Closing out a strange year

[hq2]

Well, 2020 fishing is about in the books; not many folks out
now except a few crazed toggers. I dunno, it wasn't really that
bad for me, as I'm basically a yakker these days. Got to most
of my spots with my buds in yaks, no social distancing problems
there, and only missed one boat trip, where we usually rent at
BB on Memorial Day. Not as much boat traffic on the water, so
yakking was actually better than before (except for knuckleheads
roaring by with twin 225s in Straitsmouth. Grrrrrrr!)Managed to
score my all time best schoolie trip in June too.

So what do people think? Were things better because there was
less boat traffic on the water, (and less party boats and googans
at your favorite spots), or was not being able to get your friends
on board a major hassle? Sure was different for me...

And on a personal note, as we end this trying year, I once again
remind people on here, many of whom are my age (over 60) that
we are, in fact, at risk. There's only 2 or 3 months left, so don't be
dumb; wear a mask till we get this over with, and fish for another
year. Happy fishing next year to all!

[piemma]

Good post. Those who know me well know I really don't subscribe to many rules. I want to state that 1) I DO where a mask when out. I DO use sanitizer when I get back in my truck and I DO practice social distancing.

We have several people in our family that have been very ill with Covid-19.

[Clammer]

gotta disagree with boat traffic .In Narr Bay ….everyday seemed like a weekend & every weekend seemed like a nice Sunday on July 4th weekend ..alllllllllllllllllllll Fu ckin year ><>

[Got Stripers]

I'd have to agree with Clammer on the boat traffic, it wasn't fun in some of the usual kayak spots this year, not just for traffic; but how early you needed to get to a launch to even insure a spot to park. Early freshwater season was great, caught some monster pickeral this spring, but as with the salt, boy better get there early or no parking, since every one not working seemed to be out fishing.

I then switched to sea bass in upper BB and that was really good as expected. Never really targeted stripers, so I can't offer an opinion, other than my usual spots off gooseberry were surprisingly lacking of schoolie feeds this summer. Some decent tog in the fall and some limited albie success, but at that point I was loosing interest in fishing. I put the yak away earlier in the fall then ever before, I guess its just I've fished for so many years, now I'd rather be out on the golf course. With this warm month in past years, I'd still be fishing, but I just don't have the drive, easier to go 15 minutes and tee one up for some fresh air and exercise for 4-5 hours.

Clammer think back a decade or so and consider where we might be sitting side be side this month catching one holdover after another until our arms got too tired. Can't even fish up there any longer off limits apparently, not that I have any interest at this point. Still hook up with GB often to shoot the sh*t and he helps me gather some good pine for my new carving hobby.

[Jim in CT]

I saw more boat traffic than usual, I think GS nailed it, many people were working less and had more time to get out there.

In the area of Block, had a poor year for stripers (captains I know had more bad days than usual), good year for sea bass. Hoping to get out again for cod/sea bass at Coxs or wherever the RI boats go. Fishing appears to be decent.

[Guppy]

Boat traffic off the wall around here..... seems like a lot more super rigs with a lot more knuckle heads running them...

Pretty good fishin yr. , very few slots, a couple “too bigs” (who’d a thunk it ) ,,,, finally got to tangle with a BFT that wasn’t on a hand line:-) ,,, got some good trips in on the Dangles rocket ship, not nearly as many trip with the usual slackers (friends) :-) miss that the most....

One of my old school buddies is in the hospital with Covid,,, I’m praying in overdrive last few days .... play it safe people....

[Clammer]

Bob ,

We [Denis] closed the book on that place some years sgo ..went it went down to a 12 being a good trip & after a couple of 1,s & 2,s & skunk .

But we had some great time there ………..how about the Thames ……………. acres ,& acres on the machine & now you don,t even hear or read about it .

Providence . drop right off also / even thro there are some very close to it ……….

I,d still take a trip to the wesport River if I had'nt, sold my boat.

We had some good times my friend ><><

[wdmso]

this odd year wont be over come January 1st at least for me until I get the vaccine,

So I retired than got kidney cancer a year today had it removed still looking good ,, then 1st wave of covid kicks in Wife still working at Nursing Home . Meanwhile i am thinking I survived the cancer thing only to have Covid constantly in the back of my mind ,, Summer comes and goes , far less worries , than round 2 shows up a bit bigger than last time .. wives still at the nursing home and covid is taking up space in my head again ... I do what i need to daily , encouraged by the better treatments , but still not willing to roll the dice and Hope I get a Mild case ..

Last time I felt this much apprehension. Was in Iraq anytime we were staged up ready to leave the base on mission ..

But once rolling it was game on and the apprehension vanished

And thats what I do know get rolling and the apprehension vanishes

Sorry for the rant but its been a strange year

[Got Stripers]

Originally Posted by wdmso

this odd year wont be over come January 1st at least for me until I get the vaccine,

So I retired than got kidney cancer a year today had it removed still looking good ,, then 1st wave of covid kicks in Wife still working at Nursing Home . Meanwhile i am thinking I survived the cancer thing only to have Covid constantly in the back of my mind ,, Summer comes and goes , far less worries , than round 2 shows up a bit bigger than last time .. wives still at the nursing home and covid is taking up space in my head again ... I do what i need to daily , encouraged by the better treatments , but still not willing to roll the dice and Hope I get a Mild case ..

Last time I felt this much apprehension. Was in Iraq anytime we were staged up ready to leave the base on mission ..

But once rolling it was game on and the apprehension vanished

And thats what I do know get rolling and the apprehension vanishes

Sorry for the rant but its been a strange year

Rant on Wayne, it's the 2020 theme song, we have all just about had our fill of this year and it will drag on until a vaccine is readily available.

[Nebe]

This has been one of the best years of my life. Yes COVID sucks but I have not a complaint that I can come up with except skyrocketing house prices. I want to buy a house but when I see the prices I laugh.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[Guppy]

Originally Posted by wdmso

this odd year wont be over come January 1st at least for me until I get the vaccine,

So I retired than got kidney cancer a year today had it removed still looking good ,, then 1st wave of covid kicks in Wife still working at Nursing Home . Meanwhile i am thinking I survived the cancer thing only to have Covid constantly in the back of my mind ,, Summer comes and goes , far less worries , than round 2 shows up a bit bigger than last time .. wives still at the nursing home and covid is taking up space in my head again ... I do what i need to daily , encouraged by the better treatments , but still not willing to roll the dice and Hope I get a Mild case ..

Last time I felt this much apprehension. Was in Iraq anytime we were staged up ready to leave the base on mission ..

But once rolling it was game on and the apprehension vanished

And thats what I do know get rolling and the apprehension vanishes

Sorry for the rant but its been a strange year

Just keep movin and...
Pack a lunch, April 1st haddock is right around corner my friend .... :-)

[wdmso]

Originally Posted by Guppy

Just keep movin and...
Pack a lunch, April 1st haddock is right around corner my friend .... :-)

Ill be ready

[hq2]

Won’t everyone.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[fishsmith]

Fishingwise, 2020 was great, I got a hobie outback in May and got a ton of use. In May I was in the midst of baitfish parade off Duxbury beach and had a whale swim under my kayak, it was surreal. Fishing that day was great too picking up schoolies on tinker mackerel. Later that month I tried seabass in BB, there wasn’t much trying as those fish were plentiful. Moving into June I made a trip from Sesuit harbor out to billingsgate shoal, the fishing that day was slow, but I enjoyed the WTF looks from the wire line jiggers out there. As the water warmed and fluke arrived in duxbury/Kingston/Plymouth bays it took a couple trips to get a handle on fluking, but once I got it the fishing was steady but keepers were still 10:1. I took a few trips out of waquoit bay, that was the one and only time I was a bit nervous on the kayak as the mouth of the bay/inlet was much rougher than expected. My goal was to get fluke, but no dice, however that area is a fish potpourri scup, seabass, sea robin ( they’re tasty), Stripers and false albacore. I’m closing out the season tautog fishing, what a great fishery this is, keepers are far and few between, but on light gear a 12” tog is a good fight. Tautog fishing is by far the messiest fishing I’ve done, but oh boy does 6hrs fly by...and an escapee crab left quite the odor in my car for sometime . Lastly freshwater fishing is almost always good, the most interesting pond I fished was Mashpee-Wakeby, only one dinky bass was caught, but the drop offs to 90+ were impressive, I just need to learn how/what to fish deep.
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[Guppy]

Very Nice... I’ve been thinking yak lately...