By Guide Rick Buss:
Don’t be too quick to hang up the rods or put the yak into winter storage, not to be seen again until spring. Many potential good fishing days, weather-wise, will be coming this month and next. That, with a bit of planning, could put a smile on your face and tugs on your line, not to mention food on the table.
The first scouts that arrive ahead of the hoards of smelt that come into our harbors and estuaries are showing up and the rest will come now that the larger predators are gone. Kayakers have the advantage of fishing under dock lights without being on a private dock. A sabiki tipped with worms or grass shrimp does the trick. Smelt are a welcome addition to any “Feast of the Seven Fishes” menu. Sometimes, they’re only a five minute paddle from the launch.
Feeling a bit more adventurous? Try some of the bumps in 60-80 feet of water along Cape Ann shores. Plan your trip well and don’t go it alone. Some nice cod, cunner, and pollock are being brought to shore. A mid-afternoon trip with a buddy on a mild day can’t be beat and will build your appetite for the treat you’ll be having for supper (yes, we call it supper around these parts). Shoot…now I’m hungry. Catch y’all later. Go fish!
Guide Rick Buss, (617) 719-2036, www.belleislekayakadventures.com. Kayak specialist and fishing guide Rick Buss fishes, dives, and snorkels off his kayak. He runs his guide service out of Belle Isle in Winthrop but can deliver kayaks to your location.