Striped Bass, Bluefish, False Albacore, and Bonito migrate throughout the fall displaying an aggressive “all you can eat” baitfish buffet feeding style. Shoving, barging, heave and repeat as the main course flees for their lives. Fat and satiated to a point of gagging each predator is preparing for a very long and dangerous journey South.

Unlike last weeks’s eighty one degree anomaly, once the temperatures really drop mystical sea smoke appears. At first light the smoke is parted by a nearby school of False Albacore zipping across the surface leaving surreal curly tailed jet streams in their wake. The day warms and the fish keep feeding. If the fish are not on top just look for a bait ball- and you are likely to find fish nearby.

The bait ball shrinks. It always shrinks. Flocks of birds seated on the adjacent shoreline had their fill and indicate food is not far. Looking into the depths also confirms whether a feed has recently occurred as millions of remnant scales fall and sparkle as clearly as the Milky Way during winter’s midnight sky.

The arrival of the seasonal Seal population and Gannets diving like kamikaze jet fighters offshore  is entertainment while searching for the next blitz. Seals make catching Striped Bass look simple as they play with their food. Tossing, catching, surely grinning at the funny guy waving a fly rod on the bow of the boat, as if to say with his mouthful “just grab it like this!” And yes, Seals steal fish right off your line, somehow leaving you to land the optimistic look of the still stunned Striper as they want to believe they still have a tail.

Warm thoughts arrive as whiffs of smokey wood stoves linger off the beach calling the ever weary guide home. Hot cider, fresh baked bread, smoked fish, and plenty of dark evenings lie ahead- perfect opportunities to recall the season’s highlights and gear up for some southern adventures.

Courtesy of Jose DaPonte, Owner NorthCoast Boats | C&C Fiberglass Components

We go catch the Striped Bass, however you like to. (Filet accordingly)

Put in the pan with water- Boil for @15 minutes

Take it out and put it in cold water for a little bit, so it keeps the fish together, so it doesn’t fall apart

Then you break it into little chunks

You boil some Potatoes

Cut the Potatoes in squares or round, whatever you like

Then you put a little bit of: Crushed Pepper

1.      Onions
2.      Parsley
3.      Little bit of salt- however you like it
4.      Just a tiny bit of vinegar and vegetable oil
5.      Then you put it in the refrigerator, if you like it cold, or if you like it warm and that’s it.

"The longer you let it sit the better it is!” – Jose DaPonte

The New England coast has spectacular, sometimes forgiving, sand flats where Striped Bass ambush sand eels and other baitfish. But a real favorite are the very productive rocky shorelines surrounded by their protective boulder fields. Through the years anglers who spend enough money on bottom paint and propeller repairs come to know these waters “very” personally.

My good friend, and mentor, Mike Kenfield and I had been fishing near a ten foot, dark, rock shaped like bird wings.  The right wing points down towards to the hole whose name refers to a feeling- Sweetwater Hole. It’s located on the western entrance of the Sakonnet River. This spot was consistent in producing nice size Striped Bass followed by, “Dude, this is some sweet water!”

The challenge is timing the cast so that your fly enters the feeding zone as the bait would- while standing on what feels like a rolling barrel.  Note: Sweet water- anywhere associated with good food source and hungry fish.

We had hit a few spots hard, relentlessly casting, covering the water, for large Striped Bass, when one of the old timers came confidently flying into the area in his red classic fishing boat. No sooner had Mike stated the guy had fished here forever, and knew these waters like the back of his hand- and boom.

He squared up onto a submerged, object of unknown origin. Texting was still twenty years out so it wasn’t that. Could have been there all these years? Maybe he was checking the morning Donut stash or focused on a spilled bucket of Eels. Either way he veered off his usual path. My respect for the areas challenges went up a few notches.

This unforgiving area becomes even more interesting in the fog. Knowing what rock belongs to what formation is critical. It’s easy to get spun around in these areas and the fog demands an exhaustive sense of place. Fog is very tiring. Second Note: “Intuitive piloting” does not show up on the USCG Captain’s exam. (Nor should it). Knowing the river as your back yard takes years of attention to details and someone willing to share their experience.

Anglers, like Harbor Pilots who can draw each shape of each rock, and others in near proximity,  successfully navigate their way to the fish and  safely home. True Boulder fields are relatively shallow areas which are covered with fish holding structure. Fighting Striped Bass in these areas can be exceptionally challenging. The drift of the boat is positively affected by a cushion of water flowing around, and over, the boulders. This moves the boat naturally through the obstacles with an occasional nudge.

The fly is placed on the feeding end of the fish, holding on the left side of the rock. Strip, strip, pause, strip and wham! A solid, sudden smash and your tight. I highly recommend a low rod angle as you set the hook. A knee jerk, high “Trout” hook set pulls the fly a few feet away from the fish.

The bigger the Striper the harder it is to set the hook. I’ve seen guys swear they drove home the 8/0 ultra sharp hook, only to feel it spit back at them as a prehistoric size fish they had the privilege to be momentarily connected to swims by.  There is a respectful silence- as the Bass gracefully passes by us, off the boulder field, and into the depths.

Joe Pimenta works behind the scenes at NorthCoast Boats designing the performance and durability into each of our new models. Our line up begins with a quick brief on NorthCoast Boats approach to the product development. Come back often for more technical design and building blog posts.

CAD technology is utilized in support of our form follows function design philosophy. Simple and Strong!

1. Designed and built to ABYC Standards.
2. Product development input: Customers, Captains / Brand Ambassadors input and participation.
3. Must fulfill NCB promise- Rugged Versatile Performance that Lasts.
3. Designed for reliability and exceptional fishing performance.
a. The true nature of this product is best witnessed on Stellwagen Banks as huge Blue Fin Tuna are being brought over the gunnels of even our smallest center consoles. Or off Newport, Rhode Island where very large Striped Bass, Bluefish, Wahoo, and many other species are the target. Being modest, (for Anglers) Our “fish to boat” size ratio likely has no equal.

Our semi-custom production facility is set up to provide manufacturing flexibility such as the ability to personalize your boat and provide a wide variety of amenities a family may also require.