Gone Fishin' : Catch and release contest brings few fish but some surprises
The 18th annual Martha's Vineyard Rod and Gun Club striped bass catch and release tournament was held Saturday night. Unfortunately, the enthusiasm of the 193 fishermen who turned out did not match the willingness of the fish to cooperate.
Wilson Kerr hung tough in one spot and was rewarded with a fine striped bass. Photo by Clint Eller
All signs pointed to a good night of fishing. The fog, rain and wind that had dominated the previous week disappeared and the wind turned southwest.
Generally, a wind that blows out of the southwest brings good spring fishing. It propels schools of bait followed by migrating bass and blues.
The wind blew hard Saturday night. Still, that would not have been an insurmountable problem for the legions of fly fishermen that spread out across the Island in search of bass.
The problem was, there were no striped bass on the beach, or when found, the bass were not interested in striking a fly. How do I know that? Because my team members and I fished from about 8 pm until 2 am and never caught a fish, and we were not alone.
The sunset proved to be better than the fishing Saturday night. Photo by Wilson Kerr
If misery loves company, we had plenty of it judging by the reports of fisherman at the awards ceremony Sunday morning. But if fishing is about having fun with friends, the tournament remained a success.
Fishermen fish in teams from the shore between 7 pm and 2 am. Awards are presented to the team that catches and releases the most fish, the team that does it without any of the members changing flies, and the individual fisherman who catches the largest fish based on a measurement of length and girth. Awards are determined based on the honor system.
When fishermen turned in their fish counts prior to the start of Sunday's awards ceremony regional high school cafeteria, there was an opportunity to hear some interesting stories.
Team members Matt James and Shawn Beaulieu arrived at the check in with a team count of one fish and a question: Did finding a drunk on the road count towards their final tally? Matt produced a digital camera and showed me a photo of a young man lying on the pavement. "We didn't get measurements on him," said Shawn, "because it was after 2 am."
Shawn and his family members and their friends have been participating in the tournament for years. They are also generous prize contributors.
Matt, a resident of Dudley, is currently studying to be a high school math teacher. He described the unusual encounter: "It was funny and it was really scary at the same time."
It was past 2 am. The tournament was over and the men were determined to take advantage of every moment of their Vineyard fishing weekend. They were on Lambert's Cove Road and Shawn was driving slowly in order to avoid West Tisbury speed bumps - skunks and rabbits - as he looked for the beach parking lot.
Matt at first thought he saw a deer (hey, he's a fisherman not a hunter) then realized the mammal was a kid about 19 years old. "He was white as a sheet and sitting in the middle of the road near a turn," Matt said.
Being from the mainland and not familiar with West Tisbury's loose regulations regarding teens napping in public, the guys were initially suspicious. So they called the police.
Shawn was able to just get out the details before his cell phone lost power. "His phone died because his wife was calling him all night long," said Matt (I bet it was not to find out how the fishing was) and I had no signal at all."
After contacting the police the men got out of the car. Matt said they initially thought the kid might have been involved in a motorcycle accident, but they still approached him warily.
Matt said he took a photo for the police in case the kid ran off. He said his wife accused him of being morbid. I think he was just being smart. You never know when you will run into a celebrity lying face down on a road and have a chance to get a photo some useless magazine will buy for big bucks.
Anyhow, the police arrived quickly, he said. The guy was not a celebrity, just an average West Tisbury lad who had a little too much to drink.
Matt said he and Shawn arrived Friday and returned to their homes Sunday. Of the tournament he said, "It's always a blast."
He noted that two years ago he and Shawn were driving by the airport when they saw a fellow who was quite drunk fall off his bicycle by the side of the road.
Speaking of the most recent incident, Matt said, "Afterwards Shawn and I were laughing because we either catch fish or we don't catch fish, but there is always a drunk guy."
That night the men found fish right at their feet, said Matt. Good-sized fish that just cruised along the shore and ignored all offerings. "It was fun to watch and good to get out there and chat once in awhile," he said. "And that's why we go."
18th annual Martha's Vineyard Rod and Gun Club Fly Rod Striped Bass Catch & Release Tournament
A total of 193 fishermen registered for the 18th annual catch and release tournament. Not every team filed a catch report. According to the catch reports that fishermen did file, they hooked and released a total of 146 striped bass, less than last year's tally of 270, and well below the 2007 tally of 484 striped bass.
Roberto Germani Trophy
For the most striped bass caught and released by a team. Roberto Germani, an Island character, believed strongly in the philosophy of catch and release.
1. Wuss Industries (Seth Nickerson, Jeff Iadonis, 20 fish) 10 average.
2. Green Mountain Stripping Baskets (Gerry Davis, Rob Mann, 12 fish) 6 average.
3. Team Visine (Pat Jenkinson, Jay Bodner, Mark Plante, 12 fish) 4 average.
4. Team Double-Haul (Wilson Kerr, Clint Eller, Chip Bergeron, 10 fish) 3.33 average.
Sonny & Joey Beaulieu Trophy
For the largest striped bass caught and released. Sonny and Joey Beaulieu, father and son, died in a tragic boating accident along with Fred Loud and his son, Adam.
1. Kevin Cooke, 66.5 inches total length and girth (43.5 and 23 inches).
Arnold Spofford Trophy
For the most fish caught and released by a team using one fly. Arnold Spofford, fly fisherman and gentleman, was a familiar face to many who fished the beaches of Martha's Vineyard.
1. Last Cast (Tony DiRobbio, Ed Tatro, Jim Ehrhardt, 9 fish), 3 fish average.
2. No Name (Mike Wrabel, Jim Jackson, 3 fish) 1.5 average.
3. Scurvy Seaslugs (Herbert Tilton, Jeremy Bradshaw, 2 fish) 1 average.
4. Caddyshack (Mac Haskell, Charles Finnerty, 1 fish) .5 average.
Fishing report
On Friday, Bill Bishop of Edgartown was the lucky winner of a new Orvis Helios fly rod in the Orvis Day raffle held at Coop's. It was karma.
A few months ago Bill had bought a new T-3 Orvis rod and put it in his basement rod rack but had yet to use it when his son, a football player, asked dad to donate one of his many fishing rods to a fundraising event.
Bill told him to get one from the basement. Guess which rod his son grabbed?
Boat fishermen are doing very well. Bass and blues are reported off Gay Head and in the rips. Beach fishing changes from night to night. The best bet for blues is along East Beach on Chappaquiddick. Lobsterville should start producing striped bass although the bright moon could affect the fishing.
