Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating - View Single Post

Mr. Sandman · 08-09-2013, 04:32 AM

When do you want to go?

When I first came to MV I had a 23 seacraft and running to the hooter in any kind of wind was always always a white knuckle drill esp thru muskeget channel. Numby gave a good description of the situation. Let me add that the forces at work here are incredibly strong currents and large natural depth changes. Once you get out by the hooter the water depth drops off and it is just a swell. I think the hooter is in water near 100' but it meets shoals that are in as little as 10' in places. When you fish the area known as paradise they build really fast when it is big. You can hear them even cresting at times. However on a flat day you can do it without much worry. The bottle neck is muskeget, it can still be ugly and force you to slow down on a calm day but once you get a mile or so past that it will lay down. Just pick your day (IMO it has to be <= 5 to 10 bluebird day to do this in a small boat). Any signs of a blow get your ass out of there. Nowadays I will go in just about anything but my current boat is a lot more sea worthy.

If you are looking for bones...you will see the fleet (s), there are a number of regular charter guys that go there 2X per day every day out of edgartown. Most of the boats are 30'+ . Just don't fight the weather and you will be ok and do not go when some storm is way offshore either..the swell will be too big and don't go when the fog is so thick you can't see squat, you will not be seen on radar as you will be hidden from view of others behind the swell. (I almost ran into a 16' flats boat in dense fog one day, never saw him until I was almost on top of him) You need to be able to really see what is going on so don't go in fog.

But the fishing can be really good. (It is OK right now, a pick of bones and bluefish was the last report I got)
catchem up.

08-09-2013, 04:32 AM	#8
Mr. Sandman Registered User iTrader: (0) Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 7,649	When do you want to go? When I first came to MV I had a 23 seacraft and running to the hooter in any kind of wind was always always a white knuckle drill esp thru muskeget channel. Numby gave a good description of the situation. Let me add that the forces at work here are incredibly strong currents and large natural depth changes. Once you get out by the hooter the water depth drops off and it is just a swell. I think the hooter is in water near 100' but it meets shoals that are in as little as 10' in places. When you fish the area known as paradise they build really fast when it is big. You can hear them even cresting at times. However on a flat day you can do it without much worry. The bottle neck is muskeget, it can still be ugly and force you to slow down on a calm day but once you get a mile or so past that it will lay down. Just pick your day (IMO it has to be <= 5 to 10 bluebird day to do this in a small boat). Any signs of a blow get your ass out of there. Nowadays I will go in just about anything but my current boat is a lot more sea worthy. If you are looking for bones...you will see the fleet (s), there are a number of regular charter guys that go there 2X per day every day out of edgartown. Most of the boats are 30'+ . Just don't fight the weather and you will be ok and do not go when some storm is way offshore either..the swell will be too big and don't go when the fog is so thick you can't see squat, you will not be seen on radar as you will be hidden from view of others behind the swell. (I almost ran into a 16' flats boat in dense fog one day, never saw him until I was almost on top of him) You need to be able to really see what is going on so don't go in fog. But the fishing can be really good. (It is OK right now, a pick of bones and bluefish was the last report I got) catchem up. Last edited by Mr. Sandman; 08-09-2013 at 04:42 AM..