Posts Tagged ‘Duxbury’
FAREWELL TO WINTER by Capt. David Bitters
February 24th, 2011 | 
Author: FAREWELL TO WINTER
By Capt. David Bitters
Well, here we are on the cusp of March. Another rabbit hunt or two, maybe one more try at bass and perch through the ice, and then it’s on to Spring turkey season – while dreaming of summertime stripers, blues and football tuna!
Every year I say I am going to go load up on Spring flounder in the bay while watching the waterfowl migrate north, and every year something else comes up – like brush burning season. Now there is something a man can really enjoy while mulling over the past and thinking about the future!
Burning brush with my father, an old Yankee of 92 years, is when he has given me some of his most sage advice. On dating: “There are a lot of fish in the sea.” On trusting in God: “Your body dies, but your soul lives on forever.” On the past: “I’m the last one living from my graduating class – the others are all dead. Sometimes, I wonder why I’m still here…” On the work ethic: “Always stay busy, even when you’re not.” And: “Whatever you do, big or small, it’s got to be done a hundred percent.” Dad, I hope you can join me burning brush again this season, and tell me some more of the old-time stories of growing up on a rural, Duxbury, Massachusetts farm…
A few other joys in March include seeing the woodcock return to the swamps and fields to perform their mating dance in the skies at dusk. I know this may sound a little silly, but this is one of the events of Spring that makes my heart soar (other than burning brush with Dad). There’s another: hearing the Spring peepers starting up their chorus in the swamps. Throw in the first bats to start flying and now you really got something. The greatest of the greatest? Sitting out and seeing and hearing all three on the same night while watching the coals burn down after a day of burning brush with Dad.
There’s so much more to March. The howling of the coyotes, the barking of the fox. The crows flying overhead carrying special sticks to special trees, to build a nest to start a new family. The redwing blackbirds arrive in huge numbers in March and it is such a pleasure to see their bright, red-wing patches and hear them singing in the tops of the trees. The mute swans will be nesting, the first great white egrets will arrive, and the woodchucks will be looking over my garden and doing a little dreaming of their own. The herring will start to come in from the ocean and run up the rivers to spawn and the sweet, damp smell of spring will fill our senses with overwhelming delight.
March may be just another month to some, but to me its winter’s dying grip and Spring’s gentle kiss on my cheek. Farewell winter, we’ll see you next year.
Posted in Baymen Reports | 
Tags: BAYMEN, brush buring season, burning brush, burning permits, Duxbury | 
No Comments »
THINK SPRING – Five Weeks Away…
HAVE YOU SEEN THE NEW BAYMEN STRIPED BASS FISHING VIDEO YET?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7EOuaDHgdY
Think spring and get a striped bass charter on the calendar with Baymen Charters! Give Capt. Dave a call today to book up a trip on Plymouth Bay, Massachusetts: (781) 934-2838 www.baymencharters.com
Photo by Capt. David Bitters
Posted in Baymen Reports |
Tags: bass, Boston, Cape Cod, charters, duckhunting, Duxbury, eider, fishing, Plymouth, striped, striperfishing |
No Comments »
SEPTEMBER 25th: 15 Fish, Keeper Bass, Blues, and WIND!!!
Capt. Dave’s
BAYMEN Fishing Reports Duxbury, Plymouth, Massachusetts, Cape Cod, Boston, MA
www.baymencharters.com (781) 934-2838
SEPTEMBER 25th
TODAY: 15 Fish, Keeper Bass, Blues… WIND!!!
On board this morning, I had Keith McDonald and friends for some LT fishing on the bay. At first light, the winds were howling out of the SW and they never let the entire morning. But they stayed steady and did not keep increasing, so we made the best of it and went hunting for bass and blues. First cast of the morning on Brown’s Bank: KEEPAH! A nice bass hit a 4″ rubber crank bait – on 45 pound wire leader! Blues were out and about, so we fished wire leaders the entire morning. We also picked up a few small bass off Long Beach in a foot of water.
Thank God I looked up bay at the right time and saw a big flock of gulls working about 1/2 mile away. The waters were very choppy, but the birds were working and we ran for them. We pulled into a small pod of solid medium blues knocking bait into air and tearing up the water. We rigged everyone out with top-water hard baits, poppers, and then back to rubber shads. The blues hit poppers and shads about 50/50. The fish screamed off line and ran into the winds and that made for awesome fish fights on the LT. A really cool thing happened: The winds were so strong, they kept blowing us right up onto Captain’s Flat when ever we had a fish on. So, I told my charters to jump off the boat, use the wind and waves to our advantage, and beach the blues on the sand right up to Captain’s flat! This was great fun and once everyone got it down, it was automatic. A few photos of the guys beaching blues are on my site under the Baymen Reports.
We wrapped up the morning with about fifteen fish total, three of them bass, including a fat keeper, and the rest were solid blues. It was a great morning and a nice turnaround from yesterday. I’ll leave you with some of my tired and true sayings: “Every Day Is Different, And No Two Tides Are The Same….” and “You Never Know, If You Never Go…”
Tight Lines from Capt. David Bitters
Baymen Charters
(781) 934-2838
*Just one more: “If you slack, you lose!”
**BOOK YOUR FALL/WINTER SEA DUCK HUNTS, PUDDLE DUCK HUNTS, RABBIT HUNTS, DEER HUNTS, NOW**
Posted in Baymen Reports |
Tags: Boston, Cape Cod, Duxbury, Fishing Reports Massachusetts, MA, Plymouth |
No Comments »
Sept. 22nd: AMAZING BLUES BLITZ THIS MORNING…!!!
Capt.Dave’s
BAYMEN Fishing Reports Massachusetts, Boston, Cape Cod, Duxbury, Plymouth Massachusetts
www.baymencharters.com (781) 934-2838
SEPTEMBER 22
TODAY: Incredible Big Blues Blitz In Duxbury Bay!!!
On board this morning, I had repeat client, Russ Pelham for a light tackle charter. The SW winds were cranking this morning at 20 knots steady and it was pretty choppy. But my, didn’t big blues come pouring into the bay on the low tide rising! Insane numbers of blues in shallow water meant poppers on light tackle and scorching runs and long fights. Hundreds of birds were working over the rolling blues and we could count up to 60 blues in a pack going by the boat. And they were ultra aggressive – attacking our poppers two or three or more at a time right up to the boat. Just slamming them…! And the gear – they were destroying it as fast as I could rig it. we used 45 pound wire leaders and had some of the fish bite right through it. We had to back the boat down on at least ten of the fish with the light tackle. We just could not budge some of them against the sw winds. Let me tell you, light tackle (12lb and 15lb test) rods and spinning reels on these blues was an absolute blast…!
The good news is, I have tomorrow morning open for new bookings only if you want to go. We will leave Duxbury Town Pier at 6:30am and return around 11:00am. Three people max on this trip. All tackle is provided. If you want to experience light tackle blues fishing at its finest, give me a call and book for the morning. (781) 934-2838
Tight Lines – and Happy Last Day of Summer!
Capt. David Bitters
(781) 934-2838
Posted in Baymen Reports |
Tags: Cape Cod Massachusetts, Duxbury, fishing massachusetts, Fishing Reports Massachusetts, Plymouth |
No Comments »
AUGUST 27th: EAST WIND STORM COOLS BAY BITE
Capt. Dave’s
BAYMEN Fishing Report Duxbury, Kingston, Plymouth Massachusetts
www.baymencharters.com (781) 934-2838
FRIDAY August 27th
TODAY
We just came off three days of pounding East winds with ten foot waves onshore. I gave the bay one day to settle down, and then we went out this morning. It was dead out there, with very, very few fish in the bay at the moment. That will change, but it may take another tide or two or more… Time will tell. That said, SANTA, King Of The Powder Point Bridge, managed a nice keeper this morning of about 18 pounds, on chunk bait off the bridge at dead-low tide. He also caught two sharks. A few schoolies were around the bridge as well.
We are scheduled to be back on the water in the morning, but are watching the fishing conditions to see if things improve. Stay posted. Its going to turn around big time, but I’m just not sure when. A day or two or a week….
Capt. David Bitters
(781) 934-2838
*Fall Striper Blitz Dates Available – September 15th- October 15th Call for Bookings. 20-50 fish per morning possible*
Posted in Baymen Reports |
Tags: baymen fishing report massachusetts, Duxbury, Kingston, Plymouth |
No Comments »
3 KEEPERS, LIVE BAIT
Capt. Dave’s
BAYMEN Fishing Report for Duxbury, Plymouth, Kingston Bay, Massachusetts
Tuesday, June 29, 2010 www.baymencharters.com (781) 934-2838
TODAY: 3 Keepers, Live Bait
On board this morning, I had new client, Russ Pelham. This was Russ’s first trip with Baymen and we headed out at sunrise for a live bait charter. At first light, we searched near shore for macks and decided to jig for pollock. We loaded up the livewell and ran back inside to fish the baits. The tide was dropping and we set up a quick drift and dropped the baits over…WHAM!!! Fish On!!! It took all of ten seconds to hook up and we had a fish fight on our hands. We got the bass into the boat, put out another bait, and Fish On Again!!! This went on until we ran out of fifteen live baits. We ran to another spot and tried whole dead drift and chunks without a bump.
We were out of bait and ran back outside to jig up more. It took no time at all since we knew right where they were at sunrise and when we went back, they were stacked in the same place. Fifteen minutes of jigging and we filled the livewell and ran back inside for part II. We dropped the baits over the side a d within a minute or so, it was fish on! Russ was landing one bass, and then picking up the second rod to land another. It was pretty fast action this morning right through the dropping tide. At low tide, the bite shut off and it was over. We hit three more spots in the bay without a bump. But boy, was the action fast on the last half of the tide…
I am back out again in the morning to do it all over again with my charter from Oregon. Lets hope the fish are still there and the macks and pollock are still out front. Best of luck to those of you heading out this week. It looks like a couple of perfect weather days Wednesday – Friday.
Tight Lines and remember: “If you slack, you lose…!” &”The first few minutes belong to the fish…”
Capt. David Bitters
(781) 934-2838
**Book Your Fall Blitz Charters Now For September/October**
**WE HAVE DATES OPEN FOR AUGUST**
Posted in Baymen Reports |
Tags: baymen fishing report plymouth, Duxbury, MA, Massachusetts |
No Comments »
12 Bass, 1 Keeper – yesterday’s fish gone
Capt. Dave’s
BAYMEN Fishing Report For Duxbury, Kingston, Plymouth Bay, Massachusetts
Saturday, June 26, 2010 www.baymencharters.com (781) 934-2838
TODAY: 12 Bass, 1 Keeper
On board this morning I had repeat clients, Skip Copeland, his son, Ryan, and Dave. The plan was a morning of bait fishing for striped bass in Duxbury, Kingston, and Plymouth bay. At first light, it was another flat-calm morning as we ran off Gurnet to jig for bait. Tons of mackerel and pollock and jigged up about fifty in no time, and ran back inside to liveline.
I had hoped for a repeat of yesterday’s dozen keepers that were stacked up in one of my spots. But on arrival, the water temps had risen TEN DEGREES overnight, and the hot spot had cooled and yesterday’s fish were gone. But there were some new fish there, giant schoolies that were very, very fat and made some screaming runs on the baitrunners! We boated fish or had runs on every drift.
Next spot, we decided to set a drift high up on the flats and drift down over the drop-off. To my surprise, we got several runs and boated a few fish high on the flats and none at the drop-off. Bass are where you find them, not where you want them to be, so we set another drift and had a few more runs and hook-ups.
Third spot of the morning deep in Duxbury, we drifted a tried and true rising tide spot without a hit. We fished both ends of a guzzle to no avail. On to Spot #4 and once again, nothing. At the back end of the guzzle, however, we saw a fish break water and marked two bass and some bait in about fifteen feet of water. We got a hit and run on our first drift, but the fish spit the bait. We drifted two more times without a hit. On to spot #5 of the morning. If you have been following the Baymen Reports all spring and seen photos of us with fish after fish in the low twenty-pound range, that’s #5! Today, it was dead. No even a bump and that tells me we are into the Summer pattern in a big way. No surprise there.
Well, the baits had all gone south and we were fishing fresh chunks now. We went back to our first spot of the morning, set a drift, and Skip hooks into a keeper! As we were pulling into the area, a fish broke right off our bow. We shut down and had baits in the water in about five seconds. Ten seconds later, we the fish on! We set more drifts and boated a couple more fat schoolie bass to 27″ inches. Then we drifted some flat up towards Kingston, had one run, and that was it. We wrapped up our morning drifting down cow yard without a bump.
Total catch today was a dozen bass and one keeper. All were landed on live or chunk baits. Water temps were TEN DEGREES warmer this morning in yesterday’s Hot Spot that was on fire. The bait is still thick out front and there are some nice bass in the bay today, but no monster fish. Maybe tomorrow… All in all, a fine morning on flat-calm seas with three fine anglers that took home a keeper for supper.
I have a few days off to mow the lawn, take the trash to the dump, plant my tomatoes (!), etc., etc., and will be back on the bay next week. Best of luck to all of you heading out and a great weekend to all…!
Tight Lines,
Capt. David Bitters
(781) 934-2838
**Book Your Fall Blitz Charters Now for September/October**
Posted in Baymen Reports |
Tags: Boston, Cape Cod Massachusetts, Duxbury, fishing reports plymouth, Kingston |
No Comments »
Summer Solstice: 18 Bass, 3 Keepers, 1 Blue, 30 Pollock & Macks!
Capt. Dave’s
BAYMEN Fishing Report Monday, June 21 First Day of Summer
www.baymencharters.com (781) 934-2838
***Baymen has July, August, September, and October dates available for half-day charters for 1-4 anglers. Call or e-mail to book a trip. Gift Certificate Charters Available***
TODAY: 18 STRIPED BASS, 3 KEEPERS; 1 BLUE; 30 POLLOCK & MACKEREL
Happy First Day of Summer From Baymen Guide Service, Inc.! On board today, I had repeat client, Eric Kaldy and his friend, Harry, both of Norfolk. Eric has been fishing with me for many years. This was Harry’s first trip. It was a beautiful morning today at sunrise with dead-calm seas. Not a breath of air on the bay. You won’t believe this, but we found top-water breaking bass this morning and boated 9 fish! Amazing for this time of year…
After chasing top-water for a few hours, we ran outside and loaded up on pollock and mackerel! Yep, the macks are still out front and we boated about thirty along with the pollock. We ran the live bait back inside and caught several bass and our first bluefish of the season. After running our of bait, we ran back outside a second time and boated another bunch of mack and pollock. Back inside, we hooked into some nice bass in Duxbury, Kingston and Plymouth bay. Eric ended our morning with a big bass that made a scorching 150 yard run! It really screamed line off the spool as it ran the bay…
Total catch for the morning for two rods was 18 striped bass, 3 Keepers, 1 bluefish (our first of the season), and 30 pollock and mackerel. Not bad for the first day of summer!
Stay posted. All of our fishing report and photos are posted daily on our website under the Baymen Reports Tab. Check it out.
Tight Lines and best of luck on your next trip out!
Capt. David Bitters
(781) 934-2838
12 Bass, 4 Keepers On Light Tackle – Monday, June 7
Capt. Dave’s
BAYMEN Fishing Report – Monday, June 7, 2010
www.baymencharters.com (781) 934-2838
TODAY: 12 Bass, 4 Keepers on Light Tackle
On board this morning I had repeat client, Roger Grenier, for a light tackle and fly fishing trip. At first light, there was a lovely sunrise and several schools of bass were working the bay. The NW winds kicked up to about 15-20 knots and stayed there for most of the morning. The bass were very spooky and fly fishing was tough in that kind of wind. But we prevailed!
Roger worked the fish under the birds for a good couple of hours. They were spooky and selective so we left them and started to fish structure around the bay. One of my spots held a bunch of fish and we made seven long drifts, hooking up on six of them. Four of the fish were keepers. This one spot was the only spot that had any fish on structure today. This was surprising to me, because there seemed to be a lot of bass in the bay at first light. We found a late morning pod of fish up on Browns Bank but again, they were spooky, fast moving, and very selective. We did not one even though we had follows on several of our drifts. The Gannets continue to work the bait in the bay. We saw what could have been immature menhaden or herring, but did not get a positive ID. They were spooky. The water temps were also all over the place. 51 degrees down bay, 64 degrees in the harbor. Quite a spread.
All in all, it was a beautiful morning on the bay. Roger ended his morning with a dozen fish and four keepers. I must tell you that once again, we did hook into a whale of a bass that fish dumped 150 yards of line and was still running without let-up, when the line rubbed on something down deep and snapped. My heart sank and it was a killer. By far the biggest fish we have hooked into on LT this season and one of the top ten runs in recent memory. How big??? Who knows… We never saw it, just watched the rod doubled over, the line fly off the spool, and that big fish running full speed ahead without any thoughts of slowing down… As Tom Hennessey once said, “you soon forget the ones that you bring down, but you never forget the ones that leave tracks on your mind…”
That’s the word for today, Monday, June 7, 2010. A great start to a great week. Back out again in the morning with a full report to follow. Stay posted and watch our website for all the latest news and photos.
Capt. David Bitters
(781) 934-2838
11 BASS, 4 KEEPERS, Heavy Dense Fog 4th Day In A Row
Capt. Dave’s
BAYMEN Fishing Report – Friday June 4, 2010
www.baymencharters.com (781) 934-2838
TODAY: 11 BASS, BIG FISH ON LIGHT TACKLE
Thick, thick dense fog this morning for the fourth day in a row. It was so thick this morning, that I almost cancelled the trip. But there was no wind, the tide was high, and nobody else on the bay. So, very cautiously, we picked our way through the fog by compass, and found some whopper striped bass!!! On board this morning I had repeat client Christopher Rothwell, and his friends Matt and Robby. Matt and Christopher had fished with me last year, this was Robby’s first time out with BAYMEN Charters.
We picked our way through the fog and went to some spots that have held top-water bass most of the week. Those fish were gone and we could not find top-water stripers anywhere in the bay. So, we headed to some of my structure spots that have held fish in past years in early June on high tides in dense fog. Guess what? Those spots still hold bass! We set our first drift, and Matt lands a fat schoolie on light tackle. Then, as he is bringing in that fish, there is an explosion behind the boat and I see what looks like a big bass slamming a tinker mack on the surface! We head uptide and set a drift and come down over the fish…WHAM!!! Fish on and it’s a good one! Christopher holds on as the big fish makes a hundred-yard run, line screaming off the light tackle reel to everyone’s delight! Then, as Christopher is fighting the fish, Matt yells fish on! And then, with two fish running, Robby shouts he has a good one on as well. Three light tackle rods all hooked up on big fish! What a blast…!!!
Well, after five minutes or so, and with some light coaching from the Captain, we bring all three fish alongside the boat and one by one, haul them in over the gunwales. Christopher has an absolute light tackle corker. Robby has a smaller keeper and Matt’s fish is just shy of a keeper. We set numerous drifts over the area and then move on.
The fog is dense, dense fog. As thick as I’ve seen it on the bay. We very cautiously work around the bay in search of top-water fish. None are found, so we head down bay, up Kingston channel, down behind Bug Light. Dead. No fish on top, no fish or bait down below. So, we head back to our original spot and land a few more fish. The fog begins to break up and we can see across the bay in some places. We find a school of top-water bass that stays up for about two minutes, goes down, and never shows again. We go back to structure fishing and have some follows on the light tackle, but no takers. Then, I spot a half-dozen gannets diving down bay. We head down, set a drift and land another keeper!
Suddenly, the water explodes with a big bass slamming what looks like a tinker mack on the surface. We cast down to the boil with a top-water popper and slowly work it back…WHAM!!! BIG FISH!!! Matt handles the rod and works the big bass while walking on egg shells. He is so careful and patient with that fish and takes no chances of it throwing the hook. He works it perfectly with some light coaching from Capt. Dave and then some time later, gets it alongside the boat and into the waiting net. What a fine light tackle bass….!!! High fives all around, we take some pictures and call it another great day or world-class striped bass fishing on Duxbury and Plymouth bay, Massachusetts!
Tomorrow, I had a rescheduled trip so the day is open for new bookings only. If you want to book the morning slot, we will be fishing with light tackle from 5:00am-10:00am. Four anglers max. The fish are fast settling into a summer pattern and we may start fishing bait any day now. But I will keep going to the light tackle as long as we keep landing fish. If you want to book the morning, give Capt. Dave a call (781) 934-2838. No promises, but we should land a half-dozen or so fish, with a chance for some really good bass as you see here in our photos.
That’s the word for today, Friday, June 4th. Best of luck to all heading out for the weekend!
Tight Lines and be safe out there.
Capt. David Bitters
(781) 934-2838
*Please pass along our website Baymen Reports link to other anglers that may enjoy these reports. Thanks!
*HOW TO SEE MORE BAYMEN REPORTS & PHOTOS: Go to the Baymen website at www.baymencharters.com and click on the Baymen Reports Tab at the top of the page. This will take you to the first page of Capt. Dave’s BAYMEN Reports. To see more pages, you have to click the words “More Reports” in the upper left corner of each page. Each time you scroll through a bunch of reports, you can click “More Reports” and it will take you to another page of more reports and photos. We have numerous pages of photos and reports in these files…