Trying Cuttyhunk

[Strat]

I am brand new to this site and this area...
I grew up freshwater fishing and moved here a couple of years ago. A friend of mine and I have beeing basically figuring out this ocean thing by trial and error. We have done well with Tog's and Black bass and the occasional blue (Although when they are breaking on the surface you do not have to be an expert to hook up). However we have had dismal luck with stripers. We have trolled, we have chunked, we have tried 3 way with live eels, we have tried tube and worm, we have casted suggo's.....you get the picture. I am embarassed to admit it on a forum of striper experts, but we caught one striper all last year, so late season we said the hell with it and concentrated on the Tog's and Bass and had a blast. The winter gave us the itch again and being competitive by nature deceided not to let this fish win. Basically we have decided that maybe it is not the technique but the location so tommorrow morning early we will take the boat and try the famed Cuttyhunk. We will go armed with the entire arsenal and try it all. I was hoping someone here could point us in the right direction as to what to use and when to minimize the trial and error thing. If we crap out tommorrow we may leave this species to you experts.......at least until I get pissed off at losing again.

Thanks in Advance
PJ

[Clammer]

PJ

if the wind stays N/E your gonna get more than a education

[Skitterpop]

Find someone with boat and Striper experience and ask them to go with you is probably best bet. Read good books.

Be careful.

Originally Posted by Strat

I am brand new to this site and this area...
I grew up freshwater fishing and moved here a couple of years ago. A friend of mine and I have beeing basically figuring out this ocean thing by trial and error. We have done well with Tog's and Black bass and the occasional blue (Although when they are breaking on the surface you do not have to be an expert to hook up). However we have had dismal luck with stripers. We have trolled, we have chunked, we have tried 3 way with live eels, we have tried tube and worm, we have casted suggo's.....you get the picture. I am embarassed to admit it on a forum of striper experts, but we caught one striper all last year, so late season we said the hell with it and concentrated on the Tog's and Bass and had a blast. The winter gave us the itch again and being competitive by nature deceided not to let this fish win. Basically we have decided that maybe it is not the technique but the location so tommorrow morning early we will take the boat and try the famed Cuttyhunk. We will go armed with the entire arsenal and try it all. I was hoping someone here could point us in the right direction as to what to use and when to minimize the trial and error thing. If we crap out tommorrow we may leave this species to you experts.......at least until I get pissed off at losing again.

Thanks in Advance
PJ

[tynan19]

Strat there are a few quides that will come on your boat and show you how to use your equipment and where to fish. I think Bill & Jules who are sponsers on this site will do this. Look them up. Also if you want to learn fast just go out with a quide in the Elizabeths area. The money you spend will be worth it.

[bloocrab]

Those be dangerous waters ...

There are mines strategically placed by the Stripers around that island. Don't do it at night until you've done a few day trips...and don't get too close


Be there early enough to throw plugs at day-break, but cast them on shore, keep moving until you find them. Don't stay stuck in the same bowl, if you've brought up a few fish you may have spooked them,,,but they haven't moved far....you just have to figure out which way they went left or right..........................................if that don't work,,,, go chase blackfish....or scup, .........then live-line them

[DaveS]

When we goin Bloo?

[bloocrab]

..someone once told me June was not a bad month to catch stripers...

[likwid]

Cuttyhunk may be the right place.

But you're going AT THE WRONG TIME.

Weather ain't lettin up and its gonna keep blowing.
You best stay away and scout the island on a nice flat day unless you want an expensive ride home from seatow.

[Goose]

Because your new to the game, if I where you I'd fish rocky mainland shore's with a buddie before venturing out there. Cutty is not the quick fix people make it out to be, although it is a small island, just covering 1/3 of one side requires endurance even under ideal conditions and the right gear. There are lots of narly rocky points in ma & ri that prep you for cutty.
The biggest difference is the drops@ current of certain corners of the island. No matter how much experience you have you'll get a new repect for current out there. I've made atleast 30+ trips and I tell you the action can go from dead to red hot in no time, there isn't alot of places that has qaulity and qaunity like the islands even in dead summer. Last thing you wanna do is sit on yo a$$ or waste time sleeping when bass are crunching.

[NarragansettBil]

Study, study,study your charts!!!! Banks, drop offs topographical changes, current flows,water temps.

This goes for surfcasters also, Know your spots! After you study them you may be making adjustments.

But then again, most of you know this.

[Hooper]

Strat-

Welcome to a great website!

Right on brother, fishing is fun, you guys have a great attitude and you will be catching bass this year, lots of them. The guys on this site are great, we will answer any questions you post, sometimes we'll even answer them honestly and without insulting you! That was humor, really!

I learned everything about striper fishing during my time as a mate on a great charterboat as a kid. If I now moved to a new area and wanted to figure out what to do, I would find a great guide and charter him on a regular basis to learn spots, techniques, tackle, rigging, everything. I'd be upfront and tell him that is what I wanted.

The guys here are right on.

Cuttyhunk can be a wicked dangerous place to go learn. We are not standing atop our collective soapboxes, but we don't want anyone to get themselves or their crew killed. And it is easy to do in that neighborhood. Rocks, monster tides and currents, fog, wind, yikes! I get the willies just thinking about it. I'd say stay the hell away from that part of the world. I love life and don't care to get myself killed for a fish. It isn't worth it. Literally, you can go almost anywhere nowadays and catch a striper, I mean it, anywhere.

My best advise is charter a great captain in the waters you will fish on a regular basis, whether it is the Bay, the Islands, where ever, and soak up all you can. And then it's just time time time on the water.

[seabass]

Strat,
Pick up an Eldridge tide charts, learn how to read them, the Ilsands are tough and the weather is rarely nice, but the currents can toss the hull out of you out there. The rocks are set at prop depth, many a hundred yards from shore, the fish only bite when the ebb is right and the afternoon chop can take out your jaw! Sow and pigs is a grave yard. Have a great trip, be carefull, and go large.

[sabe]

good fishing on the vineyard. cuttyhunk sounds great but don't give up if you get skunked. takes time to figure things out. the vineyard might be a little safer and more productive to start with. lot's of schoolies in the lagoon,sengekontacket,tashmoo,menemsha. catching cows at squibnocket,south beach,wasque, there has been a lot of fish around this year.

[likwid]

Originally Posted by NarragansettBil

Study, study,study your charts!!!! Banks, drop offs topographical changes, current flows,water temps.

None of the charts show the rocks on pigs.

[ThrowingTimber]

Originally Posted by Strat

I am brand new to this site and this area...
I grew up freshwater fishing and moved here a couple of years ago. A friend of mine and I have beeing basically figuring out this ocean thing by trial and error. We have done well with Tog's and Black bass and the occasional blue (Although when they are breaking on the surface you do not have to be an expert to hook up). However we have had dismal luck with stripers. We have trolled, we have chunked, we have tried 3 way with live eels, we have tried tube and worm, we have casted suggo's.....you get the picture. I am embarassed to admit it on a forum of striper experts, but we caught one striper all last year, so late season we said the hell with it and concentrated on the Tog's and Bass and had a blast. The winter gave us the itch again and being competitive by nature deceided not to let this fish win. Basically we have decided that maybe it is not the technique but the location so tommorrow morning early we will take the boat and try the famed Cuttyhunk. We will go armed with the entire arsenal and try it all. I was hoping someone here could point us in the right direction as to what to use and when to minimize the trial and error thing. If we crap out tommorrow we may leave this species to you experts.......at least until I get pissed off at losing again.

Thanks in Advance
PJ

Its hard fishing and it will test you. Its not a magical place where they just jump in your cooler.

[HatTrick]

Strat -
Cuttyhunk and the Islands could be the most productive and the most beautiful place I've ever fished but you absolutely cannot underestimate the potential power of the ocean and Buzzards Bay. It's a tricky place. I love going there but:
1) I spent the money and went out with a terrific guide twice before I considered taking my own boat over. You will be surpised at the techniques, approaches etc. that you will learn from spending time with a pro. You will also be surpised about how many adjustments someone else may suggest to benefit your casting technique!You will also be able to ask lots of questions about tides, safe spots, scary spots etc..
2) I am a cautious person on the water. If you think things may be too dicey for a trip over the bay they probably are.

The guide I went with is David Cornell from Dartmouth, MA and he's a great teacher.
PM me if you like.