Greetings from Capt. Dave & BAYMEN!

On board today, Neil, a new client and recipient of a Baymen Charters Gift Certificate!

At first light – a chilly 47 degrees air temp and 62 degrees water temp. Near calm seas with a light WSW wind. Tide was outgoing, low at 8:30am.

Very, very quiet over most of the bay today to my surprise. We really had to search to find fish but search we did and we eventually found three different schools of striped bass – all of them in just inches of water up on the flats!

First school of fish was running and gunning micro peanut bunker. Hard to get on them but we managed to land several striped bass.

Next school of fish was in water so shallow, we had to back out and move on to find other fish. We just could not get to them without running aground.

Third spot of the morning was void of fish! No marks, no topwater, no birds anywhere… Yesterday evening, Spot #3 was loaded up with fish, bait and birds.

Our fourth spot of the morning – stacked with bass, bait and birds! They were up on VERY shallow water flats. We went as far as we could until the motor was kicking up mud. Then we fished hard and landed multiple striped bass 24″-27″ inches. Fat and healthy. Stuck up on the flat in 12″-24″ inches of water, we had to paddle and pole the boat to get back to a deeper channel. A short time later, we had enough water to use the motor. We moved around with this school of bass for some time and did well.

We fished with topwater poppers, rubber crankbaits, and Baymen Jigs. No fish on the jigs today due to no fish in the deeper cuts on the bottom. Everything was in very skinny water.

Several seals about, including a large hooded seal. Hundreds of birds in migratory mode sitting on the dry flats and on anchored boats. Others were actively chasing bait being pushed by bass or by the hundreds of cormorants scattered around the bay working the bait.

Everybody I met on the bay today and last evening are talking about the False Albacore we have been seeing. Two other anglers reported seeing schools of FA chasing bait both INSIDE the bay and outside. Exciting stuff! I hope they get established and become a new fishery in our local waters. If not, there is always the Cape and the Vineyard!

Total catch and release today was 19 striped bass, 1 keeper slot just over 28″. No sign of blues. A really fun fall morning on the bay with a great client fishing light tackle.

Back at it. STAY POSTED:

Capt. David Bitters, BAYMEN, baymenlife.com 31 Years Guiding The Bay. Soli Deo Gloria!