Rock Harbor Fishing
Report
Capt. Hap Farrell
4 Oct. 2006
This is the last report of the season. Boy, did it go by fast. Lets hope the winter goes by just as fast. The fishing in the bay is still fairly good. The bass are still either up on top of Billingsgate Shoals or on the north edge out to 30 feet. When the tide is down they move out to the deep water from 45 to 55 feet. There are a good number of bluefish mixed in with the bass. The best method is still jigging. However, if you use an umbrella rig on a short wire (150 ft.) either on top or the north edge and a longer wire setup (200 ft.) in the deeper water, you should do quite well also. These fish should stick around for a while. The bass will leave first. Most likely after an easterly or northeast blow which will cool the water down. You'll still be able to hook up on the big fish on the outer beach for awhile more. The bluefish will be next. Not much later, maybe a week or so. By then those who like to do some fall flounder fishing should start looking around. If the seals have left any for us.
I know it's a little early to think about next season, but you might find some of this season's lure that didn't sell out on sale this fall and winter. If you find any jigged eels on sale buy them up. The jigged eel was a productive method this season so I'm sure it will be so next year. Also if you can find good wire line on sale pick that up too. Wire line isn't cheap and you go through a lot of it when you're jigging. Hootchies, they are hard to find sometimes so if you run across them pick some. The pumpkin color and pink colors work well. However, brown and a root beer color also worked well, especially using lead core line.
For those looking for bluefish they seem to be popping up everywhere. They're off the Brewster Flats in 25 to 30 feet of water. During the flood tide if it's a sunny day you can find them along the Eastham shore. They're up on the shoals and in the deep water. Hootchies on mono or the umbrella rig will work well. The sizes are a mixed bag from 4 to 5 pound fish up to 15 to 17 pound fish. The next northeast blow that cools the water down should chase these fish into the deep water and then finally south for the winter.
This last weekend I took a pair of twin dentists, John and Jim Hammond, and their friends out on the full day trip. They usually go in August but as it was they had to put it off 'till the end of September. They must have brought lady luck with them because they were into fish on a regular basis. The all landed the fish they wanted but will be back next August when it's a little warmer.
It has been a pleasure doing these reports this season and I should be starting them back up the beginning of next May, so ‘till then be safe.
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E-mail: stunmai@copper.net