Happy Spring 2015 from The Baymen Life!!!

Everything is going to bust wide open soon. Snow will be completely gone, daily warmer temps will be on the rise, flowers will start to bloom, redwing blackbirds and woodcock will be returning, and spring peepers will be serenading us at night. All of this and more, is about to begin with the arrival of spring…!

Lots of things going on at The Baymen Life as we move into the new year, putting nine feet of snow behind us. For the first time in my life, I am starting to take time to enjoy all the things I love about The Baymen Life. Instead of just guiding others, as I have been doing for the last 22 years, I am making a serious effort to enjoy doing the things that I guide for.

First up, I upgraded my ice traps over the winter and spent some quality time ice fishing (not enough!). Some of my traps are 47 years old, ones my Dad bought for me when I was just a little boy. I have fond memories of catching my first pickerel through the ice with Dad, after saying my first prayer and asking God to bless us with a fish. I still fish those old traps, along with more updated ones. But this winter I finally bought a set of custom made ice traps from Maine and they are awesome!

Second, I rented a Cabin in the Maine woods (deep, deep in the Maine woods). I will be wrapping up the snowshoe rabbit season there with Daisy-Mae, and will also spend a few days turkey hunting there later this spring. And I am going to learn more about maple sugaring that is now underway near the camp. My little cabin sits at the end of a six mile long driveway and has no power. The nearest town is 18 miles away. A wood stove for heat and a well for my water. Simple living the way life use to be.

I’m also having a Cape Cod Canal rod built for myself as we speak. An 11 footer, one piece, Lamiglas, rated for 1-6 oz poppers and swim baits. I plan on fishing the spring canal blitz this year for the first time in my life, in a serious way. The fish in the ditch are three weeks earlier than the fish in Plymouth bay, and I am only a twenty minute ride from striper heaven. This is the year! And in honor of my late friend, Tony Stetzko, I am going to be fishing a dropper fly on my plugs and on my  live & chunk baits this season. Tony held the world-record striped bass for a while, and he still holds the MA state record, and guess what that giant 73 pound striper took? The dropper fly! This is the year I start fishing droppers.

I also plan on booking a few guided fishing trips myself. You heard that right. I am going to book with some top guides on Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, and Cuttyhunk this season. Striped bass, bonita, albies, blues and tuna. Going to live it up to see what I have been missing all my life while I have been guiding it away. I am also going to book that trip on the Deerfield River I have been putting off for 30 years and fish for spring trout on a drift boat.

Something else I am planning on doing this year that I have been putting off forever: This is a very closely held secret… I have a tiny, little splash of water near me that fills up with early, giant, striped bass every spring. Way early before all the real spring fish begin to arrive. You can’t get to it by boat. But every spring for years, I have watched schools of twenty-pound+ bass for two weeks, invade this tiny spot of water – and they stay there! I have never guided it, never told anyone about it (not even my dog), and never fished it!!! But this spring, I am taking a few days to go to this place by myself and quietly see how many keepers I can catch, before I have to leave them behind and start guiding on our bay.

There is more. I am renting a tractor and reclaiming my overgrown field, know as my yard, that I have neglected for years. Why have I neglected it? Well, because I was too busy guiding my life away. I’d like to have a lawn, put in a new set of steps, and clear away all the brush that was once my vegetable garden. I miss gardening and picking my own vegetables.

And that’s not all. Come fall, I am taking a few days here and there, to hunt ruffed grouse, woodcock, snowshoe, and deer in northern New England like I did when I was a kid. Time has passed too quickly and I cut my teeth on rabbits, deer and partridge when I was a boy. I mean every day of the season. It was a rare day when I was not hunting before and after school, and every Saturday. I can’t get those wonderful years back, but I can spend more time in the woods this fall than I have in a long time, and relive some of those glorious days – with a guide of course.

One last thing. I have been writing down my outdoor adventures of fishing, hunting and just spending time in the woods and on the water my whole life. In detail. I have published many essays and photos in magazines over the years. But this year I am going to self-publish a book of stories and photos about those adventures and make it available for purchase. A very unique, personal book that shares my life and love of the outdoors with others, in a very sincere way.

So, those are some of the changes I am making in this great, New Year as we leave “wintah” behind and welcome springtime. It’s an exciting time of year and a great time to be alive and experience the great outdoors, in the woods and on the water. The Baymen Life. I look forward to seeing you out there.

Sincerely,

Capt. David Bitters, The Baymen Life

www.baymenlife.com