POLL: How Are You Faring So Far (Bass) vs. Past Seasons

[fishweewee]

With all the talk of how the striper fishing has been, I was just wondering if you guys would care to comment and maybe add a little anecdotal color as to how you're doing.

If you do participate in the poll, would appreciate if you guys give an idea of the general vicinity of where you're fishing (i.e., Newport, RI or Outer Beaches, Cape Cod or NJ/Long Island/CT, etc) and whether you are primarily a boat or shore angler.

I haven't been out that much so far, but for me the season seemed to start late given the cold winter and then sorta faded fast as the hot weather set in. Not surprisingly, I fared better this year (so far) on boats in CT rather than from the beach in RI.

I haven't gotten out enough to see if changes in approach or methods would make a difference, but would be intrigued to hear of any you might have.

[fishweewee]

By the way, I voted for "Eben sucks."

[Bass Babe]

Shore -- Cape Cod, some RI every now and then. I seem to be catching a little fewer fish this year, but they're substantially bigger.

[BigFish]

I thought it could not get worse than last year......well....it did!

[spence]

I have the distinct honor of being the only person on the board who's doing worse than BigFish

-spence

[Notaro]

I voted that, too.

I caught several bass on plugs and jigs with a good success. But it's slow. I have been doign well fluking on the boat. Overally, it's slow. I am not expert on this.

[BigBo]

I fish mostly by boat from Boston Harbor on down to the Cape with some shore fishing thrown in. Overall, this year has been one of the worst for me, but that's more attributable to my job preventing me from getting out as much as I'd like. So that being said, I voted that I don't care. I just like being on the water and getting out there regardless. I'm hoping for a good fall.

[basswipe]

With the demise of my beloved '91 Dakota(sarcasm) I've been limited on occasion to where I can fish so its been not as good as I had hoped for.But that's all about to change VERY SOON.Going brand new and get to increase my debt even more!

[Slingah]

I am not fishing nearly as much as years past, so Id have to say when I do I cant complain bout numbers or notice a change
I voted..I just like to get out

[BrianS]

The quality of my keeper size has increased
but I havent been catching as many small ones.

Granted, I havent been going out quite on last years pace... or maybe it just feels like that recently.. ask me in a couple months..

[Raider Ronnie]

very good year on my boat, though bass fishing is very slow this time of the year! right now it's LOTS of blue fish!!!

I'm hoping to try fishing from the beach in the fall if anyone wants to take me with them in the fall!!!

[ThrowingTimber]

Had been doing well until mid July, but then new resp. at work have totally owned me and any free time

[Biteme]

We had the best spring on the Cape in years, but as soon as the weather warmed it shut off. Most of my fishing is from shore. It's funny there is tons of bait around , but no fish. I fished off Fishers Island (Conn.) a couple of weeks ago and killed them, fish everywhere. I have more keepers than last year, but I caught them in the first couple of months. Maybe the fall will be better?

[BigFish]

Always a seat with me Ron....maybe go with Van and Tony and I when we venture to the suds? I won't catch fish but you guys will slay!

[BassyiusMaximus]

. . . mainly because of the fact that I've been able to go more this season than in the past 3 or 4 combined. I usually fish the Cape/Vineyard Sound/Elizabeth Islands and as my buddy got a boat where we live in the Merrimack Valley we have been able to fish the mouth of the Merrimack/Joppa Flats/Plum Island so I've been learning the in's and out's of that area as well. From what I've seen and been able to catch in the Merrimack/Joppa, I can see that there are plenty of fish up that way, in July and here in August there have been tons of schoolies in the river which is good to see.

Now down the cape I've seen the numbers of bass go way up since I started fishing there in the early 80's as a kidster. I've seen blitzes of bass this summer like I've never seen before, and these are inshore blitzes that are right off jetties and beaches. For a week during an incoming tide cycle, at the same time every night there were bass-blitzes where the size of fish ranged from small up to 32 inches in the Woods Hole channel, it is very nice to see all size of fish that will grow up and keep everything going.

My take on what is happening with the striped bass is that they might be eating everything else. This season more than any, we've been able to catch the largest Black Sea Bass and Scup as compared to every other previous year, from what I've heard this could be a harbinger of things to come when there are only larger fish left there aren't many smaller ones left. People are already worried about the fluke and I have to agree that there are big ones but fewer shorts and it could be overfishing or the predatory striped bass are eating all the small ones, could be cyclical as some suggest or it could be me. But to answer the question, for the time I have been so fortunate to put in, this season has been the best so far! Glad you asked.

[Nebe]

my biggist compalint has mor eto do about personal stuff.. so i havnet been fishing as much as i would like too.. plus gas prices are killing me. but as far as fishing goes, im having a pretty good year- lots and lots of fish in the high teens, a spattering of 20 lbers.. its been good. last night i stumbled upon a monster pod of bass that had peanuts cornered and was amazed at the #'s of splashes.. must have been thousands of bass & bloos.. they were fussy though.

All in all i say things are looking good.


I voted that I suck. no actually i voted that i really dont care what i catch, im just out having fun any way.. its a hobby not a job

[Cod Hunter]

Cape Cod and Plymouth mostly for me in a boat and it has been worse than past years, but, I have not fished as much either.

[BassyiusMaximus]

. . . with the poll question that says "I don't care whether or not I catch." There was a philosopher long ago who said that " . . . (he) I would fish if there were no fish left in the ocean." Now I think that says alot about how hardcore a fisherman that guy was.

I remember an article I had read way back that did a great job of categorizing fishermen and the stages they go through and it went something like;

The fisherman who wants to catch alot of fish (kids).
The fisherman who wants to catch the biggest fish or a certain kind of fish,
The fisherman who wants to be out fishing not caring how many or how big, fishing to fish, and, the fisherman who likes seeing other people catch fish.

While I like to fish and like to catch fish, I do like taking friends and family out to catch fish and I pretend like I'm the Charterboat Captain and mate, operating the boat and putting people on the fish, rigging all the lines and tackle and baiting and netting.

I notice a strange phenomenon among friends whom I take out fishing. After a short time or if we have moved from place to place, that they either get bored or tired since they often wait until I catch a fish before they fish. Sometimes I think they are resting since beating it from one place to another can be tiring while I am so used to it and could go for many more hours when they haven't been on a boat maybe all season, either that or they are observing me and seeing how I'm operating the rod/lure/bait in the water. But I'll tell you, once I hook up, I've never seen people spring to life and in such a rush to get a line in the water. That is the thing, I usually have to catch one to motivate the troops.

Anyhow, I hope this was not "off-topic."

[JohnR]

I have not wet a line for a bass in over a month, just have had to do other things, but getting that line wet come September!!!

I see a lot of mixed, good anglers not getting fish, good anglers getting. I'm hearing areas that the fishing sucks, and other areas where it is good...

But I think that happens every year, a few years ago, Boston Harbor was unreal and Rhody was dead, but things have reversed. The shore guys on the cape might not be doing as well as normal but the boat guys were doing better.

I'm concerned over the total state of the fishery and I guess we'll see in a month when the new numbers come out...

[Rob Rockcrawler]

This has been my best year so far. More fish and they are larger. i strike some of it up as just beeing a better fisherman than past years. For some reason all the crap that i learned in the past kinda fell in place this year and it has made a big difference.