Fishing Report: Keep the faith in the fish
We have all heard the comments — “There are no fish,” “Where are the fish?” It’s no lie that pickings have been slim recently, especially from shore. But I for one am not giving...
Everyone is talking about the lack of fish
Boat and shore fishermen alike say, “Not many fish around, unless you’re talking tuna.”
OK, what’s going on? I don’t mean to panic, but I have been searching for fish and talking to fishermen all...
Summer doldrums take hold
I have been a shore guide, taking people fishing and teaching surfcasting workshops, for the past nine years. My business, vineyardsurfcaster.com, kept me busy and connected as I searched for fish almost every day...
Safety net
One of the best things I have found through my experiences fishing is a sense of community. It is rare that I head out fishing without running into a stranger with a fishing pole...
Menhaden is ‘the liver of the ocean’
Even if you don’t fish, but live near the ocean and want to learn about the food chain, The Most Important Fish in the Sea, by Bruce Franklin, is a must read. This book...
Real fishing is a journey
When my wife and I first moved to Martha’s Vineyard, I had the grand idea that I would just “become” a fisherman. I arrived with an inexpensive 8-foot spinning rod and reel my father-in-law...
Permit fee is small price to pay for fishing
When the state of Massachusetts first started to talk about recreational fishing permits, I was unhappy with the idea. I thought, “Can’t anything be spontaneous?” My friend, single mother Terry Lapierre, came to mind....
Data collection is part of the fun
Now that most of the weekend tournaments have ended, it’s time to do some fishing, not for competition, but just for fun and maybe a meal of fresh fish. For many years I have...
Serving up tournament winners
See the bottom of this post for a list of tournament winners.
I have many reasons to be grateful that I found fishing as my passion. One of those is that I have met great...
Fishing is the best medicine
We’ve all heard fish being called “brain food,” and we know the benefit of eating fresh fish. Saltwater fish provide iodine and are an excellent source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. Fish liver...
First tug of the season brings relief
Everything is happening late this year, including the run of herring. The shadbush bloom has come and gone. The tiny white flowers that appear along most of the back roads are typically the first...
Big bass the big buzz at the Derby
Striper fishing has been slow in this year’s Derby. With three days left in the five-week tourney, not one shore bass has cracked the 30-pound mark. Boats have fared little better, guides have been...
Fly fisherman frequent flier at the Derby weigh station
Zac Horrocks of Lake Placid, New York, is fishing his 25th consecutive Derby, and he’s only 29 years old. The fishing guide, hunting guide, skiing guide and part-time professional skier has been fishing the...
Capturing a Derby day to remember
Editor’s note: While Barry Stringfellow has “gone fishing,” we bring you the guest commentary of Adam Darack.
Derby time: It’s my favorite time of year. The Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby is something...
The Derby weigh station is a stage for daily drama
Last Sunday night, a half-hour before the Derby weigh station was due to open, Stacy Nickerson-Hall, first-year weigh station manager, was busy making last-minute preparations for the parade of fishermen who would soon arrive.
Outside,...
Former Derby winner pays it forward
The spirit of the Derby lives large in Roger Schaefer.
Looking to share the thrill of watching his own kids weigh in a fish at the Derby, Oak Bluffs contractor and former Derby winner Roger...
72nd Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby begins this weekend
Don’t be surprised if over the next five weeks, you have a hard time reaching your plumber, your lawyer, or certain MV Times reporters, because the Derby — The Super Bowl, World Series, and...
The Fishing Report: Hefty halibut hoisted out of local waters
The fishing grapevine was buzzing this week with word of a home economics teacher from New York landing a 51-pound halibut.
Ann Frederick and her daughter Charlotte Bloom, from New Paltz, N.Y., come to the...
A beginner forays into kayak fishing
Many surf fisherman know the frustration of helplessly watching diving birds and water frothing with feeding fish, just out of casting range.
A kayak changes all that.
It allows fishermen to track their quarry well...
Shark fisherman gets big surprise on Chappy
Responding to the buzz of the busy shark season on Chappy, John Zarba, his son Colby and his friend Aiden Gates, all from Oak Bluffs, went to Leland Beach on a recent evening looking...