Frank G. Dwyer
June 19, 2002
In the past ten days two Massachusetts’s men and one New Hampshire man died while fishing in New England waters. The stories are heartbreaking and tragic and reinforce the reality that there are inherent risks to this sport we love.
On June 11, a Dracut man either drowned or had a heart attack after the 16-foot boat he and two others were traveling in capsized in the Merrimack River after encountering a brief storm that blew through the area late in the afternoon. All three men, none of whom were wearing life jackets, were pulled from the water within five minutes of the boat capsizing. Donald Ducharme, a 59 year-old Dracut man was pronounced dead at Anna Jaques Hospital shortly after the accident. The other two men survived.
Just before midnight on June 12, a Martha’s Vineyard based Fly Fishing guide drowned after he stepped off a sandbar, and apparently into deep water, while fishing Edgartown’s outer harbor. Kenneth Schwam, 46, of Oak Bluffs and Wyncote, Pennsylvania, had been fishing with a customer on a sand bar and while walking back to shore in the darkness, the men stepped into a channel by mistake and became separated in the water. The client was able to make it back to shore and ran to a nearby house to call for help. A large search effort began shortly after the call and tragically Mr. Schwam was found floating partially submerged approximately 150 yards offshore at 2am and was pronounced dead at 3am. Mr. Schwam was an extremely experienced fisherman, with many years on the water. He owned a fly fishing shop in Pennsylvania that he recently closed so that he could move to Martha’s Vineyard and live year-round.
Carl Simonds Jr., 34, of Newmarket, NH, died on June 16 after either slipping off the rocks or getting hit by waves, while fishing in Gloucester. Mr. Simonds was found floating face down 50 yards offshore and was reportedly wearing a life vest. Soon after being pulled from the water, he was pronounced dead at the hospital. Weather was fairly rough in the area last Saturday, with six to eight foot waves pounding the shore.
Obviously none of the men who died had any intention of doing so when they headed out fishing. Other then some of the stories I had heard about folks wading into the water too far, I don’t think I ever thought about “what could happen” when I was strictly a shore fisherman. As my fishing experience grew, I quickly realized that fishing from shore could indeed be a dangerous activity and needed to be treated as such.
When a boat was added to my fishing mix, a certain amount of planning and safety awareness came with it. The boat allows for unparalleled access that shore fishing just does not provide, however it also allows for an increased chance for trouble by the very nature of being further from shore and the possibility of mechanical problems. In addition, having a boat allows me to take others out fishing with me, adding their well being to the items I need to be concerned with.
I’m writing about these sad and unfortunate incidents because I believe them to be newsworthy to the recreational fishing community, but also because these events have forced me to reflect on my fishing practices, and in some cases modify them. Perhaps we all can do well by examining our fishing practices.
Let’s all take a moment to send a good thought to the families of these men, and hope that their loved ones will rest in peace.
***
Bigger fish have taken up residence in the area, and anglers from both shore and boat are cashing in on the action.
Joppa Flats, while quite crowded over the last few weeks, continues to produce fish in numbers, and lately larger fish have become active. Reports have striped bass up to 25 pounds being caught. Large flies, up to 10 inches in length, along with large swimming and top-water lures are your best bet for the larger fish. One angler fishing Joppa with live mackerel reported landing several fish over 40 inches.
Fishermen at Plum Island Point have had success in the river using sea worms and clams on the bottom using fish finder rigs. Cut bait—mackerel and herring—has also been producing. If you can stand the crowds, some big fish come from the Point every year.
A less crowded option is the ocean front on Plum Island. I’m always amazed at the space available on the oceanfront vs. the real estate available to fish on the river. Anglers fishing the ocean front have had success with similar methods to those used in the river at Plum Island Point, however a float rigged above your hook is a good idea to keep the bait out of the mouths of the bottom dwelling, and annoying skates that take up residence in the sand.
***
Martha at Surfland Bait and Tackle reports good fishing all around the island. On Wednesday when I stopped in the unmistakable smell of striped bass was in the air and Martha let me know that was because a 20lb and 18lb fish had just been weighed in. Both fish were taken from the shore. On June 17th, Ron Kaufman of Wakefield, MA was in the shop to weigh what turned out to be a 31-pound striped bass he caught while fishing Plum Island Sound. On June 14th, George Bossi was in with a 26-pound bass caught from a boat on Joppa Flats.
When I visited Ryan at Captain’s Fishing Parties on Plum Island this week, he had some nice pictures of 41 and 45-pound cod caught this week by some happy customers. Anglers on the full day trips have caught these big cod, along with many market-sized cod. Ryan reports the half-day trips have also been producing well with mackerel and some blues and striped bass being landed.
June 8, 2002
Sometimes the Fishing is Secondary
Frank G. Dwyer
June 8, 2002
Early in May this year, as our somewhat mild winter was becoming but a memory, I was enjoying one of my first mornings on the water of the season. The spot of choice was the bank of the Plum River, just beyond the bridge leading to Plum Island. Knowing it was early in the season for us North Shore anglers, I looked at the day as a chance to work out the kinks in my cast with the notion of catching a fish secondary.
The walk out through the salt marsh is always an interesting one. Tidal waters create a soggy surface littered with hidden mud holes and footing can be less than ideal. The mud itself smells like a mix between rubber and fish entrails, although only truly pungent if you are unlucky enough to sink into one of the many holes. On this day I was fishing with a friend, and it’s probably not a good idea to head out onto the salt marsh alone as I recall hearing a story of an unlucky fisherman who sank chest high into the mud on a rising tide. He made it out, but only after a long struggle.
The fly-casting motion came back easily as I stood on the bank of the swiftly moving river. To clarify, the motion was good, but the cast itself was not quite yet up to par. Even so, it felt great to be fishing again and I was thoroughly enjoying the beautiful spring morning.
At one point I looked upriver, towards the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, and saw what I at first thought was a dog, or perhaps several other dogs. Upon further inspection, I saw that I was looking at four deer running across the salt marsh, and what a beautiful sight it was! The deer were running at a steady clip, every now and again leaping over one of the many small creeks that run through the marsh. I watched for several minutes as the deer continued to run—out further from cover, which I thought was odd—and faded until only the small white dots of their tails were visible. I did not catch a single fish that morning, but the deer spotting made the day eventful in my book.
I also recall fishing the Plum Island oceanfront a few years ago on a clear and cool starlit night. There was not another soul on the beach as I was watching the tip of my rod bounce in rhythm with the breaking waves. As I was waiting in the hope that a fish would take the bait I had so graciously laid on the ocean floor, I noticed a very strange, orange glow off in the horizon, directly in front of me. The glow became more and more intense, until at last the moon began to rise, seemingly from out of the ocean’s depths. Over the next couple of minutes, I watched in awe as the full moon rose from the ocean to its perch in the sky. I continued fishing for a few more hours with no success, but left the beach a rewarded man.
***
The fishing continues to please most anglers around the Port. Since my last column, I have had several excellent outings at a variety of spots.
The upper Merrimack continues to produce, with fish being caught in many spots above the Route 1 Bridge, including along the shores of Carr and Deer Islands. Fishermen are catching fish anchoring in deep holes and enticing the fish with cut bait, while others are still having success with a variety of artificial lures including metal and plastics.
Joppa Flats continues to produce and was loaded with fly fishermen this past weekend. Both the incoming and outgoing tides are producing, with the key being the moving water. Twice last week on Joppa birds were seen hovering over bait with feeding stripers underneath. I did notice an influx of smaller fish over the last two weeks, and have had success weeding out the bigger fish by switching to larger flies and lures.
Kay Moulton at Surfland reports that a 33lb striped bass was weighed in at the shop this week. A boat angler in the Merrimack caught the fish. Neil, who works in the shop, reported a great day on Joppa Flats with many legal size fish in the mix. Kay says anglers have been having luck with worms and clams along the oceanfront and some fishermen are having success with herring at the jetty. Kay says, “There are a lot of fish around”.
George at Captains Fishing Parties at Plum Island point reports continued good fishing. A 37lb Cod was caught by an angler from Hudson, NH on Tuesday and George reports Cod in the 20-30lb range as well as Haddock from 10-14 pounds. A few early season Pollock have been taken as well. Fishermen on the ½ day trips are primarily catching Mackerel.
If your looking to learn about fishing the salt, or interested in meeting other anglers, you should check out the Plum Island Surfcasters. The Surfcasters are a group of recreational anglers who enjoy fishing and other related areas such as beach access, conservation and fishery management. Year round meetings are held every 3rd Tuesday of the month at the Newbury Fire Hall. If you want to learn more, attend a meeting or visit their website at http://plumisland.surfcaster.com/
June 8, 2002
Early in May this year, as our somewhat mild winter was becoming but a memory, I was enjoying one of my first mornings on the water of the season. The spot of choice was the bank of the Plum River, just beyond the bridge leading to Plum Island. Knowing it was early in the season for us North Shore anglers, I looked at the day as a chance to work out the kinks in my cast with the notion of catching a fish secondary.
The walk out through the salt marsh is always an interesting one. Tidal waters create a soggy surface littered with hidden mud holes and footing can be less than ideal. The mud itself smells like a mix between rubber and fish entrails, although only truly pungent if you are unlucky enough to sink into one of the many holes. On this day I was fishing with a friend, and it’s probably not a good idea to head out onto the salt marsh alone as I recall hearing a story of an unlucky fisherman who sank chest high into the mud on a rising tide. He made it out, but only after a long struggle.
The fly-casting motion came back easily as I stood on the bank of the swiftly moving river. To clarify, the motion was good, but the cast itself was not quite yet up to par. Even so, it felt great to be fishing again and I was thoroughly enjoying the beautiful spring morning.
At one point I looked upriver, towards the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, and saw what I at first thought was a dog, or perhaps several other dogs. Upon further inspection, I saw that I was looking at four deer running across the salt marsh, and what a beautiful sight it was! The deer were running at a steady clip, every now and again leaping over one of the many small creeks that run through the marsh. I watched for several minutes as the deer continued to run—out further from cover, which I thought was odd—and faded until only the small white dots of their tails were visible. I did not catch a single fish that morning, but the deer spotting made the day eventful in my book.
I also recall fishing the Plum Island oceanfront a few years ago on a clear and cool starlit night. There was not another soul on the beach as I was watching the tip of my rod bounce in rhythm with the breaking waves. As I was waiting in the hope that a fish would take the bait I had so graciously laid on the ocean floor, I noticed a very strange, orange glow off in the horizon, directly in front of me. The glow became more and more intense, until at last the moon began to rise, seemingly from out of the ocean’s depths. Over the next couple of minutes, I watched in awe as the full moon rose from the ocean to its perch in the sky. I continued fishing for a few more hours with no success, but left the beach a rewarded man.
***
The fishing continues to please most anglers around the Port. Since my last column, I have had several excellent outings at a variety of spots.
The upper Merrimack continues to produce, with fish being caught in many spots above the Route 1 Bridge, including along the shores of Carr and Deer Islands. Fishermen are catching fish anchoring in deep holes and enticing the fish with cut bait, while others are still having success with a variety of artificial lures including metal and plastics.
Joppa Flats continues to produce and was loaded with fly fishermen this past weekend. Both the incoming and outgoing tides are producing, with the key being the moving water. Twice last week on Joppa birds were seen hovering over bait with feeding stripers underneath. I did notice an influx of smaller fish over the last two weeks, and have had success weeding out the bigger fish by switching to larger flies and lures.
Kay Moulton at Surfland reports that a 33lb striped bass was weighed in at the shop this week. A boat angler in the Merrimack caught the fish. Neil, who works in the shop, reported a great day on Joppa Flats with many legal size fish in the mix. Kay says anglers have been having luck with worms and clams along the oceanfront and some fishermen are having success with herring at the jetty. Kay says, “There are a lot of fish around”.
George at Captains Fishing Parties at Plum Island point reports continued good fishing. A 37lb Cod was caught by an angler from Hudson, NH on Tuesday and George reports Cod in the 20-30lb range as well as Haddock from 10-14 pounds. A few early season Pollock have been taken as well. Fishermen on the ½ day trips are primarily catching Mackerel.
If your looking to learn about fishing the salt, or interested in meeting other anglers, you should check out the Plum Island Surfcasters. The Surfcasters are a group of recreational anglers who enjoy fishing and other related areas such as beach access, conservation and fishery management. Year round meetings are held every 3rd Tuesday of the month at the Newbury Fire Hall. If you want to learn more, attend a meeting or visit their website at http://plumisland.surfcaster.com/
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