On board today, I had repeat client and my longest standing charter since I started guiding, Tom Bullock. Tom & family have been fishing with me for 22+ years! Joining Tom today were the Mallards who fished with me three years back. Five of us total today, in search of light tackle striped bass.

At first light, heavy fog covered most of the bay and winds were east. We found a few fish busting bait right outside the harbor and we hooked and lost one. Not sure if they were blues or bass, or both mixed together. In any event, we did not get another strike for over an hour and it was looking pretty bleak. The tide was two hours before low and a friend of mine came by to say not much happening on the bay for him either. Tom finally broke the ice and landed our first stiped bass on a topwater popper. It was the only fish we could find. We worked pieces of water all around the bay in the fog to no avail.

Then, I spotted a handful of gulls working topwater about a half-mile away. We zipped over and instantly everyone started hooking up! A small school of bass slammed our rubber cranks and topwater poppers. We fished that school for about a half hour and landed a 33″ inch keeper. We also hooked into a monster 40+ that hit right by the boat and threw the hook. Two of us got a good look at that fish – and it was big!

Shortly therafter, two anglers came by and offered us live and fresh baits which we gladly accepted (thank you!). Armed with “livies” we ran to a small rip and swam them through it. Two runs on the first drift and no hook-ups. We we did land a few more fish on light tackle rubber crank baits ticked along the bottom.

And then it happened: The tide was an hour before low and several pods of fish materialized out of nowhere and started smashing bait on topwater about a mile away. We tried to make a straight run but hit a sand bar. We backed out and made a long run down the bay, turned past the bar and then ran back up deep into the bay. BASS BLITZ! Lots of bass all over and birds working overhead. We had five rods bent over all at once and everybody was hooked up! We even landed another keeper. It was non-stop action for at least an hour. Fish were everywhere and it looked like the fall run. As the tide bottomed out, the fish went out with it and the bite finally shut down.

Total catch and release today was 33 striped bass, including two that went home in the cooler. A slow start but what a great finish!

Stay posted: Fall run is just beginning…

Capt. Dave
www.baymenlife.com