Fly fishing the Annisquam - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

Fly Rod · 04-29-2004, 07:34 PM

This was my 3rd evening fishing from shore and I caught & released 5 schoolies in about 20 minutes!!!

Fish were caught on a white & green bucktail deciever using an intermediate line in about 6' of water!!!!

tattoobob · 04-29-2004, 09:20 PM

do you mean in gloucester, ma? if so i may have to take a ride there
this weekend

bob

well now that i look at your location i know the answer

Fly Rod · 04-30-2004, 06:14 AM

Yup!!!
On the lovely island of Cape Ann, Gloucester !!!!

Home port of "THE PERFECT STORM!!!!"

tattoobob · 05-01-2004, 08:05 AM

i went to gloucester last night at dusk, i was heading to wingaersheek but there was a house fire and the road was closed so i headed farther down 128 to the candy shop. i only took my fly rod and the wind was to strong i got off a few casts but as a beginner i am the worst caster, i'm going to casting lessons tomorrow morning i hope it helps. no fish were caught but it was a great time to get out

bob

Fly Rod · 05-03-2004, 06:55 AM

This time of the season the candy shop area is the best place to fish for a couple of weeks!!!

Wingersheek won't get hot for a few weeks!!!
Afriend of mine lives on the private section and he let's me knowwhen the birds are working the area!!!

GRH · 05-03-2004, 08:00 AM

This spot was a favorite of mine. But the last few years its gotten crazy down there. Guys are shoulder to shoulder, like a hotspot on the canal. I am sure the article in the times about Al W. will not help the overcrowed shoreline. Don't overlook the pool on the right, everyone lines up on the channel, but i have taken some nice fish from the pool while guys got an arm workout castin into the wind. I have since got a fishin Kayak, so the battle for position should be over for me, but I will miss the fudge from Nichols to get me through the slow times.

steelhead · 05-03-2004, 04:03 PM

Are you over by the yacht club, or futher up?

tattoobob · 05-03-2004, 04:47 PM

there is a sign in the parking lot of the candy shop, it says parking for the store only. so i went down the road and parked up the hill.

bob

steelhead · 05-03-2004, 05:37 PM

Maybe a gathering up there is in order? Get to meet each other?
I think there's some pretty good tides coming up late this week or early next week.

tattoobob · 05-03-2004, 06:21 PM

i'm in for that pick a day and an afternoon say after three and thats ok with me

bob

Fly Rod · 05-03-2004, 06:36 PM

tattoo!

You can park across the street from the candy store near the bridge It will hold about 4 cars.

The main reason that they don't let you park in the parking lot is because people were pissing around the building and leaving litter!!!!

There is always that certain element that ruines it for others!!!

Also there is allot of private property along the river!!!

You can also park behind the high school and fish the banking

Also there is crab beach on the other side of the draw bridge. Allot of rocks and you would probably need waders.

Also you can fish around Cressys Beach, Half Moon beach and around the cannon fort

If you want to fish out at the break water on Eastern Point you will see a private property sign ,no tresspasing and on week ends there will be a guard.
THEY CAN NOT STOP YOU FROM GOING TO THE BREAK WATER!!!
Just tell them that is where you are going!!!

tattoobob · 05-03-2004, 08:10 PM

great fly rod, thanx for all those good spots. i may head down there some day after work to check some out

bob

GRH · 05-04-2004, 07:09 AM

I hear ya Fly rod, about the restrictions now. 20 years ago you could fish just about anywhere on Cape Ann. Now its a different story. Spadies rock out on Eastern point is now closed. Try and take a walk out on the breakwater on a summer afternoon. The lot is full, and last year I saw a "family" with a trash fire cookin periwinkles out there! Anyway, I will be casting a fly soon, just look for the yellow yak and the guy all tangled in line.

GRH · 05-04-2004, 09:35 AM

That area is very tidal dependant. You can launch for periwinkle drive out behind the hospital, or stone pier, or right from the jetty off 128 at high tide. However the best time at little river is 2 hours before low, the fish wait in the channel for all the forage to filter off the flats. I'm sure there are other places, however with the outgoing tide, you don't want to be paddlin against that current for long.

tattoobob · 05-04-2004, 04:02 PM

strike king, at the high school there is a new boat launch

bob

Fly Rod · 05-04-2004, 06:16 PM

The estuaries in the Annisquam are excellent places to fish in a kayak!! Especially where the estuaries empty back into the river and there are several!!!!

In Rockport you can launch at Granite pier which has an excellent ramp and is open to the ocean!!! Week days are usually free and the week ends are about 20bucks for the day and plenty of parking!!! Plenty of excellent shore fishing for stripers from a kayak!!! Stratsmith island isn't that far away!!!!

Also there is excellent fishing out at the Rockport break water which you can see when looking east!!!

If fishing north along the coast you can get some nice fishing towards Halibut Point

GRH · 05-10-2004, 08:17 AM

I launched from the High School, (someone dropped some $$ fixing that up) early sat morning. Battled the temps, wind and current up to Little river. fish on the surface as I entered. I quickly cast and land a 18" fish on the first cast of the year. I had issues with my fly rod and the new attachments to my yak. Too many things to snag. Great to be out paddlin again, caught 10-15 schoolies over 90 minutes.

tattoobob · 05-10-2004, 04:37 PM

thanx for the report, i'd like to get out there this week

bob

GRH · 05-19-2004, 07:11 AM

Can anyone in the Cape Ann area give me some information regarding Pebble beach. Are they ever going to do something about the road, or lack of. Its a favorite spot to launch my yak from, now you need a H2 to get through there.

Fly Rod · 05-19-2004, 09:19 PM

I haven't heard of any plans about maintaining the road!!!

It's a popular place for scuba divers!!!

GRH · 05-20-2004, 10:18 AM

Hey fly rod. I am moving back to gloucester in June (i grew up there) whats the deal with rockport parking stickers. I would love to be able to park at Loblolly cove (resident only) rockporters get gloucester stickers but can gloucester residents can't get a rockport sticker

Fly Rod · 05-20-2004, 07:36 PM

You can get a Rockport sticker but it is only good for one beach on south street called Long Beach!!!

That recipocal sticker will not get you any place else in that town!!!

Loblolly is a nice striper haunt!!!

Park at Pebble Beach and kayyak towards there. All good fishing along that shore!!!

Also check at town hall about parking at Pebble!!!

GRH · 05-21-2004, 07:18 AM

The road to pebble is all washed out. You need a tank to get through there, and that section of water gets pretty sloppy just after the beach. Milk island is a favorite of mine, but its a haul from stone pier. Early last year I was launching from old garden beach, until they posted that also. Can you launch from that small cove on gap head, next to the old coast guard station across from straightmouth island?

Fly Rod · 05-21-2004, 09:35 PM

No you can't launch from the old coast guard station!!!

Rockport is getting very anal about you kayakers!!!

Granite pier is free during the week!!! It is well worth the 20 bucks on the weekend!!! You get some awesome fishing from a watercraft!!!