02/06/2026
We’ve all been here - questioning everything.
When striped bass decide they’re not in the mood to bite, they’ll test every ounce of your patience.
Yesterday’s 6-hour inshore charter was one of those days.
I knew there were fish in a couple spots in big numbers from a trip a week before. Had to pivot to calmer water and trailer to B-Bay protected from Northeast winds. Plymouth and Cape Cod bay looked like they were going to be tough sledding.
At my first stop we had stripers everywhere. Big fish pushing water in schools of 5 to 20, sunning themselves on the surface, and following our lures right to the boat.
Cast after cast we’d watch them track the plug, get our hopes up, and then turn away at the last second.
We threw just about everything at them and couldn’t get them to commit.
That’s fishing.
The funny thing is, when the bite is tough, all it takes is one cast.
About 5-6 hours into the trip, Nick fired out one of the Chop Block glide baits, a lure he’d been throwing most of the day. (One I was hoping that no bluefish would go for because they destroy them).
He closed the bail, turned the handle once or twice, and got completely caught by surprise when the rod loaded up and went tight.
Game on.
It’s easy to post the hero shots or the topwater blitzes that don’t happen so often. What people don’t always see are the hours spent grinding through tough conditions by clients without complaints, changing presentations for lures when live bait isn’t around, staying focused, and believing the next cast could be the one.
Nick and his father who just turned 70 were my ideal clients. Stayed positive and trusted my knowledge of the spots I took them, and kept making casts despite the fish behavior.
Ultimately Nick was rewarded with this 47” striped bass that was lurking in 12ft of water.
Yesterday was a reminder that persistence pays.
One bite can change the whole trip! I’d be thrilled to share another couple tides with both of them when the fishing really heats up in our home waters of Plymouth.
