T-shirts are in. The pictures show the basic design, and with a few minor tweaks they will be in our hands on Wednesday. Get your orders in now – email us at headhunt@gmail.com and let us know what you want. We’re also going to make a limited number of golf shirts (and maybe sweatshirts) if you want anything. A big thank you to all of our sponsors again (we’ll put the list up here once I get the final list from Sean) and you sponsors will be getting special edition shirts (big $$ on eBay).
Still hoping the weather holds for our maiden voyage on the ‘Jackal’ this week. Down in Plymouth today where the winds and seas are unreal. Went to lunch at Berts and there was a lobster pot in the parking lot that had been washed over the 8 ft high seawall.
We’re also getting our first TV exposure this week – Sean will be featured on a local Harwich TV show (no clue what it is) and will be talking about the Headhunt.
Well, we got blown out. Our maiden voyage was supposed to take place Friday am, but a combination of the weather, and logistics with Russo Marine, forced us to cancel. No more than 5 minutes after my brother and I spoke, and decided that regardless of the weather we were going to go for it, Russo called and told us there were some issues that, combined with the weather, made it a no go to pick up our new boat.
The plan is to try for this week, potentially leave Thursday am, fish all day on Stellwagen, hit Provincetown for the night, and then cruise around the backside to Harwich. If the weather is still an issue, may just cruise through the canal.
Either way, tourney is approaching and shirts are being finalized today. I will put some pics up on the site as soon as my brother sends them over (don’t hold your breath) and get your orders in.
Keep an eye on the weather and we’ll update you on the entries as they start to come in. Should be the biggest tourney to date, we just need folks to start sending in the registrations so we can lock down the numbers.
Only a few more days and we should be picking up the new rig. As of now, we can get her in Quincy around 9 am, then have a quick rundown with the Russo team, and should be off. The only wild card right now is the weather, which looks a bit dodgy, but we’re going to make this happen.
Ethan is joining my bro and I for the trip, and we will be packing plenty of tuna gear for the run to Harwich. Pending the weather, plan is to head to Stellwagen from Quincy and look for tuna. We have a free condo in Provincetown Friday night, so plan to hang there and rip it up, and then head down the backside to Plymouth on Saturday – hopefully fishing a good stretch.
If anyone has any more fishing reports, send them in for us to post. Word is the bluefish are making their way up already and some early reports that the rips on Monomoy are starting to heat up. Here in beantown, I was down by the aquarium last weekend and in broad daylight, with a million tourists and multiple ferries moving around, there was a school of big bass just hanging out, eating the hot dog buns tourists were throwing to them right where the ferries launch. Saw the same thing last year (later in the year) and still amazes me.
Lastly, for some light summer reading, if anyone is looking for a good book – just finished MEG – the story of a 70 foot prehistoric great white that is discovered living in the Marianas Trench and goes on a killing spree – good stuff. The 3rd book in the series just came out – MEG: Hell’s Aquarium . They’re making a movie out of it, so check it out.
Speaking of movies – look at this trailer for the upcoming movie ‘Mega Shark versus Giant Octopus’ and tell me this doesn’t look like the best movie since ‘Orca’ or ‘Spring Break Shark Attack’. And it stars the Debbie Gibson.
Ok, back to the fishing – had a few more inquiries on the site this week so keep spreading the word. T-shirts should be finalized this week so let us know if you want us to send any out, otherwise we’ll be leaving a few with folks across Harwich and you can always find them at the Hot Stove Saloon downtown.
As always, let us know if you have any questions and get those registration forms in.
Wish us luck this weekend, hopefully the weather, and MEG, cooperate.
The trophy is finished minus the placards and the T-shirts are on order and the adventures of this summer are just starting. Well, the fishing season is already full on for many of those around me and it makes me more jealous than …………#$%^&*(*&^%$……..
-Ben in the Westport area is catching more keeper bass from the shore than he knows what to do with
-Last year’s Headhunt winner Bill Hatfield reported that he is taking solid stripers in Cape Cod Bay while recently being unexpectedly surrounded by bluefin tuna.
- The Plymouth Bite is on for Ethan, Ryan, and the gang in Plymouth like nothing any of them and/or us have ever witnessed.
-Jeff Farrington from Falmouth is giving regular reports of huge striped bass catches with photos to prove it. He also reported that he actually smashed into a Bass with a thud on his hull due to the fact that the fish were so thick on the surface chasing bait.
-Our boy (and tourney team member) Dave Tria in Westerly Rhode Island has been quiet recently but I am sure that he is busy catching and selling various groundfish in the midst of his striped bass hunt. TRIA??? Let’s get some reports!
- Seamus and I witnessed our labs catch about 500 ticks in the grass outside Saquatucket Harbor today, but other than that I need our BOAT!!! The tick situation was unreal and like nothing I have ever seen before.
Keep up the reports everyone and I/we need to work on giving the supporters of this Tourney more of an opportunity to post reports and share photos of “the catch”.
The season looks like it off to great start from what I hear and not from what I experienced!!!
This is all going to change though in a week or so but until then I appreciate all of the great reports from everyone out there. I seriously do not know if I have ever heard things be so positive this early.
Did people hear about our new rig? Just kidding even though I could not be more psyched about our new boat thanks to my bro and our pops. We are now just chomping at the bit waiting for her to set up with a new radar and some outriggers.
It is now all about getting the new boat and getting T-shirts made. Both of those tasks hope to be wrapped up this week which will hopefully allow me to soon be able to make a cast on the ocean. I keep hearing reports of people crushing the stripers in all areas and now to rub it in even more the tuna are around and I have been unable to get out on the water.
The trophy is being finished up this week by my High School students and primarily by our wood Lab teacher Len Harty. This “cup” will be displayed at local spots for years to come with all past and future winners having their names placed on the side with a dated placard.
Who wants to have that next spot on this mount? I know for damn sure that our team wants to finally win this tourney that we created as we have some so close in past years without be able to take the title. It gets harder and harder to win this thing every year as more and more people are getting involved and more and more people want to give their all to take the prize and make the day like this year’s July 25th more than just an easy going day of relaxed striper fishing.
The local chatter around the Headhunt is slowly growing as the fish arrive and the weather begins to get us in summer mode.
I do not know about anyone but I am in “full on” this year and want to win it more than any past seasons.
New Boat, no more new kids on the way, and no excuses this year.
Team “@#$^^&$” (still trying to come up with a name for our boat) is FULL ON!
Like our shirt said a few years back “no fish guts no glory”
Where the hell is Harry Corduroy??? Is that chump coming up with excuses again as to why he has to fish from the shore this year in a tree with a monkey on his back?
Did people hear about our new rig? Just kidding even though I could not be more psyched about our new boat thanks to my bro and our pops. We are now just chomping at the bit waiting for her to set up with a new radar and some outriggers.
In the meantime I was able to land a couple of solid freshwater bass today. It was the first time I have fished for anything this year which is sad but true.
On another note, finding a cool striped bass image for our T-shirts is becoming a huge pain in the ass. We have the design ready and sponsorships wrapping up but getting that one image to pull it all together is stalling us. Someone help so we can get these things printed! FIND US A SOLID STRIPER DESIGN!!!
Shirts will be available soon and my fishing will increase with the new boat and in just over two weeks when my work in the school system is over for the summer.
As many of you know, the Burkes sold our boat last season and were without a rig throughout the summer of 08. Our good friend Mick Carrier was nice enough to give us a lift for the tourney, but we’ve been looking for a new boat for over a year now and the wait may be coming to an end.
For those of you involved, there was little confidence the Burke clan would get it done. I can’t blame them, we are not always known for being quick on the trigger with these types of decisions, but we may be changing that tune very quickly – and with a vengeance.
My brother and I took a sea trial on our potential new home. We have the deposit in, sea trial in the books, and are now finalizing a few specs (including adding radar, outriggers, etc.) and could be good to go. I’m still using ‘could’, ‘maybe’ and ‘potential’ because being in sales, I know the deal is never done until the paperwork is signed. And this baby is sweet, so I’m don’t want to get too excited. Yet.
The boat is a 2004 Boston Whaler 275 Conquest. The price was a little more than we were looking at, but decided that we wanted something we could rely on for the next 10 years (at least) and have a rig equally fitted for the family and for fishing. This baby comes with a 2 year warranty and has everything we’re looking for – size/stability for chasing tuna and handling the rips, twin 225 Mercury 4-strokes, a full head (only a matter of time before Ethan destroys it), space to sleep 4, and clean as a whistle.
The sea trial today was great – boat is a tank. Got her up to 40 mph pretty quickly, and were impressed at how stable she was in the water – very unlike our old rig (we love you Goose!) who rocked and rolled all over the place.
Either way, the Steve Curley at Russo Marine has been great – if you’re looking for a boat and want an honest perspective – Steve is the man. We’ll keep you updated on how this shakes out, but looking more and more like the Burkes will be back on their own rig for this years tourney.
On the fishing front, Ethan and I finally got the monkey off of our back in Plymouth and slayed them on Saturday am. Inside Plymouth harbor we anchored up outside of Kingston/Duxbury and had fish all morning, with 5 keepers up to 34 inches. We live lined the mackerel we got off of the Gurnet (thank you Plymouth Fishermans Outfitters for telling me the mackerel were gone already), and used some Yo-Zuri minnows.
Trying to prolong Memorial Day, I hit the canal with the family on Monday night. Our friend Rich had 6 fish over 40 inches that morning from the canal and witnessed a 56 lber being weighed in. I only had a small window with my 4 month year old in his car seat lodged in the rocks and my wife reading in the tall grass getting eaten by bugs, so I came up short. On a few occasions, the bait were literally getting pushed onto the rocks as I could see the bass with their backs out of the water chasing them in water less than a foot deep. Crazy stuff, and hope to be back out there soon.
T-Shirts are almost ready so get the orders in and sponsors need to let us know asap so we can get you on the first run of the shirts.
Thanks for everyone who have supported or helped us on the boat search, you’re all invited to fish with us on the new rig this summer once we make it happen!
Alrighty now! As this tournament’s co-creator I want to start by saying that I am fully aware that my online involvement has been slacking. Even though I continue work the local scene with our pops Billy it is tough for me to get out and about with the little ones let alone get some alone time at the computer…………
Screeeeeeeeeeech@#$%^&.... That was the sound of a record pin screeching across my old dark side of the moon album while the speakers are cranked!!!!!!!!!!!!
Better yet! That is the sound of the headhunt wake up call for me and for all of you out there who need this challenge/adventure/competition and overall truly legit fishing event as much as I do. The Headhunt was created to give my brother, my father, our family and our friends and fellow fishermen something that we all wished was out there in our area but was not.
I am proud to now say that we now seem to be at the perfect level where we are providing an opportunity that we have ourselves wanted to have wanted the opportunity to be a part of in this are for over twenty years now.
I am eager for spring this crazy year. It tough times for all of us but we/I need this tournament to get us fired up more so this year more than any of our past tournament events. The Bezurkes also need a a new boat and remain on the hunt for one in a time where rigs keep missing our bill on all sorts of levels.
Bottom line is I am personally hearing direct reports of quality fish being caught in strong numbers from our boy Dave Tria’s recent report of landing a few keepers in Westerly Rhode Island just after he thought the keepers skipped over Rhody to hit a somewhat late Westport MA arrival area where comrade Ben Allen has taken numerous keepers from the shore the past few days. Ben reported last week that he was concerned with the late arrival of keepers in his secret spot(s) but that seems to have all changed “big time” as long as he is able to hit the tides right.
Keep the reports coming boyz!
Ben wants me to get out with him asap while the bite is on and I hope to very soon as I am at a point where watching large mouth bass attack the minnows in the lake across the street from me in the sand flats alone it itself has me on the hunt for adventure these days.
I will hit John Joseph and Buck’s pond before I hit the salt out here in Harwich and I hope to do so more often this year in the rowboat with the almost 2 and 4 year olds and maybe even the wife but screeechhhhhh Snap out of it! Or is it snap into it?
“Things” on the striper front just seem to hit us a bit later out here on the lower Cape. My brother is sending reports of fish in Boston Harbor in his neck of the big city shore even though our local boyz in Plymouth are not reporting much at this time.
Capt. Seamus Muldoon is back in town and was fishing with Mike O. off t he beach out here in Harwich to keep the shore fish honest but they never make it easy for most of us out here in the Harwich area in the spring time.
All I know is that my brother probably misses the early season schoolie “light light Tackle” bite off one like the one we have for years off of one of the only two boats that we have ever owned with our father.
Fishing and drifiting off the calm flats of red river beach in Harwich casting and often tagging schoolie sized fish with the opportunity to land the first keeper is something I miss more than I give these spring times credit for.
I also greatly miss the days of fishing for schoolies and the occasional keeper in early May with my buddy Ben in and just outside the mouth of the Westport, MA river. In other words, it just seems to easy for many of us with myself as a prime example to miss the spring striper experience. It is for obviously very valid reasons but today’s post goes out to all of those who keep the spring “vibe” alive and always dangling in front of us overly busy spring folk.
Thanks Ben and Tria for the solid reports, thanks to my bro Ryan for his continued effort to drive this tourney, Thanks to our dad Billy for keeping the local spirit and logistical framework moving forward, thanks to uncle TJ for helping us keeping the business and website plan in check with my brother, Thanks to all of the local business’s and competitors for driving the Hunt and thank all of you for getting your head in the game like me! Like I have to more!
Screeech!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is time!
The preparations continue. We’re now taking sponsorships, only $100, and you get placement on our t-shirts, mention/links on our site, and anything else you want me to do. I’m easy.
Already, we have our first two sponsors – DeCharles Plastering and Flipkey, Inc. Thank you both. DeCharles does killer plastering around the Cape, and Flipkey is the premier vacation rental site. If anyone on here is renting a house on the Cape or looking to rent a house (pretty much anywhere) – hit www.flipkey.com.
Now we just need some shirts. We’re finalizing some of the details, but still need two small items – the design on the back of the shirt, and the slogan. Please send any and all ideas to headhunt@gmail.com. Anyone who comes up with an idea we use will get a free headhunt t-shirt for life! One free t-shirt for every year of the tournament. That may only equal one shirt, so we’ll give you a few this year, and buy you a couple beers at the party.
Speaking of the party, we’re going to have a sweet spread this year at Jake Rooney’s. As part of that, we’re going to pay for some food, which means the overall cost of the tourney is going up. The new entry fee is $125 – the extra $25 is all going towards food, tipping the waitresses, etc – and divide it by the folks on the boat, and this is nothing.
Keep the registrations and sponsorships coming, we’re hoping this year is the biggest and best yet. I just hope we win for once.
Word from our boys in Westport is they caught a couple schoolies last week, so the season is officially upon us. Any and all reports are welcome, so please send them to us at headhunt@gmail.com and I’ll post them. Personally, I’ll be getting my first line wet in the next week or so, but have lost the few years in our annual competition to see who the last person to catch a bass is but I’m hoping that will change this year. My best bet may be fishing off the shore in the North End in Boston again, so I need to get some of my gear up here soon.
I’m also gearing up for tuna season. I recently purchased a sweet new Saragosa 14000 w/ 65# braid and a 7’ Van Staal rod. Mike at Goose Hummock hooked me up with the set up and even gave me credit for the gift certificate I lost last summer. Unbelievable customer service from the best fishing store in the area, and he gave me some great tips on how to use the new set up for both jigging and casting for tuna. Back when I got married I actually tried to register at Goose Hummock (no joke) but couldn’t make it work. I spread the word though and got some good gear from there and a couple gift certificates. She had her 3 stores picked out, I got my one. Mike, I honestly think there is a marketing angle there for wedding registries – no one else I know in the business does it, and I bet guys would be all over it.
I also talked to Mike about his website – www.goose.com – that is a pretty slick web address to have. Mike told me he bought it years ago, and has had many people try to buy it from him including a few unsavory types of websites – but he wanted to protect his customers from showing up some day to buy a new reel and finding someone like Captain Stabbin and his mates in their glory.
Mike also gave us a few good leads on a new boat. As we’ve mentioned, team Burke is without a boat still. It’s time to turn up the heat, so any all leads for 25-30 ft rig are welcome – just send them to headhunt@gmail.com. We’ve had to bite the bullet on a few of our initial preferences (inboard diesels) and are now open to all options other than center consoles (need to keep the family protected now that we have a bunch of rugrats in the mix).
Lastly, had our first unsolicited entry in the tourney this past week – someone emailed in and asked for a registration form. I googled the name and the guy showed up on the cover of a fishing magazine so another ringer could be in the mix. I love it.
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