Greetings from Capt. Dave & BAYMEN!

On board today, long-time client and friend, Baymen Dick Bowman, who fishes with me a dozen times a year. 

At first light a wisp of west wind, top of the tide, and near calm seas. Bay temps were 64 degrees. We hit fish right out of the gate working bait on topwater and sub-surface, with birds working overhead. We are seeing more and more birds now after two months of a birdless bay. So, a good portent to the fall fishing ahead. The Fall Run typically starts on our bay August 25th. 

Well, we started the morning on Fly & LT. We fished topwater poppers and swimmers and a Jack Gartside Gurggler in the midst of breaking fish. Dick hooked into two nice bass that somehow threw the hooks. Both fish were hard fighters and we guessed they were both keeper bass. After those two quick hits on the poppers, the bass ignored the poppers and Gurgglers the rest of the morning! We had to switch out tackle to rubber crankbaits and Mike Rice Muddog Decievers in all white. That seemed to do the trick and with patience, we started to hook into fish consistently.

A nice, fat 30″ inch slot slammed the fly and scramed into the backing. Dick played the fish nicely to the boat and we took her picture and set her free. A while later, a second slot took the fly. 

There were quite a few boats on the bay this am to our surprise, for a Wednesday. We all bounced around from school to school. The bass and bait were very spooky of engine noise and approaching boats. So it took some stealth to get lined up on drifts. The ticket was to barely crawl along and shut the engine down and wait and drift for the fish to come to you. That takes patience!

After chasing bass for two hours in small schools, we began to run the bay in search of other fish and avoid the boat traffic. We found a few very small, spooky schools. Then we ran across the bay in search of fish that I had found on my last charter. The area was void of fish! We worked the area over and then drifted for a while and enjoyed great conversation about Dicks many fishing exploits around the country for a variety of species.  A few seals popped their heads up as we drifted along and Dick and I both enjoyed being in the midst of a gorgeous day on the bay.

We ended the morning with 20 striped bass, 2 slot keepers, all landed and released on single inline hooks. A perfect morning!

Back at it, Stay Posted:

Capt. David Bitters, BAYMEN, baymenlife.com 31 Years Guiding The Bay. Still In Love.

Soli Deo Gloria!