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Nigel Haywood

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Everything posted by Nigel Haywood

  1. A bit late to this party, sorry. I've been there twice, in 2005 and 2010, staying at the Captain Cook. The second time my son and I were the only visiting fishermen anywhere on the island. Can you believe that? One of the world's greatest bonefish destinations to just the two of us. Australian visits had stopped, and only the flight from Honolulu remained. American destination anglers seemed to be staying away - accommodation in what was the old Sergeants' mess in the days of A-bomb testing was pretty rudimentary, and certainly not what you'd get in top lodges elsewhere, which may have been a factor. We're British, so are used to muddling by, and the flights were cheap. We had a great time. I was planning to go back, but Covid stopped everything. I can see it has changed. But I suspect it is still what you make of it: my son on one occasion spent two hours on a rock watching an octopus, and on another catching small reef fish inside the reef on very light tackle. There were GTs heading at speed across the flats, but we weren't after them (though we did have #12 rods with us, carried cheerily by the guide). We caught a lot of fish of many species, loads of bones, though averaging, at a guess, 3-4lb, and trevallies various up to about 10lb. That was what I'd done before, and it was fun. The guides I've had have been great: as long as you buy the flies their wife ties, you learn some Gilbertese (the 1979 Peace Corps handbook online is fine), have reasonable expectations and don't behave like an arse, you'll find the whole visit a total blast. It's expensive, and I'm knocking on for seventy. But I'm planning to do it again.
  2. If you asked the people of Britain to name it, I would cheerfully put £100 on their coming up with Pluggy McPlugface. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boaty_McBoatface
  3. Hadn't come across that, Brian. Thanks. Just ordered it up on Kindle for Tuesday's flight to Boston.
  4. Many thanks to everyone for their helpful comments. I can see I'm going to have to think about this carefully. And yes, albacized, Dorset is wonderful. I'm only three miles from what were some of the best shore marks for bass in the UK. Sadly, the bass aren't really there anymore, so I've spent much more time throwing flies at mullet, which were, I believe, put on this earth to drive flyfishermen insane. Best wishes to you all, and here's hoping for a good striper season. Only three days before I get to the Cape!
  5. I've poked at a UK based forum. To avoid cross posting, here's my query which I only wish I could post through the medium of interpretative dance. I'm looking at 6 September onwards this year. Even factoring in my need for premium economy flights (otherwise my legs don't work) the sticker shock is considerable. For slightly less than the cost of my current house I can get a week in Menemsha, without a car ($1250 cheapest local hire). The beach looks fine, though Oysterville (so near, yet so far) looks better, But, question, is being on foot (and, to be fair, being pretty fit) enough to give you a better than even chance of a fat Albert if you just stay in Menemsha? And, if not, what are the non-bank-breaking alternatives? PS. I know Menemsha is dry. I can live with that for a week. Possibly. No, I can't. I'll factor in bus trips to get gin and French vermouth. PPS proivided I test negative, I'll be wandering around Chatham next week. Feel free to give me info in person - I always carry a note book (unless I drop it into a tide rip). Look out for the pale blue Red Sox cap, and listen for an R free accent.
  6. Good news! I hope it's up and running soon. But thanks for the tip re Snowy Owl too.
  7. Oh no! It gets worse. Though many thanks to theshadow for being slightly cheery.
  8. Starting to pack: should be there in a week's time. Is there any reason to be slightly more cheerful than we all were earlier in this thread?
  9. Abel BG 2 - I think this was the daddy of all the Abels. It doesn't conform to modern thinking about spool size, but is wonderful. The solid back version is very good looking. Then, for those of you with a sense of history, there's the Vineyard Derby-winning ABU 178 https://mvmagazine.com/news/2015/09/01/notes-tackle-room-little-reel-could which I've just bought from an auction site, but have yet to use. I've used the 156 for trout since the eighties. It is curiously appealing, and the drag is not bad, though I wouldn't want to use it on GTs.
  10. Interesting, Mike. Having just read "The Moon pulled up an Acre of Bass", I've been thinking of heading for Montauk. I quite liked the idea of turning up by train. Hmm, I'd better recalibrate. On the Cape, well, I've always had enjoyable trips there, and I'm just happy to catch reasonable-sized fish - after all, in the UK, a 5lb bass is something of a rarity on the fly. For me, at any rate. Mind you, I'm also happy to catch blues, shad and even (on the first occasion: afterwards they get a bit boring) sea robins. The frustration I have, given my approach, is that it's impossible to get to know somewhere really well when it changes every year. Still, I guess I improve my thinking on general approaches. I'll be in the Chatham area from 31 May to 11 June - I hope I get the chance to meet up with old friends again. If not, I'll just watch the world go past as I feed the sparrows with croissant crumbs outside the Monomoy Coffee Shop (assuming it's still there).
  11. There's still nowhere quite like the Cape, though, John. Fingers crossed I get there at the beginning of June - it's now been six years.
  12. Thanks flysully, I can see where you're coming from on this. My brother was over last year and spent most of his time looking for new marks. I'm not overly concerned about the fishing. However bad it is, there are more bass, and bigger, there than there are here, for a start. I mainly come over because I enjoy wandering round the Cape chatting to people. It's an environment I feel very at home in - I come from Falmouth, and went to school in Truro, for a start (just not the ones on the Cape). And I love the bookshops. And it's great to meet people from these pages. So your point about Covid is even more compelling - I like coming to a laid-back, conversational, artistic environment, and I worry that those atmospherics might be missing this year. Thanks for the Boston wishes: I first ran it 25 years ago, and I come back when I can. If not September, I hope there will be next April, and, by cramming in a race last October, I already have the qualifying time. Shame it doesn't coincide with any fishing. Thanks for the advice, I really appreciate it.
  13. You're not the first. It still makes me smile!
  14. Thanks FishHawk. In January I booked two return flights to Boston, one was April, now turned into a voucher, which I'll probably use for the Boston Marathon next year; the other for June, which may or may not be used in September. Although I rely on British Airways surviving. These are crazy times, and I'm following everyone's advice on C-19 with considerable interest, locked peacefully in my garden shed trying to meet an end of April deadline. Looking forward to getting over there at some stage!
  15. Many thanks RJ, I'm keeping everything under review. I'm not convinced Boston will go ahead either, which will be a bummer. Stay safe!
  16. I wear Simms flats sneakers much of the time over waders. Especially on the Cape. Excellent. Easy to pack, good to walk in, good grip - don't need studs, so you can wear them in a boat. Bit of corrosion setting in, because I haven't worn them for a while. On the other hand they're over ten years old, so it would be churlish to complain. Addition: and there they are in my photo.
  17. Fingers crossed RJ, but I'm not optimistic. We'll be there the first week of June if we can, staying at Doryman. Thanks for all the info! Fallback position for me at least is September, as I plan to run the rescheduled Boston Marathon and then tack a few days on the end. In fact, if travel is allowed, I'll probably do that anyway, and perhaps try Nantucket or the Vineyard (neither of which I've ever fished) to see if I can get a bonito or albacore.
  18. Not fished the Cape since June 2016, but as the project I've been working on is coming to an end, I plan on coming back at the beginning of June. And, in an ideal world, to keep coming back. There should be at least five or six of us at Dennis Port again, Covid 19 willing. Sorry that Mike looks like he won't be able to make it, fingers crossed that he has a speedy recovery and the wetsuit/DH combo will be visible again out on the flats before too long. I've just looked at photos of the sand bars: obviously need to completely rethink things when a tub becomes a tide race. Anyhow, I really hope that a few of you I've met up with in the past will be around, you've helped make all the previous visits memorable.
  19. Ah Mike, I should be heading to the Cape this year for the first time since 2016, and I was hoping to see you again. Really sorry to hear about what you've been going through. Very best wishes for a speedy and complete recovery.
  20. Packing up now ready to head back to the UK. Another great ten days: more fish than last year (though not as many big ones) even if the last few days have been a bit patchy. It's been good to meet so many people from this board - I've had some great conversations, many thanks to you all for being so friendly. A lot learnt, and a lot to digest. Don't think I'll be able to smuggle rods out when I'm back in September, so another year to get my act together for the next time (even though I know I'll end up chucking everything I can find into a bag the night before). Squish: you were right about the Handpresso.
  21. It was the other one. I was over catching smaller beasts on Brewster at the time. The location in question has been pretty dead since yesterday morning, for such is the way of things.
  22. Well done Sound Fly. Nice picture: and there's a familiar looking background! Last minute panic now, but a 0350 start tomorrow and I'm on the way.
  23. Still packing. The eternal questions - is a bunch of 8 weights still enough? Should I bring a 9 or 10? If so, when would I use it? Why? What about a 6 for estuaries? Do I have enough poppers? Should I redo all my shooting heads? Why do I even bother bringing reels with full lines? Is there room for the Handpresso? Just how many pairs of sunglasses am I likely to lose? And so on. On the plane on Wednesday morning, Dennisport Wednesday evening, Monomoy Coffee Shop Thursday morning.
  24. I was wondering the same, John. I think an expedition might be called for.
  25. Haven't got round to tying yet. But I'm practising (or, as you might write, practicing) mispronouncing place-names and putting Rs into words that don't normally have them, like car and third floor.
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