On board today, I had regulars, Gary Condon, Matt Daly, and their friend, Greg for light tackle striped bass. Gary & Co. have been fishing with me for the last eight seasons+.

At first light, a gentle west wind, a dropping tide and a stunning sunrise that I never tire of seeing, even after 22 years of guiding on the bay. We got into topwater fish right away and landed a few shorts. The bass were very spooky and fast moving and it was hard to sneak up on them in the skiff in 3-4 feet of water.

Next, we ran down bay and found several small schools of fish scattered all over. These fish were spooky as well and only stayed up for 30 seconds or so. We really had to be patient and very slowly set up our drifts. But it paid off! Gary hooked into a hard running blue that gave his drag a workout and matt hooked into a fine bass that did the same.

If you read yesterday’s report, you know the Sebile white topwater lure was the only lure that worked well. I messed around with a dropper rig and a 3″ inch pearl shad on the back of the popper and that set-up also worked well. But today – the Heddon Kunckle-Head in silver chrome, and the Stan Gibbs popper in white w/bucktail were the top lures! Yesterday, they would not touch them. Today, the slammed them! Such is fall fishing and why we have so much tackle.

Total catch today was 26 fish, including two keeper bass and one big blue that went home in the cooler for dinner fish. A lovely, flat-calm September day on the bay with one of my favorite crews. And yes – they did spoil me with with hot coffee and pasty on the way out, and turkey sandwiches, chips and cookies for lunch along with a huge slection of iced teas, carrot juice, sodas and spring water! We stopped fishing and enjoyed a fine lunch mid-morning.

Stay posted: Back at it as the fall run continues…

Capt. Dave
www.baymenlife.com