Greetings from Capt. Dave & Baymen Guide Service, Inc.

On board today, repeat client Rusty Pool from Texas, for fly or die striped bass!

At first light, we found topwater striped bass working micro-sized bait. Two types of bait: micro peanut bunker (the first I’ve seen this season about 1/2″ long) and a one inch slender olive minnow. The bass were selective feeding on both baits. A challenge for a fly rodder and a nightmare for a light tackle angler due to the size/color/shape of the bait. We fished a Mike Rice DC 12 #2 with great success. We also fished a Mike Rice FLC 1/0 Gray with great success. And we fished a Mike Rice Cocktail Gray #1 that also did very well. Lastly we also fished a yellow/Chartreuse clouser 1/0 and a PFG Half/Half in size #4. We basically switched back and forth with these flies all morning long and caught fish on all of them.

Something that I have seen over the years that is interesting: When you catch a fish on one of the flies when the bass are on a selective feed, new fish don’t want to touch the fly after another fish has been caught on it. I have experienced this over and over again throughout the years. I believe it has to do with smell and brought this up in a meeting once and my theory was laughed at. But I still stick to it and today we experienced it again all morning long. Thus, we changed out flies often. Back home I wash them all and dry them and they fish well again the next trip out.

Rusty and I moved around a lot today, targeting topwater fish on a floating line and 9 WT rod with a 20lb leader. We found several different small schools of bass. Some were very spooky and fast moving. Others let us set decent drifts.

Total catch and release today was 19 fish all on the fly. A lovely, dead-calm morning without a breath of wind. Water temps were mostly in the 70’s (!) with a few spots in the high 60’s.

Back at it. STAY POSTED:

Capt. David Bitters, BAYMEN, www.baymenlife.com 30 Years Guiding The Bay. Fly Fishing & Light Tackle Striped Bass on the Massachusetts Coast! Now Booking 2023 & 2024 seasons. Book early, dates go quickly.