Recently, there was an interesting piece in The Atlantic covering the extreme way some anglers fish for stripers on the East Coast. Most are concentrated around Montauk. It's called wetsuiting.
Wetsuiters have a mantra: “Boat fish don’t count.”
"Wetsuiting is a form of saltwater fishing that involves wearing a wetsuit and wading or swimming out to offshore rocks—almost exclusively at night, often during storms—to access deeper water or faster currents than can be reached in traditional waders. The quarry are striped bass, a fish that migrates every spring, mostly from the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays, to as far north as Maine, and back down again in the fall.
Although “stripers”—one of the most popular game fish in America—can be caught during normal waking hours, the largest members of the species, some more than four feet long, usually come close to shore at night. Stripers prefer inclement weather and rough water, which make ambushing their prey easier, but also make conditions more dangerous for the men—wetsuiters are nearly all men—who chase them."
Writes The Atlantic, Inside the Dangerous, Secretive World of Extreme Fishing
Brandon Sausele (above and lead image) is one of a dying breed of fishermen in Montauk, New York, who wear wetsuits and wade or swim out to offshore rocks in shark-filled waters—almost exclusively at night. (Peter Fisher for The Atlantic)
If you don't subscribe to The Atlantic, I came across a couple of interesting blogs on the subject that are not behind the paywall.
These are worth checking out.
As I was thinking and researching wetsuiting, my friend Rob texted me and asked if we'll be offering this service.
I cackled out loud.
"Not anytime soon, Rob"
However, we do still have a couple of spots open for our Striper Fishing Workshop hosted on September 20th.
We won't be diving into the water if we can help it, but we may hook into a large fish nonetheless. Below is the 15-pounder we hooked on Napa River a couple of weeks ago using our Italian Stallion deep-diver lure.
But then again, we can end up with a couple of dings, like we did the week after.
Every day on the water can and will be unique. However, you need a set of strong foundational skills to take a leap forward and elevate your trolling game. The goal of the workshop is to get you there.
Workshop Details
On September 20th we're hosting our 2nd Striper Fishing Workshop.
If you own a boat or are interested in learning effective boat trolling techniques consider signing up for our Napa River Striper Fishing Workshop. Learn with and fish alongside the experts to conquer the waters with fellow enthusiasts. Expand your network and build relationships with your future fishing partners.
Agenda:
Captains and Deckhands Strategy Breakfast at Club Sweeney's 8am-10am
Meet at the Boat Ramp - 10:30am
Napa River Team Fishing Session - 10:30am-3pm (Outgoing tide)
We are looking for up to 5 captains to be matched with 5 deckhands.
Our workshop is ideal for both seasoned captains seeking to hone their expertise and aspiring deckhands eager to learn.
If you are interested in joining me for our next Napa River Striper Fishing Workshop, please fill out this form and let us know if you are applying as a Captain or a Deckhand.
Catch Happy!