Posts tagged northcoast boats
Coyote Sunrise

Written by Capt. Gregg Weatherby
Boat ramps are slippery. The two straps that secure Bad Monster Dog firmly to the trailer, left intact, make shoving her off a hernia inducing effort. One more time down the slippery slope to strap removal and the rest of the day would be simple. Walking back up the ramp I realized how cool being awake at “O Dark thirty” really is.


The anticipation of the great adventure ahead, hearing a couple of Stripers feeding off in the cove, and the challenge of the full moon. The full moon has little to no effect on ferociously feeding fish once the fall migration kicks into high gear. In contrast during summer’s full moons the afternoon bite is usually best. The full Moon tends to keep the fish up all night eating- or trying not to be next.

This morning’s moonlight came in handy. It made it easier to see that the car doors were all locked. The moon also highlighted the shocked look on my client’s face when I strolled up the ramp and snapped the antenna off the truck. Having grown up watching the A-Team and McGyver, a quick bend, shove, and the lock popped. I hopped in rather proud of the moment, drove up the ramp, and left the well trained boat adrift by the dock.

A locked, running vehicle on the ramp with a boat trailer halfway submerged in the water is comical when it’s someone else. The car antenna was the manly solution to not holding up the other guys waiting to launch their boats. Taking it in stride, without a word, is what real guides do and I know the memory will be a distant one after a good day of fishing.

With a tough start to the day those who see a glass half empty would have packed it in right then and there. But for the optimist we get to see what other amazing challenges, tricks, or treats the universe has in mind. The day was just beginning as we rounded Brenton Reef heading east to the Sakonnet River.

The islands separating Buzzards Bay and the Sakonnet River are very special. Full of structure, eel grass covered flats, and deep tide pools that spin bait to their demise. Upon entering the shallows I slowed Bad Monster Dog to a crawl and then shut her down. There was something large swimming into shore from an outer island. It was too early for the Seals to have shown up and too low in the water to be a deer. (Widely accepted as the true origin of saltwater bucktails).

The sun sat touching the horizon. Balance in the universe was struck as the huge harvest Moon did the same to the west of us. Illuminated by the rising sun our mysterious swimmer turned out to be a very healthy Coyote.  He looked back at us as if determining whether we looked edible. The Coyote clearly had been eating his fill of birds and eggs on the island- predawn. This incredibly strong feral animal then slipped over the peak of the rock pile and disappeared.

Sharing this kind of experience with others is incredible. As Kieth Deinert and I looked at one another, totally blown away by the Discovery Channel adventure we were experiencing, a tremendous feeding frenzy of Striped Bass erupted in all directions. Fish after fish was fought on the fly and caught using a variety of top water poppers. Next on the to do list was to look for the rest of the grand slam – (Striped Bass, Bonito, and False Albacore).

Vibrant, rich, coastal fishing adventures can be experienced right here in Rhode Island from April to November. Come visit the plant in Rhode Island, take a look at NorthCoast Boats and if we can sneak out for some fishing, I promise to bring a spare set of car keys.

NorthCoast supports Rifles to Rods.org

While on a fishing expedition in North Carolina the NorthCoast 24CC provided the perfect platform to inaugurate our work with Rifles to Rods.

Question: When do you get the opportunity to share the day with a few good men? Answer: When you let Ryan Puzzo of Rifles to Rods.org know where you plan to be fishing and when. Ryan is co-founder of Rifles to Rods and a Veteran who served eight years in the military and he continues to serve others. He knows personally what it means to spend the day on the water.

Your heart rate slows considerably. Down to a beat, or so, every once and awhile as you watch an epic display of sea life go about their business. Between the herd of wild horses running the beaches, Spanish Mackeral surface feeds, Tarpon visual fest, and Sea Turtles and Sea Bass we had momentary visits by the tax collector, the man in the brown suit, otherwise known to most as- Shark.

Ryan was able to wrangle up Army Master Sergeant Darryl Mullins and his son Rashidi, who both currently serve our nation. Ryan even flew in for the day to join us. We all enjoyed the day. There is a peace and calm on the water found in the moments somewhere between the permanent smiles and laughter.

If you want to share a day with some great human beings or make a donation, contact Rifles to Rods, pitch in, and support this excellent organization’s efforts. These guys are awesome!

On behalf of all of us at NorthCoast Boats, Thank you for your service!

And Ryan, given the next opportunity- We are ready when you are!

Coastline Marine Service

NorthCoast Boats is proud to add Coastline Marine Service to our dealer family. They will be covering the Massachusetts market. Please do not hesitate to reach out. Like us here at NorthCoast Boats: their family is your family. 

8 Sewall Street

Marblehead, MA. 01945

781-990-1284

www.coastlinemarineservice.com

Striped Bass Salad
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Courtesy of Jose DaPonte, Owner NorthCoast Boats | C&C Fiberglass Components

We go catch the Striped Bass, however you like to. (Filet accordingly)

Put in the pan with water- Boil for @15 minutes

Take it out and put it in cold water for a little bit, so it keeps the fish together, so it doesn’t fall apart

Then you break it into little chunks

You boil some Potatoes

Cut the Potatoes in squares or round, whatever you like

Then you put a little bit of: Crushed Pepper

  1.      Onions
  2.      Parsley
  3.      Little bit of salt- however you like it
  4.      Just a tiny bit of vinegar and vegetable oil
  5.      Then you put it in the refrigerator, if you like it cold, or if you like it warm and that’s it.
"The longer you let it sit the better it is!” – Jose DaPonte
Fishability | NorthCoast (24CC) 260 Center Console

Fishability / NorthCoast 24CC – Saltwater Sportsman Magazine, Jan 2018 by Gary Caputi

It was a real pleasure fishing with Gary Caputi, world class angler and writer for Saltwater Sportsman.

The seas were up due to Hurricane Jose grinding off the shores of Newport, Rhode Island. Gary was testing our new NorthCoast 24CC and the day was perfect for us to show off her fishing ability in classic New England conditions.

The Albies cooperated, rolling subtly between the swells, eating calmly. Once they realized they were hooked the reels were zinging. We hope you enjoy Gary’s review of the new NorthCoast 24CC as much as we enjoyed having him aboard.

Please click: Fishability / NorthCoast 24CC – Saltwater Sportsman Magazine, Jan 2018 by Gary Caputi

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Saltwater Sportsman’s First Look: The 24CC | Now: 260 Center Console
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We are proud to share this great excerpt from Saltwater Sportsman with a look into the popular 24CC.

Check out this month’s issue of Saltwater Sportsman for a First Look at the 24CC.

Boulder Fields
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The New England coast has spectacular, sometimes forgiving, sand flats where Striped Bass ambush sand eels and other baitfish. But a real favorite are the very productive rocky shorelines surrounded by their protective boulder fields. Through the years anglers who spend enough money on bottom paint and propeller repairs come to know these waters “very” personally.

My good friend, and mentor, Mike Kenfield and I had been fishing near a ten foot, dark, rock shaped like bird wings.  The right wing points down towards to the hole whose name refers to a feeling- Sweetwater Hole. It’s located on the western entrance of the Sakonnet River. This spot was consistent in producing nice size Striped Bass followed by, “Dude, this is some sweet water!”

The challenge is timing the cast so that your fly enters the feeding zone as the bait would- while standing on what feels like a rolling barrel.  Note: Sweet water- anywhere associated with good food source and hungry fish.

We had hit a few spots hard, relentlessly casting, covering the water, for large Striped Bass, when one of the old timers came confidently flying into the area in his red classic fishing boat. No sooner had Mike stated the guy had fished here forever, and knew these waters like the back of his hand- and boom.

He squared up onto a submerged, object of unknown origin. Texting was still twenty years out so it wasn’t that. Could have been there all these years? Maybe he was checking the morning Donut stash or focused on a spilled bucket of Eels. Either way he veered off his usual path. My respect for the areas challenges went up a few notches.

This unforgiving area becomes even more interesting in the fog. Knowing what rock belongs to what formation is critical. It’s easy to get spun around in these areas and the fog demands an exhaustive sense of place. Fog is very tiring. Second Note: “Intuitive piloting” does not show up on the USCG Captain’s exam. (Nor should it). Knowing the river as your back yard takes years of attention to details and someone willing to share their experience.

Anglers, like Harbor Pilots who can draw each shape of each rock, and others in near proximity,  successfully navigate their way to the fish and  safely home. True Boulder fields are relatively shallow areas which are covered with fish holding structure. Fighting Striped Bass in these areas can be exceptionally challenging. The drift of the boat is positively affected by a cushion of water flowing around, and over, the boulders. This moves the boat naturally through the obstacles with an occasional nudge.

The fly is placed on the feeding end of the fish, holding on the left side of the rock. Strip, strip, pause, strip and wham! A solid, sudden smash and your tight. I highly recommend a low rod angle as you set the hook. A knee jerk, high “Trout” hook set pulls the fly a few feet away from the fish.

The bigger the Striper the harder it is to set the hook. I’ve seen guys swear they drove home the 8/0 ultra sharp hook, only to feel it spit back at them as a prehistoric size fish they had the privilege to be momentarily connected to swims by.  There is a respectful silence- as the Bass gracefully passes by us, off the boulder field, and into the depths.

New Video | Our research is fun!

Check out our video and see why field research is part of great boat building and get a peak “Behind the Scenes” at NorthCoast.

From the owner Jose DaPonte to the guys on the line, we fish and understand what happens on the water. Please enjoy the clip!

NorthCoast is Smoking

Our Pro Team of Captains /Ambassadors (and Dealers) can be found on or near the water daily. Their adventures and recipes provide more colorful blog material than the tattoos on Queequeg, (see Moby Dick). Come back often and enjoy! As Director of Sales and Marketing for NorthCoast Boats it is my honor to lead off our new blog with a tasty recipe that is close to my heart.

There are some smoky times happening here at Weatherby’s Smoke House. White swirls of deliciousness mixed with overtones of fresh spices and brown sugar tease the nose and peak any downwind, or nearby, Carnivore’s interest. As smoke billows from the edges of the old Smoker doors it would stir memories of my first experiences with smoked fish. There were a couple of friends who annually fished the Albie bite with me and they would consistently bring a compliment of tasty treats with them. I was very quick to kick the old bag of musty muffins from Dunkin Donuts under the gunnel in shame. The highlight was fresh smoked Salmon from one of the client’s Alaskan smokehouse combined with freshly picked local Apples from the other’s orchard. This combined with a bit of chill in the air and the world was right.  Freshly brewed Kona Coffee and an offshore whiff of a wood stove and I long for a warm fire. The weather has been tough, but we know it would give us a shot at some point soon. Meanwhile there is nothing better to fill the time than eating freshly smoked anything. Note: Heavy weather and delay of long awaited fishing adventures can put you in a mood. Best solution, smoke something tasty.

Anytime is the ideal time for fireside relaxation and smoking fish, but anytime you can stage a Summer Smoke Fest- very exciting. This year I have nailed it. Surely first place material in a County Fair, if we had one, and worthy of posting as the first NorthCoast Boat’s Recipe. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

Day 1. First go out catch your Bluefish. Size matters and I recommend an eight to ten pound fish. The key to this is to have first successfully plied the waters fly fishing for Striped Bass, using a fly you tied specifically for this event. This spiritual effort, whether at first light or in the middle of the day, is a gateway to the soon to be enjoyed tasty smoked treats. Bleed the Bluefish immediately and prep the fillets- leaving the skin on.

Ideally your confidence level is such that your specially made brine is ready and waiting for you when you return home, ensuring a fresh catch to Brine world record. The Brine is a very personal experience and having to start somewhere, I searched online for basic guidelines to culinary success and would like to thank them all for their hints in the right direction. That said, once you have seen my efforts below, do the rewarding thing and toss it. Develop your own. Consider this your reference point- and only a start.

Fill your large blender with:

  1. About 2 Quarts of water from fresh springs in Montana, (or filtered refrigerator water will do).
  2. 2 fists of Brown Sugar
  3. 2 more of Sea Salt
  4. 1/2 a bottle of Worcestershire Sauce
  5. 1/2 a bottle of Soy Sauce
  6. Pour in some Maple syrup
  7. A big pile of Peppercorns
  8. A bundle of Cilantro and Basil from the garden
  9. 3 Garlic cloves
  10. Golf ball size lump of Chili powder
  11. 2 Dried Cayenne peppers that make your eyes burn
  12. 1/4 bottle of Cholula’s hot sauce (in case your peppers need more heat)
  13. Zest with lemon peels- cool term for grate

Cover and blend until the soupy mix looks awesome and pour over the fillets in a pan being sure to cover them completely. Leave overnight in the fridge, if possible, unless your too excited then you might have to get by with at least a few hours of the soak.

Day 2. When you’re getting ready to smoke, take the fillets onto the kitchen counter to warm for a while before the action begins and dry with paper towels. Skip the cloth as it smells fishy forever. Kind of like the first Bluefish Artwork I did in the eighties where you paint a fish and role it onto canvas. Stunk so badly I had to throw it out leaving me to believe there must be more to that kind of art.

The Smoker has some cool tricks to the mix. Timing is everything. Light a pile of about six pounds of coals, well soaked with fuel, and allow this to burn until ash covered. While waiting soak half a bag of Mesquite wood chips in water. Once the coals are ready toss handfuls of chips onto them and place the pan of already very hot water above it, if your smoker has this and it likely does. Quickly place the clean grates on their supports and lay the now warm and dry fillets onto them. Now shut the lid, and don’t peek, for at least six hours. (Cigars are helpful here as they round out this manly experience). You could even go fishing again, provided you’re not worried about your house burning down, or go shoot some sporting clays. DO NOT PEEK.

Like fresh baked bread, or pie, or sushi on the boat, once you remove the lid your mouth will water and your nostrils will fill with what should be an extremely rewarding smell of your freshly caught and smoked Bluefish. Please let me know if you find great satisfaction in this fresh catch to plate experience. – Capt. Gregg Weatherby

NCB Design 101

Joe Pimenta works behind the scenes at NorthCoast Boats designing the performance and durability into each of our new models. Our line up begins with a quick brief on NorthCoast Boats approach to the product development. Come back often for more technical design and building blog posts.

CAD technology is utilized in support of our form follows function design philosophy. Simple and Strong!

1. Designed and built to ABYC Standards.
2. Product development input: Customers, Captains / Brand Ambassadors input and participation.
3. Must fulfill NCB promise- Rugged Versatile Performance that Lasts.
3. Designed for reliability and exceptional fishing performance.
a. The true nature of this product is best witnessed on Stellwagen Banks as huge Blue Fin Tuna are being brought over the gunnels of even our smallest center consoles. Or off Newport, Rhode Island where very large Striped Bass, Bluefish, Wahoo, and many other species are the target. Being modest, (for Anglers) Our “fish to boat” size ratio likely has no equal.

Our semi-custom production facility is set up to provide manufacturing flexibility such as the ability to personalize your boat and provide a wide variety of amenities a family may also require.