July 4th was Thursday. As I reviewed fleet schedules, Eastman's had a marathon. It seemed that spots were still available as of Wednesday evening. I decided to leave early morning and try. I would go to allday if a spot was not available. As I called a little before 4 on my way, I could reserve a spot. So I kept driving to the office and checked in. The spot was the middle of starboard. Most of the people looked regulars, who were willing to go fishing for 12 hours that day! There were only several of rental rods. Main stream were 7-8’ sturdy jigging rods. Lady Merrilee Ann 3 left the dock at 5 and went out for 2 hours.
I brought 6.6’ UglyStik with Okuma level wind reel. Jigs were 14 oz Eagle Claw, which I bought at Kittery trading post for $9.99 sale price. Two regulars next to me brought in a big bleeding bucket and two 150 QT size cooler boxes with full of crushed ice. They got a few pollock very soon, removed gut and gill, bled in the bucket, and placed on ice neatly. I asked if it made difference. They said that meat would become lighter color and taste good. What marathon ready people!
I got steady bites of pollock too although it was slower than the party next to me. They casted a jig in long distance and continuously jigged up and down with holding a rod on the rail. Although I tried to copy them, I could not catch up them. They also got more cod. I managed to keep one cod but mostly 6-8 lb size of pollock. I kept yo-yo jigging. Catch didn’t change much, little shorts, no dog and no big ones. In the end, I got 10, 9 pollock and 1 cod. Although it was not very good as a marathon, it was not a bad trip. I would say good.
Compared to the next regulars I was way behind for casting distance and the number of keepers. I could get some on the stainless type of jig that day but they used Angerman. I wondered that Angerman jig or Lav jig might really outfish. As I saw the cleaning, 10 keepers were not so bad in the boat. I got dinner and some stock for lunch!
9/29/2013
9/23/2013
August Frances Fluke
When I checked south of cape fleets, I was interested in fluke trips. It seems that peak season is August. As I talked with a fisherman I met often at local piers that let us go fluke fishing in summer, I scheduled a trip in middle August. We drove to Frances fleet.
As I found in the report that fluke up to 7 lb were caught, I brought in a rod for cod with Okuma Avenger ABF50 spinning reel with 50 lb PowerPro I used for striper. I also prepared a 5.5’ light rod with Shimano reel with 30 lb braid. As for a rig, I had no idea what was the right rig before the trip. I brought bulk hooks of bait holder 5/0 and some leaders, and planned to make a rig after seeing what other fishermen do. I also bought Gulp swimming mullet and a 3 oz SPRO bucktail jig.
When we got to the dock at Point Judith around 6:40, most of the spot were occupied. We managed to find spots near port stern. After reviewing rigs on the boat, I decided to make a bait rig. I made a high-low rig with triangle swivel. Lower leader was 20’’ with a 5/0 hook. Thirty inches above the swivel, I set a branch of 5’’ and tied a smaller hook. I used a bunk sinker of 8 oz. As for rods, most were salt medium, much softer than cod one. The boat, Gail Frances, left the dock at 7. We arrived at the first spot around 8:20.
The boat started to drift. It was pretty comfortable with light wind. Baits were spearing and strip of squid. I put Gulp, spearing and squid on lower hook and only squid on higher hook. At the beginning, several skates came into the boat. I also got one. After 30 minutes or so, keeper fluke began to come on board. I got a 15’’ seabasss as the first keeper. After a while, I felt something and hooked up a 20’’ fluke. In an hour, I got another similar size fluke and a larger one. A fluke was definitely different from a skate, which came up like seaweed without swimming.
Around 10:30, the captain moved for 30 minutes or so to a spot near Block Island. I kept a seabass and three fluke at that time, not so bad. I wanted to try a light tackle with a buck tail jig if the drift speed was not so fast and the depth was not so much. So I prepared a rig during the move. When the drift started, I found the bottom was a little rough. I saw some seabass came in with a few fluke on port side. When I felt like a little hard to settle the jig at the bottom as the wind became stronger, I got something like snag. As I pulled, it moved. I thought it should be a big fish. The tip of the light rod ran toward the water. I reeled in without being pulled the line from the reel whose drug was adjusted to the 15 lb of load. What I witnessed was a huge door-mat size of fluke! I had a monster netted by a mate. Awesome! He told me not to bleed just in case of pool competition. It fit in my 50 QT cooler although the tail has to be bent a little.
I continued to use the SPRO but snagged soon. I thought it would happen sooner or later at this rough bottom. I lost the only bucktail jig I carried that day so I got back to a bait rig. Meantime a mate brought a cod caught at bow. It looked like at least 12 lb. I thought it would win the pool of the day. Catching got slower around noon. The boat moved to south of the island. When I walked to bow, I found a fisherman I had seen at school. I talked with him and found that he got the big cod. He said he didn’t join the pool. He also said that several big fluke also came into the boat around bow.
The boat started to drift about a mile away from the island. Fishing was slow. I had a spearing taken by half. As I found smaller seabass on board, I put strips of squid only on hooks. That didn’t work. Half an hour left. The boat moved toward the dock and drifted for 15 minutes. Then the captain called the end. After all, I caught nothing in the second half.
I took the biggest fluke to stern for pool competition. Compared with a huge one in the basket, mine was heavier by a little. As mates cleaned fish, it was compared with big ones. I found two more huge ones but mine beat both. Yes, I won the pool as a first timer! It was 28’’, 9 lb monster. About 50 fluke were on board that day but some got several and others had no-keeper. Although 3-4 of 9 lb size were landed, it was a little spotty fishing. I realized that no medium heavy rod was needed for fluke. Salt water medium works as long as it can handle 8 oz sinker.
I kept 4 fluke with a big seabass, and won the pool. Definitely an excellent trip!
As I found in the report that fluke up to 7 lb were caught, I brought in a rod for cod with Okuma Avenger ABF50 spinning reel with 50 lb PowerPro I used for striper. I also prepared a 5.5’ light rod with Shimano reel with 30 lb braid. As for a rig, I had no idea what was the right rig before the trip. I brought bulk hooks of bait holder 5/0 and some leaders, and planned to make a rig after seeing what other fishermen do. I also bought Gulp swimming mullet and a 3 oz SPRO bucktail jig.
When we got to the dock at Point Judith around 6:40, most of the spot were occupied. We managed to find spots near port stern. After reviewing rigs on the boat, I decided to make a bait rig. I made a high-low rig with triangle swivel. Lower leader was 20’’ with a 5/0 hook. Thirty inches above the swivel, I set a branch of 5’’ and tied a smaller hook. I used a bunk sinker of 8 oz. As for rods, most were salt medium, much softer than cod one. The boat, Gail Frances, left the dock at 7. We arrived at the first spot around 8:20.
The boat started to drift. It was pretty comfortable with light wind. Baits were spearing and strip of squid. I put Gulp, spearing and squid on lower hook and only squid on higher hook. At the beginning, several skates came into the boat. I also got one. After 30 minutes or so, keeper fluke began to come on board. I got a 15’’ seabasss as the first keeper. After a while, I felt something and hooked up a 20’’ fluke. In an hour, I got another similar size fluke and a larger one. A fluke was definitely different from a skate, which came up like seaweed without swimming.
Around 10:30, the captain moved for 30 minutes or so to a spot near Block Island. I kept a seabass and three fluke at that time, not so bad. I wanted to try a light tackle with a buck tail jig if the drift speed was not so fast and the depth was not so much. So I prepared a rig during the move. When the drift started, I found the bottom was a little rough. I saw some seabass came in with a few fluke on port side. When I felt like a little hard to settle the jig at the bottom as the wind became stronger, I got something like snag. As I pulled, it moved. I thought it should be a big fish. The tip of the light rod ran toward the water. I reeled in without being pulled the line from the reel whose drug was adjusted to the 15 lb of load. What I witnessed was a huge door-mat size of fluke! I had a monster netted by a mate. Awesome! He told me not to bleed just in case of pool competition. It fit in my 50 QT cooler although the tail has to be bent a little.
I continued to use the SPRO but snagged soon. I thought it would happen sooner or later at this rough bottom. I lost the only bucktail jig I carried that day so I got back to a bait rig. Meantime a mate brought a cod caught at bow. It looked like at least 12 lb. I thought it would win the pool of the day. Catching got slower around noon. The boat moved to south of the island. When I walked to bow, I found a fisherman I had seen at school. I talked with him and found that he got the big cod. He said he didn’t join the pool. He also said that several big fluke also came into the boat around bow.
The boat started to drift about a mile away from the island. Fishing was slow. I had a spearing taken by half. As I found smaller seabass on board, I put strips of squid only on hooks. That didn’t work. Half an hour left. The boat moved toward the dock and drifted for 15 minutes. Then the captain called the end. After all, I caught nothing in the second half.
I took the biggest fluke to stern for pool competition. Compared with a huge one in the basket, mine was heavier by a little. As mates cleaned fish, it was compared with big ones. I found two more huge ones but mine beat both. Yes, I won the pool as a first timer! It was 28’’, 9 lb monster. About 50 fluke were on board that day but some got several and others had no-keeper. Although 3-4 of 9 lb size were landed, it was a little spotty fishing. I realized that no medium heavy rod was needed for fluke. Salt water medium works as long as it can handle 8 oz sinker.
I kept 4 fluke with a big seabass, and won the pool. Definitely an excellent trip!
9/21/2013
May Yankee Clipper Haddock/Cod
Originally I planned a scup trip in early May. When I called Hyline on Thursday, the office lady said they were catching several tautog in the boat. Situation was the same on Saturday so I gave up scup fishing. I didn’t want to go out next a couple of Sundays so searched for another good option. I found 6 am Yankee allday cod trip. The boat returns to the dock at 3 pm so arrival time home is similar to a cape morning trip. After checking weather forecast and asking my daughter if she would go, I reserved two spots.
I replaced scup tackles in a backpack with cod tackles. I found bait rigs were running short so decided to make some. I found a leader twisted as I reeled in a small cod last time and was interested in small dropperloop-swivel-leader design. Although I didn’t know how it works at that time, I made a few.
I prepared lunch around 4 am and left home at 5 with my daughter. Temperature was still low so we found cloud on river on the way. When we got into Yankee Clipper after checking in, there was still plenty of space except for stern. We kept spots at the starboard bench just behind the bow. I used UglyStik BWB 1140 6'6''with Okuma ClassicPro XP452L. My daughter used SturdyStik BWB 125 6'6'' and Okuma Classic CLX450L without level wind. As the captain said we would start with haddock, I set bait rigs to both of rods. The boat left the dock at 6 o’clock.
When the boat went out of the Gloucester harbor, the sea became rough. We got into the cabin and took a nap for a while. The boat arrived at the first spot around 7:30. I felt a little dizzy but my daughter was fine at least after the boat was anchored. My rig was a new swivel-leader high-low one. Her rig was a classic dropper loop high-low one, which was easy to untangle.
As we started, a few haddock came into the boat. I got a decent one soon. Size limit of haddock went up from 18’’ to 21’’ from May. I measured the fish and found it was OK to keep. My daughter got fish, too. A bigger one she got was a nice pollock, around 8lb. Modification of the reel was very successful because she could reel in this size of fish without any trouble. I tried jigging as I saw a pollock but snagged in one drop. I carried only two jigs that day so I got back to a bait rig. We kept 5 fish around 9 o’clock.
At the next spot after a reset, cod bit on. She reeled in nice fish, which turned out to be double keeper cod! I got double too but one was under. Some jig fishermen caught cod, too. So I re-tried jig. During an hour I used jig, she got nice haddock and cod one after another with a huge wolfish! Mates, captain and other passengers were all surprised at her performance. I took photos when she got nice ones. I got a good one felt like a pool cod but it was a side-hooked haddock, which was actually smaller than a pollock she caught.
I got into slow bite after catching three and meantime she went far away. I found cod were still being caught on bait rigs in port side so got back to the bait rig. I added two keeper cod in some shorts. She said she caught around 15 including released under size. I kept 5, got at most 10 including shorts. Fishing became slow and ended before 1 pm. As I counted at the time on cleaning, we got 14; 7 haddock, 6 cod and 1 pollock. Probably I kept 5 and she kept 9. Seemed like average was 6-7 pp. She did better than others, not only her dad.
I did all of works for two sets such as bait change, unhook fish, untangle and unsnag, which made the fishing time different indeed. However, I thought what made difference was that fish schooled around our spots bit on the bait rig when I fished with jig. The boat moved up and down by about 5 feet. She didn’t always catch up with the movement to keep the bottom. She just kept the rod in the middle; the line slacked at the bottom and the sinker taken from the sea floor by a foot at the top. It worked that day. Small movement of the rig attracted fish and helped her to set hook. I guessed softness of a solid glass rod also worked positively for sure bite of keeper fish. She did better than me, not complaining about sore arm. She was not a novice any more. It was very good trip and super fun for us!
I replaced scup tackles in a backpack with cod tackles. I found bait rigs were running short so decided to make some. I found a leader twisted as I reeled in a small cod last time and was interested in small dropperloop-swivel-leader design. Although I didn’t know how it works at that time, I made a few.
I prepared lunch around 4 am and left home at 5 with my daughter. Temperature was still low so we found cloud on river on the way. When we got into Yankee Clipper after checking in, there was still plenty of space except for stern. We kept spots at the starboard bench just behind the bow. I used UglyStik BWB 1140 6'6''with Okuma ClassicPro XP452L. My daughter used SturdyStik BWB 125 6'6'' and Okuma Classic CLX450L without level wind. As the captain said we would start with haddock, I set bait rigs to both of rods. The boat left the dock at 6 o’clock.
When the boat went out of the Gloucester harbor, the sea became rough. We got into the cabin and took a nap for a while. The boat arrived at the first spot around 7:30. I felt a little dizzy but my daughter was fine at least after the boat was anchored. My rig was a new swivel-leader high-low one. Her rig was a classic dropper loop high-low one, which was easy to untangle.
As we started, a few haddock came into the boat. I got a decent one soon. Size limit of haddock went up from 18’’ to 21’’ from May. I measured the fish and found it was OK to keep. My daughter got fish, too. A bigger one she got was a nice pollock, around 8lb. Modification of the reel was very successful because she could reel in this size of fish without any trouble. I tried jigging as I saw a pollock but snagged in one drop. I carried only two jigs that day so I got back to a bait rig. We kept 5 fish around 9 o’clock.
At the next spot after a reset, cod bit on. She reeled in nice fish, which turned out to be double keeper cod! I got double too but one was under. Some jig fishermen caught cod, too. So I re-tried jig. During an hour I used jig, she got nice haddock and cod one after another with a huge wolfish! Mates, captain and other passengers were all surprised at her performance. I took photos when she got nice ones. I got a good one felt like a pool cod but it was a side-hooked haddock, which was actually smaller than a pollock she caught.
I got into slow bite after catching three and meantime she went far away. I found cod were still being caught on bait rigs in port side so got back to the bait rig. I added two keeper cod in some shorts. She said she caught around 15 including released under size. I kept 5, got at most 10 including shorts. Fishing became slow and ended before 1 pm. As I counted at the time on cleaning, we got 14; 7 haddock, 6 cod and 1 pollock. Probably I kept 5 and she kept 9. Seemed like average was 6-7 pp. She did better than others, not only her dad.
I did all of works for two sets such as bait change, unhook fish, untangle and unsnag, which made the fishing time different indeed. However, I thought what made difference was that fish schooled around our spots bit on the bait rig when I fished with jig. The boat moved up and down by about 5 feet. She didn’t always catch up with the movement to keep the bottom. She just kept the rod in the middle; the line slacked at the bottom and the sinker taken from the sea floor by a foot at the top. It worked that day. Small movement of the rig attracted fish and helped her to set hook. I guessed softness of a solid glass rod also worked positively for sure bite of keeper fish. She did better than me, not complaining about sore arm. She was not a novice any more. It was very good trip and super fun for us!
9/20/2013
September Atlantic Queen
Seems like blue hadn’t come this summer. Halfday trip was still fishing mackerel in September. Usually mackerel trip is not available until the end of September so I planned on going late September or early October with my daughter. However, it is better to go in warmer season if you can. I found weather forecast for 9/15 was fine with light wind so I scheduled a trip for the day.
I thought the boat was not crowded at that time of year. I waited until the day came close to make sure the weather forecast. I called Al Gauron on Thursday and found that they wouldn’t have a half day on Sunday because of a charter schedule. I knew Eastman’s wouldn’t have a halfday that day either so Captain’s and Atlantic Queen were the option. I called Atlantic Queen and reserved spots. They would go off Hampton, same area as Al Gauron goes. Also ticket price for a child is a little less expensive than Captain’s. I took my daughter. A friend of mine came too. My daughter’s class mate, his brother and their father also joined. The fleet reported Saturday trip was excellent, that excited me a lot the nigh before.
Sunday morning, I arrived at Rye Harbor with my daughter around 7. My friend also arrived a little earlier and we kept spots at stern. The boat had spacious cabin and rod holders. Along the side deck, there was a kind of roof. It would be good when it was rainy but the rod tip hit when I handled a rod there. It was better fishing at bow or stern.
The boat left the dock at 8 and got to the first spot in 30 minutes. I prepared 5 sets of the tackles for mack. I set rigs of sabiki and jig for the boys' family and my daughter. I started with a jig-only rig with UL. In addition to them, I arranged a set for blue with 2 oz Hopkins and wire leader. I also brought in a sturdy ice rod. I had seen mates sometimes tried to use such tackles. So I wanted to try what I had.
Shortly after the boat got anchored, a flurry came in. Mack bit on rigs in double or triple. Busy time started. I took care of my daughter and other kids. We kept several nice fish by 9 o’clock. I tried an ice fishing rod meantime. I got two, one of which was nice 14’’ one. Although I expected it was super fun to get mack on the ice rod, it was not actually very good. The rod is too short so I felt like I just reeled in. Five-foot rod was way better.
We had another flurry and occasional bites until 10. I kept around 15 with my daughter. However, the bite was completely gone after that. The captain moved a few times, close to Hampton and near shore. I tried various actions in different ranges but the only fish I hooked were mini-size blue. My daughter explored the boat and ate lunch and snack in the cabin with her friends.
The trip ended after one and a half hour of not-a-single-action period. We ended up with 16 mack, I caught around 10 and my daughter got the rest. The boys’ family also kept around 16. My friend got 10-15. Although the number was just fine, there were several large ones, which were really tasty.
As the fleet rated the trip as very good in their repot, it seemed to be better compared to the ones in August. It was true a few really good flurries came in but overall catch was just good. I think it would have been better if I had used sabiki from the beginning because some active flurries came and those just didn’t last long.
Although it was a little too early for the peak season fall run, I was happy for going out that day because the weather was perfect, kids took some, fish were tasty and the catch didn’t increase the pressure to our freezer for another trip!
I thought the boat was not crowded at that time of year. I waited until the day came close to make sure the weather forecast. I called Al Gauron on Thursday and found that they wouldn’t have a half day on Sunday because of a charter schedule. I knew Eastman’s wouldn’t have a halfday that day either so Captain’s and Atlantic Queen were the option. I called Atlantic Queen and reserved spots. They would go off Hampton, same area as Al Gauron goes. Also ticket price for a child is a little less expensive than Captain’s. I took my daughter. A friend of mine came too. My daughter’s class mate, his brother and their father also joined. The fleet reported Saturday trip was excellent, that excited me a lot the nigh before.
Sunday morning, I arrived at Rye Harbor with my daughter around 7. My friend also arrived a little earlier and we kept spots at stern. The boat had spacious cabin and rod holders. Along the side deck, there was a kind of roof. It would be good when it was rainy but the rod tip hit when I handled a rod there. It was better fishing at bow or stern.
The boat left the dock at 8 and got to the first spot in 30 minutes. I prepared 5 sets of the tackles for mack. I set rigs of sabiki and jig for the boys' family and my daughter. I started with a jig-only rig with UL. In addition to them, I arranged a set for blue with 2 oz Hopkins and wire leader. I also brought in a sturdy ice rod. I had seen mates sometimes tried to use such tackles. So I wanted to try what I had.
Shortly after the boat got anchored, a flurry came in. Mack bit on rigs in double or triple. Busy time started. I took care of my daughter and other kids. We kept several nice fish by 9 o’clock. I tried an ice fishing rod meantime. I got two, one of which was nice 14’’ one. Although I expected it was super fun to get mack on the ice rod, it was not actually very good. The rod is too short so I felt like I just reeled in. Five-foot rod was way better.
We had another flurry and occasional bites until 10. I kept around 15 with my daughter. However, the bite was completely gone after that. The captain moved a few times, close to Hampton and near shore. I tried various actions in different ranges but the only fish I hooked were mini-size blue. My daughter explored the boat and ate lunch and snack in the cabin with her friends.
The trip ended after one and a half hour of not-a-single-action period. We ended up with 16 mack, I caught around 10 and my daughter got the rest. The boys’ family also kept around 16. My friend got 10-15. Although the number was just fine, there were several large ones, which were really tasty.
As the fleet rated the trip as very good in their repot, it seemed to be better compared to the ones in August. It was true a few really good flurries came in but overall catch was just good. I think it would have been better if I had used sabiki from the beginning because some active flurries came and those just didn’t last long.
Although it was a little too early for the peak season fall run, I was happy for going out that day because the weather was perfect, kids took some, fish were tasty and the catch didn’t increase the pressure to our freezer for another trip!
9/18/2013
How to Make a Sabiki Rig
Sabiki rigs of this design have worked really well. They caught tons of mack!
Materials
Film
Anything shiny and sturdy works. I like mirror film for windows but Doritos bag and ribbons also worked.
Nylon and holo hair accessories
For nylon hair, I prefer light color such as white and cottoncandy pink. I mix three strips of holo hair with nylon. Available at Claire’s or Five Below.
Hooks
O’Shaughnessy #2 - #1 (Mustad 3407) is good for mackerel. I like short shank sharp point hooks as well.
Leader
Mono15 lb branch with 20 lb main line is the best. Fluorocarbon is not recommended.
Tools
Scissors, Marker, Krazy Glue Advanced, Scotch tape, Pattern mat and Scale
1. Cut film to a half-inch-wide strip and fold.
2. Draw the guide line using a pattern mat and a marker.
3. Cut into desired shape. I use from 1-1/2" to 1-5/8" length.
4. Make a slit for flexible tip. It makes the tip fluffy like the tail of a bait fish.
5. Bundle nylon hair and holo hair with scotch tape.
6. Hold fibers together and trim the end with scissors.
7. Overlay fibers on the film. Trim again if you need.
8. Slide a hook in the film.
9. Tie 15 lb mono leader over the film.
10. Fix the knot with Krazy Glue Advanced. The glue fixes fibers as well.
11. Cut fibers and leader.
12. Make rigs as below.
Materials
Film
Anything shiny and sturdy works. I like mirror film for windows but Doritos bag and ribbons also worked.
Nylon and holo hair accessories
For nylon hair, I prefer light color such as white and cottoncandy pink. I mix three strips of holo hair with nylon. Available at Claire’s or Five Below.
Hooks
O’Shaughnessy #2 - #1 (Mustad 3407) is good for mackerel. I like short shank sharp point hooks as well.
Leader
Mono15 lb branch with 20 lb main line is the best. Fluorocarbon is not recommended.
Tools
Scissors, Marker, Krazy Glue Advanced, Scotch tape, Pattern mat and Scale
1. Cut film to a half-inch-wide strip and fold.
2. Draw the guide line using a pattern mat and a marker.
3. Cut into desired shape. I use from 1-1/2" to 1-5/8" length.
4. Make a slit for flexible tip. It makes the tip fluffy like the tail of a bait fish.
5. Bundle nylon hair and holo hair with scotch tape.
6. Hold fibers together and trim the end with scissors.
7. Overlay fibers on the film. Trim again if you need.
8. Slide a hook in the film.
9. Tie 15 lb mono leader over the film.
10. Fix the knot with Krazy Glue Advanced. The glue fixes fibers as well.
11. Cut fibers and leader.
12. Make rigs as below.
9/11/2013
Big Mack from Shore
It was late October. High tide was 4:30 pm on Sunday. I planned a fishing for afternoon. I arrived at State Pier around 3:30. There were several fishing boats limiting space. I started with a bait rig. As I prepare another rod, small pollock bit on frequently. When I casted the second rig, a young fisherman came and talked to me. He came for fishing smelt. I said that I had caught some a week before and people fished in the evening. He casted a sabiki rig for smelt but caught only pollock and cunner.
As a vessel left the pier around 4:00, I moved to the spot. There were lots of actions mostly stealing bait. I checked rigs often. Meantime I got a middle size mack. The number of polock was reduced at this spot. After a while I got a good hit on a rod casted in distance. I took the rod and felt something. During reeling it suddenly felt light. I wondered it might be a blue but what I found was a mack and a smelt. Seemed like the mack swam toward the pier. This mack was a little bigger. The smelt fisherman asked if he could exchange mack with smelt when he got a mack. I replied yes.
Action became slower as the high tide got close. I started to set a rod with a jig&sabiki rig. This rod was 9’ Daiwa Acculite with a 4-hook rig of 1’’ Rexbait silver holo and a 1/2 oz Kastmaster. Sometimes I got snag upon hit on a bait rig. Maybe a crab was feeding. I lost a few rigs and I made one. As I put fresh bait, I got a few smelt mixed in pollock.
When it got slightly dark around 5:30, he brought a large mack. As he put a piece of cunner on a no-sinker rig, it bit on. I exchanged it with 3 smelt I had kept. Soon I got a bite on a shorter rod. I thought it was a cunner and moved the rig not to have bait stolen. Doing that, a fish hooked up. As I reeled in, fish began to run. Should be a mack bit on during retrieving. With a cunner, a nice 15’’ mack came up. Active time had come.
I thought mack were in middle range. If so, it was time to use a sabiki rig. I didn’t set the bait rod and took the rod with a jig&sabiki. I casted the jig, counted down for 5 seconds as usual and jigged. At the second jigging, I felt multiple fish bit on, definitely nice ones. I reeled in trying not to let them run very much. What I saw soon were triple big mack! Got it! Although I lost one on the jig upon pulling, I kept two 15’’ mack at the same time.
All of the fishermen there started to cast jigs immediately (seriously!) but the hit did’t last. I wrapped up at 6. I kept 6 mack, 2 regular size and 4 big ones. It was spectacular as a shore mackerel fishing.
It was really perfect time to use a sabiki. I also thought the combination of Rexbaits and Kastmaster outfished because they looked like menhaden, which were schooling at that time. One hour after high was typically the best time from my experiences. Everything fit. It was a great day!
As a vessel left the pier around 4:00, I moved to the spot. There were lots of actions mostly stealing bait. I checked rigs often. Meantime I got a middle size mack. The number of polock was reduced at this spot. After a while I got a good hit on a rod casted in distance. I took the rod and felt something. During reeling it suddenly felt light. I wondered it might be a blue but what I found was a mack and a smelt. Seemed like the mack swam toward the pier. This mack was a little bigger. The smelt fisherman asked if he could exchange mack with smelt when he got a mack. I replied yes.
Action became slower as the high tide got close. I started to set a rod with a jig&sabiki rig. This rod was 9’ Daiwa Acculite with a 4-hook rig of 1’’ Rexbait silver holo and a 1/2 oz Kastmaster. Sometimes I got snag upon hit on a bait rig. Maybe a crab was feeding. I lost a few rigs and I made one. As I put fresh bait, I got a few smelt mixed in pollock.
When it got slightly dark around 5:30, he brought a large mack. As he put a piece of cunner on a no-sinker rig, it bit on. I exchanged it with 3 smelt I had kept. Soon I got a bite on a shorter rod. I thought it was a cunner and moved the rig not to have bait stolen. Doing that, a fish hooked up. As I reeled in, fish began to run. Should be a mack bit on during retrieving. With a cunner, a nice 15’’ mack came up. Active time had come.
I thought mack were in middle range. If so, it was time to use a sabiki rig. I didn’t set the bait rod and took the rod with a jig&sabiki. I casted the jig, counted down for 5 seconds as usual and jigged. At the second jigging, I felt multiple fish bit on, definitely nice ones. I reeled in trying not to let them run very much. What I saw soon were triple big mack! Got it! Although I lost one on the jig upon pulling, I kept two 15’’ mack at the same time.
All of the fishermen there started to cast jigs immediately (seriously!) but the hit did’t last. I wrapped up at 6. I kept 6 mack, 2 regular size and 4 big ones. It was spectacular as a shore mackerel fishing.
It was really perfect time to use a sabiki. I also thought the combination of Rexbaits and Kastmaster outfished because they looked like menhaden, which were schooling at that time. One hour after high was typically the best time from my experiences. Everything fit. It was a great day!
9/04/2013
Rexlace 1
During a fall season, I started to develop new sabiki. When I looked for shiny materials similar to metal jigs at AC Moore, I found plastic strips of various color. They were Rexlace. I bought silver holo one and tried various arrangements to make a lure. At the beginning, my goal was mimicking metal jigs. So I wanted to make it long around 1.75’’. It cannot be long enough if you attach Rexlace to the shank of the hook. So I reached the design that the leader went through between a pair of strips. I made a head part with aluminum, attached beads eyes and added a feather to the tail hook. It looks like upper Rexbait in the photo below.
I tested this at the pier in November and found that fish bit on a jig and Rexbait half and half. I was very happy with this performance. Problem was that I could not make many at the same time. I thought the catch wouldn’t be so different if I removed head and eyes so made simple ones like lower in the photo.
The rig with several longer Rexbaits has a disadvantage. It cannot be casted long and sensitive to wind. So I came to use 1’’ size shorter ones more frequently. It is much easier to make the model compared to the first model. It could catch fish as well as longer one. Materials and methothds are illustrated in another post.
As for hooks, I used Gamakatsu Octopus chrome #4 and #6 at the beginning. They were good but a little too expensive. So I looked for less expensive bulk hooks and now I am using Iseama as the main hook.
Rexbait glow white/siver 1'' feather tail model. Rigs with 2-4 hooks work well for pier fishing.
I tested this at the pier in November and found that fish bit on a jig and Rexbait half and half. I was very happy with this performance. Problem was that I could not make many at the same time. I thought the catch wouldn’t be so different if I removed head and eyes so made simple ones like lower in the photo.
The rig with several longer Rexbaits has a disadvantage. It cannot be casted long and sensitive to wind. So I came to use 1’’ size shorter ones more frequently. It is much easier to make the model compared to the first model. It could catch fish as well as longer one. Materials and methothds are illustrated in another post.
As for hooks, I used Gamakatsu Octopus chrome #4 and #6 at the beginning. They were good but a little too expensive. So I looked for less expensive bulk hooks and now I am using Iseama as the main hook.
Rexbait glow white/siver 1'' feather tail model. Rigs with 2-4 hooks work well for pier fishing.
Bonito
In early October, I went to Willows pier early morning for mack. I used 6’6’’ medium rod and small Daiwa reel with 15 lb PowerPro. As for the rig, I used Mustad sabiki rig and 1/2 oz Kastmaster chrome/blue. There were several people casting jig.
I started from middle range and moved to the bottom. I got one around the bottom far from the pier. Another hit also at the bottom near the pier. Both fish bit on the jig. Another fisherman got double/triple with sabiki rig. It seemed that there was a path for fish school.
I got another hit on jig very close to the pier. It was a little different from mackerel. What I landed looked like Spanish mackerel but didn’t have yellow spots. People said it was a bonito. Bonito is usually seen in southern area. It might be a sign on global warming. I talked with a man watching fishing about some southern species such as blackseabass and fluke we saw around here in a few years.
The fisherman who caught a bunch of mack said that he made his own sabiki rig with shiny materials. I was actually inspired to try to make my sabiki at that time.
I started from middle range and moved to the bottom. I got one around the bottom far from the pier. Another hit also at the bottom near the pier. Both fish bit on the jig. Another fisherman got double/triple with sabiki rig. It seemed that there was a path for fish school.
I got another hit on jig very close to the pier. It was a little different from mackerel. What I landed looked like Spanish mackerel but didn’t have yellow spots. People said it was a bonito. Bonito is usually seen in southern area. It might be a sign on global warming. I talked with a man watching fishing about some southern species such as blackseabass and fluke we saw around here in a few years.
The fisherman who caught a bunch of mack said that he made his own sabiki rig with shiny materials. I was actually inspired to try to make my sabiki at that time.
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