Yup, Im busting with new thread topics. Ill have another tonight.

And theres no going back to mono. I didnt have trouble with braid sinking into the rocks, it was just having fish rubbing them around rocks, esp. on the low end of the tide. I found being able to really horse fish around was a major plus. Sometimes, ya just wanna get thru as many little ones as you can, because your gonna eventually hook up on a nice sized fish.

Krispy, 50# fluoro is the minimum leader material i use for SoCo. 50# is for eels, 60# is for plugging. no problems so far with knots. i use 65# braid main line on spinning and 30# mono on conventionals. this pattern has served me very well. i know what you mean about fish damaging leaders fast. i went through the 25 pre tied i had with me the weekend of the MDA and had to tie up more in the hotel room just to finish the tourney out!

for keeping eels, i use a 5 gallon bucket tied to a dock on the CT river in my back yard. i had 4 -5 dozen in there at the end of the season, and they are still alive. make sure whatever you store them in is either dark colored to begin with, or you spray with black paint.

Kispy, did you catch those eels yerself too?? this is someting I really want to do next year.

Krispy - I agree and there were times when I was glad for having the braid (and other times I wished I had it). But I'm not certain that mono should be excluded for fishing down there. Jury is still out for me which is why I'm gonna ckeck it out much more. I seemed to have 50# PP getting wound around rocks when working eels (& occasionally plugs) REAL slow, a lot more frequently than with 20# mono....

Eels definitely, since the braids sinks and yer dragging eels real slow will get them wrapped around rocks, even if the eels arent diving in. But you know that.
Thats a good tip for me next year ;)

2004 will only be 3rd full year saltwater fishing. I've added some variety to my equipment since I am a travelling surfcaster and like to use plugs, swimmers, eels and chunk depending on time and location. Bought a Tica rod w/Penn 6500 and also a Shimano 4500 for bait. Didn't have much time to use either this season so already anxiously awaiting April.

Specific goals as follows; 30+ for the first time from shore (mainly northern RI, buzz bay and south of quincy to cape cod bay), I WILL catch a 20+ in the fast moving currents of the canal and lastly start learning on conventional reel.

From prior posts, interesting comments on braided line and rocky areas. Good tip regarding having "swappable" reels, one with braid and one with mono. To date, I have fished 50#PP and 50#flouro leaders and have done fine, except for rock cut offs.

Also have a few places in mind that need more attention. Gooseberry/Westport, Weweantic River (great spot for early season), Canal, Duxbury Beach/PP Bridge, Plymouth/Kingston Bays.

i want to fish bigger plugs more.

Three goals:
1. Catch 60 pounder (why bother with a 50....its so passe)
2. Fish less
3. Catch as many if not more big fish while fishing less

I am not going to beat the hell out of myself as much as years past (so I say now) . Too often I fished all night just for the sake of being there and doing it, even though the conditions were hopeless. I have pretty much after all these years of trial and error, narrowed down better situations to increase my chances of catching. I need to spend more time enjoying other things in my life rather than just fishing. I will always be able to fish (well, hopefully), but I will only be young once.

I will start out my '04 Striper season by fishing the marshes in my area with my new 7 footer, and new Okuma reel. I missed the herring run through the marsh last year, and I'll be damned if I do this coming Spring! lol.

I know a guy who on his first cast, of his first outing last Spring, landed a 34 incher. This was during the wonderful Herring Run ;) The one I missed!!! grrrr

I cant wait to see if I can land one on a 6 inch Storm Wildeye during tha run.

:) I did that this spring on the Housy

Well I am a great Fluke man and love to fluke fish the Vinyard!! You can find me there anyday during the week inthe summer months. I do not fish the weekends!! I hate all the boat ramp crap!
I would really like to try to do some more Bass fishing!! I no how to do it and I have caught my share of real nice Bass but that said I am not a real good bass fisherman.
I got into live linning scup this year and it worked Great!! Even got a couple 10+ Fluke on the live scup!!
So I would like to try to perfect this type of fishing and really focus more on bass! The Vinyard is a awsome place to fish you can catch all kinds of fish there and have a ball doing it!!
You can easly fill your qouta for Bass, Fluke, Scup, and Sea Bass and be home in pleanty of ttime for dinner!! They also have Blues Bonita. False Albcore, Tog's they have it all!

Oh yes, it is. I personally rather to fish on the vineyard sounds than nantuckett. I ain't playing ya, MJ. I went on a fluke trip with a friend of mine and it wasn't on the vineyard sounds.
Which reminds me one thing, I forgot to add that I will plan to do fluking in the suds. Based from what I read, I need a bucket and one strong light tackle rod and proper rigs.

MV is a fish motel everywhere you go! I like the South side better than Vineyard Sound.

I will be definitely going to the damn MV this spring or summer with an EPA agent and his family. Maybe we can meet at the MV and hook up for a night fishing.

Me fish with a AGENT around :eek: no Thanks!!

No agents with all the shorts FWW keeps ;)

That is something I want to learn FWW!! I have done live linning at West Chop, and Fluke, Bass, Scup Sea Bass at Middle ground.
Tons of Fluke at Lucas in June. And I go to Gay head (Devils Bridge) for Bass.
But as I said I stink at Bass fishing really. So this will be a foucas of mine.

yo, this agent is really bloody cool and funny. if he has a badge, then u better know not to gluck with him. if he doesn't, then no biggies. besides, his name is peter holmes, are u guys familiar with that name?

:hihi:

One other goal for this year.
Get that tracking device I installed in Iron Mike's waders to work properly...............

my first plan for next spring is to figure out a way to spend the whole summer on the cape or at least a good part of it.a few more days in maine and a few more on Long Island.and turn enough plugs to get me thru the year.

I'd like to get to fish next fall with redlite :D that's my goal.
from what I've heard you don't need any tracking device redlite.

My 2004 plan is as follows: 1. Fish more than I did this past year (which will be a hell of alot of fishing, but it is possible). 2. Catch more and bigger fish on a more consistent basis!:huh: 3. Throw more needlefish and metal lipped swimmers. 4. In keeping with #3 find and purchase more Habs needlefish plugs.:kewl: 5. My goal for 2004 remains unchanged from 2003......go over 40 pounds ( a 50 pounder would be acceptable). Oh...and I have fished with Redlite, the guy knows his stuff and puts in more time than anyone I know. He is a good guy to fish with!:kewl:

Fishing the holes
 

MacoJoe,
Try fishing the holes around Devils bridge, I have had better luck in the holes than I have at the bridge. No STRIPER expert here have yet to bring in a real big fish, am trying like hell though. Plan to fill freezer in garage this summer if it kills me. Also fished Lucas Shoal for fluke a couple days and couldn't seem to break away from the trash fish. What size scup are you live lining for fluke anyway? My dad once brought home a 14 # when I was a kid I still cannot get the sight of that fish out of my head, would love to meet or beat that one day! Anyway whatever anyone does in 04 be safe and have fun. And bring a kid fishing!!

My plan for 2004 is to get a job and buy the Canon GL2 camcorder and hopefully make 3 video's within the next 2 years.. 1 for Bass, 1 for Fluke and 1 for WHAT NOT TO DO...

This year was my best year ever.. i opened up my eye's and looked around instead of going to the same spot over and over. Applying alot of what i've learned but thought it was not possible..

Another plan for 2004 is to further push myself to catch and release instead of fillet and freeze.. i got vaccume packed striper to last untill april at my house and my parents.. learned a little secret to freeze them in water.. doesn't work to well with tautog the flesh is still tasty as the day it was caught but it breaks apart very easily.. Fluke holds well just don't skin your catch freeze with skin on then after its thawed remove skin.. mmmmmmm tasty

use circle hooks more often... :)

got a quick tutorial from Iron Mike at the SWE on how to fish needles one night in september. mmmmm Needles work.. and to think for the last 6 years i thought they were broken.. lol

Vectorfisher

Nothing to catching Fluke out there!! Stay in touch in the spring!! I will meet up with you and show you the way!! I will put you on my spots and give you a rig that accounts for all my fish out there.

In trade Maybe you can show me around devils?? I just started out there this year and caught a few fish but not to many, I need all the help in I can get in that area!!

As for the size of the Scup, well for the Bass i have used up to 12" as forr Scup for Fluke Lets just say 9" for all the EPA agents out here.

Fishin
 

Will do Macojoe

I can show you a little of devils bridge, kind of a tough place to fish, need to watch your depth finder consantly there is so much junk down under that you can lose your rigs real quick, if the current wasn't wild there I would trade my rod and reel for my scuba gear and load the boat up with lures and see just what is down there for structure etc. In any event will give a shout when I am in the area would be neat to meet someone from the list.

Plan for 2004:
-Find more time for fishing
-Try some new areas North shore MA, RI
_Try fly fishing more
-This past year a did a few triathlons, I'd like to try a few more this year.

1. Fish
2. Buy a Boat
3. Fish
4. Did I mention I want to fish?

Bill, you serious,, I,ll sell you mine===I wanna get the new 22footer they came out with for 2004 //////

Yamaha ///1st one to come out with a four stroke 150

n :rolleyes: :rolleyes: