It's not surprising that this holiday weekend brought an influx of fishermen to our East End's local spots. The pandemic alone had generated an increase in the number of folks populating the bridges, jetties, and waterways out here. I am surprised to see how ill-prepared many of them are for what they're attempting to do. Last night a voice out of the darkness beneath Ponquogue bridge called to me to ask if I had been catching. It was a guy in a tiny sit-in kayak with no spray skirt (to prevent one big wave from filling it) and NO LIGHTS either on himself or his kayak. I was disappointed, because it ends up reflecting on all of us who fish from kayaks at night and draws unwanted negative attention from the coast guard, who have enough to do without having to rescue people who have made no effort to keep themselves safe.
That's where being in a kayak fishing organization can really help a person get started. And I' seeing a LOT of people who are obviously just getting started. Joining a club would hopefully prevent them, through peer pressure, from showing up on scene in such a stupid fashion. I left. There is no room for errors like that. I've seen over 50 Memorial Day weekends out here and I know how it ends.
That's where being in a kayak fishing organization can really help a person get started. And I' seeing a LOT of people who are obviously just getting started. Joining a club would hopefully prevent them, through peer pressure, from showing up on scene in such a stupid fashion. I left. There is no room for errors like that. I've seen over 50 Memorial Day weekends out here and I know how it ends.
