33 Fish
On board today, I had regular, Dick Bowman for fly fishing and light tackle striped bass.
We found fish at first light on topwater (same school of fish I have been visting for the past three days). We picked up several on the fly and on light tackle and then moved on to search for other fish.
We found a ton of pogies in our next spot but not a single bass under them as has been the situation with these particular pogies. They are enjoying life and living the dream. We fished them for a short time, realized there was not a bass within a mile of them and moved on.
Third spot of the morning had a handful of small bass on topwater with a handful of birds overhead. They moved on and so did we.
Fourth spot of the morning was LIT UP! Lots of birds, several schools of fish working topwater (!) in 74 degree water. The bait was young of the year blueback herring that have left the rivers and are in the bay. Some of the bass we landed still had juvi herring in their mouths! We worked these schools for quite a while and finally decided to leave them and go search for other fish.
Fifth spot of the morning had a few fish tight to shore but were very spooky and we did not hook up. We then moved to our sixth and last spot of the morning but marked zero fish and were into a lot of seaweed on the surface.
Total catch and relase today was 33 striped bass on fly and light tackle gear. Not bad for HOT, MUGGY end of July with water temps like bath water. I am actually surprised we are finding any fish at all and am shocked we are getting big numbers of fish in these temps. The fish continue to be mostly sub-legal striped bass to 27″ inches down to 14″ inches. But forever thankful to God for sending the fish.
Back at it. Stay Posted:
Capt. David Bitters, BAYMEN, www.baymenlife.com Covid-19 protocol observed on all Baymen Charters.
***********NOW BOOKNG 2021 & 2022 FLY FISHING & LIGHT TACKLE STRIPED BASS ON THE MASSACHUSETTS COAST. BOOK EARLY BEFORE DATES ARE GONE.***********