The Skipper and the Sea
Salt water fishing with The Skipper in Oak Bluffs
Nick Macksood
What time do fish wake up the morning? The answer, for all you know, is at least 8:30 in the morning. Or so it is for those who embark on Captain John Potter’s “Skipper”, docked at slip no. 74 all the way down Oak Bluffs Harbor. The MV Skipper pushes out to sea twice a day during the summers, but now that fall is rolling in the adventures begin at 10 am and return at 2 pm. But of course for those of all ages who love fishing, they know that there’s no time to be out on the water than now.
Captain John and the Skipper are routinely named the island’s “Best Charter Boat” and there are many reasons why. 
The most pragmatic one is that his prices are unbeatable. At $65 per adult and $55 for children for four hours of Atlantic fishing–or for the squeamish, just a scenic ride–it doesn’t get any better. And Captain John guarantees that you will catch fish. Plenty of them. If not, the trip is on him. I, myself caught four Scup: enough for a pan-fried lunch, a garlic butter broiled dinner, and breakfast the next morning, baked alongside some runny eggs. But as a testament to how kid-friendly the Skipper is, the one who hauled in the most fish was easily an 8-year-old girl fishing next to me.
But for those who are already wondering what the heck to do with wild caught fish and a razor sharp utility knife, fear not, Captain John and his mates are here to serve. My trip was led by the an intrepid team of trained, avid fishermen in their own right. They flew from the bow to the stern, from port to starboard (let it be known that these terms are totally lost on this freeloading writer) wrestling hooks from the mouths of black sea bass, scup and the occasional Tautog. The crew is fully capable of answering your questions, assisting you with the Skipper’s “state of the art” equipment, saving your hide if need be, and yes, filleting your day’s catch. Oh, and I might add that they are just the types you want to be spending a morning or an afternoon on a fishing boat with.
Like any fisherman worth his salt, Captain John and his crew are filled with stories. A lifetime on the water often precedes these types of men and women. “I work seven days a week, ten hours a day for John,” first mate Jeff told me, “but I can’t complain. We’re out on the water, on a boat filled with people here to have fun. It could be a lot worse, I’m lucky.” In their company, for the first time this summer, as I looked out on the water trying to come up with a narrative for this column, my mind turned off. Completely blanked. And what else could you want on a hot August day at the end of your vacation? The daily grind lurks nearby and for once, here is an opportunity to forget it all and enjoy nature’s most enduring challenge. Maybe it’s the exacting attention that a fish demands of us, the sensitivity to nibbles and bites, bobbing the tackle up and down: all reminders and recourse to our daily chores.
In The Old Man and the Sea, Santiago asks himself “Why do old men wake so early? Is it to have one longer day?” Apparently, yes. When those days involve brisk mornings out on the water, the toss and turn of the waves, and the hope of a big fish at the end of your line, six A.M. alarms don’t sting as bad as they ought to.
