08-20-14
Skipped out of work a little early to drown some slime. There were a couple boats in the honey hole so I went hunting. No love in those new rips.
When the boats cleared out at dusk I threw a lively eel to my brook trout rips. Four bites, two on, one in the net.
Six miles of WOT back to the dock and not a boat in sight.
Life is good.
08-23-14
Avoided a real bad smell on today's check of the lobster traps. The first six traps, no keepahs. It was looking like a skunk!
Thank goodness for the Point. The last nine traps and there were eight eaters in the cooler.
The three hero or zero traps scored thirty three percent. One lobster. We'll try again next year.
Highlight of the day was doing a radio podcast on the boat with Dave Kellam and the Fish Nerds.
http://www.fishnerds.com/fish-ne....de-fishWe spoke about my connection to Great Bay and what I saw as its strength and weaknesses. Touched upon the different fish that come and go during a summer season.
And about the striped bass that "do not" live in Great Bay.
Dave took a lot of pictures. The two below are my favorite.
Although not a keeper this lobster shed its old shell while in the trap. The new shell lobster on the right is as soft as you have heard me say before, a "grape".
These are when lobsters are at their greatest threat of predation.
And the Great Bay Gundalow barge was on the water. This type of vessel supported the commerce around Great Bay estuary during the 18th and early 19th century. The ships unloaded onto these barges and with their shallow draft these vessels brought the ocean faring goods to the local town ports.
http://www.gundalow.org/The Great Bay National Wildlife Reserve to the rear.
08-24-14
Back around 2005 was the last time my dad, due to the escalating effects of Parkinson's disease, and I celebrated his birthday with a fishing trip to Great Bay. His last day on the boat the Bay was alive with boiling striped bass and bluefish schools. I would hook the fish and he would reel them in.
Since that day each August 24th I try to get out on the Bay and fish in his honor.
Back on August 24th 2009 my son Shawn and I hit the jackpot by playing the huge school of Atlantic Menhaden (pogies) that invaded the Bay for bait.
Shawn got his personal best striper that day.
Which he chose to release.
I wasn't far behind.
No, today didn't produce any pogies for bait or for that matter a keepah stripah. I did put two bass in the boat and they swim free like my dad's spirit does today.
Happy Birthday Dad. I miss you.