Moratorium Stories - Page 2 - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

hq2 · 07-02-2014, 02:42 PM

Didn't get going up here till near the end, around '89 and '90. Used
to catch nothing in Naragansett bay, moved to Westport in '90
and caught all the blues and togs we could handle. We were so happy with that we didn't notice that there were no stripers. May have caught one the whole summer of 1990 on a T & W; never bothered to even really try for them. Wasn't till around '97 or '98 that I started looking for stripers (was gone most of the 90s).

Actually, I kind of miss the great bluefishing we had back then; where are they now?
Like Afterhours, I used to hit those Barrington blitzes in September every year, until
they disappeared in '08. Sure miss 'em.

bassballer · 07-01-2014, 09:45 AM

I havent fished the swiming hole in years!!! that stretch of shore has a legendary feel to it. Had some fun nights at B-rock too. I mostly fished Newport area, but it always felt different fishing that area throughout the night. Had a spooky feeling. Coyotes helped that too.

piemma · 07-01-2014, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassballer

I havent fished the swiming hole in years!!! that stretch of shore has a legendary feel to it. Had some fun nights at B-rock too. I mostly fished Newport area, but it always felt different fishing that area throughout the night. Had a spooky feeling. Coyotes helped that too.

Agreed. It has an ancient feel to it. Like you're fishing where man has fished for 1000s of years.

I wish Eben would chime in. He knows some stuff about the old bass stands. I have stumbled on a few but he know a lot about them

stripermaineiac · 07-01-2014, 09:59 AM

Like at moonstone. I swear those rocks talk.

Mike P · 07-01-2014, 11:19 AM

There was never a moratorium, recreational or commercial, in Mass. They did gradually up the size limit from 24" to 36" over the 80s. You could still pick away at bass in the Canal and from the beaches. I caught some decent sized fish soaking fresh squid from Plymouth Beach. We'd go to the Vineyard twice a year, May and October. We got some bass on squid from South Beach in the spring. In the fall, bass were removed from the Derby in either 1985 or 1986, so we concentrated on bluefish. It was "civilized" fishing. Sleep in, grab a coffee and breakfast from Dippin' Donuts on the way out to Katama or Wasque, pack a lunch, then cruise from Katama to Pogue looking for slicks. Off the beach at dusk, dinner, sleep all night.

RickBomba · 07-01-2014, 12:39 PM

I always sucked at catching stripers, even pre-moratorium. I think the first one that I ever caught was like 8 inches long on a Kastmaster fishing for snappers at West Dennis Beach in 1981 or 1982.

I started really fishing for them when Mikey and I moved to the cape in 1995. Caught lots of schoolies, but no keepers (although I watched Mikey hook up with a good one that he lost at Nauset on an eel. I bet he doesn't remember that).

I caught lots of blues, though. Everywhere I went. I was like the bluefish whisperer. I dated a girl that did post-grad work at the Northeastern Research station at Nahant in 1993. I used to go there on the weekends. All bluefish on lures.

The first keeper I caught was in 1997 in Nahant. I didn't know how to find any bait shops, so I drove around until I found a Shaws in Lynn and bought some mackerel at the fish counter for bait. I tried to find my way back to the Northeastern place and forgot how to get there and ended up at Bass Point.

I was so dejected at this point, I just cut the tail off the mackerel and cast off the rocks like 10 feet above the water. I went to go grab a smoke and a beer and handed by buddy the rod (who I think had never been fishing before). Started mumbling that the reel was broken. I turned around and the rod was doubled over. He had no idea that he had a big fish on the line.

That spot did me well for the next 8 years. Had lots of fun there, especially with Mikey.

Always caught a lot of just keepers and most always put them back at that point, because I was too lazy to walk them back to the car.

Lost a couple of good ones there...also had some great run-ins with the local cops out there, as well. They were always hilarious...oh, the stories.

Rockport24 · 07-01-2014, 12:46 PM

let's hear some of those stories Rick!

on the moratorium - I grew up spending my summers in Rockport at my grandfather's place - I never fished, but would spend a lot of time rock hopping for fun and I never remember ever seeing one fishermen out there. If you go to the spots I used to rock hop in the early 90's today, the white bucket brigade is out there most of the day soaking bait. Interesting...

RickBomba · 07-01-2014, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockport24

let's hear some of those stories Rick!

on the moratorium - I grew up spending my summers in Rockport at my grandfather's place - I never fished, but would spend a lot of time rock hopping for fun and I never remember ever seeing one fishermen out there. If you go to the spots I used to rock hop in the early 90's today, the white bucket brigade is out there most of the day soaking bait. Interesting...

Ok, the first one was from the summer of 1997, when the Lynn Woods were on fire. They fire was under the leaves...it smouldered for like a week. Anyway, Mikey and I were fishing and Mikey decided to light a SMALL fire on the rocks (small...like two pieces of wood).

The locals called the cops and they came out guns-a-blazing. I remember one of them saying to Mikey "You'll be sorry when I drag your corpse off the smouldering rocks!"

There were no trees, no leaves, nothing around us even to burn. Just rocks...Oh well (Mikey put the fire out).

The next good one was I was out there by myself about 5 years ago, and there were these two guys hooting and hollering casting HUGE bucktails into the water and getting hung up. They were hammered. It was like 11 in the morning. They were really loud, and also both bald.

The next thing I know, I see some goth kids walking around on the rocks. I remember it being weird because they had a bike with them. Anyway, I see the kids and say "What's Up."

About an hour later, three cops show up and ask me if I had "a beef with the emo kids" and "threw their bike in the water."

I was laughing really hard at this point, and the cops asked me where my beer was. I told them I didn't have any, and then told them about my bald brothers that they must have missed on the way in. One cop actually had his hand on his pistol during this whole interchange.

OK, that's two...there was a naked photo shoot out there once. Not very professional. So many others weird stories.

piemma · 07-01-2014, 02:11 PM

We should start a thread with weird fishing stories. Like the mid-November night my partner and I walk up on a guy getting a BJ from a very attractive lady. Mind you it's November, about 25 degrees and here's this chick on her knees on a beach in the middle of no where.

Ricky, give us a couple more.

spence · 07-02-2014, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by piemma

We should start a thread with weird fishing stories.

Ghost children...man that was freaky.

-spence

PaulS · 07-01-2014, 01:33 PM

Enjoy reading everyone's stories. I really didn't start fishing seriously until about 1995 so things were looking up then.

Nebe · 07-01-2014, 02:24 PM

I once had an epic battle with bath mat. Thought I had a fish of a lifetime. Then thought it was a cow nosed ray
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stripermaineiac · 07-01-2014, 05:51 PM

LOL Some of you guys are making me feel just a little bit on the older side. LOL Top of the Dock used to be a meeting place.NESGA,RISurfcasres Association,Pinetree Surfcaters, MSBA,RIMS were just a few of the old clubs.

piemma · 07-02-2014, 02:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stripermaineiac

LOL Some of you guys are making me feel just a little bit on the older side. LOL Top of the Dock used to be a meeting place.NESGA,RISurfcasres Association,Pinetree Surfcaters, MSBA,RIMS were just a few of the old clubs.

How about "Plugman"?
Fishing under the lights at the Andrea Hotel in the Fall.
Epic blitzes in front of the Watch Hill Light in Oct.
Pinetree Surfcasters use to always be on the beach at Fresh Pond Rock for the Fall run.....which just doesn't happen anymore..

Rockport24 · 07-01-2014, 08:09 PM

LOL!!! Classic stories
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afterhours · 07-02-2014, 06:21 AM

haven't seen a "fall run" in soco in over 5yrs...not striper related but remember the epic blue fishing on barrington beach every year...'till about 5-6 years ago.

JohnR · 07-02-2014, 07:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by afterhours

haven't seen a "fall run" in soco in over 5yrs...not striper related but remember the epic blue fishing on barrington beach every year...'till about 5-6 years ago.

Yeh - that died too - as did across the bay on my side. Could walk down to the beach and look north and south and see one massive school of blues with some bass mixed in

piemma · 07-02-2014, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnR

Yeh - that died too - as did across the bay on my side. Could walk down to the beach and look north and south and see one massive school of blues with some bass mixed in

Yup. As Dylan said "The times they are a-changin'"

bassballer · 07-02-2014, 07:14 AM

My dad and I used to cruise the upper bay all day long catching blitzing bluefish till my 12 yr old arms would fall off. Middle of the day, 85 deg, didn't matter.
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RIROCKHOUND · 07-02-2014, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassballer

My dad and I used to cruise the upper bay all day long catching blitzing bluefish till my 12 yr old arms would fall off. Middle of the day, 85 deg, didn't matter.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Yup.
In the early-mid 2000's, once the big bass moved out of the shallows of the lower bay in mid-June, the bluefish would invade. Targeting the blitzes with ultra light tackle or jigging bluefish next to the bridge was a standard august pastime in my 13ft whaler.

Rockport24 · 07-02-2014, 04:15 PM

yeah didn't we have a thread going about fishing ghost stories? many were from the canal..

nightfighter · 07-02-2014, 04:51 PM

Ahhh the memories of fall runs that began in August with huge schools of peanuts getting smashed as they were corralled up to the shore....Guys in shorts, guys in suits, kids, it might last for hours. I could be in water only up to my knees and fish would be busting behind me! Never heard nor saw anyone bit by a bluefish either, at least just standing in the water as they swam around out bare legs...Early cellphone networks got developed and you figured out who your friends were. But it was relatively widespread and you could almost plan your day around when to be there. Really good, fun times. Then it didn't happen, and hasn't since.

piemma · 07-03-2014, 05:29 AM

It was 90 or 91 and I was working for IBM in Boston. The uniform of the day for Big Blue was white shirt, rep striped tie and blue suit. There were some cellphones but not many but we all had pagers (remember pagers?).
Well my pager goes off and it says blues at Deep Hole. I immediately left Boston for "The Hole". I always had a rod, plug bag and waders in my truck. I got to Deep Hole in record time and there are 3 guys on the bar. Everyone is hooked up and the Blues are just smashing peanuts.
I threw the waders on and headed out to the bar. On the way out there's a guy coming in and he looks at me and says. "Hey you gotta loose the suit jacket and tie." In my haste to get in on the blitz I had forgotten to even take off the suit jacket never mind the tie.

Must have looked bizarre with old fashioned rubber waders and a white shirt, suit jacket and tie.

snake slinger · 07-03-2014, 07:44 AM

Great stories. Jacket and tie. Lol
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