The weekend began with the sound of the alarm at 4:00 on Saturday morning. Was in the car and on the way to Ct. by 4:40. For the first 175 miles the trip was flying and I thought I might hit the reefs to catch a bit of bass prime time but it was not to be....just south of New Haven, three lanes were reduced to one for some bridge work
. Needless to say, the hook wasn't wet until 8:45. When I got into town it was no joy on fresh bunker so the first day was to be fished with frozen. First day tally was two blues in the boat (and released), two pull-offs, multiple bite-offs but no bass...Time to go home, drink some gin and prepare for the next day...
Saturday ended with no joy in bunker land. The local shop was getting skunked by its supplier so it was back out to the reefs on Sunday again with frozen bait. I headed out to what should be called the Branford Boat Parking Lot and got there at 5:30. I figured I could get in some drifts before the fleat arrived. Two drifts and I was dialed in on the line I wanted and then another "gentleman" arrived and decided to drop right in the middle of my line...huge reef and he wanted to chunk right in my line....time to leave the parking lot. I was afraid someone would drop through my deck. Went back to the spot I was Saturday and started fishing the backside of a pile slighly off the reef. I couldn't drift the line I wanted...the waves were up to 3 feet and white-caps were present for most of the day. Every time right off the edge it was blue time. Eighteen frozen were gone in no time. All blues again and no bass....Time to go home and get ready to hit the road. Gave a ring to Pat to do a debrief and learn....Then Pat said he was going out on Monday, to get live bunker and fish.....did I want to come along? I suddenly felt ill.....the 24 hour flu set in....time to go home, drink some rum (forgot I couldn't get more gin on Sunday) and prepare for the next day.
Today it was up at 3:00 and met up with Pat at 4:00. Learned a great deal about gil netting while contemplating the combined effect of five hours of sleep and a pinch too much rum. It was then back to the reefs. Today the fishing was insane. The bait literally didn't have time to settle before multiple blues were at work. Lost track of the bite-offs. Had several hits that felt like bass....even had a bait that had its head crushed....but I didn't manage to hook and land one. The bass went today to ChuckA (nice mount Chuck) and ReelCrazy (thanks for everything Pat). Will never forget the bluefish that Pat hooked that charged the boat....he was walking on his tail for 20 feet.....right in my direction......and absolutely SLAMMED into Pat's engine. That was one truly angry fish.
So what was learned from this trip? 1) NBS members continue to be the best. The Branford contingent was great, Eric calling me back and giving me tips, Gary offering to take me gil netting (too bad the weather never calmed on Sunday), to Pat taking me out for one wild fishing trip. 2) the blues get thick and it is hard to concentrate on bass, 3) blue fish are simply insane....
So no big deal I didn't get a bass, there is always next Saturday.
