River Road, A Sign of Spring...
By: Capt. Hap Farrell
One of the spots where we find the spring run striped bass on the Lower Cape is the River Road Landing in Orleans. Another area is Hardings Beach in Chatham but the one I look at first is the River Road Landing. On Friday, the 20th of April, Fran, from the Goose Hummock, stated he landed two small spring run stripers right at the top of the tide. He took them on a small white, squiggly "gummy bear" type lure about 5 minutes apart. It's a white Bucktail with a white rubber tail built in. That started it.
The spring here on the Cape has not been what we normally go through. It's been cold, windy, and rainy. Friday, the 20th, was the real first sunny day we've had in a number of days. We had not heard of any fish been landed anywhere in this area. Finally, word has come that the sound side of the Cape has it's first arrivals in the rivers and estuaries. A good sign the spring season is starting.
When Fran started telling people what he'd found that Friday afternoon it didn't take long before the rods came out of the closets, cellars and sheds. They were dusted off, lubed up, and the favorite spring lure was attached to the line. Off to the the River Road Landing to see if the story is true. I wonder if the dock will be big enough to hold everyone?
As of Monday, the 23rd, the dock was still holding up. Now, more and more fish are making their way up Meeting House River to the pond. On Sunday, Dawson Farber, saw breaking fish in Little Pleasant Bay near the point of the old Viking Camp. The best time of the tide, according to Fran at the Goose Hummock, is right after the tide turns and starts out. In another week or so this time will expand.
stunmai@copper.net
