In the Waters Off Aquinnah

Standing hip deep in the gentle waves on the west coast of Martha's Vineyard, the water was blue and near seventy degrees. Looking down, I could see stripers swimming around my legs. Stripers swimming around my legs. 15”  to 20” sleek striped bass swimming along this sandy trough uncaring of this interloper among them. Exhilarated at the thought that we shared the same space and just coexisted, I almost took my rod to shore as I bathed in a Cousteauian moment of Utopian harmony. Almost.

I was “fan” casting with an eight foot rod and a trusty Penn Reel (Made in USA version) about 40 feet from shore in four feet of water when it happened. I had been working a Hopkin’s spoon with a dressed hook and had a few bites, but no hookups. Startled at first, seeing a 30” fish in gin clear saltwater within an arm’s length was incredible enough, but watching him curl around my lure as he bumped it and took a taste was freaky . As quickly as it registered that dinner was taken care of, the large blue turned tail and swam away.