Outer Cape Chronicles

2012

2012-02-03T11:17:00.000-08:00

For some odd reason I have never booked many trips in the last two weeks of May. I'd like to change that this year and fish solid straight into June. As always, June fills up fast and my June calendar as of this posting has 10 days left in it. I highly encourage anyone looking for some light tackle / flyfishing action on striped bass to look at the last couple weeks of May. I put this posting up on FB and booked the 30th and 31.....I am also in the process of creating an email list, *something I should of had long before now*. If you would like to be on the list, shoot me an email at info@finaddiction.com and I will add you to it.
It has been a very warm winter for us to date and we all wonder if this will start things earlier than normal. Regardless, it won't be long before the first fly line snaps taught as a flatwing drops to the surface and disappears into the flowing current.....One long strip....pause...two quick....pause and all the cobwebs of winter have now disappeared as the first fish of the season makes a nice solid run.....

15 degrees and beautiful......

2012-01-15T17:23:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

2012-01-02T10:46:00.000-08:00

It's been a awhile since I posted on my blog and my apologies for that. The season get's so busy towards the end with trips and the onslaught of the giant fishery that my posting suffers.
Here is a recap of what went down after August.
Bluefin fishing was slow but the Albie fishing was very HOT! I normally do not fish for Albies due to their proximity to my port but this year I made an exception and did many Albie trips in Buzzards Bay. I must say we had a GREAT time fishing for them and plan to do more of it next season! The weather was poor in October and we did not get out much to chase tuna around like we were hoping. On the days I could get out, I spent some time *on the ball* chunking for giants. We had them in the slick many times but just could not get them to EAT....Eventually it was time to hang it up and get on with the fall around here and the many neglected household things that do not get taken care of during fishing season.
It was a great season in all and the new boat gave me very little problems. The new SIMRAD NSE electronics gave me the edge all season long and I highly recommend their new products!
As we head into the New Year, I start to book trips in earnest for the coming season. Alot of my repeats have already secured their dates for next year and I encourage those of you that haven't to do so.
I hope 2012 is good to you all and I look forward to fishing with you this season.

The End of Summer

2011-09-06T07:30:00.000-07:00

Labor day has come and gone. It officially marks the end of summer on Cape Cod. The most noteable change is the LACK OF CARS on the roadways! We have had some cool weather days and at this time of year you do not know what you will be wearing on the boat until you step outside in the early morning darkness. Somedays will be shorts, t-shirt and flops and others you will have pants, fleece and full rubber boots. Always best to come prepared.
Fishing has been great to date. Bass are still off the backside but getting to them is the challenge with the tropical SE swells we have been having of late...
Tuna fishing has remained steady, we are getting bit most days and landing fish but are hopeful we are going to have some great topwater action soon as the water cools and the bait rounds up.
I still have plenty of open days late Sept and into Oct for those wanting to get out and experience light tackle for bluefin tuna!!

Viva Italiano!

2011-08-15T04:09:00.000-07:00

First half of August

2011-08-15T03:59:00.000-07:00

Hello Blog Fans. Today's trip was pushed to Thursday due to nasty easterlies and rain so I thought I would update my blog and let u know what we have been doing of late.
The GOOD NEWS is commercial striped bass season is over and there are actually some bass left to be taken. We have had some banner trips the past week with alot of smiles and memories to last a lifetime. The tuna fishing is starting to pick up. There are alot of tuna around but they have been finicky to eat and school up bait and crash on it. The bait they seem to be on in mini butterfishfish or herring the size of your fingernail. Hard to duplicate and this weeks tides do not help. The good news is I am wide open when the moon kicks in and the tides get more to the tunas liking. We are hoping for a banner fall and just pray the weather holds......
The new boat has been good to me this season with no major mishaps other than a couple of broken t-top welds early on. Most of my customers love the new ride and the SIMRAD electronics are truly rad and help us zero in on fish in tough conditions....Soon I will have tunes and Sirius weather hooked up....One truly slick ride it is becoming.....
Till next tide......

J

Last week in July

2011-07-31T08:07:00.000-07:00

For the most part, it was a successful week fishing. We had some insane action and luckily we were in the right place at the right time. We made some big moves late in the week and it paid off. These fish were much harder to get on and on spike mackeral which made them picky at least to our offerings...Whale shows were sick and it is so great to see your customers appreciate mother nature in this regard and not just look at a trip as *meat on the deck*
Fishing this time of year during commercial bass season can be taxing and if your fishing anywhere near where the commercial fleet is you can plan on launching at 3am to get a parking spot.
I work hard at staying away from the fleet to give my customers a unique more relaxed trip. Most times it pays off, sometimes it doesn't but when they ask u for more dates at the end of the day u feel u must be doing something right.....
I have been mixng up bass and tuna trips and must say It screws with the brain going back and forth....U need to get on a vibe and stay there. Unpacking and repacking the boat with bass/tuna gear gets tiresome...U lose your vibe and get in a funk!...hah....
I have really been digging the new SIMRAD NSE electronics on my sled. The echo sounder graphics are sick and I am picking up birds on the 4kw radar with ease.
Anyhoo...here are a few pics from the last week....Supposed to be getting valve adjustment today but mechanic is AWOL....Looking forward to 2morrows tuna trip....I hope they can cast...

More bass and tuna

2011-07-21T07:58:00.000-07:00

Commercial bass season started off with a BANG and it has been a bit tough to get my guys quality fish away from where all the commercial boats are fishing. Fortunately we have had some great fishing away from the floatilla of boats trying to make a buck. We have also had some great tuna action and went 1 for 4 yesterday.
The CTS 80-100 prototype rod worked phenomenally well on the tuna and look forward to trying some new blanks they put out.
Got a full week booked coming up but still have plenty of openings in Aug and Sept and Oct if your itching to get out....

July Update

2011-07-17T06:05:00.000-07:00

Sorry it has been a month since I last updated the blog. It has been a very busy season to date with very few days off. I was flat out from May 28th to July4th. A few days off after that to do so much needed maintenance on the boat and truck and am now flat out again busy for the month of July. August has alot of openings so do not think I am too busy to fit you into my schedule.
Bass fishing has been fairly strong, even at the end of the first week of commercial bass fishing we were able to put some very nice fish in the boat the last week.
Tuna fishing has been up and down. I have some tuna trips coming up this week and look forward to getting a fish or two in the boat. It's a different fishery from years past but if your willing to put in the time and effort and go to Vegas and gamble it can be a catch of a lifetime on light tackle.
Recently I went sharking south of the vineyard for grins and giggles.....We had alot of fun on blue sharks to 300lbs and one mako around 100lbs. I was using fairly light tackle for them and we could still muscle them to the boat in fairly short order. For years I have been wanting to throw a chum fly at these critters and maybe we will do that in August when the bassing and tuna start to slow. If you would like to try it or just fish for them the conventional way with baits and ballons on light tackle or standup, give me a shout and we will plan an outing......
Till next time..............

Cold Front Bass

2011-06-16T00:14:00.000-07:00

A cold front moved in last week and put a serious stop to some phenomenal bass action we have been having in some specific areas. On the other hand, it seemed to turn on in other areas which kept our lines tight and customers smiling.
After a week of N/NE/NW wind, it switches around today to the SW....Hopefully it is going to light things up like a christmas tree...

Bassing remains incredible...

2011-06-08T12:59:00.000-07:00

Huge feeds on herring....a few tuna blowing up in the mix.....

EPIC

2011-06-07T14:16:00.001-07:00

Had the boys from the UK onboard today....I really enjoy fishing with these guys. Polite, funny and easy to please........Mike, Ryan, Jamie and Jim....Hope to see you guys again next year!!

Hot bass action continues....

2011-06-05T18:08:00.000-07:00

Plus the nasty seas broke my t top....ugggh...out of commission hopefully for only one day....

EPIC bass fishing today.....

2011-06-04T14:48:00.000-07:00

Had long time repeat customer Sam Gotoff and his son David today. Sam has never wimped out on the forcast and today it was wicked rough but the bass were on top and we basically had them to ourselves....

10-25lb bass on topwater and fly

2011-05-31T17:15:00.001-07:00

all day long.....Back at it in the am...

Great first trip in the new boat

2011-05-28T14:01:00.001-07:00

Today I had my first charter in the new boat. Unfortunately it was pea soup fog the whole day but we found the life with the new radar, even tho I need to learn to tune it better. Topwater all day long with Got Stryper and RONZ baits. A few on fly as well. Most fish between 15 and 20lbs with a few around 25lbs....I took all the pics on my cellphone and loaded up to Facebook. I will pull out the good camera tomorrow!

Splashed!

2011-05-25T15:17:00.001-07:00

The Marina Cleone did her maiden shakedown voyage this morning....All systems were working flawless. I am taking the SIMRAD rep out on Friday then it's D-Day come monday for 37 straight days!!........

The Bass arrive!

2011-05-16T13:09:00.001-07:00

The bass have arrived in force on the Cape. Some quality fish being caught with no crowds to speak of.
Looks like the Carla Noelle has been SOLD. I took it out today with the new owner for a sea trial and all systems worked well. I will really miss her. She has been a phenomenal boat for me and hope she continues to be a phenomenal boat for the new owner.
The new boat is close to being finished. Kinda sucks im not finished now and harrassing fish but the electronics install has been quite a job and some of the parts didnt come in until recently. We will be good by the end of the month ready to tango with the stripes!!
Stay tuned!!

Spring Cod and Haddock

2011-05-01T03:58:00.000-07:00

Some buds of mine and myself went up to Gloucester and fished with Capt. Bruce Sweet of Sweet Dream Sportfishing this past Friday. We are making this an annual event, and as usual, Capt. Bruce put us on piles of groundfish. STINGO jigs were very well, and in short order, we filled our boxes of cod and haddock with a few pollack thrown in.
Back on the homefront, I am working diligently on the new boat and it is all coming together. RADAR install gets finished up today....
Some birdie pics from the groundfish trip!!...We will be fishing full out within a month!!

Carla Noelle for Sale

2011-04-09T13:22:00.000-07:00

Sad to see her go...She has been a phenomenal boat for us. I spent the last two days getting her ready to sell. She fired right up.....
For anyone interested,
1993 Speedcraft Hull
2007 Suzuki 300HP 4stroke...3 years left on warranty
Custom Hardtop and curtains
Custom rod racks
Garmin 4212 12inch chartplotter
Garmin 4kw HD Radar
Furuno 600 color sounder
She is bad to the bone....

$28,500 OBO

Christmas in April

2011-04-07T15:46:00.000-07:00

The past month has been a very productive month for me in regards to my fishing buisness. It has been incredible no less. The Pro Staff deal with SIMRAD is going to take my buisness to the next level.
UPS showed up today and dropped off a half dozen boxes of goodies with SIMRAD labels on them. I got them in the garage and started to methodically open each one and stood in amazement at the fit and finish of each piece that arrived. With the curtains being finished two days ago, I felt it was the perfect time to take the cover off the boat. She looks purdy with the new curtains installed and I stood there and envisioned her decked out with her SIMRAD goodies and day dreamed into June.....Ahh yes, it won't be long!!!
Many other Pro Staff deals have developed due to this association. In all relates to a better package for YOU the customer.
Stay tuned as I take pictures of the install of this new equipment!

2011 Fishing Forecast......

2011-04-05T12:58:00.000-07:00

Hi folks, Just a heads up on my predictions for the 2011 season. As many of you know, they are having one of their best years ever on bluefin tuna down off N.C. These are the fish we see up here in June-August. I predict we are going to have the same action they are having. I'm very excited to be fishing the new boat for tuna this year. There will be no shortcomings in any department. From the fully bolstered cockpit, tuna door, state of the art electronics and tackle, we will have all the bases covered. I am spending alot of time looking at tackle options for tuna right now and will have a full arsenal of high quality stuff that will put the hurt on these fish. I hope you can make the effort to get out with me this season. We have fought many battles to keep this fishery open. Whether your looking for jigging and popping big bluefin or thinking about setting a world record bluefin on the fly, this is the season to do it....;)

J

Curtains!

2011-04-04T16:40:00.000-07:00

I had Chatham Canvas stitch the curtains for the new ride....Cliff showed up today and under cover in the rain we installed the new panels and drilled, punched and crimped the new snaps in where they were needed. I am pretty impressed with his workmanship and am glad I chose him to do the job. The boat will have gull wings that can zip on and off for those nasty trips in quartering seas. It will help keep us dry and block the cold late spring, fall air and make our runs much more enjoyable.
As I stated earlier, I am the newest member of the SIMRAD Pro Staff and products will shortly be arriving in the mail. I am anxious and exicited to start installing the equipment. The stuff is really going to set us apart from the normal trailerable center console!
What else, I have been researching rod blanks to build some new tuna sticks on. I have not finalized my choice yet but should shortly.
I have also decided to trade in my trailer and purchase a new one. There are some issues with the current trailer and I really cannot afford to be dealing with trailer issues this season with the new boat.
It's taking some serious $$ and effort to get this girl where she needs to be but I think my customers are really gonna lover her....;)

J

Waaaaay Back........

2011-04-02T06:50:00.001-07:00

8-9 years ago....Sometime when fishing for tuna wasn't so technical and specific we used to play around with new ideas to take these fish more consitently on fly equipment. Now nothing is better than rolling up on a frothing school of bft in the middle of nowhere with a heavy wt flyrod in hand....I have seen it make the most worldly traveled angler weak in the knees. So weak where I would always say..."just think of them as goldfish and reeeeeelaaaaax"
But the truth is, alot of fly guys who wanted a bluefin on the fly just did not have the expertise to seal the deal.
Trolling for bluefin was and is really popular and effective for bluefin. I can remember a certain day way way way east of Chatham where Riptide, Double Happiness and myself buddy boated out and all 3 boats landed and released over 30 bft per boat. Now these fish were small and even on 30 class gear were outmatched.
The idea of bait and switch for these fish had been on my mind for awhile...So what I did was take two 13" squid bars and take the stinger hook off and replace with a 3 ounce egg sinker....We deployed two of these bars *flatline* off the stern, one on each corner. The flyrod was rigged with either one of these green machine flies or a HUGE pink and white popper similar to what is used for sailfish. Sixty feet of flyline was stripped into a 6 gallon bucket and the rod was rested in the bucket and the fly hooked onto the lip....
We would troll around until a school came up behind the bars. When the fish were small, they would stay on a shell squid for awhile. Just long enough for the angler to grab the flyrod and lay out a quick cast behind the bar and strip the fly violently next to the stinger. It generally wasn't long until we got hooked up. We only reeled the bars in after we got hooked up...This was a great way to get bft on the fly when they were not crashing in big schools and staying up....I have not used this technique in many years but I was just down cleaning my man cave and came about these flies and started dreaming back of days gone by.....Just another chapter in the incredible bft fishery that we have here on the Cape. One I hope we continue to have down the road. It would be great if 10 years from now we are talking and writing about how *remember when we almost lost the right to fish for bluefin tuna*.......I hope so...

Whoa Nelly!

2011-04-01T08:46:00.000-07:00

I am extremely pleased to announce that I am the newest member of the Navico SIMRAD Pro Staff. It was a month in the making but I was cleared today and will be sporting all new SIMRAD NSE model electronics on the new boat! We have some exciting new things to look forward to this year!!!

Early season striper trips

2011-03-30T12:50:00.000-07:00

For a limited time, I am offering striper trips the last half of May at a reduced rate. The reduced rate will be $550 for a full day. The normal full day rate is $700.00. Please contact me for further info.

Thanks!

Monday...3/28....Captains Log.....

2011-03-28T05:04:00.000-07:00

Good morning blog fans. It was a productive weekend. I finally plumbed my outdoor shower and all I'm waiting on is for the temps to stay above freezing to turn it on. I did a couple much needed dump runs and took my daughter to see Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory at the Orleans Playhouse.
As I sit down this morning to get to work on many fishing buisness related projects, my mind drifts forward a couple months to when the striped bass arrive in droves. For some reason, I have never booked many trips these last two weeks of May. Sometimes the week leading up to Memorial Day weekend can be some of the best striped bass fishing of the year! Come June 1st I am flat out booked for the whole month, in fact I only have ONE date open as of this writing, the 5th. I would really like to be doing some trips the last week of May to throw me into June. If you wanted to go striped bass fishing in June and I was already booked, then I highly suggest you look at the last week of May.
Lots of interest in tuna fishing the past few years. We were one of the pioneers in perfecting tackle and techniques in the school bluefin tuna fishery craze that started over 10 years ago off Cape Cod. Back then, you could count the number of guides on one hand who were good at finding these fish and getting you hooked up. Today there are dozens of guides who advertise for school bluefin tuna trips. Before making your decision on who to book, find out how long the captain has been fishing for school bluefin tuna, the equipment they carry, and their success rate. Are they local or are they from some distant state trailering up to only capitalize on the success of the local captains who have etched this fishery into what it is?
I'm fairly passionate about this fishery as you can see.
As far as tackle goes, bluefin tuna tackle is state of the art. It is simply amazing the size of fish we can whip on light tackle *spinning rods*. The power and lightness of today's top of the line rods is incredible. Reels with the ability to sustain 30lbs of consistent drag and hold up and superlines so thin and strong you are able to put 4-500 yards on a reel.
We carry it all on our boat and know that the success of any captain today with the caliber of fish that we have is directly related to his experience AND the equipment he carries.
Well blog fans, my coffee cup is empty and my email light is flashing. I must get back to the other tasks at hand into putting this business in the water come May!!...
Till next tide....;)

Video

2011-03-24T05:41:00.000-07:00

I really need to start taking more video on the boat. No excuses, just gotta start doing it. I have a slick Sony HD Cam but have struggled with the downloading and editing software compatibility.
So with that, I rarely took it out of its case last season.
The new GoPro video cameras have been getting rave reviews so i got one an am looking forward to using it this season. Take a look at this test vid I did the other day.....It is strapped to my chest while laying out some flyline in the street. Now envision this strapped on YOUR chest and filming the topwater action in front of you....Yeah!...pretty slick!!...Now if I can just figure out how to splice it with the sony video and edit it all, we will have some really cool stuff!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkwFZZuCTVQ&feature=player_embedded

New Site

2011-03-23T16:03:00.001-07:00

I spent the last week building a new website for www.finaddiction.com . As you know it is my charters buisness website. I felt it was time to refresh the old site especially since I lost access to it when my last pc got riddled with viruses.
So here it is...I am pretty happy with it....How would today's design folks call it? "very contemporary and edgy". haha...
I am also excited that we are about to close on an electronics deal for the new boat. I really don't wan't to say anything until it is etched in stone so stay tuned!!
Curtains are still being worked on....Cover should come off the boat soon and I can start getting some of the real work done...
As far as bookings go, June is full except for just a couple days....I have no intention of pushing those days but if you do want to go in June then I will take you if I have any openings left. But don't despair!, July is a hot month for stripers and the bluefin are generally eating pretty good till mid month. So get on the horn and make a shout out to me and let's work out some dates for you or your party...
Fin Addiction Charters

A word about SPONSORS

2011-03-18T04:14:00.000-07:00

I wanted to take 5 minutes this morning and talk about sponsors. Without sponsors, my buisness would not be able to operate. These buisnesses are the glue behind Fin Addiction Charters. Without them, it would be hard to maintain our level of quality. They keep my tackle boxes full, my reels filled with fresh line, my rod racks gleaming with fine jewelry, my boat safely navigating through the ugliest weather.
I'm in the process of getting a few new sponsors for this season and wanted to stop and say *thanks* to all who have supported me and who keep my operation running.

THE GOOSE HUMMOCK SHOP
SHIMANO
SIMRAD
RONZ
OCEAN LURES
GOT STRYPER BAITS
SALTYWATERTACKLE
GIBBS
STINGO FISH
CORTLAND LINE
STREAMLINED LEADERS
MUD DOG FLIES
RIO
SAGE
HATCH
PURE FISHING
FARBANKPROS

Rolling into Spring.......

2011-03-17T04:47:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year where the sun is a bit higher in the sky, the days are a little brighter and attention gets focused on getting the new boat ready for another great fishing season.
Chatham Canvas is now stitching the 5 piece curtains. I worked for 2 days undercover with owner Cliff mocking up the patterns and installing the permanent rails.
Electronics choice has some exciting possibilities. I'm being quiet until I know the final outcome, but I do expect to see the boat fully equipped with the latest state of the art electronic goodies.
I'm building a new finaddiction.com website and I predict I will be able to launch it within a few weeks at the latest. It will center around all the great pictures we have taken the past couple years and have a clean, new professional look.
Once I start the electronics install I will post pictures of my progress......

Jeff

Happy New Year!!

2011-01-01T09:34:00.000-08:00

Hello and Happy New Year to all my blog readers. It was a great year for Fin Addiction Charters. Our buisness continues to grow even during some pretty hard economic times. As you know, I will be running a new boat in 2011. I will be able to easily take parties of 4 tuna fishing which will make it very economical to book a trip.
A new website is on the drawing board. I would be willing to trade a fishing trip or two for a web developer that knows what they are doing. If you have these skills and are interested then please contact me!!
Goodbye 2010 and hello 2011!!!

Till next tide...

PANAMA

2010-12-08T08:46:00.001-08:00

I am trying to put together a like minded to Panama in the spring of 11.....A new operation run by a friend of mine on a private island with two brand new 34' Sea Vee center consoles! Geared towards the jigging and popping and fly fisherman it is the first of its kind. Ping me if you have interest in going!!!

2011 Outlook

2010-12-08T08:29:00.000-08:00

Hello faithful readers. As you saw in my last post I purchased a new boat for the 2011 season. I am full of hopes and high expectations for this craft for my customers this coming year. It will easily take 4 anglers plus myself. Even tho we did take 4 on the speedcraft while bass fishing it was always tight and uncomfortable at best. I would not take 4 tuna fishing but will on the new boat. This will make a tuna trip quite affordable for a group of 4 and for the normal 2 or 3 we will have even more room to run around on the deck. No more fighting fish and getting nervous around the outboard....I cannot wait!!
Alot has to be done to the boat before she is commissioned this spring but we are on the right track. I just finished winterizing her and will now start the process of adding rod racks, electronics, and any other items I feel necessary.
June is half booked now and so if you want prime bass/tuna dates in the awesome month of June u should contact me ASAP.

Till next tide......

Jeff

New boat for 2011

2010-11-15T04:26:00.000-08:00

After much thought....I have decided to move into a 26' center console inboard diesel......It is the cats ass!!!...Beautiful layout....No outboard to catch clousers onto anymore......fully bolstered, wicked nice smooth ride......ARE YA READY?!!

Seasons End....

2010-11-15T04:16:00.000-08:00

Hello Blog Fans.....Sorry for the lack of posting lately....It's not because we haven't fished because we have. It's just that the fishing has been minimal due to the WIND like I have never seen it blow before!

I lost 17 trips in Sept and Oct due to the WIND and peoples inability to reschedule. As u can imagine, that put a serious dent in my seasons earnings but that's fishing and part of being in the business that you have no control over.

Last Saturday we hooked a giant bluefin around 700lbs and had him right at the boat b4 the hook broke....It was bittersweet.....We did catch a very nice Porbeagle Shark, *my first* and released a 71" butterball.

A trip into the drink was also ordered up due to my mate getting a line caught in the prop.....*grrrrrrgrin*

October Tuna

2010-10-22T08:38:00.000-07:00

It's been pretty good when the weather let's us get out. I plan to run trips till mid Nov.....If you want to get out, NOWS the time!!

Fall approach.....

2010-09-25T05:42:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of reports. It was a weird late summer. The bass fishing was phenomenal in some areas and just plain non existent in others. We are lucky we are on a trailer and able to dump on the other side of the pond when need be.
After one of the hottest tuna bites that I can remember for June and July, things got tough in August and early Sept. We are starting to see the tuna show back up and get into their fall mode. Weather has been a big hindrance to us. Wind...wind and more wind!!.....About 5 to 6 weeks left in the season till the good ol girl is wrapped up.

Tuna tuna tuna tuna

2010-09-01T00:45:00.001-07:00

Bassing has been very good!

2010-08-16T14:46:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of reports....I have been doing alot of bass trips the past few weeks and we have caught alot of nice fish on flies and jigs. The other day i had an angler from Italy onboard who spoke virtually no english....He nailed a 30lb bass on the fly and all we needed was the universal *high five* language to know how special that catch was.....

Commercial bass season will probably end this week with 70 percent of the quota reached by Sunday.....After that it should be awesome for chartering with the lack of people after a buck have long gone home......

Tuna has been slow of late but after next weeks moon phase I predict things to heat up....

Bassalo

2010-08-02T12:18:00.001-07:00

Return of the slot tuna....

2010-07-31T04:57:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had my good friend Jeffrey Cardenas and his lovely daughter Lilly onboard. The plan was to get Lilly hooked up to fight her first bluefin tuna. It didn't take too long and Lilly fought the fish like a pro and in 20 minutes we had a nice slot tuna on the deck. The rest of the day was spent trying to get Jeffrey tight on the fly but the fish were just not fly friendly in staying up....A great day OTW with great friends...

Bassing turns on.....

2010-07-31T04:53:00.001-07:00

Had some great light tackle/ fly bass action last week. Great to see a body of fish where it has been virtually dead the past 4 years.

John Sloan and his son Jack had a killer day out with me a week ago........John really earned this trip becuz the past few years he has booked me in August when the bass fishing has been tough.

2010-07-24T00:50:00.000-07:00

2010-07-24T00:49:00.000-07:00

2010-07-24T00:48:00.000-07:00

2010-07-24T00:44:00.000-07:00

2010-07-24T00:42:00.000-07:00

I have been flat out lately with very little time to post reports......We have had some good days and some bad days....Some killer days on bass the next *where did they go*........

BOOYA BABY!

2010-07-21T16:03:00.000-07:00

FAC ......

2010-07-09T06:22:00.000-07:00

Gorillas in the MIst

2010-07-03T04:16:00.000-07:00

The past two days were INSANELY EPIC for tuna fishing....Here are a few pics from the outings.....I am beat and spent and sore since the old man has to tug on his clients fish cuz they didn't do enough P90X during the winter!!! hah......I complain but in acutuality it makes the old man feel young......;)

Bass on Krill

2010-06-30T04:28:00.000-07:00

This past week I was hired to be the camera boat for a Jose Wejebe upcoming show. It was extremely educating seeing what goes into making a show of this calibre. Jose hanged a really slob bass on a small scaled down tarpon fly. He hooked a few tuna as well but unfortunately came unbuttoned....

I have tuna trips 2morrow and friday....Can't wait to get back out....

Need a third for thursday....

2010-06-28T12:28:00.001-07:00

Have two who are looking for a third for a tuna trip...$300....Let me know asap

A few thoughts!

2010-06-26T08:12:00.000-07:00

As you all know the gulf spill is an enviormental, economic CATASTROPHE. The thoughts of things to come visit me as nightmares while I sleep. With that said, if you understand the migration patterns of the mighty bluefin tuna you know that they spawn in the gulf. The bluefin may survive this or change their patterns, but the enviormentalists and feds want to put the endangered logo on these fish. The spill just may do that. If that happens then you can say bye bye to fishing for these magnificent fish!!

Tuna fishing has been hot this week....Many fly opportunities for fish up to 200lbs if you have the right gear. My boat is equipped with 15k dollars worth of the highest end light tackle and fly tuna gear that money can buy. My suggestion to anyone contemplating going out with me is to do it soon.....You never know when the feds will shut it down.....

I have the next week full but free up after that.....

Best fishes

Jeff

EPIC day tuna fishing

2010-06-25T18:37:00.000-07:00

I had Neil from the UK.....We had planned to bass fish wiht the flyrod but the fishing has been slow of late. I talked him into a tuna trip and what a day we had!!....Two fish released and many more hookups that resulted in lost fish due to hooks that pulled....

Just awesome!!

Some really cool laid up finning bass fishing today...

2010-06-15T14:22:00.001-07:00

INSANE!!

2010-06-12T14:07:00.000-07:00

Bass fishing today....I must of hoisted 1000lbs of fish for release today....Just EPIC!!

TOP SHELF

2010-06-11T12:25:00.000-07:00

Another epic day of bass fishing...The day started slow and I was not feeling like it was going to good at all. .Decided to change zip codes and found the mother load of bass chasing small herring up on the beach and had site casting for 3 solid hours to keeper size bass....Just phenomenal action....

ALL DAY LONG...........

2010-06-09T12:47:00.000-07:00

Bassing has been ultra sick of late....

4 tuna hookups....and more slob bass...

2010-06-08T16:37:00.000-07:00

tuna won today....we had 4 hookups and two full run offs but dropped all 4.....So it goes in the world of tuna fishing on LT.....We did play with the slob bass again and hope this epic fishing stays strong for awhile!

Big wind equals big bass on the fly

2010-06-07T13:31:00.001-07:00

When things come together......

2010-06-05T04:17:00.001-07:00

You have days like today.....

EPIC

2010-06-02T15:59:00.000-07:00

Described our fishing today. After over a week of handing off my trips to another charter cap, or canceling, I finally got the Carla Noelle wet today fishing with Shawn Rayder and company. We did a combo bass/tuna trip....Day started kinda slow in pea soup fog....We put a few keepers on soft plastics in the boat and kept moving on.....Started doing good on drifts but wanted to make the long run to the day before's action where we had miles of bass and a few tuna. I'm glad we made the run...We boated 40 or so keeper bass all on light tackle and fly and had 5 tuna hookups but call of them came unbuttoned.....Just insane!!....

She's ready!

2010-05-28T20:24:00.001-07:00

Fish Tat

2010-05-12T17:41:00.000-07:00

This is the start of something I have planned for my right arm..........A school of herring...There will be a fly or two incorporated into the arm later on as well as some other nautical stuff!

First trip of the season.......

2010-05-03T03:45:00.000-07:00

Fished with Paulie and Josh aboard Bruce Sweets 35' Henriques out of Gloucester on Saturday....We ventured up friday afternoon and stopped in Plymouth to check out the work fastech was doing on my boat...Excellent!! Should have it back this coming week. When we got to Gloucester we met Bruce, checked in then did some site seeing. It was getting towards cocktail hour so we had dinner then returned to the boat to have a few cocktails before retreating to the room at Cape Ann that evening...Up at 4, off the docks by 5 we steamed around 10 pound island to the grounds. We loaded up on cod and haddock and just had a great time. Captain Bruce Sweet knows his groundfish game!!....

Visions of Summer.....

2010-04-14T17:18:00.000-07:00

What's new

2010-04-09T04:25:00.000-07:00

We are well into spring FINALLY. It was in the 70's the other day, so the cover came off the boat and the top was stripped of all the hardware and wiring and is now ready to head to Fastech middle of next week. I'm pretty excited about the new top and it will give us a place to hide on those downpours that seemed to be all to frequent last June! Can't really complain because damned the fishing was HOT!

Im pondering the new gear list this year. Last year the addition of 4 STELLAS was a huge investment. The reels held up great on the large tuna. Anything else that hooked a fish I had my doubts about. I am looking at possibly getting a few of the new PENN TORQUE spinners as designated jigging reels on the short standup spinners....They will be used to exclusively toss RONZ and the like. Maybe a couple of FinNor Marquesas as well....All I know is I am expecting the bluefin to be around the 200lb mark this season. There is NO room for marginal or so-so tackle in this fishery....These fish can be whipped on light tackle and we have been doing it with awesome results....

Alot of new tackle has come out the last year for these fish and were anxious to try it out.

I expect to be fishing full time by May 15-20. In the interim, I am getting ready to celebrate the half century mark next week. That's right folks....Good ol Jeffie is turning 50!!..Holy crapola!!!...Never thought I would live to see the day. To tell you the truth, I am feeling pretty damned good. To date, i have lost 32lbs this winter and have worked out with the weights really hard, changed my diet and all that other stuff your supposed to do..

If you haven't got your dates in for this summer, think about doing so....

Looking forward to catching up with all of you this summer OTW!!

Highlights from a couple days in Sept of 09

2010-03-28T08:46:00.000-07:00

As you might remember I had the pleasure of fishing with some really cool guys from Germany this past Sept....They were part of Global Angler.net which is a high end fishing publication that serves that part of the globe. We had planned to fish 4-5 days to get film for a DVD but were hampered by very bad weather on the outer cape. The day we did get out for bluefin we had a dozen or more huge crashes on plugs but just could not connect!!...The one fish we did get was the smallest bluefin I boated all summer long....So it goes when the camera is rolling......Check out this short video and then browse the article.....

http://www.globalangler.net/backissues/e_archivframeset.htm

Tying now......

2010-03-22T17:22:00.001-07:00

Update

2010-03-20T04:11:00.000-07:00

New hardtop has been ordered!!....I will take the boat in at the end of next week....She should be finished by May1st! This will help keep us dry on those hellacious runs around Wood End and extend our comfort into the fall bluefin season........

NC Bluefin action

2010-03-12T10:57:00.000-08:00

Reports are showing that the bluefin action off NC right now has been epic of late....Fish are all in the high 60 to mid 70" range....I predict these fish will be off our shores by mid June. We are going to have some sick battles this summer....

One thing that does bother me is that there is a growing trend of boats, even charter boats keeping more than one fish per day. They even show in on the internet. My advice to people looking to get into this fishery is NOT to be GREEDY and follow the regs....Research your charter carefully. Does he care about the fishery or just putting meat in the boat? We are seeing an increase in out of state charter caps coming up here from down south and working our waters. Yes they know how to catch fish but of the two I know both abused the regs last year and one just abused the regs down off NC this past week!!....It blows my mind these guys post this crap on the internet....

Anyhoo....boat goes into Fast tech soon for the updated top....Looking forward to the finished product....

Get your dates squared away with me as soon as you can for 2010!!

Till next tide.....

Plans....

2010-02-27T06:35:00.000-08:00

The boat is going to go into Fastech soon to have a new hardtop put on....The radar top has been great for casting but has been horrid for keeping my expensive electronics DRY....It won't be a full top but one that offers shade and rain protection. Looking forward to working with Brian again!!...

I've lost 22lbs since Dec 5th.....Im hoping I can get at least 15 maybe more off before May 1st....then keep it off during the summer....So all you guys who bring me cookies your wives made DONT DO IT THIS YEAR!!!...

Springs a coming!

This mornings catch!

2010-02-06T10:58:00.000-08:00

Into February we go!

2010-02-05T18:41:00.001-08:00

Not much new here at the Homestead....Beating on the drums and working out. ...Hope your all well and enjoying the weather!...arrgh! ;)

Here comes the COLD

2010-01-29T08:30:00.000-08:00

weather that is....16F right now and blowing hard....I came down with a nasty cold the past couple days and thought I was going to kick it before it kicked me. I guessed wrong.

The working out has been going great....I am digging it and seeing a differnce in my body and attitude. I have a personal trainer scheduled for next week and want to learn how to work my core more. I watch him alot and he has his clients doing lunges everyday....I HATE lunges...they hurt...BAD so thought I would get a head start and do them for a few days before our first session...Two days later and I can barely walk...No kidding and even just taking a single finger and poking my quads makes me jump! I have been trying to stretch them out but it seems the only way to stretch them is to LUNGE again....Ouch doesn't describe it...hah...

Hopefully I will have more to post next tide...

So my friends......

2010-01-26T05:59:00.001-08:00

Are we really searching for fish or the beautiful women of the sea?.........Possibly both?

Cool Change......

2010-01-25T16:34:00.000-08:00

I dig that song...In fact I have been digging it for 25 years. But as I move towards the half century mark I finally am starting to understand it's words. Life is so short....I was commenting to my wife today about our 5 year old daughter in how that I do not remember her being two years old. Time seems to stand still for the moment being but in reality it is FLYING BY at an incredible clip!! So as I near 50 I find myself scrambling. Scrambling for what I am not sure....But I know I am scrambling...Or scrambled in the mind!! I have done some crazy things of late....For one I bought a drum kit....Yeah a drum kit!!...Everybody I know is saying, "Hey I didn't know you played the drums"? I respond..."I DONT, BUT I WANT TO LEARN"! So here I am like a kid who just went to a rock concert and decided he wanted to be a ROCK STAR!...I know...silly....So I got the kit and I set it up the best I could....I assembled the whole thing and tuned it with my bionic ears....I can tell its still out of tune but I am not sure what. I've been banging on it for about 10 days now....My daughter the first couple days would exclaim..."STOP DADDY STOP"!!....Thanks to You Tube there are alot of beginning drum videos....It helps but the video rendering is not as fast as the audio rendering which makes following a beat kinda tough as do poor camera angles when taping the person performing the lesson. I am still looking for a local drum instructor but so far no dice....Somebody has got to want to teach me...I'm desperate!! HAH

What else have I done....I finally woke up and said I was sick of being FAT...yes FAT and out of shape....Being a charter captain all summer long is like driving a cab on the water...All u do is drive and eat....You get beat up physically but not in a good way that works fat from your body....I know u shouldn't live in the past and people get sick about hearing "yah in the day I used to blah blah blah"...But the truth is I was an athletic MACHINE into my early 30's...I used to body build and could bench 325 and eventually gave that up to race bicycles which I got very good at and raced and trained for over 10 years. You would never know it now...but there is a part of me that wan'ts that back to some degree...

Oh and the tattoo thing....My father would probably roll over in his grave if he found out what I was planning to have tattooed on me....I question why I wan't to do this....Is it rebellion of my baptist upbringing? Is it a midlife crisis or is it that maybe it's the simple fact that I am getting older and trying to hold onto my youth? "Ugggggggh"....Well we all knew the answer before I started blabbering. I guess I just had to write it to accept it!!...hahaha

I've been working out steadily and eating right since Dec 5th....I had some big gains in strength and lost weight the last two weeks but seem to have kind of hit a plateau....I may talk to a personal trainer 2morrow to see if we can mix it up a bit more to get my body losing weight again and getting stronger....I seem pretty focused and determined...I look forward to going to the gym and get pissed if I can't get there for some unforseen reason. There is HOPE!!....
For those of you scratching your head wondering where the latest fishing report is I apologize...It's coming....but until then your gonna have to deal with my craziness and mid life crisis!...;-)

Till next tide...

Janurary is a.......

2010-01-18T13:45:00.001-08:00

totally worthless month. I have little work this winter other than the property management I do so I have really been hitting the basement gym and finally joined WILLY's in Eastham about 10 days ago. They had a killer deal that my wife and I just could not pass up. I go pretty much every morning for 2 hours. My good friend Paul Higgins is a member and he and I play a little basketball then hit the cardio machines...I do 30 minutes on the stair climber under pretty good resistance...I swear when endorphins are released it is like a drug....I get in a zone and just feel great. I then hit the weights for an hour then back on cardio to finish up.....If I do this till June I should be one bad ass mutha!!...LOL.

Anyhoo, it has been along time coming and I should of started years ago...Feeling great that I look forward to getting to the gym in the am vs forcing myself to go....

I got my drums setup and have started making some very very bad bad noise....So bad that my little girl runs around with her hands over her ears...screaming....STOP DADDY...STOP!!....Hopefully I can find some lessons locally and start finding that hidden drummer in me...;)

Till next time.......

The triple whammy!

2010-01-13T08:10:00.000-08:00

I have 3 cameras in my arsenal and all three are now broke in one way or the other....It aint pretty....My SONY HD camcoder fell out of the case late this summer and got saltwater on it....DEAD....My Sony pocket cam fell off the counter due to an accident and now my main camera my SONY A100 DSLR fell and hit the floor courtesy of one of our cats!!....Uuuugh....Sony service wants a min $230 flat fee to work on the body....It seems I can get a almost new body on ebay for less so I guess that is the route I am taking....Not sure where to go with the camcoder...it works but wont take a charge....The pocket cam is junk....

I have been wanting to get out and take some pics on the flats since I went clamming the other day....bear with me...I'll figure out something soon!! \"/

Resolutions......

2010-01-09T06:02:00.000-08:00

So it goes with another New Year and resolutions....This year I made a little bit better effort. I started in early December and have stuck with a workout routine. Im finally using that Bowflex I bought 10 years ago along with some free weight dumbells. I have an old bike on a wind trainer and received a 150lb heavy bag last week. I'm eating right and trying to stay focused but it is TOUGH!!...

Anybody who has been a fishing guide on a smaller/mid size boat like mine that fishes in the conditions we fish, day in and day out knows how taxing it can be on the body. Every year it get's a little harder to pull my fat arse out of bed so I knew getting in shape was long overdue...I think that nearing 50 is also giving me a scare!!....Maybe it's what they call a mid life crisis?...Afterall I did pull the trigger on a Ludwig Centennial drum set the other day!! Oh did I tell you about the tattoo I am having designed?!!?!!....DO YOU SEE FOLKS?!!!

OK...On the fishing front here is what is going on....I am booking trips for next year now and have a dozen days booked in June already. June goes quick...If you want in then dont wait to contact me. Fishing is great all summer long but JUNE rules in the fly for bass arena.

Late May can be killer too and for some reason I book very few trips in May for reasons I am not sure of. So look at your schedule and see if May might fit for you!!!

Time to head to the basement for some PAIN and relaxation.....

Till next time...

After the storm

2009-12-21T10:48:00.000-08:00

We had a good 16" of snow here in Wellfleet the past few days...It finally broke and I grabbed a just charged battery this morning and scooted over to Cahoon Hollow to try and get some photos....After two shots the battery died!...Arrgh...I had planned to do some time release surf photos down on the water....

But here are the two I took...Such a beautiful place this time of year after a fresh dusting of snow...Hard not to do a little soul searching when viewing such a scene.

What a surprise!

2009-12-03T13:23:00.000-08:00

in the mail today......I picked up a package with Germany return address and recognized the name....Thomas Michael booked me for 5 days this past September in hopes of filming big bluefin on the fly and light tackle. We had horrible weather the first two days and opted to do albie fishing which we got some great footage on. Day 3 looked promising....We had doable weather but the fish were just not on the feed possibly due to the prior wind...Day 4 looked good and we got alot of WHACKS on the light tackle and eventually caught a 60-70lb fish but we were hoping to get some of the 150+lb fish on film....We hooked up but lost one of this class and have several more boils and grabs throughout the day but just could not GET IT DONE!..arrgh!...The final day was blown out and that was that....

Thomas had told me he was the owner of Steelfin flyreels which is no longer in production due to overhead costs of such high machining. He said he had enough parts to put together one for me and well today it showed up!!...What a work of art and engineering ingenuity!!...It feels so comfortable with the dropped forward seat. I'm surprised more offshore reel makers do not follow this trend.

Anyway a big thank you to Thomas...You guys are a-ok in my book!!

2009-12-02T05:38:00.000-08:00

Holiday Greetings from Cape Cod!

Thanksgiving and has come and gone and we are now into Dec with Christmas baring down fast on us.

We had a wonderful thanksgiving here at the Smith Homestead in Wellfleet with friends and family. Smoked toro and Wellfleet Oysters sat out front in the appetizer department.

Beer and wine from far away places filled our glasses. Beautiful smells came from the kitchen and oven and we ate like KINGS!

I wish you all a happy and safe holiday season and look forward to fishing with you next year.

Jeff

FAT LADY

2009-11-09T10:54:00.000-08:00

has sung......Ayup....We drug her around awhile but she has finally sung her tune...At least for my ride that is. We have been playing the last few weeks....Notice I say *playing*. Buds getting together and heading out in one of our rides. We have had alot of fun...No stress, hungry fish and COLD water temps. We all have survival suits and practice getting in them and have the confidence in each other that if something happens then we can rely on each other. I haven't done trips since the water temp fell below 55 degrees....

I was planning on fishing today but was stricken buy a nasty bug that my lovely daughter brought home from school. I fought it the best I could but it got the better of me the past 3 days until I finally succumed to a hot toddy and 3 blankets, a waste basket and a box of tissues....

I finally felt well enough to get outside today and plant some spring bulbs....Wasn't long before I could tell I was over doing it.

Now enough about me....Let's size up this season....

First off I would like to thank everyone who went out with me this year. I was really worried the buisness was not going to be there due to the economy but you all proved me wrong. We were able to match last years buisness which was my best season to date. Pre bookings were 60% down but when the fish showed and we got down to buisness the inquirys started flowing.

Fishing wise it was another great year. We caught alot of nice bass on fly and light tackle...Had incredible topwater bluefish action and had another epic year on the tuna. We did our first albie trip and caught 9 fish on our first outing...I look forward to doing more of these trips next year.

The fishing has changed somewhat over the last 5 years but you just have to change with it.

This season I had the pleasure of fishing with Thomas Michael of Steelfin Reels fame who now owns Global Anlger.net A european fishing magazine. They booked me for 4 days for bluefin on spin and fly for an article....The weather that week was the ABSOLUTE PITTS but we were able to get in some action and catch a few fish.

Bookings for 2010 have already begun and if you would like to reserve some dates for next season then shoot me an email and let me know your plans.

I intend to update this blog with winter activity with photos and musings so don't put it on the back burner just yet...;)

Jeff

Today was a gift......

2009-11-05T13:45:00.001-08:00

Had a chance to fish with friends, Alan Hastebek, Josh Zacharias and Paul Higgins.....We had alot of tuna action and hooked several and landed one....I spent the whole day trying to get tight on the fly and just could not make it happen even if the fly got there dozens of times.....Had some fun with the dolphins and then headed to the barn........It was a beautiful day on the water...

Tuna Tuggin....

2009-10-22T16:30:00.000-07:00

Had Scott Simard and his buddy George onboard today.....Tooled around and found a few pods, and got tight on this 67" fish. George fought it like a pro on the new Tuna Sniper from OTI and we had in boatside in 15 minutes. When I threw the poon the line went limp....I stuck the fish near the corner of the mouth and when the plug came back in the hook had been harpooned in half!....So now I got a green fish on the harpoon line and after 10 minutes of handling a green fish we get him to the boat....

Found some good schools of 50lb fish and doubled up on those. Great fun on the lighter St. Croix and Spheros outfits. Wind kicked up and we made a bee line back to the dock....

Looks like the wind is gonna blow 2morrow......

Oooh it sucks man

2009-10-18T05:18:00.001-07:00

the weather that is......At least the old girl is getting a nice fresh water bath the past few days. It's dark and dreary and the heat is on. I can't help but wonder what the tuna are doing during this storm....Did they hunker down and chew deep? Did they gather themselves up and slide down the shipping lanes to less stormy and warmer waters? Or are they on a massive pig fest with bait spraying out of the water with grins from ear to ear knowing there are no boats trolling over them? Who knows...but I can't help but wonder.

Next week is shaping up. I am booked wed-sun...It would be great to get all 5 days in but somehow I doubt it do to the law of averages in the month of Oct. I am still frothing at the mouth on that 200lb tuna on the fly quest. I may still get my day in the bow yet!! There are many indicators that the season is winding down....I know some folks talk about the days getting shorter and colder but one of the things a fishing guide notices first is that his cell phone is not going off every 10 minutes. I still pick it up as much and flip it open to see if I have a missed call or two but the subconscious tells me that the season is nearing its end. I also notice my trips to the Goose Hummock Shop where I do most of my buisnes are infrequent where in season I generally am there at least twice a week picking up supplies....

Crap folks, 2009 is winding down.....It just seems like it got started........

Getting close.......

2009-10-17T06:15:00.000-07:00

to the end of the season up here on Cape Cod.....The weather is what keeps us from getting out everyday. We are averaging two weather windows per week the past couple weeks. The next window appears to be wed-fri. I am trying to keep the ol girl fish ready as long as I can but do imagine that we will probably be finished by the end of the first week in Nov. By that time I will have a TON of fall work to do around the homestead as well as pull my traps and get the boat cleaned up and covered for the frickin winter that we all so hate around here. I had planned and worked at being in the Bahamas this winter managing a lodge but that all fell through so it looks like another winter is headed our way out here....

More than anything I would like to get in the bow one more time this season and try and stick a big bluefin on feathers.....We will see if that opportunity presents itself in the next few weeks....

OYSTERFESTIVAL in Wellfleet is this weekend and I think im gonna go down and see if I can find that mystery open keg behind the shucking stage...;)

Watson Bros...

2009-10-15T12:48:00.000-07:00

Gettin it done........Some great feeds today....Man did I want to be in the bow with the 18wt!!....Gonna blow for a few.....Back at it mid next week....

2009-10-12T01:24:00.000-07:00

Family Day!

2009-09-26T14:44:00.000-07:00

Much needed family day....We checked our traps and got 6 keeper lobsters then tried to make bait and found a good pile of keeper bass and blues.....Nice to sneak a family day in this time of year....Lobster and bass 2nite!

Snuck one in before the blow

2009-09-26T06:08:00.000-07:00

I had Tom Leonard and crew and we decided to try and get one last trip in before the strong N-NE. Due to the forcast I opted to run out into the bay but didn't like what I found early on. NOAA blew the forcast and it was pretty flat so we opted to make the long run to where I have been fishing and it paid off immediately upon arrival. Tom got tight on a RONZ and fought the fish for 20 minutes until the hook pulled. During the whole fight I had a huge school under the boat so we wasted no time in getting back to fishing. After a few, Chuck hooks up and we are off to the races again. The fish was really hot and making Chuck do the tango. We decided to pass the rod off with everyone onboard in hopes of getting the fish in asap. No dice, the fish would have no part of it and after two turns each on the rod and over an hour we finally get color.

We end the game with a nice poon shot. Everybody is spent and we make the long run back to P town with a nice 67" fish in a saltwater brine.....

Great day OTW with Tom Leonard and crew!

Beeks vanished but .....

2009-09-23T05:37:00.000-07:00

We still managed two fish to the boat yesterday. I'm sure they didnt go far but what a far cry from yesterday!!! I'm off today and regreasing my Stellas and fixing battle wounds on the boat....

For anybody interested, my schedule is pretty much wide open except for a few dates here and there the next month. Tuna fishing has been pretty good of late. I'd like to keep the boat running till the end of Oct at the latest but in order to do that I need to keep the trips coming....If you would like to get out on the water and experience this fishery then give me a jingle and we can set something up.

EPIC

2009-09-21T15:18:00.000-07:00

The last couple days have been EPIC ....Not just because we have caught some phenomenal tuna on light tackle but because we have witnessed hundreds and hundreds of tuna blasting halfbeeks out of the water....Several times you would look as far as the eye can see and see white water and tuna jumping clear of the water blasting beeks. Not just one here and one there....I mean 360 degrees around the boat.....Wish to god I had a 300 mm lens for my still....I could of gotten some killer shots.

Today I had Marvin Lewiton onboard for a light tackle tuna....Right off the bat Marvin hooks up on the jig a RONZ and after a 30 minute tug of war in the harness I poon a 69" fish. Our largest this year on the spin. After some photos and prep we move out to yesterdays numbers and get back on the halfbeek action....It isnt long till my Ocean Lure Halfbeek gets CREAMED but I lose him on the set....I am giddy from just witnessing the greatest surface hit I have had in my chartering career!!

We get creamed a few more times but drop the fish due to poor hooksets...Eventually I come tight and with a drop down plate I whip another high 60 inch fish in short order to the boat...It is green boatside and we struggle to get it under control and I mean STRUGGLE...We pop the ocean lure out and the fish kicks and is on his way...A couple of high fives and we are back on it....Marvin knows I want one on the fly so drives the boat and it isnt long before I get tight on the Loomis 15. After a searing run the hook pulls...*sigh* but hey its the take that is 90 percent of the fun.....We put the fly away and Marvin is game for one more and gets crushed on the OCEAN HALFBEEK once again.....I leader and pop the lure out after a 10 minute battle and the fish is screaming away.....

Just a killer day OTW..........;)

A bit sporty out there today!

2009-09-17T06:20:00.000-07:00

Jim Simms, Craig Johnston, and their buddy Silas from the UK went 10 rounds with the weather today and two round on this tuna!....

OTI rods and Ocean Lures were the ticket....

Albies!

2009-09-13T01:24:00.000-07:00

With the weather of late, we made a run to Buzzards Bay to get in on the Albie action......We had 9 total, 7 on spin, two on fly. Heard the action was nothing compared to the day before...Still, we had a great time and got some good video and stills for the guys from Germany. Hopefully we can get out 2morrow and find some bluefin...

2009-09-07T15:05:00.000-07:00

Guides Day

2009-09-07T14:49:00.000-07:00

Today was a gift...I had the day free and Gil and Josh, both fly and light tackle captains and I had not fished together yet this year. So we piled in my boat and headed east...It was pretty lumpy and not alot of life but we found small pods of birds and jumping tuna underneath. Airoborne tuna. They were on some small 3 to 5 inch baitfish that we couldnt identify.....It wasn't long till I hooked up and fought the first fish which appeared high 50 inch range to the boat....The fish took a RONZ down deep and was released boatside. We putz around some more and hear that the fleet is not doing much at all and moving farther SE....We decide to stay put and are shortly rewarded hooking up to fish #2.....Josh fights this one hard with a ton of pressure but this fish is much bigger than the first....After 45 minutes and just 20; under the boat the owner hook opens up and the fish is free.....We never got a look at it but were guessing high 60 inch range.

Gil is up now and i approach a small pod of birds and before you know it, Gil gets drilled on an Ocean Lure halfbeak right at the boat....After a searing run it comes unbuttoned......

We decide to head a bit north and find bird pile after bird pile with nobody on them....In short order Josh is hooked up on an Ocean Lure swimming mackeral. After a killer battle, I poon the fish in the head and we have one for the box.

Great day fishing with these guys and wish we did it more often!

Tuna.....

2009-09-04T10:21:00.000-07:00

The last week has been a good week. We hammered bass in cape cod bay on topwater plastics on all of our trips. I also set my lobster traps which I will be checking later today. On the tuna front we had two great days with 11 total hookups. Jigs and Ocean Lures were the ticket. The OTI casting rods were the balls and the Van Stall jiggers got the job done in short order with the Shimano Stellas.....

I've got a few days off and will probably see if I can stick a fish with the *PRIEST* aka 18wt Biscayne.....