Nantucket

[hookset]

So I booked my first shoals fluke trip... this has been in the making for me for a few years and so happy my girl friend wants to join!! I am a NJ bucktailer born and raised. I never fish over 2 oz bucktail and always ahead of the drift. With that said what do expect up in the mother land. Thinking of bringing two rods one that will hold a 4 oz bucktail and one set up with a high/low capable of holding 20oz weight capacity... I will have fluke belly and 6 inch grubs in a variety of colors... anyone with experience up there please chime in on what I will need. August 25th and 26 are my days if you are in panned also let me know

[TerriMc223]

I have been going up to fish off Nantucket in an NS party boat out of Hyannis for the past 6 or 7 years. I was on their 2 day trip June 10 and 11. We needed heavy weights both days up to 24 oz . The currents and drift up there are for real. In the past I have seen some folks do well bucktailing when conditions permit, but mostly it is heavy metal fluking! Most folks use a high low of some sort I have also done well dragging bait or 6" nuclear chicken gulp.
I had 10 keeper fluke with 4 over 6# between the 2 days. My largest was 7 and 1/2 # but it was only about half the size of the 14.9 # pool winner on the first day. Limits in Mass. are 5 fluke , 17" min.
We also got into some knucklehead sea bass the second day for a nice bycatch. Not sure if sea bass will be in season or available when you go in August.
By the way they gaff everything up there, no nets, so if is on the small side and you might want to throw back, just lift her over the rail and unhook her. Most of the fish I caught were well over 17".
Always a memorable trip!
Catch em up!

[Treble Hook Jim]

I was there this past weekend for the 2 day layover trip and it was rediculous...
We were swinging 5 & 6 pound fluke over the rails so we could release them. (They gaff keepers). Four of us in my group and we kept our limits of Fluke each day with nothing less than 7lb. Biggest on the boat was 10.5 Saturday and 11.75 Sunday. We were on the Angler (smaller boat from
The Helen-H fleet) and fished within a 1/4 mile of the Helen-H both days. They had a 16.4 on Saturday, not sure what the pool winner was Sunday. While I have fished as little as a 3oz buck tail up there, it is the exception rather than the norm. I was able to fish a 6oz buck tail for at least 2 hours each day but once the current is moving you will need to go to 16-24 oz of weight. I might be back up there for the Aug 10-11 trip, but need to be at work on Monday at 7am so it's a rough ride back on Sunday night... not as young as I used to be.

Good Luck,
If you have any specific questions I might be able to answer, PM me and I will be glad to assist.

Jim

[Treble Hook Jim]

PS. No need to bring Fluke belly, they will have ribbons that are as long as you arm to use! As well as squid and other baits. Do bring your gulp. You don't need to bring the big weights... they will provide them. I am assuming you are going on the Helen-H, disregard this post if you are not!

[hookset]

I’ll be on the Monomoy one day (Helen H fleet) and the Helen H the next day

[lefteye]

I was on the Helen H twice for the two day trips. You will most likely need the twenties at some point. I fished as low as 8 oz. early and needed to increase as the day went along. There was a lot of current but regardless of that the fishing was fabulous. I did really well on tandem rigs with whole squid and popcorn rigs with 6 inch Gulps last year. The bucktail & teaser combination works well also. I did better with heavy ball jigs on the bottom when I fished the combo.
I'd suggest using a fairly heavy leader/top shot. You'll be swinging fish at times.
Good luck

[Ry609]

Last year was my first time also and I'll admit I was a little outgunned. We all are stubborn and want to use our own gear, but those 20oz sinkers were no joke and absolutely necessary to stay near the bottom. The two rods you mentioned should get you by, but make sure you really like the one that can go up to 20oz. because the current up there is serious and that boat will fly especially if you're on a full or new moon. Obviously if you're going on a 6-pack they'd be more likely to use a drift sock, but not on a 100ft party boat. Also, just keep it simple and don't overthink the offering. I tried getting a little too fancy last year switching rigs every other drift when a hi-lo rig with two small bucktails or backwater teasers would've produced much better (as was proved during our trip). I'll be up the week before you, hope they save us both some fish. Good luck!

[bunker dunker]

i just got back from a 2 day and only used a 4oz jig for the 6 hours we fluke
fished.caught a ton of fish too.

[MohawkJD]

It changes from day to day, full moon is worse. Cod and black fish type rods and one a little lighter. You can bucktail with a hi-low rig, but tangles are common and bad. Mates aren't much help with them except when Joe wants to move the boat. I liked dragging big baits like fluke belly and squid. Big gulp work. Fresh snapper blues are killer when you can get them.

Watch your fish carefully on the fillet table. They don't try to cheat you, they just don't pay attention.

[henro]

Can you guys share the rod/reel setups you’re using up there to handle 16-24oz of lead? I just paired my Tranx 400 spoiled with 40lb powerpro to a JW Shogun 7’6” M rated up to 12oz but am wondering if I would need something more for this?

[torchee]

How deep?

[MVP]

Feel free to give me a call and I will fill you in as I have been going up there way before it became so popular

Alex

[henro]

Can you guys share the rod/reel setups you’re using up there to handle 16-24oz of lead? I just paired my Tranx 400 spoiled with 40lb powerpro to a JW Shogun 7’6” M rated up to 12oz but am wondering if I would need something more for this?

Anybody?