07-23-2002, 05:23 PM
BOSTON HARBOR & SOUTH SHORE- Stripers 7/20/02<br><br>This past week the bass have been showing early both in Quincy and Boston’s inner-harbor. However, the surface action has been short lived. Fishing structure after the morning flurry produced some of the bigger, keeper bass.<br><br>Shawn Gallagher and friends from Mt. Laurel, NJ annual three-day light-tackle and fly fishing bass trip was productive early in the week. The bass showed early in Dorchester on most mornings feeding on abundant silversides. 3/0 Chartreuse Half & Half’s produced best on fly tackle while Fin-S rubber baits in alewife and smelt colors worked well on light-spinning gear. Numerous keeper bass in the 28-31 inch size class were released during the three-day period. <br><br>The best bass of the week and our largest on the fly since the mid-June Blitz was Shawn’s 38 inch, 21-pound linesider taken on Wednesday in Quincy Bay. This fish took a 4/0 heavily-dressed, chartreuse Half & Half, with a touch of red hackle in the throat, in 8 feet of water. The striper, once realizing the deception, was quickly into the backing and heating up the 9/10 Vortex anti-reverse drag system. Clients find both the anti-reverse feature and the large-arbor design very user-friendly in handling a big fish. Frankly, as a guide, I breathe a little easier knowing the reel’s mistake-forgiving anti-reverse feature prevents break-offs, tackle damage and injured knuckles while the line- gaining capabilities reduce line-slack from a fish’s sudden change in direction. <br><br>Attorney Lou Sorgi of Gun Rock Beach, Hull, MA had a good fly trip fishing both Boston in the early morning, finishing later on rocks of Cohasset’s Minot’s Ledge. Speaking of finishing, the former Milton High right-winger’s hat-trick stunned Needham High’s star and current Bruin’s coach, Rob Ftorek, with Needham’s only loss during their State championship season. Further, Lou’s 25 pound fresh-run Atlantic salmon on Larbrador’s Hawke River on July 5, rates up there with the hat-trick. Now that’s finishing! <br><br>Capt. Mike Bartlett<br>B-Fast Charters<br>www.bfastcharters.com<br><br><br>Capt. Mike Bartlett<br>B-Fast Charters<br>www.bfastcharters.com