Times have changed 06/01/2011
 Had the Memorial Day BBQ this weekend, and how times have changed. At one point our neighbor came over and said that 3 years ago we had 60 people and went til 2 am, now we had 20 people (about 8 kids) and people were gone by 8. I can still picture Ethan looking at me out the window as his wife pulled out of our driveway (in their minivan) screaming “Ryan, it’s still light out!!!!’ while we both reminisced about the late night dance contest (that turned into borderline striptease) we had this very weekend only a few short years ago. They can take our manhood, but they can’t take our fishing. At least not July 9th. For me personally, I’m on a plane right now to Europe for work, have a new kiddo on the way, a new house, and about 52 things my wife needs me to do, so July 9th could be it for me. I plan to make it count. I should be knee deep in trash talking, scouting reports and beers the night before at the Hot Stove. My pre-fishing will be limited to online chat rooms, iphone apps, and glances at the dudes fishing off the Charlestown bridge in Boston on my commute so I’ll be relying on the rest of Team Jackal to put us on the fish. I will commit however, to be working about 9 rods, and 52 beers on tourney Saturday and will be doing everything I can to soak it in as much as possible. Win or lose, I might be a mess, so this is my official warning to everyone in advance, and plea to join me in ripping it up tourney weekend. For those of you lucky enough to be fishing from now until the Headhunt, pour a 40 into the rips for me, and get ready. 1 Comment The Fish are Here 05/26/2011
 Looks like the fish are here in full force, from the Plymouth team slaying them last weekend in Plymouth Harbor, to Team Jackal member Tria killing them in Rhody, to Harry Corduroys epic schoolie in the canal. Based on my recent move, upcoming kiddo, and general lack of direction and/or fishing ability, I hope to catch my first fish of the year by Labor Day. I think my role on Team Jackal will have to be mental warfare tactics, but I’m fine with that. If anyone else has any reports, real or not, that they want to share with the rest of the field – just send them my way or post on these blogs. We already have a few early entrants in, and Cape Cod Sports Bags have just signed on as a sponsor, so we started late but are getting ready quickly. My brother will be done with his classes or some crap this weekend so will have his head in the game as well. Billy Burke will be kept safely on the sidelines, and I can pretty much write whatever I want about my dad on here because he’ll never be able to figure out how to get here, so if you have any good Billy Burke jabs or slurs, feel free to post away. Heading out of the country next week for a week, but will try to keep posting, and hopefully others will send over some content. I’ll leave you with the picture from Team Jackal member Dave Tria and one of his recent fish this week. I know they tell you to hold the fish away from your body to make it look bigger in pictures, but relax Tria (and untuck your shirt) – looks like you’re holding this thing straight out at the camera. We won’t need any trickery come tourney time – Dave did catch us the 4thplace fish last year, and money in Vegas says we beat that finish this year. Sidebet anyone? Love, Ryan Let the trash talking begin! 05/24/2011
 Good to see some activity springing up on the site, and checked the stats and we had over 100 visitors on the site the last few days. Hopefully a few of them will sign up for the tourney and we can get over the 25 boats we had last year. I know the Cape Cod Sports Bags are back in action – always good to see Burnie and the gang spice things up and should be fun to have them weighing in their impressive 5 lb bluefish (time for a new promo shoot fellas). We know that Team Powe – with their 2009 Championship – will be back. We’ll see if Jailbreak is ready to handle them, but I know the city boys will be back in force and talking up a storm between pukes and bringing bananas on the boat – I would still pay to see Seamus’ face when they pulled out the bananas out on the rips and asked if he wanted one. I’m hoping Mike O’Brien, four time freaking champ, and his crew jump aboard Arlie Ex and try to defend their title. Maybe Harry Corduroy will get off the rocks in the canal and try to make it happen again, we know he can talk trash with the rest of them – he just needs to get his brother out from behind the bar and get involved. Other than that, we’re hoping sponsors from last year want to re-up. It’s only $100, but we literally sold over 200 t-shirts last year so the word gets out there. Side note but we just moved houses and my wife made me go through my t-shirts. I made a separate pile for Headhunt shirts from over the years and had almost 40 shirts in the pile. If folks want a retro, game worn, shirt from years past just let me know. Last year we had some kick ass prizes, so here’s hoping Puma Ocean Racing and the rest of the donators are back in force this year. Happy to trade for prizes as well, if anyone wants BC football tickets, a fishing trip with Team Jackal, or a few high fives in exchange for some cool gifts for the winners. Either way, let us know if you’re in – trying to get the registrations cooking early, and if you have any questions or suggestions. Should be another great tourney and still crazy this is in its 8th year. Ryan  Coming Back!!!! It is time to dig in! It’s mid-May and we are coming up on the 8th annual Headhunt tournament. When we first started this tournament with three boats 8 years ago we were extreme amateurs with a rough boat and little to nothing to expect. It was back then we just wanted to get out there to catch a couple fish without screwing up our gear or spinning our wheels fishing in the wrong spots. Looking back it is actually funny to think of how well we did (numbers-wise at least) without an exact plan in place. It is years later and we have a bigger much better boat, better gear, but we are pretty much in the same place as we were back then. Now we think a lot more about our approach, we expect much better results, and we spend more money doing it…but do we really catch more? Plus, it seems like we get out less and less as the years cruise on. Once the kids get older, I hit the lottery or the fuel prices drop a bit at least things will be perfect! Yeah right!!! We made it past the end of the world yesterday so we are all “good” other than the fact I finally sat down at my laptop with one kid sick and another crawling on my back begging for attention and the freaking space key on my computer is broken. The computer is not even two years old and another thing is busted. I will never by anything but a Mac ever again is all that I can say. ***** What day is it again? Oh yeah it is late May and I have yet wet a line since our Everglades fishing trip just over a month ago. More importantly than any of this is the fact that my family just finished up the Cystic Fibrosis “Stride with Pride” walk today at Veteran’s Park in Hyannis. Everything else is so trivial when compared to things such as those folks and their friends and families who are affected by awful diseases such as CF. My family and I walked today with a great group of people along the Hyannis Harbor coast to help raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis foundation. We walked for team Jemmies Jammers. Personally, I walked for Emily Flanders who was one of the most inspiring kids/people I ever had the chance to meet, her sister Jenn who I did not know who passed away before her, our family friend the sweetheart Molly Whelan, my student Justin Pikulski’s mom who recently passed away from CF and the so many others who are so much less fortunate than my family and me. I just want to give thanks to what I have but I still like to bitch as it keeps me on my toes and it keeps me sane. But back to fishing. Did I mention that if I do not get out soon I may lose it? ***** The boyz in Plymouth limited out in Plymouth today in less than a half hour which is good to hear. If I hear it again before I get something it will not be good but for now it is good. Nice job Ethan and Greg and whoever else was on your boat other than me. The reports have been great so far from what I have heard and read. Could we get some more regular reports on this blog from folks? Poppa Dock out of Westerly R.I. is making it happen along with Bassmaster Ben out of Westport MA and it looks like our personal Plymouth reports are also beginning to light up with the arrival of a bunch of baits both North and South of Harwich. If you do read the blog let us know how it is to respond to and whether or not you are having trouble with a post as regular fishing updates with photos is the main thing that is I think is missing on this message board. July 9th is coming fast and furious so get involved with us now to help us get this year’ tourney rolling. We had to go early this year due to my brother’s birthing schedule which is going to make it harder than usual to pump it up out here where things are a little slower than the rest. But we can do it. ***** Does anyone else out there give a shit about taking a solid run at this competition again???? If so, I need to hear and I need t hear it soon. The season is upon us and we just cleared another apocolopyse of sorts so let’s get out there. Throwing in the towel on a simple, cool, local, fair, competitive, festive, striper fishing tournament just seems stupid when I really think about it. I’m ready to get out there. I need some fishing stories to tell and talk crap about before it is August and all I am able to brag about are my beautiful vegetable garden and my boring ass average golf game. I pride myself on my yard and my plants and my average golf game do not get me wrong but who gives a shit about my or your vegetables or my golf game or any of that type of shit? In fact, do we really care about a cool fishing story or report? More than any of that other stuff a fishing adventure and competition means more to us and most others more than any of that other type of stuff. Let’s get talking about some real competition again and let’s get some ongoing fishing reports going on this blog. Let’s go! Who is with me? Sean TheHeadHUNT 7th Annual Tourney Champions! 07/20/2010
 Thanks to everyone involved in the 7th annual Harwich Headhunt!!! It has taken me a day to post a post tourney blog as it took me a few hours to hold my home fort together, decompress, get my computer back online and reflect a bit on the event. First off, it seemed like most people had a great time and the competition was very fierce and very close. The morning started out a bit bouncy and the fog was rough for us all day as was the fishing for that matter. We were able to land a 26.4 pounder which kept us near the top on the board but the numbers were poor for us and many of the areas we usually fish were bare which was frustrating. Some of the teams seemed to struggle a bit like us and others tore it up which is what this competition is all about. The after party was a blast as we had a chance to hang out with old tourney friends and meet some new great people who we know will be back again. It was a close tourney, and we’ll post the official results and pictures later, but Team Arlie Ex – with now 4 time champion Mike O’Brien – took the prize by 1 ounce! A 29.8 lber barely beat out Team Tuna Eclipse and Team Shanti who both weighed in 29 lbers as well. Unreal how close it was, and the Arlie Ex continues to be a dynasty which gives us all someone to focus on taking down next year. I want to thank everyone again for being so cool with everything. From those who were in the event for the first time (like the Cape Cod Sport Bags) to those who have been with us since day one were very complimentary and thankful to us for the event which helps out a lot. Many of you also have all sorts of ideas of how to evolve the tournament which is great. It is good to know that people are pumped up about the striper tournament and it is sweet to see people so into the event. Now that it is over I/we will have to get back to actually fishing more, printing up some more t-shirts for those who want them, and enjoying the remainder of the summer as best that we can. Keep the headhunt vibe alive by sending over pictures, fishing reports, and blogs so we can post them up. Seriously keep us posted with reports and photos from future trips as I always hope that we can turn the site into more of ongoing fishing report blog. If you have a good or even bad day of fishing let us know so we can help keep each other up to date with catch reports. Thanks again and a special thanks to all of our sponsors! We appreciate all the donated prizes, and a big thank you to Jake Rooney’s and the crew there for all the food and great service! We’ll post a few more blogs to wind things down and keep any post tourney thoughts coming our way! I’m posting one nice note we received from tourney vet and weigh in team member Benny Allen – appreciate the thoughts Benoit. Sean Burke “Well, the 2010 Headhunt is now complete. The 7th Headhunt installment is officially in the record books. Headhunt #7 will be remembered by great fishing (Team Magalodon being the exception), even better people (minus Tria) and a relaxing after party (although a wee bit sweaty). In a word, this year’s Headhunt was awesome. I’m fairly certain that I speak for every one of this year’s participants when I extend a huge “THANK YOU” to the entire Burke family. Here’s to you Jean, Bill, Kate, Ryan, Sawyer, Lisa, Sean, Callee and Braden. Nicely done once again.” Harwich Fishing Charters B. (Head) Hunter Burke 07/15/2010
 For those of you may not remember my son Braden (Brado) Hunter was born 7.5 weeks early while I was in the middle of the headhunt three years ago. We scheduled the tourney early that year to avoid any delivery issues but the crazy man was ready. We had to cruise in from the rips, and my brother and I raced to Cape Cod hospital covered in eel slime and fish blood. When kiddo was born, we gave him the middle name Hunter to commemorate the day. I followed the ambulance up to Boston and the maniac stayed up at Tufts for quite a few days. Our team that year was well in the lead for the win before we were beaten at the last minute by O’Brien and Arlie Ex which was rough to hear but my boy was healthy and I already hated that team so all was good. Braden beat the incubator and has never looked back which leads us to today. His crazy ass decides to dive off the couch into the corner of the coffee table which led to five hours at the E.R., various attempts at subduing him until i.v. sedation was needed to give him seven stitches. He wanted to get back to playing with his animals immediately after splitting his face open and was ready to roll again the instant he arrived home. He is finally asleep but that former premi punk is my inspiration right now. The little man is tougher than nails and never stops charging which is scary but cool now that he is asleep and I am able to sit back and chill out for a minute. I thought that my bluefish bite scar on my leg was tough until this madman arrived. He will be the one at the banquet with stitches running around trying to talk to everyone and wrestle anything so just watch his chin if he attempts to take you out on Saturday. As for tourney info. – Mador is back with the vessel Shanti and he is feeling very confident. He didn’t make it to the after party last year after a few too many drinks on the rips so we’re not that worried. The Shanti was previously owned by a good Burke family friend however, so we’ll always be big fans of that rig. My neighbor Chris Beasley is still in the hunt with his engine issues and smaller boat, and Goodwin is ready to roll from Beantown with his crew aboard Haywire. We do have a few heavy hitters again like Arlie Ex, Jailbreak, Haywire, Shanti, and even Mike from the Goose is heading out this year. Just to make it clear right now for anyone that reads this before tomorrow, this is an open tournament which is why it is only a $100 per boat. We are all friends in this event and if it comes to down to anything else we will wrap it up. We are including Charter boats, bayside boats, and everyone else who is looking to join us for this fun competition. Things may change in the future or they may not?? To be the best you have to beat the best. We can also start to worry about stashed fish and crap which people ask about from time to time but once again if that type of stuff happens the Headhunt will not be a cool, fun, and friendly competition which is all that we ever expect from this event. Camaraderie is the key as I do not get out fishing enough these days and I am so psyched to fish on Saturday to try and maybe win our own tournament for the first time in 7 years. ESP tees is getting all of the t-shirts ready to roll tomorrow morning with a couple changes from the earlier batch. We got the Monahan spelling straight and apologize for any error but the initial batch was only a few shirts and we will set you up with a few new ones guys. The weather looks decent and the scene is almost set. It all comes down to Saturday folks and I hope that everyone is as pumped as we are to throw a $100 on the line to catch the biggest striper of the day. There will be an informal team meeting tomorrow evening at the Hot Stove Saloon starting between 4-5pm. Come by for a drink and some smack talk and some Headhunt camaraderie. For any last minute questions, call me (Sean) at 774.487.0612 or my brother Ryan at 617.216.5833. Also remember to take pictures that we’ll post to the site after the tourney and hit up the tourney chatter on channel 66. Most importantly, huge thank you again to all of our sponsors. Every little bit helps, and we appreciate the support. We'll have Official Sponsor t-shirts for all of you and if you have any links or anything you want us to put on the site, just send them our way. It's go time! Have fun, be safe, and good luck! Thanks again to everyone. Almost weigh in time! 07/14/2010
 Well, the ESPY’s are on and I’m waiting to see if the Headhunt gets any airtime. Not sure about anyone else, but watching slow motion superbowl highlights still hurts me – imagining the Pats going undefeated and losing that fluke of a game to the Giants. I’m still pissed, and convinced the tip of the ball on that stupid lucky catch hit the ground, but that’s a story for another day. Only thing worse is watching Erin Andrews holding hands of that TV dancer dude. That hurts worse. For some good news, there is some good team dissension on team Magalodon – saw some good infighting tonight on who is getting eels and what time they’re leaving. 4 players, 4 cabs home. And eels? What are they thinking? Salmon eggs and powerbait are the way to go on the rips. They are also the official weigh in team though so I can’t say much bad about them. Ben and Ethan did a kick ass job last year getting Ethan’s truck rigged up with the scale and handling the weigh in. I think they’re going to hold most of the weigh in’s to last 15-30 min of the weigh in time period this year to build the suspense. Best part of the tourney last year was weighing in the last few fish, on the slight hill at the back of Jake’s and looking back at almost 200 people, beers in hand, waiting to see the weight. I still love that my brother was at the dock this am waiting for Seamus ready to go commercial fishing when a charter showed up. Seamus was about 2 minutes from leaving the dock, not realizing he even had a charter, but was lucky my brother was late. Good stuff, even though we now don’t have as good of a lay of the land as Seamus who has been out all week. If Seamus and Team Chumps win this again we may have to cancel the tourney. Pretty good chance their boat will be boobytrapped. If anyone sees someone in a black ninja outfit in saquatucket harbor about 3 am Sat, don’t say a word. Which gets me thinking – what time are people going out? People going hardcore, leaving at 3:30 to have lines in right at 4 am or sleeping in and taking their chances? Team Jackal will be first ones on the rips, 4 lines will be hitting the water at exactly 4 am. Let’s just hope Sean doesn’t see another UFO on the way out this time. Seriously, get a few scotches in Sean at the Stove Friday and ask him about the tourney a few years ago when he, and actually a few others that day, say they saw something in the sky early am. Or just ask him about how he feels about the above picture from the first tourney’s weigh in. We had 3 boats in year one, and we all actually had fish with the same weight in pounds, and it came down to the ounces with a brawl almost breaking out. It was pretty sweet. For boats this year, sounds like we have 21 paid so far, and I know of at least 2 more who haven’t paid yet so should creep up to around the 25 number. Spread the word to get some more last second entries in. Also, channel 66 will be official tourney channel – trash talking is encouraged. We had 260 unique visitors to the site today which is unreal – I’m not sure who everyone is, but let’s get a few more into the tourney action. 260! I’m still amazed at that. If anyone has any last minute questions, let us know. I’m in NYC all day tomorrow so won’t be checking in very often but hopefully Sean will take over, or hopefully the Cape Sport Bags will continue to light it up. Should be a great tourney and appreciate all the pre-tourney chatter and energy. Friday night at the Stove should be fun, and hopefully and early night. It’s almost go time. White shirts for everyone! 07/13/2010
 Well, two more boats added today which puts us up to 153 for the tourney Saturday. Winning prize is now up to $79,500, $52,000 for second and $25,000 for 3rd. In reality, I have no idea how many boats we’re actually up to but I think it should end up being around 25. Winning prize should be close to last year, about $1500 to winning boat, and we have a number of other prizes from On the Water, Puma, Sunrise Bait & Tackle and artist Jean Burke (our mom so watch it). The Puma stuff is pretty slick, got a pair of ocean sailing shorts that have a price tag of $110 as well as some other gear that’s even sweeter – thanks again to head PR honcho Sara Gottman for coming through with the stuff. She’ll also be at the party sizing up the crowd for official Puma boat sponsorships so be on your toes fellas. For fishing, my bro, and Team Jackal Captain, is heading out commercial fishing tomorrow, and we’ll be sure to post the numbers tomorrow if he has any luck. Just check back. I talked to him tonight and he did say they were headed out 5 clicks east of echo 5 charley bravo mothra, so should be a good place to hit on Saturday for the big boys. Good to see the comments lighting up a bit, and the boyz from Cape Cod Sports Bag getting into the fray, I’m definitely up for talking some sports smack with them over a few beers this weekend. First topic, why BC football is the best. Second topic, why BC basketball and hockey are also the best. Third topic, why Notre Dame sucks at everything. If anyone has any fishing reports, true or false, that they want to post, just send them our way at headhunt@gmail.com and I’ll post them. I know some folks have had trouble posting comments to the blog, just email them to me and I can post them pretty quick. I did hear that someone recently said that we picked white t-shirts because they are the cheapest to make. Gotta love that positive feedback on the tourney. This tourney is really just to put a little scratch on something we all love to do, fan the flame of community spirit and have a great time. We have great sponsors, a great party, and always a great group of participants. Can’t thank people like the boys from Boston who make the trip and hire charters every year to be a part of it enough – that’s what we’re all about. It takes more time and effort than everyone thinks, and pretty much tears our family apart for a month every year, but it’s worth it – even if we can win the damn thing ourselves. Yet. We only have a few days to go so time to start mapping strategy. Looks like high tide will be anywhere between 2 am and noon mountain time so plan accordingly. By the way, all colors of shirts cost the same – white ones just look better. Will this be the biggest tourney yet?! 07/12/2010
 I was recently in touch with Jason, new to the headhunt tourney. He and his crew are some new local blood who seem to represent what this tourney is all about: good times, good fishing, great competition, and some great fun with, did I say, fishing tourney competition? Jason and his crew run a website and podcast at capecodsportbags.com. Check it out. I like the site’s piece on why world cup soccer flopping could be the reason that the game of soccer may never fully catch on in the US. I am a soccer fan (and even former player of some sort) but fully believe, as they do, that flopping plays way too much a part of the game. I am fully disgusted with the flopping aspect of soccer and at the World Cup. It ruined the game for me, and I feel that needs to be said in the open as much as possible so some entity may be able to change it for the better of the sport. I may need to join in with Jason and his crew more on this subject but now is not the time to talk soccer. Now is the time to talk fishing competition and this Saturday’s Harwich Headhunt. The t-shirts are better than ever, the competition is fiercer than ever, and lips are sealed more than ever. I do think that people are quieter this year because they are more serious about winning, but also because they have no clue how to attack the catch this Saturday. They may have some ideas -- our team does -- but a clue??? Our team is all over the chart with our approach but we are looking forward to the challenge of another year of striped bass tournament fishing. We created this event for this type of competition which is why we enjoy this type of challenge. We’re team “JACKAL” – we’re ready. Bring it on. Best of luck out there but not really especially to Capt Seamus and his Jailbreak crew of TJ, Petey, and Jeremy, and a few new members from Boston. Quote from their crew earlier tonight “the only thing we are bringing on Seamus's boat are beers, smokes and bananas”. True story, but they actually did bring bananas on the boat last year, and pulled them out once they got onto the rips and asked Seamus if he wanted one. They had no idea about the bad luck (and still don’t really) but the pics of Seamus’ face after were priceless. We also always wish the worst for the “old school” multi champion Mike O’Brien and crew and we are once again against the bay boats no matter what. Let’s get ready to rumble. Tuna wishing and t-shirts 07/11/2010
 Well, we put the boat to the test this past weekend spending an overnight drifting in the intense fog all night off of Nauset inlet. We caught some great bass and huge bluefish but we were tuna fishing so it was tough. Our plan wasn’t the best either for our first overnighter on the new rig, but we left Friday night w/ a crew of tourney vets, and trolled for tuna east of Chatham in the thick fog. After dark, we drifted a few miles offshore, threw over some eels and bluefish hoping to catch something while we waited for first light to hit the tuna again. No luck. Even the next morning the tuna just did not want what we had to offer or how we were offering it or whatever but they were there and we were in them – at least for an hour. We trolled for a few hours with nothing but breaching whales everywhere and then it turned on – we chased down the tuna casting sebiles and a few other plastics at them, dragged squid bars and chains right over them but couldn’t get them to hit. Either way, the trip was a blast and an adventure, and the boat performed like a champ which is most important. This is why it is time to get back to bass fishing and back to thinking about our own team can take the best shot at placing in the tournament this Saturday. We do not have much of a strategy at this point but I also think that most teams do not have as things do not seem to be all that consistent around here. We hope to get our heads on straight this week and do some pre-fishing, and are ready to make a run at the title this weekend. Where to start? Where to go after that? Bait? Wire? We’ll figure it out. All I know is that the t-shirts are in and look sweet. We’ll have some at the party after, but let us know sizes/numbers if you want in. If we run out, don’t worry, just make sure you give us name/number/sizes and we’ll get more made and get them in your hands somehow. A few more boats keep rolling in, including Andrew who runs the Monomoy Shootout which looks like another cool local tourney at the end of June. Check it out at www.themonomoyshootout.com – who knows, maybe we’ll do a saltwater series points system between the two tourneys next year (Andrew’s idea actually – but a good one). One week away. Let’s do this.  |
