Tackle and Tactics
Mike Ladle

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Costa Rica tarpon.

My mate Dave Baker is just back from a trip to the USA in search of striped bass. A while back Dave and I were both catching stripers in Cape Cod but this time he went to Montauk. Here's his report :-

Hi Mike,

Montauk was different!

You could fish in quiet isolated bays and rocky stretches but the other extreme was "combat" fishing near 'The Point' which is similar to Portland Bill but with sometimes 100's of anglers of all abilities! Not for me!(NOR ME DAVE!!! ML)

According to the veterans of these trips our fishing was poor, but I suppose I caught about 50 stripers, mainly 5lb to 10lb on what the others descibed as 'a slow pick', going out to the local beach, a 5 minute walk away, and plugging with a large Mag Minnow lure or an Evo Redgill at first light and evenings. We all did well here for the week of big tides, usually catching 6 or more fish a session each and then the dreaded netters turned up and emptied the the place for a few days on the trot! I tried the combat fishing a few times, and the blitzes off The Point only sometimes came into range but were exciting to watch with birds and fish so densely packed. The trouble was so were the lunatics trying to catch them. The fish were also not that easy to tempt. I suspect the choice was too big for them.

In my best session I had 13 bass to 7lb on an early morning trip to a new mark and I was on my own as everyone else stayed in bed. On reporting back that morning we were all keen to try the spot again but the fish had gone. I got lucky for once.My only bluefish came on a trip out on a party boat.(I know, I know, ---- and the once was enough). Malcolm Brindle got an 18 lb bass and someone else (I can't repeat Dave's description of them ML) had a 45 pounder. Malcolm Gilbert had one cracking session with 6 bass of about 12 to 16lb I believe, the same morning I had 13 fish. I think the weather didn't help us as it would change everyday and a couple of storms made the water filthy but thats fishing.

As it stands I think the Cape is winning as my preferred venue. Less people ,more Bluefish and less likely to be weather dependent.

Cheers,

Dave

Well Dave - if I'd been catching fish like that here in Dorset I guess that I'd have been well pleased so it's all a matter of what you expect. Sounds like a pretty enjoyable trip apart from the crowds.

If you have any comments or questions about fish, methods, tactics or 'what have you.'get in touch with me by sending an E-MAIL to - docladle@hotmail.com

What a nice place.

John Morgan hard at it.'

Mike's in!

Mike Oliver, in protective clothing, into a fish.'

Redgilled.

The Pearl Evo Redgill is clearly just as effective for the striped cousins of our bass.'

Plugged.

And plugs work too. In Cape Cod we had fish on baits, soft plastics and poppers too.'

45 lb.

It would be nice to get one like this from the shore.'

Cape Cod.

My American pal Thieu with a 37 pounder he caught by spinning from the shore earlier this year.'