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Ahoy matees! The inshore fishing in 08 was as good as it has ever been when it comes to big bass. It wont be long before we start the process all over again! We began our fishing quests of 2008 in the early part of June chasing striped bass in Vinyard sound. We only spend a month chasing bass before switching over to offshore fishing. So we have to strike while the iron's hot. The trick like always was finding the fish. The water temps were on the cool side again, and the bass were tightly schooled during the early part of the month. Once we found them though, the action was excellent. Thats the beauty of the early season. Once you find the fish, you usually strike it rich as they are bunched up in big schools. Like always, we experienced some days when rods were bent as long as the tide was moving. And unfortunately there were a couple of days when the fish were elusive and we truly worked for a mere few! That happens every year, but those trips are far and few. Most of the time the numbers of big fish were in the double digits. Now here's the thing, we chase big bass and big fish only. If you're looking to catch 20 fish under 36 inches there are plenty of charter captains who do it, but not us. The fish we catch average 40 inches and some are much bigger. Live and dead bait are the key to our success, and we take the time to do it right. That means catching our own bait. I plan on having live pogies in the well on every trip. The new St Croix Tidewater series sticks matched with new Alutecnos 12T reels worked out beautifully for bait fishing. We employed 40 pound Sufix Tritanium line this year and once again, it worked out great. The green colored line seemed to outfish everything else. Fish under 40 inches are rare when live bait fishing, and don't do much for excitement with my clients anyway. The trick is to follow the tides. Every spot is different depending on current and water clarity each day. Anyone who fishes with us knows that I'm not afraid to run the boat to find fish. Big bass are a challenge, and we like being put to the test. If you're interested in learning bass fishing spots and fishing tactics, be sure and register for the 2010 Castafari online seminar. I will be giving away a lot of Castafari secrets! Its no skin off my back. After all, I am in the business of helping people catch trophy fish!

We had the pleasure of welcoming ESPN's Beat Charlie Moore show on the boat in late June for some late afternoon bass fishing in the rain. The odds were stacked against us, but we pulled through in the end and Charlie and his guests caught some nice fish. This show will air at 7:30 am on ESPN 2 on Febuary 14th 2009. We all had a blast making this episode, and despite the weather, enjoyed a fun day of striped bass fishing.

Some of the notable 2008 Castafari catches were a 44 pound, 48 inch fish caught by the Bill Saunders crew. Its funny. This particular group has fished with me for 7 years now and 6 out of the 7 years we have encountered incredible action. On half of the trips they boated a 40 plus pound fish, including one that was just shy of 50! Not to mention 8 year old William Saunders who manages a 30 pound plus fish on almost every trip hes been on. A few years back he caught a bass that was almost as long as he was! Another notable catch was a 41 pounder caught by the Don Petit crew. This is another great group of guys who have been fishing with us now for 6 years. Some other catches worth mentioning were a 38 pound 46 inch fish caught by 12 time returning guest John Kemp, and over a dozen 30 plus pound fish caught by the Bob Brooks, Chris Frosk, Tom Ward, and 10 year returning guest, John Smith. Now keep in mind, we're just fishing for bass in June. That gives us a quick window to gitter done.The odds of catching a 30 pound plus fish with us are very good, and thats a fact. In 08 we almost broke our record going four straight days catching fish over the 30 pound mark. The bait gig is fun as it is challenging. Clients are forced to hook their own fish. Though it's not easy for some folks. As usual, we employed circle hooks, and they proved to be deadly like always if used correctly. Once folks caught on, the fish didn't have a chance. I'm an advocate for releasing big bass. The smaller fish are better tasting. We threw a lot of 45 inch brutes back in the drink on most trips. A few rainy day outings yielded tough conditions and relatively slow action. The Brian Harris and Ron Willet crew experienced such luck. We caught fish, but not like we should have caught them. Thats the game though!

We will be commencing the 09 season in late May. I will also be offering 4 hour inshore outings for big bass from a 26 foot Yellowfin Flats Skiff and or/ 23 Casco Bay center console. For more info check out my Shallow Water Quests page located in the news page on the castafari site. These trips will involve fishing for trophy sized striped bass during dawn and dusk hours. The trips will be 4 hours in legnth, and will accomodate up to 3 guests. The total price will be $550 per trip.

All of our Castafari inshore trips are a blast, and a great way to entertain groups of people whether its work or fun related. Everyone catches fish, and its hands on. Nothing beats cat and mousing big fish with live bait. We caught most of our fish in 08 drifting with lead rigs, flourocarbon leaders, and circle hooks. Slow trolling is also a method I like, especially when the tide isn't flying. Hopefully '09 will yield the same class of big fish...a little fatter this time around! Call if you're interested! Inshore trips are always a beautiful day on the Castafari, and big fish are $$guaranteed. We don't catch schoolies. There is a time and a place. Don't get me wrong. Young kids are always welcome, and my mates and I are more than happy to educate you. I personally like focusing on the big fish. Its more work, and sometimes a little more time, but it's always well worth it! We are starting to fill up already so don't wait too long to book a trip!