Catching a fish at night off the beach is as easy as turning off a light. Only in striper fishing, that light is actually the Moon. I’m surprised how few […]
ON THE BEACH
During a Fishing Slump, Memories of Peak Moments Will Do
Putting in the time, facing frustration, and turning a corner in life
In beach fishing, it’s a sure bet every day will bring some unexpected moment. They happen when you see something unusual, like a great white attacking a seal or whales […]
ON THE BEACH
On Fishing With Other Predators
That sweet flicker of understanding between a fisherman and a seal
I have another raging debate to add to the collection characterizing today’s tumultuous, terribly divided culture. It’s one that’s going on among serious beach fishermen and experienced surfers alike in […]
ON THE BEACH
Looking Back to Plan Ahead for the Future of Striped Bass
The catch has improved — but not because there are more fish
New England groundfishermen complained loudly two decades ago about increasing regulation of various fisheries, notably our region’s cod and haddock, which were easily its most lucrative species. Why cut the […]
ON THE BEACH
Fishing as a Way of Life
Striper fishing offers a glimpse into what it means to be a Cape Codder
A year off from graduate school in 1972 gave me the chance to fulfill my dream of being on Cape Cod all year round. I finagled free winter digs in […]
ON THE BEACH
In Praise of the Single Barbless Hook
When fewer fish are keepers, using the right lure matters more
The last time I used anything more than a single hook while fishing was a memorable mid-September day in 1978, when an enormous school of 15-pound bluefish cornered an even […]
ON THE BEACH
What the Waves Say About Our Impermanence
A 1950s novel reveals the beach as more than sand and surf — it’s what we stand to lose
“On the beach,” was the term sailors once used to describe being on land rather than at sea. Unlike its meaning in our modern beach-and-sun-crazy culture, the original catchphrase had […]
ON THE BEACH
Singin’ the Waiting-for-the-Striper-Run Blues
Striped bass are migrating earlier than ever, but they’ve made bigger transitions
I remember asking the old-timers when they thought the first spring stripers would appear. The answer was always the same: “Stripers show up when the lilacs start blooming.” My fishing […]
THE LURE
Casting Flies for Holdover Trout and Nostalgia
At Gull Pond, fishing is a reprieve from daydreams about the striper run
Friends recently asked me what I fish for during the winter months. It was the evening of our odd one-day cold snap, and we were sitting around slurping fresh oysters […]
BACK SHORE JOURNAL
Tern on the Beach
An easy remedy for avoidable suffering and tragedy
We had just returned from voting in Wellfleet on the warmest day of the June heat wave. My wife and I voted for selectmen and for expensive new equipment for […]