Went out today with my brother, dad, and our friend Don to do some early tourney scouting. We left Saquatucket around 7 am and hit Bearses right away. Within 30 minutes we had picked up a nice 34’ fish on a live eel. After that, we had to work a bit, and hit a few other spots with little luck until later in the day. We had a quick hot spell at a new ‘secret spot’ and picked up a handful of good sized fish, including this one in the picture that was pushing 28 lbs. That probably won’t be good enough for the trophy, but definitely a good sign. Using my new Flip camera – I uploaded a quick video of the fish when we hit the docks – check it out here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTxlFAGeKnI – if the link doesn’t work, just search for ‘Headhunt pre fishing’ on Youtube. Again, send in any/all pictures and videos this weekend, and we’ll make sure we get them up.We took our few sellable fish over to Chatham to sell them, and were humbled by a guy in front of us who was unloading 29 bass, all big. Didn’t get too much info out of him, but I think 3 clicks west of the Flemish Cap is a good bet. Afterwards, we hit Jake Rooneys to talk to the owner Pete and see the setup for Saturday. Everything looks great, and Pete couldn’t be better about working with us. We will have a separate set up out back, and a ton of free food. At the Hot Stove we saw a few tourney participants, including 3 time champs Charlotte and Goride. Word on the street is Charlotte can’t make the tourney this year, which is too bad since she has been a big part of this and a big winner. Timmy Lewis wasn’t there, so he must still be hiding from the spotlight the media has thrust on him for allegedly not participating this year. Say it ain’t so. We have received a few late entries into the tourney, but are looking for more. Spread the word and get any last minute registrations in – this should be a great tourney and a great event, so let’s get some more folks involved.
Where the hell are the sand eels for @#$%^ sake? Finding fresh sand eel bait which could allow us to hit these bass more consistently with light tackle seems to be impossible around here which makes no sense since we see them by the millions out on the water. I am actually thinking of trying to set up a part time summer job next year where I am the guy who goes and gets these things. If anyone wants to give me a quick heads up on how to gather them up in numbers I will do everything I can to get them if it does not take much of an initial investment which I hear that it does not. Or…. I will not do anything to harvest them and I/we will be in the same position next season.
I went out yesterday with my dad for a couple of hours to get out for a bit in between kiddo chaos and we hit the tide all wrong which I knew was going to be the case and when the tide picked up we stunk. In fact, everyone around us were useless on all of the rips around the point as far as we could see and what made it worse was that I could see fish cruisin from time to time ahead of the rip close enough for them to wink at me and say !@@## YIU and you artificial jigs, sluggos, yozuris, umbrella rigs, blah blah blah. I hated the fish yesterday and I hated working the steel with one rod in crystal clear water where even I thought “hey?, how the crap could a fish with a brain or even one without a brain hit this plastic and lead stuff in such shallow clear water?”
I know the lead and other stuff works and it is often our goto plan but yesterday while fishing in calm clear shallow water I was dying for some fresh bait.
Next item - Corduroy talked about using cat food to make his stuff happen in the Andes or wherever he reported lighting it up but I want to make it clear that using cat food for chum and/or bait is illegal in most nations according to the Geneva Convention including France so his reports are bogus as far as myself and the feds are concerned.
I am also very concerned about Corduroy’s brother Timmy as he seems about as pumped about fishing these days as I was last year when I was trying to find a way to make my grass grow greener without it being overgrown too much clover and other junk. Let’s go my man as like I always say “no fish guts no glory”!
The final week!!!!!!!!!!
Great line up of assorted teams and the field is open with some room for more challengers so let’s go all you bystanders!
I keep seeing people wearing our old t-shirts around town and even on the docks but where are these folks and their boats for the actual event? This is one day, once a year, and the only legit bass tourney in the area and so many people seem to just sit on the sidelines and talk about fishing for this and that without jumping in on what is so much more than just another great day fishing. I do not want to see another guy wearing one of our shirts on the docks without knowing that they are at least thinking about getting into the competition this year (well, I actually always like to see the shirts out and about so keep up the good work all of you t-shirt wearing boat guys who are too afraid or busy or whatever it is to fish the tourney for one day when you are probably going to be out anyhow or if not you know that you should be).
Before I go any further with calling out the grandstanders I want to give a huge shout out this year to the Brewster Fire Dept. Teams and their involvement and eagerness to compete. We are looking once again like we will be hovering around 20 boats which is totally cool as this field makes it once again “anyone’s game”.
Item agenda:
I please ask all teams to take photos of their day and catch’s for our website and take video footage for our site as well so we can expand our exposure of those of you who are a part of our headhunt team. Harwich’s Channel 18 will also be at the weigh in.
It is time to step it up you sideliners and “yah yah” guys and unless you are fishing the monster shark tourney next weekend and unless you do not striper fish you should be in the Headhunt. I actually could seriously care less about too much involvement but I also just want as many boats as possible to have fun with us and more importantly have the opportunity to compete with us in this year’s event.
Our team that is coming down from Plymouth has their crew so eager to win this thing that they are willing to sell their souls to the KGB for inside secrets.
The Boston Team with Capt. Seamus and the Jailbreak are running in circles trying to find a way to cut down their lists for the Team Powe victory duck boat parade.
Rob and his Escape Landscape crew have been laying low but his recent eagerness and confidence reminded me of Brett Favre when he signed with the Jets.
The Hedmark boyz also have a gleam in their eyes which is great to see and last but not least the dreaded “old school” boys and maybe girls are puffing up with O’Brien and Hatch wanting this year’s prize more than any of their previous Headhunt victories.
And corduroy corduroy corduroy come come out come out wherever you are and show your face this week in town and get your brother in the game.
We are planning on fishing tomorrow in the rain so wish us luck or not and I will understand.
Sean
Love the chatter on the last post. I was on Nantucket with the wifes family so haven’t been able to respond. Great to see Team Powe talking it up, and awesome to see Harry Corduroy is back – and on the Headhunter which could be trouble. His comment on the last post was one of the funniest things I’ve read in awhile, good to have the old wily vet back in the mix. Now just need to get his brother to step up and make it happen.
I’m off all week, so headed out to Harwich Tuesday and will be fishing every day to warm up for Saturday. If anyone is around and wants to meet up for a trip, or hit a beer at the Hot Stove, just drop us a line. I guess my bro was in the Hot Stove on Friday and brought in the trophy which is now sitting proudly behind the bar. A few past champions – Mike O’Brien and Gordie Hatch were there and donned a few of the new Headhunt shirts.
It’s time to start watching the weather, and doing some scouting. Word on the street is that the fish were harder to find this weekend. There were reports of some size, but they weren’t easy to find and reports are murky as expected with the tourney looming this weekend. We’ll be doing some serious pre-fishing this week, and still haven’t decided exactly what our game plan is for the tourney.
We’ll post some reports this week and let us know if anyone has any info they want to share. Keep the trash talking up, and spread the word for more boats. We’re looking at about 15 boats right now, including a 50 fter and a 47 fter – so should be a good tourney. Hope to get another 10 or so boats this week, so talk it up at the docks.
As always, let us know if you have any questions, and hope to see you all Saturday.
It is all coming down to the final week before the HeadHunt and things need to get cleaned up and “fired up” a bit. July 25th seemed so far but it has now crept up on us like an eel that escaped the bucket .
The HeadHunt planning continues to be in full force and this year it seems to be more work than usual – at least for me. At this time I often wonder why I/we do this as the planning, promoting, website, t-shirt sales, banquet set-up, and blah blah – it takes a ton of time and I lose focus on what exactly all of the reward is?
This tournament has never been a money making endeavor on any level and in fact we have lost money every year. I bring this up because the bigger the tournament gets, the more people criticize and critique every move. But what can you do? We just want to do this for fun.
This year we are even going to donate some $$ (if we get enough people) to create a scholarship for local Harwich high school student. This tournament was started for the locals, and will always be about them, so we want to make it so we can give something back.
I have a 2 and 4 year old and a new boat and all I want to do is fish and spend time with my kids this summer but once again, the headhunt takes time, planning, money, and work. I’m not sure people understand how much, but we’d love some more help next year. Tara, O’Brien, Sunrise and everyone have been huge in helping us, but we can always use some more help.
Alright enough of my whining! But thanks for letting me get that off my chest you chumps and for all our hard work we just need those who are in to sign up and pay up now so we can make this whole thing happen in a quality manner.
We have a sweet group of new entries and a bunch of awesome sponsors but it is now time to sign up to actually be in this thing so we can check out the full “field” of teams.
I am off cape for a couple of days but will be back this weekend to hype this up and back to fish next week as much as possible and hit the Hot Stove and other local spots with my teammates in preparation to win it this year. It is year six and we have come in second by ounces 3 times now so I want this more this year than any other past seasons.
Where are Escape landscape and Rob’s team? Lewis and Corduroy? Platinum builders and Spirro and his crew? Jack and Jamie and and and and….
The outsiders are taking this thing over which is cool with my brother and me as it means more exposure but I/we do not want to hear that other teams are taking the event away from Harwich. As far as I am concerned this is REAL fishing tournament again this year so I/we do not want to hear any more excuses as to why you could not fish July 25th in a legit bass fishing tournament, which is what we thought this area needed.
It is go time TEAMS!!!!
So let’s go !
Side bets?
Before I go we once again need to give a full shout out to our great sponsors!
Harwich Port Boat Yard
Artist Jean Burke
Sunrise Bait and Tackle
Goose Hummock
Villa Roma Restaurant
Flipkey.com
Platinum Building/Remodeling
Hot Stove Saloon
ESPtees screen printing and embroidery
Escape Landscaping
Jail Break Sportfishing
DeCharles Plastering
O’Brien Pest Control
Talk of the Town Café’
Monahan & Co. Fine Jewelers, est. 1815
Harwich Opticians
Jake Rooney’s Restaurant
Kusmin Family Builders
Hatch Restorations
Locario’s Tennis Center
Fred Murtha-Home/R.V. service/repairs
Hedmark General Contracting
Summit Insulation
Only two weeks to go. Get your registration forms in, and spread the word. We now have over 10 boats in, and we know a lot of folks wait until the last second. One quick update, but the blowout date is the following Saturday – August 1. This is a last resort, but make sure you all send us your names and numbers on the registrations, or just email us at headhunt@gmail.com to make sure we have your contact info in the unfortunate event we need to postpone a week due to weather. We had to do it the first year, Pete Connor can tell you about that.
We have also been hearing a few grumblings about allowing bayside fishing and charter fishing since they both may have an advantage. We hear you. This year however, we’re keeping it the wild west and anything goes. We’re new to this, and just trying to grow the event. We will definitely make some changes in the future, but for now, we just want as many people to participate as possible, have a good time, and hopefully catch some fish. This is not a big $$ tourney, but we agree that these things may have to be addressed in the future.
A group of us got out on the Jackal this Saturday, gorgeous day on the water, and the new rig ran great, but the fish let us down. We put out time in east of Chatham looking for tuna, but had no luck. The whale show was unreal, and the Michael Jackson (and later worse) jokes on channel 68 were interesting to say the least. There were reports of multiple hook ups, but we never saw a fish or another boat hook up near us in the fleet we were in. Either way, it was great to get out.
I’m going to be taking off the entire week off before the tourney, if anyone wants to meet up to fish, or talk strategy/trash over some beers, let me know. I’ll be between Harwich and Plymouth all week and looking to be on the water as much as possible. We also still have plenty of shirts available – so send in any orders and we’ll get them out. Had a guy today in Boston comment on how sweet he thought my shirt was, and brought his wife over to check it out which was kind of weird in reality, but at least we’re getting the word out.
Check out the set up for the scale for the weigh. Our boy Ethan Kusmin of Kusmin Family Builders (found me my house in Plymouth and do awesome work if anyone needs a builder) put this together and once we slap a few logos on here it will be good to go as the official weigh station. We’ll set this up using the scale from Sunrise Bait & Tackle and have it out back at Jake Rooney’s for the tourney.
Send us any reports you have and hope everyone can make it. Word on the street is that constant ribbing has turned Ben Allen against his family’s wishes and back into the tourney! This is huge. We blasted him on this very blog and he is now stepping up like a champ. Team Powe also got one of their members back who was going to a concert instead of the tourney but has since changed his mind. I love the priorities fellas – good to have you back.
I just googled the ‘best trophy in sports’ and the lists came back with the Stanley Cup, the Heisman Trophy, and a few others. All wrong. My brother just got the new Headhunt Trophy back yesterday, and let me tell you, any of you would kill to have your name on this over anything else. This is where legends live. The trophy has the names of the past champions on it, and actually has room for up to 24 plates. If we make this to 24 Headhunts, I’ll be amazed. If we make it to 7 I’ll be amazed.
Either way, the winner will get their name on the new coolest trophy in all of sports. We will be parading this around town and hopefully keeping this at either the Hot Stove, Goose Hummock or Jake Rooneys year round. If you want to see the new hardware in person, it will be making it’s first public appearance tonight at the Hot Stove. My brother is bringing it by, with a few t-shirts. I can’t wait to see Mike O’Briens reaction (after a few cold ones) after seeing his name on this illustrious trophy, three separate times. That is better than Canton.
Team Jackal is taking the new ride out tomorrow, leaving around 4 am to hunt for tuna (first tuna trip ever for the rig) and maybe hit some bass on the way in. If anyone is out there, give us a call on the radio, or drop us an email today (headhunt@gmail.com) and let us know where you'll be. Either way, we'll throw some reports on here tomorrow and maybe drop in a video of the trip.
Still no word on Team Wizard and Harry Corduroy, which means the rumors must be true and they are wimping out of the tourney. Everyone always said they were wimpy, but I always defended them. I guess I was wrong..
Now they can see what they won’t have their names on.
The bass are in thick now out here on the southeast side of the Cape and the tuna reports are picking up which means that we are going to try and hit both species this Saturday.
Last week my father and I hit the rips just south of monomoy and once we found them we easily followed and fish for them as they feeding on squid by the hundreds. The fish were hitting the squid on the surface and my first thought was to cast at them with some sluggos and swimming plugs. It was weird how thick they were, yet not willing to hit the light tackle. There were a good five boats around us and no one was hooking up. I actually felt my jig head bounce off fish as I retrieved my lures.
After about 15 minutes of this and after realizing that I now have no idea where all of my different gear is on the new boat I switched over to the tried and true wire line set up with a small 3oz. lead head screamin banshee jig.
Instantly my dad and I were hooking up as the other vessels around us could not to the point where they eventually all left our edge. Every pass we hooked up as we were only fishing one rod and it was an instant strike once I set back the jig even though the fish were still also feeding on the surface.
We were actually just out for an afternoon spin not fully prepared to fish for any length of time but the few hours we had before we lost the tide was fantastic. Nothing over 20 pounds but we kept a few and let most of them go but it was nice to feel dialed in again as it has been a long time since I/we have fished our own boat.
The striper trophy is being set up with the plaques right now and will be available tomorrow so we will have that on display around town this weekend.
I was also a quest on the local Channel 18 today talking about the tournament which will air this Friday in Harwich starting at 11am and 6pm. I am going to try and get a clip for you tube even though it is not that exciting but they want to film us at the weigh in and re-interview us after the event.
They were a great group of people and they have a sweet studio for such a small operation.
Thanks again Cable Channel 18.
Wish us luck this weekend and into commercial season which also starts this weekend.
Is it true that the Wizard and Corduroy are limping into this event again?
These are sad times. We have our first casualties. I still can’t believe it’s true. Anyway, one of our stalwarts, our tourney vets, and onetime good friend is bailing out of the tournament. Before I lay into him or throw him overboard on our next trip, I’ll let you decide.
We were at fellow tourney vet and Headhunt sponsor Ethan Kusmin’s (of Kusmin Family Builders out of Plymouth) 4th of July BBQ this past Sat and obviously it soon turned to tourney talk. There were a few boats represented, and our good friend Ben Allen was talking strategy for his team. He then proceeded to buy one of our tourney t-shirts, and reminisce about some of the past tourneys (he was there in year 1 when we had 3 boats and actually had 3 19 lb fish at the weigh-in – biggest controversy in tourney history to date – knock on wood), when we started talking about the date.
The captain of Ben’s boat this year, Rob, and Ben were standing with us when we mentioned the date being July 25th. Then things unraveled and we quickly saw the tale of two men. Rob, bewildered because he thought the tourney was in August, said he was ready. Soon, our other buddy Gavin who plays in a band with Rob told Rob they had a big gig the night of the 24th. Without skipping a beat, Rob said, “cool, looks like we’re pulling an all nighter”. Love the spirit.
On the other end of the spectrum we have Ben. Ben remembered that he had his nieces’ first birthday party the 25th and then he fell apart. We quickly cornered his wife, who said it was fine for Ben to miss the birthday party but it was up to him. Granted, this is his god daughter, but if you’ve ever met anyone who loves fishing to the extreme – that is Ben times 10. Anyway, it all ended today with the following –
“Unfortunately, I think I am out. I have been over this in my head all weekend every which way and there is no way I can miss that frigging B-day party. It’s my goddaughter and it’s her first birthday. If it were her second or third I would even consider backing out. I am not happy at all about this development. And that “green light” from Erin is about as worthless as a drunken Tria. Que the assault. It is well deserved.”
So Ben is out. Which stinks since he is a huge part of the tourney. We’ll try to wear him down over the next couple of weeks, but it is hard to fault the guy for choosing family, but we’ll still show him no mercy regardless. Personally, I think the fact Ben is a tourney vet who hasn’t sniffed a victory is looking for the easy cop out.
In the same vein, rumor on the street is that team Wizard and Harry Corduroy may also be out. What the deuce? For all the smack talk that team has to offer, we need them in the tourney – this is unacceptable – and weak. I’ll refrain from a full fledged rant until we get confirmation, but this is a troubling development and potential sign of a bigger issue with that teams moral character.
On the flip side, 3 time tourney champ Mike O’Brien lent my brother 3 wireline set ups today. We are pretty much out of cash since buying the boat, so this is a big help for Team Jackal for the tourney. Guy wins 3 championships and still helps out his competitors, true class. Ben, Harry, take notice.
Any and all comments on the situation are welcome, curious to see what other people think.
RB
Happy Fourth of July weekend! Let’s hope the weather finally starts to improve and Lance can wail on those French wussies in the Tour again (I think that starts this weekend or something). I’m not sure I’m going to be able to do much fishing this weekend, but word is that Monomoy. We have a couple reports that the fishing on Bearses has been great the past few days, giving up some good fish over 40 inches. As always, it is going to be interesting come tourney time to see where people end up going to find the winning fish, there has been a lot of talk about secret strategies to foil the bayside anglers who currently hold the crown.
My brother was supposed to be getting out today but I think hit the beach with the family because of all of the fog. We may try to do a Sunday evening trip out to the rips, so let us know if anyone is out there. I’m down in Plymouth right now, and may hit the canal later tonight after the family goes to bed. Hopeful thinking but we’ll see.
If anyone has been out and have any reports you want to share, send them my way headhunt@gmail.com and we’ll post them here. We should have our biggest tourney yet this year, with a number of boats already submitted and some new teams who haven’t participated before. Spread the word, and get your registration forms in as soon as you can.
Our new rig is finally settled into her new home out here in Harwich thanks to Capt. Seamus Muldoon and his help bringing the boat back from Boston this past Thursday.
The “Jackal” was a solid vessel on this run of just over a 100 miles and she performed beyond my previous expectations. Enough about the new boat as we still need to dial her in but it is awful nice to be back in the game after a couple of years off.
Hit our buddy Petey’s (of team Powe) wedding this past weekend which kept us off the water even though his marriage to Shibani was a great ceremony and fantastic overall event.
It is now time to get the shirts out and about and begin setting the stage for July 25th. Sunrise Bait and Tackle is ready as is Tara at the “Talk of the Town” Café and both of those locations will have our new shirts available this week. I will also have some inventory here at the house so feel free to call or write for orders.
It already looks like we are going to need more XL’s so be patient and give us group orders if at all possible so we can get everyone what they want.
The tourney trophy will also be getting finalized in the next week or so which we hope will get the locals ready to get their name on the mount which I know is our goals once again this year.
Too many years of falling just short is just this year beginning to get to me as before it was just about having fun and getting others involved in the event.
It is all business for team “Jackal” this year as just having fun on July 25th is only the beginning of what our team expects.
It is now time to learn the boat, explore the grounds, and prep the tourney in addition to about 221 other things so bring on the summer weather for crud’s sake!!!!
SB
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