If there is one thing I have learned over the years is that none of us are experts. There are always things to learn from other people and your way is not the only way. So when I get a chance to go fishing, or hunting, with an experienced guide I jump at it. Such was the case here when I had the opportunity to fish with Capt. Randy Sigler, owner of Sigler’s Guide Service located in Marblehead, Massachusetts.
It was the first of June and I found myself leaving my home in New Hampshire at 5:00AM to make what should be a two hour drive to Marblehead. I say should be as things never go as planned. I was to meet up with Randy Sigler at the dock at 8:00AM and I didn’t want to be late. Always better to be a little early than late. As it was, I was glad I left when I did as the traffic on Rte. 93 was a bear once I crossed into Massachusetts.
My trip with Randy was twofold. First we were to do a little flounder fishing, targeting winter flounder, or “Blackbacks” as they are called in these parts, and then second we were going to try our hand at casting for ‘schoolie” Striped bass. This piece will concentrate on the flounder fishing.
Marblehead, which is located north of Boston, in what is considered the North Shore, is a typical New England fishing town. Old buildings, quaint shops, no shortage of eating and drinking establishments and that smell of salt air. Makes you feel like you are in one of those old “Old Spice” commercials. I was to find out it also has a great flounder fishery.
Randy pulled the 24 foot Everglades 243CC up to the dock right on time. After loading up we wasted no time heading out to our first location. Within 15 minutes we were there. To be honest, we didn’t have far to travel because we never left Marblehead Harbor. In a location where water depth was anywhere between 15 and 25 feet (it all depends on the tide) and where the bottom was made up of mud, we, or rather Randy, prepared our rigs. I can bait a hook with the best of them, but I was here to learn, so I stepped back and let Randy show me how he does it.
Our gear for the flounder fishing consisted of spinning tackle. The rods measured between 5 ½ and 6 feet long and were light action rods. The reels were spooled with 30 pound test braided line. Thinking that this might be a little overkill, I asked Randy “why 30 pound test braid?” He told me that all of his rods are spooled with this, but if you want to use monofilament you can easy run with 10 or 12 pound test line. Randy next attached hat is called a Zobo flounder rig (see below) to the mainline using a saltwater clip. This rig runs two hooks, one higher that the other, with a clip to hold a weight between the two hooks. Using a 2 ounce lead weight we would bounce this rig along the bottom. The bait we used consisted of both sea worms and clams.
Our goal was to drift through the area trying to keep our baits on the bottom. The only time we lifted them was when we felt the weight getting stuck in the mud. It didn’t take long before we got into some action.
Just as I lifted the rig out of the mud I felt something on the other end. I pulled up and it pulled back. I had one on. As I got it closer to the boat I could see that it was a pretty good sized fish, as far as Winter flounders go. Then in a flash it was gone. It never really took the bait and I really didn’t set the hook properly. Live and learn.
I checked the bait and then put my rig back in the water. Again I felt a fish on, but this time I waited another second and then set the hook. This time we got this fish in; a nice keeper flounder. In Massachusetts the angler is allowed eight Winter flounder and they must measure at least 12 inches.
For the next hour or so we continued to catch flounder, three of which I kept. When it was all said and done, my tally was: two dropped at the boat, three caught and kept and two released. I wouldn’t say that this was too bad for an hour and a half of fishing.
We spent the next two hours casting for “schoolie” Stripers, but that is a story for another time. The North Shore of Massachusetts is a great fishery and Randy Sigler is a great guide. He has 30 years of fishing experience on these waters and he will put you on fish. The rest is up to you.
Capt. Randy Sigler
Sigler’s Guide Service
By Dana Benner