Day 3 : Brewster Flats

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wittich
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Day 3 : Brewster Flats

Post by wittich »

After several days of fishing Stage Harbor, I was ready to make a switch. Luckily, Cape Cod has hundreds of miles of coastline and large parking lots with access to beaches. I had heard about the Brewster flats from several other anglers. These flats are located on the inner cape, facing Cape Cod Bay and due to the shallow water warm up earlier in the spring . I also heard several warning about being careful when fishing these flats. There is a 10 foot tidal differential on this side of the cape. At low tide several hundred feet of the flats in front of the shoreline will be exposed. There are a series of sand bars with guts in between. A gut that might have been waist deep at low tide would be over your head when the water rushes back in. At high tide you will be swimming with the sharks. Another danger is the dense fog that can roll in. Several fisherman have drowned by getting turned around and walking out into deeper water instead of heading towards shore during a thick fog and incoming tide. I spoke with a flyfisherman there the evening before. He explained to me that you have to fish the U of the tide. He said start wading out when the tide is halfway to lowest mark. Fish and and once the tide starts moving in you have about 2 hours until you need to start heading back towards shore.
I decided It would be safer with a kayak. I called John from Chatam Kayak Company ( 508)456-8919. He told me he would be there at 6:00 am to drop it off.
wittich
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Re: Day 3 : Brewster Flats

Post by wittich »

Brewster flats.jpg
Sandells.jpg
wittich
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Re: Day 3 : Brewster Flats

Post by wittich »

The Rock.jpg
wittich
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Re: Day 3 : Brewster Flats

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Above is the Rock, at Rock Harbor. You can see the water line. At this point, the water was around waist deep when I was wading around that boulder. At low tide it was bone dry and at the top of the water line it must be around 10 feet.
wittich
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Re: Day 3 : Brewster Flats

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John Arrived at 6:00 am with a Wilderness Pounga Kayak. It was tippy as hell as but it got the job done. The water was coming in so I beached the kayak and started fishing from shoreline. After about 30 min, I saw a small school of sand eels and then a much larger white fish chasing them. It was amazing standing waist deep and seeing all these fish swim by. I started off with a texas tea down south paddle tail but could not get any bites. I moved a little further out towards the shallow flat and saw two more fish swim by. These were big, fat stripers looking for for a meal. I would guess they were pushing 30 inches. They were on the move and I did not get a shot off at them. I finally had a hit when I tied on a clouser fly on 12lb flouro behind a jig head. They like the smaller bait out in the shallow flats.
The water was now at high tide and paddled back to get my fly rod.
wittich
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Re: Day 3 : Brewster Flats

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I remembered GODoe teaching me to paddle around until you see several fish and then get out an wade. I used his strategy and started paddling out looking for signs. With the tide falling, the bait and the fish had been pulled out past the first sand bars. I saw a couple of smaller striped bass in deeper water and slowed down as I pushed onto a sand bar. To my right was a huge 30 inch fish. He had not spooked. I grabbed my fly rod and tossed a clouser out while sitting in the kayak. The fish turned and slowly followed the fly. I saw the gills flare. I was waiting to feel a bite. Nothing. Then the fish moved on. The would be the first of many missed striped bass.
I anchored the kayak and waited out through the gut towards the next sand bar. I could see fish riding the waves. On the sandbar I could see groups of fish heading towards me.Doubles, Triples, then a group of 5. Then a monster 40 inch fish. I had a few follow but could not get any not get any to commit. I had tried different flies, different retrieves. I decided to use a lifeline and call Serge, who I have known over the years from a different flyfishing forum. Serge told me to use an all black fly and strip it in as fast as possible. I tied on a black gamechanger fly. The first fish I cast at followed but turned away at the last second. Then I saw a group of 4 approach. I was on knee deep on a sand bar. The fish were cruising in the gut. I cast and made one strip to get their attention. One noticed the fly. The school came in closer then I started stripping like crazy and one rushed forward and grabbed the fly. I struck hard. I caught one more and then the wind and waves made fishing too difficult. I got a taste of the sightfishing Cape Cod has to offer and seeing multiple fish between 30-40 inches is a thought I can't get out of my mind. I will have to make a return next year.
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Re: Day 3 : Brewster Flats

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clear flats.jpg
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Re: Day 3 : Brewster Flats

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Striped bass landed.jpg
Kayak Kid
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Re: Day 3 : Brewster Flats

Post by Kayak Kid »

I enjoyed that fishing adventure with you. Thanks for sharing.
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Ron Mc
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Re: Day 3 : Brewster Flats

Post by Ron Mc »

bingo - nice fly rod striper.
You should be getting to the season where everything is happening there.
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GoDoe
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Re: Day 3 : Brewster Flats

Post by GoDoe »

Way to go Jeremy:

From my experience with stripers in Lake Texoma they will hardly pay attention to small baits. They are big, mean and hungry. I try the biggest fly you can cast.

They want a meal. Not a morsel!
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Re: Day 3 : Brewster Flats

Post by wittich »

Thanks GoDoe.
I will give it a try next year when I go back. For a kayak sightcasting enthusiast such as yourself, you would love this fishery. A buddy of mine said he is getting 20-30 everyday on the fly.
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