Greetings from Capt. Dave & Baymen Charters!

Playing catch-up as my season on the bay in it’s final week. Here is the latest news:

September 27 – Bay very quiet and the Fall Run appears to be in what I call a “Gap Day.” Pete Gaudette and I ran the bay at first light and found a few schools of VERY fussy, spooky and fast moving fish. Then two hours later it was a ghost town out there. Conditions looked perfect to us, a classic fall morning, but the fish were nowhere to be found. After landing our first few of the morning and having a MONSTER snap 30lb braid like it was thread, all was quiet. But I have to say it was one of my most enjoyable mornings on the bay all season with a true gentleman and Baymen. Pete and I first met about 20 years ago when he used to fly tie and fly fish with the crew and I at Baymen Outfitters back in the day. Today was just a gorgeous.

 September 27 – Part II – The Colonel was prowling the shorelines of the bay today and picked up several fish on the fly to 26″ inches. He used a pattern I tied up for him that was a modified Baymen Universal, White/Yellow/Red with NO peacock hurl over the back. He said the bass loved it. Note to self: tie up some more.

September 28 – On board today, regulars Scott Chatlin, Chris Barry, and Scott’s brother-in-law from Virginia, for light tackle striped bass. Once again, the bay was very quiet and in a “Gap Day” and fish were scarce. But there was a low pressure front moving in fast and the tide was a + 2.3 low and this all held a handful of fish in the bay in one or two spots. The rest of the bay was dead. We found two schools of fish, 2 miles apart, and that was it. We worked them hard and had some good success. The fish would take 3″ white rubber crank baits ONLY. They did not want anything else. The fish were ultra selective, fast moving, and shy of the boat. But we kept at it and landed a dozen bass to about 26″ inches. We had hit and spits on many more. The skies continued to darken and a bolt of lightning moved us at top speed for safe harbor. Thunder and more bolts as we docked. When I pulled the boat, the skies unleashed and I was so glad we got off the bay before it did. Torrential down pours, lots thunder and lightning.  NOTE: A friend of mine was fishing a spot I checked with my binoculars about 4 miles away. I saw nothing. He was there at first light and there was a third school of fish in the bay at that point.

September 28 – Part II – Lots of Part II’s lately! Come evening, after the storm had passed, the bay turned to a sheet of glass on the rising High Tide and fish were STACKED in multiple schools on bait balls, with lots of birds overhead. I filmed one of the blitzes from shore and posted the clip on my business FB page, Baymen Guide Service, Inc Baymen Charters. Go check it out – and turn up the volume, and like my page.

September 29 – an official day off and the winds are cranking this morning with white caps on the bay. I actually slept in and had one of the most relaxing evenings last night that I have had in the past six months. I actually made and ate breakfast this morning – something I have not done since guide season started. My last day on the bay for striped bass is October 5th. Then duck season starts, bird season up north, followed by deer season, followed by Christmas break, followed by a long, cold winter. A lot has happened over this past season, including the passing of my mother. She is home with the Lord but it sure does put this short life into clearer focus.Thank you to all my clients and friends that make every day a wonderful day, on the bay.

Capt. David Bitters, BAYMEN, www,.baymenlife.com 29 Years Guiding The Bay