Welcome to Winthrop!

Welcome to Winthrop- A Photo Essay

Thanks for reading this week’s post, Welcome to Winthrop. Our friend Maryann lives here. After hosting her in Maine for a while, she’s hosting us now. It all evens out in the wash, doesn’t it?

For subscribers- if the photos don’t load, click this link- www.spottedtail.com/blog.

Speaking of the wash, we missed the hurricane, but it didn’t miss Florida. Many people there need prayers and more!

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It’s a sixty second walk to the beach for me here. I’ve been out there every day, casting a jig, hoping for a bass (or something). No luck so far. The first day I was here I could see them busting, way out past where I could cast. A guy came with a paddle board and a fishing rod. He paddled right out to there the fish were, caught two, and paddled back, beautifully done. I told him so, too. But didn’t get a picture.

Winthrop Beach by day.

 

No hard feelings, but I want to see these, getting blasted by bass, within casting range.

We visited old friends and relatives, so no other fishing happened until Thursday, when I visited the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge on Plum Island. After walking to the “spot,” it took me about fifteen minutes to catch a bass. Of course, the entire time I could see the birds going CRAZY on the Ipswich side. But I don’t have a boat here, so too bad, so sad.

Yes, I have caught stripers. Although many people spell it “strippers.”

I chucked a Clouser Minnow for close to six hours, ended up with five bass and a shad. Met a couple local fly casters, enjoyed a spectacular day, and life was good.

 

 

 

 

Watched Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime. If I were paying for that, boy, I’d be mad. What terrible, truly terrible broadcast quality.

Got up early Friday morning to photograph the sun rise. Arms are a bit sore from Thursday’s chuck-fest. Sunrise was beautiful, though.

 

 

We dropped off Susan at an old friend’s house, then went to see an old friend ourselves, meeting Kevin at Walden Pond. Wow, they sure have made it into a monument to Thoreau. It’s a swimming pool for healthy seniors, who swim across and back. I spoke to a fly fisher who told me that it had just been stocked a few days ago with rainbow trout, so there’s that, too.

 

These swimmers cross the pond and return.

 

 

 

We’ve known each other over 50 years. You could call us old friends.

And just like that, the week is almost gone. So is our trip, almost gone. We’ll be heading home next week.

That’s the Welcome to Winthrop post. Thanks for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Take a walk! Stay active!

John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
www.spottedtail.com/blog

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2022. All rights are reserved.

Massachusetts Fishing Report

Massachusetts Fishing Report

Susan and I are in the commonwealth of Massachusetts, thus the Massachusetts fishing report.

Sumac leaves.

Monday afternoon I was looking for a place to go fly fishing in freshwater. I visited Wedge Pond in Arlington, Horn Pond in Woburn, the Merrimac River in Lowell, and the Concord River in several different towns. No access without a boat. I don’t have a boat here.

In Viet Nam Veterans Park in Billerica there is a small pond. I got a single fish, a banded sunfish. It was a small but beautiful fish, the first of that species that I have caught. It kept the skunk away!

Ripening pokeberries.

Then I spent some time photographing autumn in New England.

Tuesday morning I got up early and drove to Plum Island, hoping for giant stripers and bluefish. I went to the Merrimac River mouth. The tide was low but still outgoing. There was one other fisherman there, a spin fisher tossing a Hopkins spoon. He got nothing, the same as I. There was no bait or activity.

I walked to the jetty and clambered up. Using the jetty as a vantage I observed my surroundings. The ocean had significant surf, but all the birds were sitting on the beach. The river mouth lacked bait or any signs of life. I got in the car and drove to the south end of the island, through the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge.

Milkweed pods releasing seeds.

By now the water was moving the other way. I walked to the east side of the island, where the surf was manageable, and started casting a Clouser Minnow. After at least thirty minutes of casting wasn’t I surprised by a strike! A small schoolie striper- skunk’s off!

Three more bass and a shad were caught and released and a couple strikes missed before such bite as there was stopped.

While taking lunch I considered the options. A decision was made to stay to wait for the outgoing tide and try it again.

More fishermen came once the tide began its ebb, all tossing spin tackle. We all worked it hard. I left at 430 without touching another fish. No one else hit anything either. A full day of fishing did not yield a giant fish of any kind, but four bass is so much better than nothing. I enjoyed watching nearly a full tidal cycle!

Thursday night I spoke to the United Fly Tyers of Bedford about fly fishing opportunities in Florida. It’s a great group of folks and I appreciate them hosting me!

On October 28 Fishing Florida by Paddle will be available. Click this link for more information!

That’s this week’s Massachusetts Fishing Report. Thanks for reading!

Life is great and I love my work!

Life is short- Go Fishing!

John Kumiski
www.spottedtail.com
http://www.spottedtail.com/blog
www.johnkumiski.com
www.rentafishingbuddy.com
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jkumiski

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2019. All rights are reserved.