful of anglers. ne winds dint help.from salt ponds to beach to breachways nothing.

As always, the Thames River in S/E Connecticut has been holding a lot of schoolie bass but unknown if any new fish are running. I've been catching a fair amount on shad bodies with a light jig head. Went to the race on Sunday but didn't mark a fish. I heard that some fish were grouped up on the south side of Fishers Island but I am unable to confirm that. The water on the back side of Fishers is stil about 45 degrees and nothing really heats up until the water hits about 50 degrees. The anticipation for the slobs is kiling me but I am sure that they are just around the corner.

This season won't start until Saltheart finishes my 1265 Allstar...
so you all are just gonna have to join me in waiting it out!!!
:laughs:

This LI will tell ya straight---western Sound, muddy bottomed bays and harbors, is the only place anything's happenin' here yet.

I've been fishing deep structure in the south shore bays with jigs, and haven't had a sniff of fish. Very little bait around, too---just a handful of grass shrimp here and there. There's probably some sea herring that haven't left the bays but they're holding in deep water, too.

It's 4:00 PM right now and I am headed towards Buzzards Bay , Onset area..Gotta wet a line at least......

Went to a beach where you can see the Vineyard and nadahttp://www.stopstart.freeserve.co.uk/smilie/boohoo.gif

Have fished everyday 6pm till dark for this last week. Not a hit. Tried late afternoon in the flats. Nothing. I think John is right 3 weeks late. Won't stop me from trying again today!

Nothing In Buzzards bay by the Canal
Or in the Brair Wood
Nothing in Coles or Lee

I around the mouth of waquiot bay today, near south cape beach facing the vineyard. Scored a big fat zero. Temperature at the mouth of the bay was 47 degrees while temp up inside the bay was 51. I did see some pods of herring moving around inside the bay, which is a good sign. I'd say one more week.

Fishing novice here. I never fished for striped bass or bluefish. In a week or two I'd like to take my kids to try it. I'm thinking of the jetty at the end of Narragansett Pier. I already have a the rod rigged with proper hooks and weights (local shop helped me with that). Would that be a good spot to try?

Originally posted by mollymags
I already have a the rod rigged with proper hooks and weights (local shop helped me with that). Would that be a good spot to try?

Here's some advice from another novice...

1. If your using bait, try circle hooks especially if the kids ar doing the fishing. If they're not paying attention, like my kids do/ don't, it will improve your hook-up #'s and protect the fish.

2. Unless there is ablitz going on, stripers are lazy fish that will sit in the current and wait for food to come to them. Look to get your bait/ lure to flow through > behind a current seam.

Good luck

That should be OK there. Also try along the seawall from the beach to the Coast Guard house.... Welcome to S-B...

I would recommend light bucktail jigs and soft plastics (Cocahoes, Ledgerunners, Zoom Flukes) attached to a bare jig head...

Went to the cape on Sunday, hit alot of spots on the south side which are the traditional early spring spots and got NADA!!!!! Did,t see any bait either. I don't think things are going to start happening for at least another week if not 2 depending on the weather and the jet stream. Time will tell!!!

Went out on the Harbor yesterday for some Cod, and got NADA!!!! We hit Martins ledge, 3 and 1/2 fathom ledge, went over to Nahant and fished some different dephts still to no avail. It was hard to hold bottom as the wind and the tide were going the same way so that could have been part of the problem. We did mark a pretty decent size school of bait coming into the harbor on the way back in past the gut, and they were getting hammered by commerands and gulls, couldn't tell what they were but was either smelt or herring.

Oh Yea, and one other thing, we stopped at the Mashpee herring run and they were there, not as many as last year at this time, but quite a few in the bottom pool, water was gushing pretty heavy out of there.

Hi BasicPatrick,
Are you looking for some necessary information in regards to
the impending arrival of our striped quarry? You sneaky devil.:p

Awww Jeez - who let this guy in?

Larry - Welcome to S-B...

Thanks for the welcome JohnR. I seem to be having a little
trouble with my online name and I can't seem to fix it!

What do you want it to be? Larry?

Hi JohnR,
Thanks for getting back to me. I want it to be "BigFish".
Thanks

HEY its bad larry !!!

There goes the neighborhood !!!:smash: :smash: ;)

Juls yesterday on the way home from work I saw gulls working off wollaston beach (north end).

I figured I was imagining things cause its been a long winter, but reading your post it must have been real. Good thing thought I was losing it.

OH WAIT I've already lost it ......;)

floated some live ones for about 2-3 hours last night on the incoming tide. nada. i do agree the herring are not here in the same numbers as they were at this time last year. did notice three draggers working southwest of cuttyhunk or the vineyard.. squid??? mackeral??? maybe herring?

Hey It's Van The Man,
I liked the neighborhood until I found out you lived on the same
block.(only kidding) It's nice to be here, I have been on the site
several times and I just now signed on. See you tomorrow Van.

So Larry I hear you know my sisters boyfriend, Bob McDonald. Welcome to the board.

only holdovers in the mystic area. some looked very thin but still give a good fight. Ditto on the herring. more and more have been showing up.

:) Hey it's The Specialist,
Yes I have known Bob for Many years and we have worked
together a few times. I think he is coming to the meeting
tonight.
I have heard alot about you, I understand you make a nice
plug. I look forward to meeting you, make sure you introduce
yourself if your at the meeting tonight.
See you later and thanks for the welcome.
BigFish

Hey Larry. I heard you know my dog's vetrinarians brother's teacher's neighbor's estranged husband - Waldo ? Is that true? :rollem: :laughs:

Hehehe - again, welcome to Striped-Bass (or MSBA's island of misfit toys)... Name is changed, log in as BigFish (suprised that name was still available)....

See ya tonight...

HEY Larry, don't forget to add your signature line.

What was it again...

Oh yea......
If your feet aren't in a boat you ain't fishing ????

Or was it the other way around !!!! :D
Hmmmmm...

:happy: :happy: first keeper of the year for me...more than likely a holdover......caught in mystic river this morning in Sommerville, Medford area. I had to scramble for digital camera out of pocket and I was by myself and couldn't get the money shot also wanted to get her back in the water a.s.a.p. roughly 29.5 inches no weight recorded.....fish was released for another day. Imagine year round striper action. Hey, why would they leave if there is food here? post your 2003 pics a.s.a.p.:bl: :hihi: have a safe and prosperous season! equipment used 3/4 oz jighead(white) 5" black and silver bass assassin. 6500 abu 20lb fireline 8 ft medium/heavy st.croix

nice fish, ridler72.

:happy: Thanks JohnR that is much better, I look forward to
meeting you tonight. This site is a lot of fun.

Van, I hope my signature came out and I hope you
like it. See you tonight also.
BigFish

:confused: Sorry to bother you again JohnR, I told you I am
completely computer stupid. I am trying to add my signature
below my user name and I am having no luck, could you
help me out again? I would like my signature to read "See you
in the surf". Thanks JohnR I appreciate your help.
Thanks for your patience everyone. I hope to see you in the
surf.
BigFish

you got it working....

:happy: :happy: :happy: :happy: Thanks again JohnR, I warned
you and this won't be the last you hear of me, I am helpless on
this thing. Thanks again.
BigFish

No prob Larry, err lawrence :eek5:

So, I spoked to a fella I know that lives in the lower Chessapeke area of VA and he did say that large bodies of decent fish have been underway from there, northbound, for over a month now. He also mentioned that they are now in there COW season with the big gals coming thru.... I told Miles to save 'em for us :)

:btu:

Swimmer & myself went down Monday afternoon to Buzzards Bay area looking for schoolies...&^%%^ We are still looking:confused:

last week april 19, 2003, i went on a charter fishing trip with some students from gallaudet univ. on cheapspeare bay. it was a open season for stripers and they are trophy-sized. i caught the 33 1/2 inches and it weight around 15 lbs. a customer from another charter boat caught a 30 lbs striper. so it's pretty a good season now.

john, i have an image, but it's too big to attach. i dont have a photoshop on my computer. lemme send it to you.

Guys,
The fisherman is reporting a good one from the west wall last week.