So.....How Was It??? - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

BigFish · 10-26-2015, 06:35 PM

So lets sum up! How was your season?? Any PB's, unusual catches, crossing anything off the bucket list or maybe you took some great fishing trips? Lets hear about it!!! Time to bring back the fish talk!! Pics are a plus!!

MakoMike · 10-27-2015, 07:53 AM

Terrible, had boat problems almost all season, didn't get things straightened out until Sept.

ivanputski · 10-27-2015, 08:42 AM

its hard to sum up a game with so much time left on the clock...

Will check back in a few weeks (at least)

hardcore from shore · 10-27-2015, 09:42 AM

Going into the 2 minute drill. 10 day looks good except Thursday morning. I still am seeing or catching keepers and I believe still a few to catch before I sum it up. Even today in the 30's did not feel too bad as sun warmed it quickly. Also saw a great super moon set at dawn. Still too much life happening to sum it up. Bill
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Jim in CT · 10-27-2015, 10:34 AM

For the amount of time I put in (very litttle) I have no complaints. No records, no personal bests for me. But importantly, my 9 year-old caugt some nice bass and blues, so he is really starting to like this hobby.

Not over yet!

DZ · 10-27-2015, 10:54 AM

After a slow summer I was thinking that striped bass were rebounding with a very strong showing the last half of September through the first two weeks of October. I thought we were finally getting back to a traditional fall run. Boy was I wrong because it turned like a switch back into the non-existent fall runs of the past half dozen years. I'm hearing that Block had quite a group of casters trying this past weekend with most not even getting a single strike. Our favorite fish are still in trouble and I'm thinking it will take quite a few seasons of stricter regulations to get the stock back in shape. Be aware that all my observations are limited to the greater Newport areas and all from the surf.

jettyjockey18 · 10-27-2015, 11:40 AM

its embarrassing how little fishing i'm able to do compared to 5 years ago...one canal trip (1) end of May yielded one bass and the crowds sucked so bad i didn't return all season...funny fish season was great from shore, the best in many years...absolutely crushed 'em from the rocks one morning in Rhody...

Clogston29 · 10-27-2015, 01:12 PM

not a great year for me. didn't get out as much as I would like, and when I did good trips were few and far between. chasing albies from shore in September saved the season for me and was a great change of pace. hoping next year will be better.

Rockport24 · 10-27-2015, 01:35 PM

Another spotty year of kayak fishing for me, it started off very slow in my area, the same narrative of "the big fish are offshore" was happening, but I was able to pull off a few good days live lining macks here and there, then towards the end of the summer into September the fish started to settle into the rocks a little bit more consistently, then it got very spotty again, we had the big NE blow and I got very busy with work and family stuff and called it a season!

Zeal · 10-27-2015, 03:41 PM

Due to family and work committments I have had very few trips under my belt, extremely odd year from the rocks with the lateness of fish showing up and the very small size of them.

So far I've only gone out on Columbus day to prevent me from committing murder over the unbearable itch, caught a skate that I never saw before with a needle. November I pray I can fish though rough family times and work are making it damn near impossible to even enjoy.

A friend of mine who owns a boat and fishes constantly noted that it was a very all or nothing year despite his ultra fish finding equipment showing huge amounts of fish (very uncooperative ones at that).

Upside to take away from this year is that on the aforementioned fish finder, I showed him where I go off the rocks and he showed me that the stretch I've been obsessed with is a steep drop off with great structure and consistently holds fish thus proving I wasn't insane and people drove past that area out of ignorance and not reading what the water was telling them!

tattoobob · 10-27-2015, 04:13 PM

I wish I had something to report but life was to tough this year and I think if I fished 20 times and only 2 fish at about 28 and 29 inches all others were schoolies

5/0 · 10-27-2015, 04:20 PM

Judging by the title I was thinking something eles...never mind carry on.
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Mugz · 10-27-2015, 04:37 PM

Started out with a terrible Spring.....compared to the year before. Mostly fished a Rhody Bay. Then, I went to the canal after a year or two hiatus away from the God Foresaken place....and it drew me back in like a long lost love. &^$^%$^&$^&%&^%....did okay there. Finally got to witness some good fishing that I was always a day/hour late for.
That's what you guys talk about? Yep....the canal drew me back in, made me spend money I didn't have and buy fishing gear I can't use anywhere else in the world except the Canal.

macojoe · 10-27-2015, 05:22 PM

Went out once this year, got 2 keeper fluke thats it!! I hjave a boat now for next year, and hope to have my new kidney in janury!!
then i will be back at it!!!!

tattoobob · 10-27-2015, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mugz

Started out with a terrible Spring.....compared to the year before. Mostly fished a Rhody Bay. Then, I went to the canal after a year or two hiatus away from the God Foresaken place....and it drew me back in like a long lost love. &^$^%$^&$^&%&^%....did okay there. Finally got to witness some good fishing that I was always a day/hour late for.
That's what you guys talk about? Yep....the canal drew me back in, made me spend money I didn't have and buy fishing gear I can't use anywhere else in the world except the Canal.

Lets plan to fish together next year

5/0 · 10-27-2015, 09:09 PM

This year...Has been a blur for me and my family I have had four shouting matches with "the Grim" and lost all them.
I have demanded some concerning questions and answers to our Almighty,but I'm currently still on hold.
Some brothers here have helped me to stay on path,either it be from a simple phone call,email or just a stop by "hey hows it going".I'm truly indebted to you all.

I have been fortunate enough to fish with good friends this year,alot of ball busting but just the point of wetting a line and catching up, and also with some that I have never fished with and some that I have connected with in person and some just on line.

Each time out with buddy's and with one time events "Higgie " love ya bud, we crushed -em that day and I was happy to see you grab that Mac whiched washed up on shore and you live lined that biotch!
The smile was well worth it!

And Ross, Mr. Nightfighter...the stories you had were priceless not to mention Cohenfishen with the Skyhook 20'+ shot from boat to boat direct hit is burned in my squash.
Also your counter part who took the time to make the most incredible smoked turkey wraps...
I thank you.

Great times and memory's for a really trying year.

I did fish a bit solo and did meet some local guys and did crush some decent fish...

Larry,made the best of a chity year,I wish you well.

5/0
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BigFish · 10-28-2015, 05:57 AM

Sorry you had a tough year Bob. I wish you better for next year for sure.

Nebe · 10-28-2015, 06:02 AM

I fished very little this year. Life got in the way. After getting the boot from my sons mom over fishing 8 years ago, I am super cautious about falling into bassoholic mode. Family first, work second, fishing third... Never forget that.
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Rmarsh · 10-28-2015, 06:27 AM

I fished 2-3 times a week starting in May, and will probably continue for a couple more weeks. I caught alot of stripers and rarely got skunked but went months without catching a keeper.

Did some fishing from the boat, and had good times catching sea bass with my wife, and a few trips with my brother and a friend catching bonito and false albacore.

The highlight of the year for me came on the full blood moon/eclipse.
I had been fishing with an eel for a few hours without a hit, and when I felt very light nibble I didn't think it would be anything out of the ordinary. Then it started to swim away, and I knew it was no schoolie.

Caught and released without weighing.https://youtu.be/7y7oQA24wTk

Mugz · 10-28-2015, 06:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tattoobob

Lets plan to fish together next year

Absolutely Bob...

Raider Ronnie · 10-28-2015, 09:03 AM

This reads like an obituary.
Everyone had a bad year.
I had a very good year.
Made $ and made some great memories and it's not over.
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bassballer · 10-28-2015, 09:36 AM

I had a very solid year. the spring bass bite was good and that followed into late June. We found a very big area of fish in July that stayed in a paticular area for about a week before moving on, which made for a great week of insane fishing. August slowed down but then the Bonito and albie bite was fantastic. Overall good year. Not over yet. Fluke and seabass was consistant. Biggest bass of the season was 45lbs. Lots of fish in the 20-30 range, and handful in the 30-35 range.

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MVbluefish · 10-28-2015, 10:35 AM

I caught 8 albies from the canal this year. That was a big improvement over last year where I caught 1 and had to drive a couple hours ti RI to get it. Bass were feast or famine. Had some good days, but more bad days.

bart · 10-28-2015, 10:58 AM

My girlfriend and I split at the end of May after being together for almost 3 years. From June through mid October I fished my nuts off to help cope and it ended up being my best season in 7 years. 85% of my time was spent in RI with the other 15% at the Canal.

June through July was a numbers game in RI for me. TONS of small fish with some 13-18# fish mixed in, all on plugs, day and night. I went back to fishing (dead) eels in Aug and made a move to a spot that hadn't produced in years for me, and I hit the mother load. In a 4 night span during the new moon, I had countless fish between 20-30#s, with a handful of fish between 35-38#s. The only fish I kept during that stretch and all season for that matter was a 35# fish I couldn't revive. I released 2 others that were bigger, but never got a weight or length and I'm fine with that. After that stretch, I made a run to the Canal and stuck a couple fish between 28-30#s one night jigging the big shad.

I went into a "big fish" slump in September, but the fishing was still great in RI. Albies and monster blues were a blast to catch from some of my favorite rocks. The weather was incredible as well.

Started getting after bass again when Joaquin was moving up the coast. Was fortunate enough to get in on some of the best fishing I've ever experienced in RI in my life the days following the storm. Again, countless 20-30# fish from the surf, all on pencils. Truly epic fishing. That bite died out, but I was still able to find some 25-30# fish after in multiple locations, again, all on pencils. Staying on schools of pogies in the Lower bay or the South Shore was the key to my success this fall. All of the fish I caught had shoulders, were heavy, and were loaded with bait. Some true freight trains. Even the schoolies!

Overall, I have absolutely no complaints about this season. The bait situation was out of this world, like a scene out of National Geographic at times. And it's still going. Yesterday my buddy and I found some fish that were on pogies. He landed one about 25#s on a TonyO polaris and I got absolutely smoked by a fish that never gave me a chance to set the hook on it. So, no this season, is not over. Far from it. But I've been going like crazy since June. I'm tired and ready for it to be over at this point. Hope everyone has a safe and fun end to the year. Tight lines.

bart · 10-28-2015, 11:36 AM

If the season was to end today, this fish is how I'd want to remember my year. Was tipped off to some big fish on pogies in one of my favorite places in the world. No rockhopping needed, just walked onto the beach and started sticking fish on a bluebird day. This fat girl beat me up good in shallow water, really dogged me. Was a real treat to see her swim off in crystal clear blue water. It was almost Caribbean-esque.

thefishingfreak · 10-28-2015, 07:19 PM

Pretty good so far. I'll be fishing right up till Christmas so it's far from over
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Higgie · 10-28-2015, 07:40 PM

I don't post that often but it's thanks to this site that I've made some great fishing friends over the past few years. I had ACL reconstruction in may due to a snowboarding injury in February so the spring and summer were a wash. not being able to travel far on a bum knee I went to the ditch in late August on a whim due to tides and wind and and second cast on my first outing landed a nice 26lber on a live eel.
Having mobility issues I fished from my kayak most of the year for bass and trout and had more fun than j have in years. A lot of good fresh water close by.

Had my best daytime tide in the ditch with two great friends 5/0 and fishbones, two guys that CATCH fish where I had two fish close to 30 in the first half hour I showed up in tee shirts where I also caught several fish on homemade plugs and some snagged macs. EPIC!!!

Also recently dragged out the fly gear and have had a great three weeks chasing trout on the fly all over mass. Leaving in 5 days for Pulaski, can't wait. I'll post pics when I figure out how from my phone.

Rich
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Slipknot · 10-28-2015, 08:12 PM

It could have been better ,too busy working but I'm not complaining. I fished half as much as last year and I thought that was not much.
I did mange to catch some fish but not many from the beaches. Hooked my first shore albi in the canal this year
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numbskull · 10-28-2015, 08:27 PM

Notable fish, not so much.
Fun times, plenty.
Works for me.

shadow · 10-28-2015, 09:27 PM

Great year much like last year just more large and the location changed a bit .....until September I think I had a hard time finding fish under 20#. .....but all in all I caught countless fish in the 20 to 29# range and probably at least 8 fish from 30 to 41 # from the surf on plugs ......
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