Greetings from Capt. Dave & BAYMEN Charters!

On board today, President/Ceo and Founder of Oh, Deer tick and mosquito control, Kurt Upham, for light tackle striped bass. Kurt has been fishing with me for many years on the bay.

At first light, dead-calm seas and thick, dense fog over the whole bay. It was thick but not as thick as a few trips we had to reschedule this season. So, we fired up the electronics and picked our way through the fog in search of fish. We found a small school working in about a foot of water up on the flats, all around an oyster grant. They were very finicky and I had concerns of hitting oyster gear so we backed out and moved on.

Next stop of the morning we fished the incoming tidal rips and picked up two quick fish in 12 fow.

Third stop of the morning was all by sound. We could see nothing in the fog and shut down and listened for breaking fish and birds. We heard birds way in the distance and headed in that direction. We eventually came upon a school of fish that stayed up for about thirty seconds and then vanished into the fog with the birds. We never found them again.

Fourth stop of the morning we pulled into a small school of bass with birds. Very finicky and skittish fish but Kurt got on them landed a more fish including a slot keeper!

Fifth stop of the morning nobody home. The fog began to clear over half of the bay and we were able to look for birds and bass in some areas. Bingo! We pulled into a big school of bass of about two acres in size with birds overhead! This was out best find of the morning and Kurt began to rack up some numbers of striped bass including a second slot keeper. We worked this school for quite a while. The bass had a bait ball of silver sides and the bait could not escape the two acres of fish. It was a blast!

The fog eventually began to roll back in from the East and it covered the entire bay again. We called it a great morning and headed in. Total catch and release today was 30 striped bass and 2 slot keepers, all on LT rubber crankbaits. Three keys to today’s success: Patience, Persistence, and Technique, topping it off with a seasoned angler that has grown up fishing for striped bass all up and down the east coast. Nice job, Kurt!

Back at it. Stay Posted. 17 Charters Left for the 2023 season. Lots of fishing ahead.

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

Soli Deo Gloria!

BOOKING 2024 AND 2025 AND 2026 SEASONS. BOOK EARLY – DATES GO QUICKLY, OFTEN A SEASON OR MORE IN ADVANCE. FLY FISHING OR LIGHT TACKLE STRIPED BASS ON THE MASSACHUSETTS COAST.