34 Fish
On board today, I had repeat clients, Dr. Brenda Chapman and Dick Watson, for light tackle striped bass.
At first light, a strong west wind and minor storm surge, under clear skies. Water temps 54-56 degrees. High tide dropping.
The flats were loaded with big schools of peanut bunker and lots of bass feeding on them. I counted four main schools of bass around the bay. The fish were pusing the peanut bunker from east to west in the west wind, across the flats. Typical behavior for the Fall Run.
The bass were very hard fighting fish and all the fish were very fat and healthy. Not a skinny fish in the bunch. At one point, a gull got tangled into the lines and took flight, peeling drag. It was like having a live kite on the string for a moment. A vertical fight in the air on the light tackle! The bird untangled itself and flew back into the flock of gulls and continued feeding.
Many of the fish today were 26″+ and some were the small 2 year old fish we have seen a lot of this season. They all hit hard and fought hard on the light tackle rubber crank baits with single hook. We fished water from 1.4 feet to 7 feet on average.
As the flats drained, we scooted off and headed for structure. Not a single bass on structure or anywhere in the far end of the bay. All the fish were on the peanut bunker up on the flats. When the flats were exposed, the bait and bass left the bay with the tide. It was pretty amazing. Today’s fish will be somewhere on the Cape tomorrow and fish north of us will hopefully be stopping in our bay.
Total catch and release today: 34 striped bass.
Back at it as the Fall Run continues…
Capt. David Bitters, BAYMEN, www.baymenlife.com COVID-19 Protocol observed on all Baymen Charters & guide services
**** FISH WITH ME IN 2021 & 2022. NOW BOOKING FLY FISHING OR LIGHT TACKLE STRIPED BASS ON THE MA COAST. BOOK EARLY – DATES GO QUICKLY ****