Grilling Black Sea Bass (June 2018)

In early June, I returned to Old Saybrook for a full weekend of fishing on Long Island Sound.  We had been planning an epic, two-day striper blowout for months, but it was soon clear the stripers were nowhere to be found.  Switching gears, we decided to fish Black Sea Bass and do a bit of culinary experimentation.  

Day one began at sunrise.  We cruised out to a favorite sea bass spot and began cutting bait.  We fish sea bass deep (between 60 and 100 feet), with either bait (squid) or by bouncing a diamond jig over the bottom.  Coaxing bites is relatively easy, but reeling in keeper bass (sometimes two at a time) is  real work. 

Cutting up bait early on a June morning

Within minutes of dropping lines, the boat was roaring with activity.  Fish were reeled in, measured, thrown back, or put on ice.  New bait was cut.  Lines needed to be untangled.  We fell into a routine, with Jake E. acting as mate...making sure everyone had a baited line in the water at all times.  An hour later, the four of us had hit our limit - five keepers each.

 Sizing up a keeper

That night, we each went home with a bag of fresh filets.  And the cook-off was on.  I opted for pan-cooking with onions and marsala wine.

 Cooking fish, while still smelling like catching it

Buddy #2 chose to blacken his catch on the grill, and was voted winner of the night's cook-off.  Buddies #3 and #4 ate sandwiches on account of bridal shower prep...

The next morning, we were at it again.  This time, we came prepared with our own boat-mounted grill.  Our fillet operation, perfected the day before, was in motion inches from the hot grill.  We tinfoil-wrapped the fish with onions, and seasoned with cajun spices and fresh-squeezed lime juice.  We washed down the light, flaky meat with cold beer.

Doesn't get fresher

Who needs stripers to have an epic weekend! 

New Hampshire Smallmouths (Memorial Day 2018)

For Memorial Day, A and I spent the weekend at her parent's cabin in New Hampshire.  Over the years, I've done some great smallmouth bass fishing here.  This year was even better. 

At first, the lake greeted us with overcast, cool weather.  While we cross fingers for sun, dark days are the perfect excuse for board games, reading, visiting family, and of course...anglin! 

New Hampshire, overcast but stunning (fish-on!)

With cool temps and little bug action, I began by fishing underwater with a hand-tied wooly bugger.  Kayaking and casting to the banks resulted in small but numerous hits.  For me, the diversity of species makes lake fishing interesting.  I encountered chain pickerel (southern pike), small and largemouth bass, bluegill and yellow perch.  Anticipating what's on the end of the line is a thrill. 

Wide diversity of lake species

The weekend wrapped up with warm, sunny weather in the 80s.  All of a sudden, bugs were everywhere.  Small ants began falling off shoreline trees, and soon smallmouth bass were prowling beneath.  In the glass-calm water, bass began delicately rising to the surface to sip ants.  With the sun bright, visibility improved and I sight-casted to enormous smallmouths joining the topwater action.  Big fish sipping tiny dry flies...what could be better?  I reeled in three large fish within minutes...easily the most fun I've had smallmouth fishing.  

Bugs everywhere meant switching to ants and a net

Doesn't get better than sight-casting tiny ants to big fish

Excellent visibility 

 Life is good!