End of season mayhem
It’s not often that a complete stranger invites you to fish on their boat in the middle of the ocean and you return in one piece. Let me explain…
Just under a year ago, Captain Mike Faulkingham of @fishportlandME reached out to me in regards to the conservation efforts I was making through my Instagram. Mike was intrigued by the messages I was trying to spread in regard to striped bass conservation measures. It seemed as though we shared similar values and most definitely a passion for striped bass fishing. Mike had asked if I would be interested in starring as a guest on his podcast “Hooked in New England” which he runs alongside Luis Tirado of @diamond_pass_outfitters. With limited to no experience in the podcast game, I didn’t hesitate and was all for it! Unfortunately, work schedules and life got a little busy and we never made it happen. But…
Fast forward to just a week ago, I reached back out to Mike to see if the offer still stood! It did, and Mike inquired about the striped bass fishing around my area lately. I let him know it was on fire and he asked what my plans were for Friday.
No plans…
The next text I received was “See you Friday”.
Let’s get this straight. A guy I had never met before was about to drag his boat 2.5 hours south in late October to maybe have the chance of landing some late-season stripers.
Needless to say, my girlfriend was mortified and my mother was concerned. This sounded like the opening scene of a horror movie.
As Thursday night rolled around, I set the alarm for 5 am Friday morning. The gear was packed; a variety of topwater plugs, soft plastics, and some larger presentations, alongside an abundance o flies.
A restless night of sleep followed as the anticipation was on the rise. The ringtone sounded and I hopped out of bed like a kid on Christmas morning. As I stepped out the door, it was a brisk 37 degrees and the truck was covered in a thin layer of frost. What the hell was I thinking?
After a quick stop for coffee and breakfast sandwiches, I rolled into the boat ramp. Mike was patiently waiting alongside his hype man (ironically named Mike as well). Great….if I wasn’t going to get kidnapped at sea by one guy, now there are two.
Conversations quickly began and it was as if we had fished together in the past. Sharing stories with one another, it was easy to tell we all shared a passion for striped bass fishing. We were eager to see what the morning had in store.
We steamed out to our first stop of the morning. Flat calm seas, birds flying overhead, and a light SW wind. Conditions just seemed perfect for late October and I felt we were going to be in for a treat.
Two hours later, I was wondering where the treat was. With one hookup and a couple of swipes on topwater plugs, it was a lackluster start. I asked Mike and Mike if they were up for making a quick blast north to fish a couple of different channels and rips. Mike gunned down the throttle and it wasn’t long before his hype man spotted birds. And you guessed it, below the birds, were bass and peanuts going absolutely ballistic! Ah, the pressure was off!
Capt. Mike Faulkingham on the board!
Time to put these guys on some fish after they drove nearly 200 miles! First casts into the mayhem, we were tripled up on fly and light tackle. The action continued for a solid 2 hours, chasing fish in as little as 2ft of water. It was exhilarating watching these fish chase the fly in such shallow water.
One of many fish that fell for the “Bunker Fly”
They were moving fast, and eating everything we threw at them. Classic fall run behavior.
Hype man Mike with a beautiful late October fish that fell for the fly!
Most of the fish were in the 16-24 inch range and fell for a variety of clousers, deceivers, and soft plastic presentations. Single hooks and crushed barbs made for quick releases. Around 1030 in the morning, the bass spread out, moved to deeper water, and had had enough. Off they went, southward, continuing their migration to the Chesapeake where they will spend the winter months.
For being October 21st, it was a lovely morning on the bay.
Some of the last fish of the 2022 season?
We steamed back into port, in preparation for the podcast. It was a blast to have the opportunity to speak with Mike and Luis about Striped Survival, striped bass conservation, and just all things fishing. Stay tuned for the podcast episode on Spotify by following “Hooked in New England”. Also be sure to give Cap. Mike a follow at “fishportlandme” and Luis at “diamond_pass_outfitters”. These guys are standup dudes and definitely at the forefront of striped bass conservation.
The future of our fishery…
Do everything you can to get involved this winter and work to improve your catch-and-release tactics! There has never been a more important time to take action. Continue to treat these fish with care. If we can all do our part, it will be a big difference in the future of this fishery.
Lots to come for this offseason and some big announcements for the 2023 season!
Tight Lines
Striped Survival
Conserving the Species, Seven Stripes at a Time.
