Fishing later again this year? - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

JohnR · 10-15-2002, 08:05 AM

Ive been talking about this to a few people lately, so I don't think I'm off my rocker. OK, we all remember last year's fall run, real crappy October weatherwise with many storms, Nor'easters, and Hurricanes. In fact, November was a better month weatherwise to get out and fish. Plus last years very warm water temps seemed to hold the migration off for another few weeks to a month as compared to previous years.

Does this year seem to be running a week or two later than last year? It just seems so with Boston Harbor having it's fish (that are moving I'm told). Fish coming down from Maine. It just seems like a later start.... Any thoughts?

devils fiddle · 10-15-2002, 08:44 AM

john water temps right know for my the watch hill fishers island area are about 10 degrees warmer right now than last year at this time. the bait is still very thick in this area as well.

LINESIDES · 10-15-2002, 08:45 AM

Yes it is John! Later than last year, that is!

Chunker of Death · 10-15-2002, 10:13 AM

Howdy John........Start and end of the migration was pretty much right on schedule here in Maine. We did see a GREAT run of bluefish this year probably due to the UNREAL amount of peanut pogies. Striper (and even the mack) action has dropped off dramatically since last Tuesday. :bawl: The peanuts hung around longer then the bass but are scooting south at a fast pace. Was sneaking around the NH coast last Sat and found peanuts pushed right up against the shore. That wasn't surprising considering the nasty surf conditions (which did in the Sat fishing...RATS!). End of the month SOL Rhody Fling will be my last stab at the buggahs. Will any of the guys I fished with, when I was flinging with you, be attending the SOL fling? Looking forward to seeing yahs.

Van · 10-15-2002, 11:02 AM

Not exactly sure around Bahstan cause' I have'nt been able to get out there.

But the birds I see from shore are working bait that does not appear to be getting hit by gamefish.

I'm sure there are still some mamas out there. BUT..........

STEVE IN MASS · 10-15-2002, 11:04 AM

1st frost was last night, about a week and a half late for my parts, if that means anything.....water temps are still up....I'd say we will have a late year.........

Billybob · 10-15-2002, 04:09 PM

John, it makes sense, warmer water, lots of bait, could be another late season - I just can't tell whats happening out there cause I haven't been out in the boat in 3 weeks. I even went to the Cape with the wife last weekend and the beach looked like Hawaii 5 - 0! I fished a total of 2 hours and got 1 30"er for my trip.
For me, it's not so much the fish that determine the quality of the fall run - it's getting a break in the weather, so I can get in on the run.
But, I was in until Thanksgiving last year and could have stayed in longer with the weather we got.So, being a glass is half full kinda guy - I'm looking for "The Perfect Swarm", oh yeah - acres of bait moving in to the Sound, followed by hungry LARGE, just as the seas decide to lay down for a few weeks, fair winds, warm temps, and weather men who can actually predict a good day to skip outta work, a meshing of mother natures fishing gears like man has never seen.I'm thinking it's going to happen next week cause my son's pop warner league ends this Sunday.
This could be good.
Thats my story, and I'm sticking to it.

JohnR · 10-16-2002, 12:22 PM

Hey C.O.D. - howya doing?

When & where is the SOL fling? Same weekend as Tri-State? Should I crash it

Those waves breaking on me last night still felt pretty warm, plus with albies & bonito STILL around

Yo Billybob, good luck on finding your swarm... Do you run as far east as Fishers?

STEVE IN MASS · 10-16-2002, 12:24 PM

Oct 25th to 27th.....South County....and YES!....

Billybob · 10-16-2002, 01:23 PM

John, I do run to Fishers sometimes, but from Saybrook it's a haul but the boat makes it no problem. The reports from the reefs and shoals in the area are starting to look good though - a friend picked up 11 big ones on Sunday in a couple hours.You just need conditions that allow you to get a good drift, and hit the tide right and it should pay off, the blacks are going good too. Maybe I'll hitch up the old tub Friday if the weather looks decent, if not the weekend might work. We can have a decent fall run down here you know ( but don't tell the S.O.L ers) - but you pretty much need a boat.

Chunker of Death · 10-17-2002, 11:22 AM

Been doing AOK, John. Had a great season. Was hoping it would taper off slowly. Nope, it pretty much came to a hard stop last week. Looking forward to visiting Rhody next week. Steve already gave yah the dates and yes yahs should be there. The zone is Point Judith to Napatree Point. Hey, I'm going as far north as Newport to find the buggahs. I'M DESPERATE! I believe Misquamicut Beach in the Sat meeting spot, around 2:00PM. Still haven't heard where the Friday night chow spot is. There was talk about some place in Newport. Newport > Eat + Fish = Happy BillB Yeah, that's what I'm talking about! Hope to see you there. Try and get that Saltheart fellah to come too, ok?

bill g · 10-17-2002, 03:31 PM

are stripers gone from boston harbor. or just thinned out

BasicPatrick · 10-17-2002, 06:12 PM

John,

If you have gotten reports of Bass leaving Boston I am here to tell you they are false. There are plenty of fish and boatloads of bait around. The big winds have kept most people off the water and shores however the fishing should be much slower considering all the rain that has now run into the near shore waters. The fish are still here........

As far as a late season, things are later than last year without question however we did not get the Peanut Bunker last year in anyway near what we have this year. A detailed look into the log says that this year is shaping up like two years ago when we did get the Peanuts. That year me and Mike put Basic in on December 1 and had an all day Bluefish and Bass Blitz all to ourselves. Two years ago there were schools of Bass up until a few days before christmass. Last Years notes show fish in December also but really spotty.

IMHO we will have fish in Boston until late December as long as the bait holds.

gilligan · 10-17-2002, 06:38 PM

Van · 10-18-2002, 07:31 AM

If the weather is decent I am going out Sunday to see whats around.
But that is going to be the last day on the water for me.

MarkL · 10-18-2002, 08:09 AM

Absolutely right John. I've been standing in Narragansett Bay for the past week w/o waders. Not to say its wasn't cold last night but still warm enough for just shorts and a fleece. I was thinking fish till December 1st but I trimming that back since we got more winter temps this past week.

I have been told by a friends father and striper guru that daytime schools of Bass are now heading south. He's catching 20lbers in the daylight under the birds. Happy fishing.