Questions for the "Skishers" out there - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

DaveS · 03-14-2003, 12:19 PM

I'm a strong swimmer, and I aint affraid of much('cept spiders

), so I think I wanna go further off the beach, hit some rocks that are a little ways off the beach, and I need to know about wet suits and foot wear. Whadaya need???? I just wanna get set up with the right attire for this type of fishing.

Jenn · 03-14-2003, 12:37 PM

MountainBreeze · 03-14-2003, 12:45 PM

Hey Dave,

Sorry I don't have any useful input, like Jenn...

Just wondered if you have seen Bill Jakob's profile on the Van Staal site.

That is INSANE!

Be safe,
Rob

Duke41 · 03-14-2003, 01:05 PM

Dude,

Go buy a boat for chrisakes. Next thing you know he will be fishing Southwest Ledge. What an animal.

DaveS · 03-14-2003, 01:20 PM

Yup, I saw it and thats a little too far out for me I think. I just wanna get a little further out from the waters edge ya know, those rocks that are out past where your waders can take ya.

Jenn, you better stop it or else!

Notaro · 03-15-2003, 01:38 AM

man, that's suidicial. there are things besides seals, for ex. sharks. if u re gonna do it, pack a heat on ya, man. i mean by gun. if anything that happens, u know what to do. alternatively, do it with a partner.

Spiderman · 03-15-2003, 08:17 AM

you need a 3mm wetsuit in summer ,a 5 or 7mm suit in spring or fall . wetsuit booties ,wading boots or sneakers and korkers. Everything on your belt needs a lanyard or a retractible cord.your bag should have belt loops , so it doesnt float off you or float up and strangle you . Your bag should have lots of velcro or some other help to keep it closed while swimming to a rock

Joe · 03-15-2003, 08:58 AM

There is a special site for that - you should probably ask there. But why?
Have you finished exploring RI's 400 miles of waterfront on foot, and are now looking for a new challenge? You can do great in RI or Mass without going to that extreme. If you want to fish water that no one else does, get a bike or put on your walking shoes.

As far as I can tell that style of fishing evolved as result of the over crowding at places like Montauk and the Jersey shore - a problem we don't have. There are a couple of local guys who do it that I know of - but there is an awful lot that can go wrong - particularly if you are alone. Dislocate a shoulder, cut yourself, knock yourself out, break a bone - and Jack - you dead.
Just because you are not afraid it does not mean you should'nt be.

DaveS · 03-15-2003, 11:16 AM

True Joe, but I can get killed any night I'm out standing on a rock at Watch Hill or Naps also right? I got many years experience walking on some of the nastiest rocks U can imagine and the spots I wanna go out on really aint that bad, I just wanna get a little further out to those rocks that them big bastages seem to break me off on too frequently. While I do fish alone 90% of the time, I would'nt go to the extreme without a buddy with me( I aint stupid

). Thx for the input Stripermatic,do ya know a good site for wetsuits and stuff?

CowHunter · 03-15-2003, 01:27 PM

Dave, I've been gradually improving on the wetsuit thing the last few years and last year I spent pretty much all of June, July, August, October, and some of November in a wetsuit. I really improved on all my eqiptment and utilized it often. All I can say is invest in the very best equiptment. Depending on weather I will go with either a 3mm or 5mm wetsuit($250. 3mm/ $400 5mm). I only use the Henderson Gold Core, no other wetsuits that I have tried even come close. For the cold I add a Henderson Gold Core hooded Vest with either 3mm or 5mm, ($80)I use the Orvis Studded Henry Fork wading shoes with Orvis bootie socks w/ gravel Guards ($150 / $30). The best fins I have used are force fins and I carry them with me if I will be swimming out to rocks in deep water or strong current, ($120). The belt I use is a a Police tactical Nylon belt with triple snap, ($30). On the belt I have a randal knife, ($160.), 60lb Boga Grip, ($300), Donmar Pliers, ($130)and a Police PR-24 Holder to put my rod in when I am swimming out, ($10. - Very Important Piece of Equiptment). Not including Rod and reel I am already out about $1500. just on equiptment. I have wetsuited Rhody, Block, Cutty regularly. It isn't as easy as it looks especially at night, in slop, and in current. I've swam from Cuttyhunk to Nashaweena and that wasn't fun in a 25-30mph SWer, hit the current in that channel and I was drifting FAST, it was hard to tell wich way you were going in the fog, wind and slop. Iv'e done some stupid things for these fish!

bassmaster · 03-15-2003, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by CowHunter
I've swam from Cuttyhunk to Nashaweena and that wasn't fun in a 25-30mph SWer, hit the current in that channel and I was drifting FAST, it was hard to tell wich way you were going in the fog, wind and slop. Iv'e done some stupid things for these fish! [/B]

You are going to get hurt doing that. I have fished those island Very hard from a boat. Your lucky You didnt get ran over it any boat where around.
If You got pulled out to The Hell Rip out front You would Be in a world Of Poop Bubba
Just Be carefull will ya
BM

Joe · 03-15-2003, 03:02 PM

I'm not questioning if it works or not - it is unquestionably an effective method of catching. The guys I know who do it are very good.

And it is true- you can get hurt at Watch Hill or at Napatree, I do both spots regularly as well as the Avenues in Narragansett and some other spots that would curl your hair. But comparing rock hoping to swimming off into the night may not be the most accurate analogy.

I'm not the type of person who is closed to the viability of different approaches - I'm finding that there are many ways to practice our sport and that surfcasting is much more of a creative outlet than I originally thought. All I'm saying is if the guys at Montauk had our shoreline they may not have taken to swimming to the offshore rocks for elbow room.

DaveS · 03-16-2003, 12:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by CowHunter
I've swam from Cuttyhunk to Nashaweena and that wasn't fun in a 25-30mph SWer, hit the current in that channel and I was drifting FAST, it was hard to tell wich way you were going in the fog, wind and slop. Iv'e done some stupid things for these fish!

Ken are you crazy? Thats asking to get killed man, I just wanna go into water that would fill up a pair of waders ya know? Like maybe another 50 feet off the tip at Naps or sumthin like that, with out having to wear soaked waders all night lol. Swam to Nashaweena?????????? Bro, dont do that chit no more, after 10x10 died we dont wanna hear of another guy going down like that. By the way Ken, you live in Union? I live in Rahway myself.

fishweewee · 03-16-2003, 06:46 AM

You guys are nuts.

for

1) Swimming at night

2) Swimming around rocks at night

3) Swimming around rocks at night with current

4) Swimming around rocks at night with current and sharks

5) Swimming around rocks at night with current and sharks alone.

My suggestion: invest in a good swim buddy and a life insurance policy.

Diamondwrapper · 03-16-2003, 10:31 AM

I fish Montauk a lot in the fall and as far as I'm concerned wet suiting is the way to go. The reason I got into it was because I don't swim well at all. I don't go into water that is over chest deep, but sometimes that depth is 100 yards off shore, and that's where the ladies live. I make sure that the suit I have on floats me with all the gear I have with me. I use a Seaquest 7mm with 5mm arms and 3mm around the neck and wrists. I've gone down in waders a few times and besides being COLD, it scared the **** out of me. I don't know what the conditions are where you fish, but if it puts you in a better location and it's not too dangeruos, I say " Go for it "

CowHunter · 03-16-2003, 01:29 PM

I might do some crazy things at times, but believe me I take all the precautions I can for safety. If you spend alot of time on the water than you should be pretty familiar with the water, currents, and tides you fish. Sometimes the fish just arent on the beach in numbers, especially during the summer months. In alot of rocky shorelines, to increase you're catch it becomes necesarry to get out to the "Reef line" where the bass will be traveling. This is common On alot of Rhody'y coastline, Martha's, Block and so on. One of the oddest to fish is Cuttyhunk, I've snorkeled and fished some parts of that island and it is amazing how deep it gets right off the beach. There are a few nice rocks you can get on in a wetsuit, however it becomes pretty unneccessary. The fish tend to be right on the beach almost all the time as opposed to the other spots I mentioned, where you really increase you're odds the further you are out. I can't say you would need a wetsuit fishing alot of Newport, Beavertail, Naragansett, or other areas where you are fishing pretty deep water right of the beach. Weather or not you need a wetsuit really depends on where you will spend most of you're time fishing. The way I look at it, alot of those spots that are fished from shore get pounded from surfcasters. Once in the summer months you begin to pick alot of resident fish and as the water warms they tend to be deeper unless there is bait on the beach. I want to get out on some of those outer rocks and fish some of that "Virgin" water....All I know is when others are complaining on how slow it is I just smile....
As far as swimming out to and fishing Nashaweena from shore....When I didn't find them 30+lbers on the beach in Cutty I found them there. Think those fish get as much pressure there as Cutty?

Duke41 · 03-16-2003, 02:30 PM

Cowhunter $1500 worth of gear and no life vest? My friend I hope I am not reading about you next summer. I admire your courage but you can imagine how you would feel if it all went wrong. Which it does from time to time. How about a swim buddy at least. Even Navy Seals swim with a buddy.

CowHunter · 03-16-2003, 03:09 PM

Duke, You will be amazed at how much bouyancy you get out of a wetsuit....Alot of propulsion out of a good set of fins too..I love Force Fins. As far as getting a buddy to go with me, Its hard to find somebody that will do the same type of fishing I do. I usually go away for 3-4 days a week, living out of the truck. There are a few guys I do fish with though, however the majority of the time I am on my own....

milo · 03-16-2003, 03:43 PM

HI Ken ,I knew you were hardcore ,but not about the wetsuitin,how long you been at it?When I saw you last it looked like were wetsuitng with your waders

...Stay safe man

Goose · 03-16-2003, 03:53 PM

Haveing the right gear and knowledge does allow you to do some of the things CH is doing. I fished nasty rocks and strong surf also. Having the right gear makes a world of a difference. Knowing these areas and tide marks is key.

There is a big adrenline rush just gettting out to and being on unreachable rocks. Going thru the crest of waves and swallowin salt is all part of the passion of being on the edge.

Hey CH, can you think back on an incident that was a close call? How good are you from learning from your mistakes? Accidents are accidents are accidents. Sounds like your pretty serious about extreme fishin and its good ta here your doin it right....... dude, find a trustfull buddie(priceless

) and put your life first.

There isn't a fish out there thats worth my life.

CowHunter · 03-16-2003, 03:56 PM

Hey Milo, I've done the wetsuit thing for a while but not like last year. I made alot of improvements on my equiptment and did it alot Last season. I think last season I utilized the wetsuit more so than all my other years combined.

CowHunter · 03-16-2003, 04:05 PM

Goose, I've been lucky and really haven't had any close calls or "Accidents"...Knock on wood. Made some misjudgements on current and was taken out about a quarter of a mile+ more than I would have liked. Been to the point where my legs were numb from kicking a few times. Staying in shape helps big time. I've been in situations where it had gotten really tiring, but nothing that posed threat. It really isn't as easy as it looks. Night time can be really decieving at times though....