08-05-2001, 09:30 PM
BOSTON HARBOR & SOUTH SHORE- Stripers 8/4/01<br><br>Early this week the best action for numbers of keeper bass on fly and light-tackle was north of Grave’s light in the outer harbor. On Wednesday, schools of marauding blues mixed with the bass in the same locale to join in the feeding frenzy provided for by juvenile herring. This outer-harbor blitz gave way to a feeding foray in the inner-harbor at week’s end in both Boston and Quincy Bays as acres of silversides were in evidence. <br><br>Monday’s trip with Dick Hurd of CSFB,Boston, was our season’s best for numbers of keeper bass on the long rod. The action started in Quincy Bay on the last of the out-going tide. DepthCharge line got the 5/0 epoxy-head herring patterns down into the strike zone. The fly casters accounted for numerous linesides in the 24-27 inch size class and three keepers between 30 and 32 inches. Moving off to Grave’s, large pods of bass were slashing through the herring with the gulls above. The Vortex reels got a workout as the flyfishers hooked double after double of keeper bass between 30 and 34 inches. Both anglers lost what they believed to be “Walter”. By the time the surface action slowed at 9:30, Dick and friend had boated and released 22 keepers. Both had the opportunity to fish the new 9/10 Vortex anti-reversed on big fish. Both anglers liked the “knuckle-saving” feature as well as the drag de-activating lever.<br><br>Wednesday’s trip with Gordon Lewis from Bedford,NH started and ended off Grave’s. The blues had joined the party necessitating bite protectors---4-5 inches of 36 pound Malin wire. Equal numbers of bass and blues took the spinning and fly cast presentations. Blues to 14 pounds were handled and released with the Boga-Grip. We didn’t find the numbers of big bass that were in evidence the day before—possibly due to the more aggressive blues. Nevertheless, this was the best action of the season in the Boston area for blues to date.<br><br>Thursday and Friday were atypically slow for Boston for early August. Herring and silversides were showing just about everywhere. We marked bass with the fishfinders. A few bass and blues took the presentations in the early morning. Follows from surface finning bass over structure and short strikes were the results of our efforts for the rest of the tide. A waxing moon and soft early morning tides may have been the culprit. Perhaps the bass were feeding at night on the moon was suggested by Orvis Rep Tom Keer. <br><br>On Saturday morning, following a dark, stormy night over Boston, with the table set, all Hell broke loose. On the last hour of the ebb through the low slack and into the first two hours of the flood, bass were erupting on sliversides in Quincy Bay. 1/0 blue and white Clousers worked best on 300-400 DepthCharge line. 2/0 White Gurglers out-fished other surface presentations on Wonderline. Slug-Go’s and 4 inch Fin-S baits matched the bait size best on spinning gear. The surface action was non-stop from first light until 9:00. This was Roger Thuot’s from Princeton, MA third trip to Boston. He thought he had seen it all. After his 30th bass between 24 and 32 inches on the Gurgler, he could be heard mumbling, “Cape Who??”<br>His daughter landed an equal number using both Slug-gos and the blue clousers. <br><br>Capt. Mike Bartlett<br>B-Fast Charters<br>www.bfastcharters.com<br><br><br><br><br><br> <br><br><br>Capt. Mike Bartlett<br>B-Fast Charters<br>www.bfastcharters.com