Plugs For Cuttyhunk

[Skitterpop]

Originally Posted by Redsoxticket

What kind of tape?

I would use light weight ace bandages...ankle support and help with the boulders

[tlapinski]

Originally Posted by JohnR

Please tell!

Yes, that place has all the ingredients! As well as a high factor to break your assbone and need to wait until mid day to get back to civilization...

As I said, we had a good pod of fish set up in a bowl with mullet pinned against the shore. I noticed a nice boulder about 20' from shore that looked like perfect casting platform. Only problem was that the surf was up and the water was close to neck deep to get to the rock. Oh well, the fish were in and it was the 3rd and final night of our trip. The one night I didn't wear my wetsuit too. I figured there was nothing to loose so I just went for it. First cast, I was on. Since I pretty much swam to my rock, to land fish from there I had to jump in and swim them back to shore. The waves were breaking at my waist on the rock so landing on it was near impossible. At times I was actually fighting the fish behind me since the water was so deep off the rock. I would jump off the rock when they went to shore, fight the waves and fish, then pretty much bear hug the fish when they would swim into me. It's pretty cool being one on one with a bass in a roaring surf. I was taking waves over my head, going under water, and coming up with 25#+ bass in my hands on fish after fish. Adam hooked into a nice one at one point, but he was back on the shore. Oh well, back into the water for me. As he stood up on the shore, I went head long into the waves and came out with his 2nd 35 of the blitz. Then there was Andy's fish. She just would not come back to life for him, so it was out into the seas to try to get her going. I spent a good 10 minutes trying to swim her back to life. Unfortunately, it was not to be for her that night and I had to reluctantly toss her on the beach. Waves crashing over my head, drags screaming all around us, it was truly my heaven that night. When it was all but done, our little group was finished. The sun was starting to come up and we were dead tired. One by one we put the night to rest. Make one last cast or two, then join the others at the base of the dune for a chance to reflect. We all kind of stood there for a few minutes in complete silence at first, just taking in all that had gone on over the past 6 hours. We had found fish at every spot we tried, and nothing seemed to be wrong. As we made our way to the top of the bluff, I had to stop and look down on the bowl. The sun was just starting to come up and everything seemed so peaceful for me. Had I not been a part of the blitz, I would have had no idea what had gone on the past few hours by simply looking at the water. The surf had settled down, the fished moved on, and the only signs of life were the shore birds starting to wake up and the one lonely boat sitting at the edge of the bowl bobbing up and down in the remaining waves. Very few times in my life have I felt the way I did at that moment. All was right in my world. This was an experience I will not soon forget.

I have been fortunate to have some memorable nights out there in just a short amount of time. Regardless of where the rest of my surf career takes me, I will not soon forget the time spent on Cuttyhunk with some of my closest freinds banging away at bass. For a true striped bass-a-holic, part of you never leaves the island.

[tlapinski]

Originally Posted by NIB

Toby ur my idol.

NIB, I'm just lucky. I think anyone that puts a couple nights in out there can have similar results.

[Slingah]

Originally Posted by tlapinski

As I said, we had a good pod of fish set up in a bowl with mullet pinned against the shore. I noticed a nice boulder about 20' from shore that looked like perfect casting platform. Only problem was that the surf was up and the water was close to neck deep to get to the rock. Oh well, the fish were in and it was the 3rd and final night of our trip. The one night I didn't wear my wetsuit too. I figured there was nothing to loose so I just went for it. First cast, I was on. Since I pretty much swam to my rock, to land fish from there I had to jump in and swim them back to shore. The waves were breaking at my waist on the rock so landing on it was near impossible. At times I was actually fighting the fish behind me since the water was so deep off the rock. I would jump off the rock when they went to shore, fight the waves and fish, then pretty much bear hug the fish when they would swim into me. It's pretty cool being one on one with a bass in a roaring surf. I was taking waves over my head, going under water, and coming up with 25#+ bass in my hands on fish after fish. Adam hooked into a nice one at one point, but he was back on the shore. Oh well, back into the water for me. As he stood up on the shore, I went head long into the waves and came out with his 2nd 35 of the blitz. Then there was Andy's fish. She just would not come back to life for him, so it was out into the seas to try to get her going. I spent a good 10 minutes trying to swim her back to life. Unfortunately, it was not to be for her that night and I had to reluctantly toss her on the beach. Waves crashing over my head, drags screaming all around us, it was truly my heaven that night. When it was all but done, our little group was finished. The sun was starting to come up and we were dead tired. One by one we put the night to rest. Make one last cast or two, then join the others at the base of the dune for a chance to reflect. We all kind of stood there for a few minutes in complete silence at first, just taking in all that had gone on over the past 6 hours. We had found fish at every spot we tried, and nothing seemed to be wrong. As we made our way to the top of the bluff, I had to stop and look down on the bowl. The sun was just starting to come up and everything seemed so peaceful for me. Had I not been a part of the blitz, I would have had no idea what had gone on the past few hours by simply looking at the water. The surf had settled down, the fished moved on, and the only signs of life were the shore birds starting to wake up and the one lonely boat sitting at the edge of the bowl bobbing up and down in the remaining waves. Very few times in my life have I felt the way I did at that moment. All was right in my world. This was an experience I will not soon forget.

I have been fortunate to have some memorable nights out there in just a short amount of time. Regardless of where the rest of my surf career takes me, I will not soon forget the time spent on Cuttyhunk with some of my closest freinds banging away at bass. For a true striped bass-a-holic, part of you never leaves the island.

great story T-Lap.....memories like that are forever...thanks for sharing it

[In The Surf]

Absolutely great story Toby, wish it was on video. Now that's what I would call reality TV.

[NIB]

Originally Posted by tlapinski

NIB, I'm just lucky. I think anyone that puts a couple nights in out there can have similar results.

U Have been there,an u have the same passion for the sport that I do but it's in a much younger body.45 is not old but a lifetime of tilework makes some rockhoppin more difficult.I don't complain I still will go where most won't.
Nice story.I have shared similar fishing experiences with good friends of mine.Not to worry they will never evaporate.In part its one of the reasons we do what we do.U never know when the next memory of a lifetime will come.Hope u have many more.

[tlapinski]

NIB, I'm not that young anymore myself. Pushing 28 now....

[nightfighter]

so now that we've had a few groups return from the island, what was taking fish?

[BigFish]

As in your pm Ross, had we been able to employ more swimmers/dannies.....they surely would have brought up the bigger fish. It was very, VERY weedy and the only decent fish I had on took a danny on one of the very few weedless retrieves I was able to manage. Make sure you are armed with killer swimmers and use them when you can....otherwise.....make some noise on top!

[Tagger]

Cutty ? A madman told me "Predators",, He may be insane though ..

[Finaddict]

Larry,

I already spoke to Don about the trip several times, can't get it out of my blood and I fear that Ross' invitation will spoil me forever ... hmm ... I wonder what kind of job market they have out on Cutty? ...

... anyway, the weed, was it everywhere you went or was it limited to one side of the island? Our trip is about two weeks off, so I'm not expecting the same conditions, however, can you easily fish one side of the island or another? I know transportation is all on foot, but how is getting around the island? I'm a stubborn and determined angler who just wants to catch fish, so I will walk through fire to get to fish.

Andy

[BigFish]

Andy....we walked alot of turf and left no stone unplugged! The weed was definitely a negative factor. The sun was bright during the day with no cloud cover what so ever so naturally the fish were not that active. Metal lipped swimmers would have been the order of the day as I did get a nice fish on one of the few weedless retrieves I made however I dropped it! By night the bite was just as slow and you needed swimmers to raise the fish and the weed prohibited us from using them as much as we wanted. You will fish mostly the eastern portion of the island....follow those that are in your party....they have been there or at least a few of them. Plug every boulder you can and leave none unplugged.

[Slipknot]

Originally Posted by Tagger

Cutty ? A madman told me "Predators",, He may be insane though ..

the one time I have fished there at night from shore, my copies of a predator were the only plug I had hits on so I will have the "Alien" in my bag this Sept. when I return for sure.

[ThrowingTimber]

Originally Posted by Flaptail

Tape your ankles, and yes, I am serious.

Inner tube. We use it when we're shooting birds in mud. slide the inner tube over your boot. Holding it out in front of you, give it a half twist, so it looks like a figure 8 now. Now run it through your boot again, so it catches your boot at its narrowest point. Holds korkers on nice too.