LUCKY

Chris was a lucky fisherman.
He was also lucky in life two
days ago.

Luck plays a big role in fishing; it can also play a big role in life. We got a big taste of luck in the last couple of days as it waved its wand on my second son, Chris.
Chris fished the least in the family because of his heavy commitment to sports in high school and college.  However, when he did fish he was lucky.  He liked to fish and he often would catch a lot of fish or a big one when he did get out with me or his brothers.  Yes, he was lucky fisherman.
Chris is now working and living in Boston with his girlfriend Kaleigh.  Two days ago, he encountered what could be the luckiest (or quite possibly the unluckiest) day of his life depending on how you look at it.  He was sitting in his living room when he heard fire trucks outside his apartment building.  As he looked out his third floor window at the commotion, he realized firemen were frantically entering his building.  Suddenly, he heard shouts in the hallway to "Get Out".  "Fire!".  He and Kaleigh ran to the door, opened it, and immediately were staring at thick, black smoke.  They smartly shut the door and ran for the window where there was a fire escape.  Smoke was also coming up the side of the building.  They climbed through the window and slowly made their way through the smoke to safety.  Chris says they were the last out of the burning building.

Chris' apartment was located
on the third floor of this burning
building in Back Bay in Boston.
He and his girlfriend narrowly escaped.

In the last few days the news has been filled with accounts of this tragic fire in Back Bay in Boston where two fire fighters lost their lives. I can't help thinking about those firemen who lost their lives and  I think how this could have turned out far differently for us.  Chris and Kaleigh are lucky to still be alive.
They literally escaped with the clothes on their back. However, they lost everything.....clothes, keepsakes, memory items, furniture, books, photos, appliances, etc.
Friends have set up a fund for them to help rebuild their lives.  The fund is located here:
    http://www.gofundme.com/7ui8qo
They are currently in a hotel in Boston courtesy of the Red Cross.  They are determined to rebuild their lives.  Support from friends, family, co-workers and even strangers has been overwhelming.  Yes, we are all grateful and thankful they are still alive.  Luck was shining on them that awful day.

Just Nothing to Report

We are in a dead time of the year right now.
We are looking at close to a month before we get the springtime migrating stripers.  I'm almost sure this will be a late year due to the cold water and weather.  The wintering over fish seem to be semi dormant with the snow melt and ice melt causing very cold water temperatures.  The few fish being taken in the upper Bay have mostly been snagged.  I have only gotten one small fish in my last four outings and that was snagged.  It has been a poor winter of fishing with numbers way down and sizes very small compared to other years.
So, I'll continue to get out and try for those wintering over fish, but I know it's more or less a waiting game until the springtime action begins.

The Snagging Dilemma

Tonight's lone fish was snagged in the tail.
Snagging does happen at this time of year.
Expect to also catch some fish in the mouth.

It's a late winter phenomenon that you rarely read about anywhere.  SNAGGING.  It happens and it happens with more regularity than most would admit. Most fishermen are not trying to snag fish, but it can't be avoided.
In early March, water temperatures have bottomed out.  Because of the cold water, these fish are sluggish and almost in a semi-dormant condition.  Most are not hitting.  These sluggish fish are also moving in tight, balled up schools, another late winter phenomenon.
As you move your jig along the bottom it bumps into these sluggish fish, and it feels like a hit.  You pull back.  The result is often a snagged fish.   However, in between those snagged fish, you do seem to get some fish to take your offering in the mouth.  Some active fish are still hitting. I don't like snagging fish, but I'm often faced with a dilemma of continuing to fish or calling it quits. I usually continue fishing because I also know that  winter late winter fishing often comes down to accidentally snagging some fish to get to those that want to hit.  It is just part of the winter fishing game.

A Winter Diehard Scores Again

Lack of Fish, Brutal Weather and Seals

It was one lone schoolie tonight, the only fish in
the last three outings.  Winter fishing has been poor so far.

This is about the worst winter I have ever seen for wintering over stripers in the upper Bay. I have been trying to get out at least several times a week, but bad weather (cold and snow) and icing have really cut into my fishing since the start of the new year.  Still, I have gotten out a decent amout of times but have not found many fish. The numbers of fish are way down compared to recent years.  As recently as a five or six years ago I could average about ten fish an outing.  This year I am lucky to get one fish an outing.  I went out tonight and landed a lone 16 inch schoolie.  It was my only fish of the last three times.  Not good.  To add salt to the wound, I was out fishing last Friday in the rain and wind in the daytime and all of a sudden right in front of me a seal that weighed about 200 lbs. breached on the surface.  It's never good fishing when seals are around.
So, very poor fishing overall thus far this winter for stripers. It's not completely dead, but pretty close. If I were grading it, I'd give it a "D".  I hope it is not a sign of things to come.

Striper Fishing Seminar....TOMORROW....at Springfield Sportsmens Show

I will be wrapping up my seminar scedule tomorrow, Feb. 22, at the Springfield Sportsmens Show at the Big E in Springfield, MA.  The seminar, "Plugging for Stripers from Shore and Boat" will take place in Seminar Room B at 2:00 PM.  This seminar focuses solely on fishing with artificials for striped bass.  It has been the most poplular show I have ever done.  For more information about the Springfield Show, visit their website at   http://www.osegsportsmens.com/index.html

Questions and Answers from Fishing Seminars

I've done five fishing seminars in the last week at two major fishing shows here in the northeast and met a lot of striper fishermen.  The seminars have been packed which shows a great interest in fishing for stripers.  I complied a sampling of questions that were asked.  Here is a sampling along with my answers:

What type of braided line do you use along with what pound test?
Answer:  I use Power Pro braided line in most applications from  shore as well as boat.  I favor 30 lb. test.  I use a green color.
Where do you buy your wooden eggs that you use for a float?
Answer:  I buy mine in bulk (bags of 25) from the website, www.craftparts.com .I buy the 2 1/2 inch white (already painted) wooden hen egg.  They sell for about $1.00 apiece.  I then drill then and wire them.  You can also use stainless steel screw eyes.
Where do you buy stuff like VMC hooks, split rings, plug components and plug wire?
Answer:  www.njtackle.com
Do you use fluorocarbon when setting up your teaser leader or regular leaders?
Answer:  No, I use regular monofilament, either 30 or 40 lb. test Berkley Big Game line.  I've tried fluoro in the past and find no difference in the catch rate when plugging.
I've noticed on your blog that you use snaps all the time when attaching lures and jigs.  What's your thoughts on direct tying?
Answer:  Most experts will tell you that direct tying is the best way to go.  However, I change plugs and lures often in a night of fishing so I find the snap to be more convenient.  I use high quality cross-lok snaps and have never had a snap fail me.  The key here is to avoid excessive hardware.  I don't use a snap/swivel combination, rather I use a swivel, tie on a leader and then a snap.
What are your choices for fluke bodies to imitate bay anchovies?
Answer: My best producers are Zoom flukes in an albino color.  They come in a 4 inch length (fluke) or a 5 inch length  (super fluke). Stores like Bass Pro sell them.
How do you beef up your Daiwa SP minnow lures?
Answer: Get rid of the cheap hooks and split rings that come with them.  I switch them out, replacing the hooks with VMC 4X, size 1/0 hooks and replace the split rings with a size 5H that you can buy from NJ Tackle.
When will the first migrating stripers appear along the RI oceanfront?
Answer:  Some of the frontrunners could appear as early as late March or the beginning of April.  I expect the big numbers of schoolies to appear around the second week of April.  If I had to bet, I would say around April 10.  A lot will depend on the weather and water temperatures.
What are you thoughts on the current state of the stripers?
Answer:  Last year saw good numbers of schoolies, but there was a lack of keepers around from shore.  Boaters fared better, but still keeper numbers were down.  I expect the trend to continue this year.