Greetings from Baymen Guide Service, Inc. aka, Baymen Charters. The key word has always been BAYMEN!

Well, egrets have arrived, herring are in the rivers, daffodils are out, redwing blackbirds and other birds are arriving daily, peepers are singing, swans are nesting, and get this – DANDY LIONS ARE BLOOMING! Why is this a big deal? If you have been following me over the past 30 years, you may know verbatim, my little poem I wrote for my children when they were small:

“When the peepers sing, the schoolies are three weeks away… When the dandy lions bloom, stripers are in the bay; when the lilacs bloom, welcome the cow bass of May!” 

So, are there schoolies in the bay yet? I will say without a doubt the first “scouts” are now starting to show. Holdovers or migrants – doesn’t matter. They will all mix together over the next few weeks. I have always tried to land my first striped bass of the season by April 15th. A group of us always try to be the “first” to have bragging rights for the season. Mike Dixon has already landed his first in local waters, so he gets “High Rod” for being the first the land a striped bass in 2022 in our little group.

Another goal I have each year is to have the boat fully prepped and ready to roll by April 15th – a lofty goal for a Captain that lives a very busy life with way too many responsibilities in life! But I am happy to report, things are on track for this season. The final “crunch” to get everything done is on. If I drop in April 15th – great. But if I am a week late I have learned not to worry.

RECON CHARTERS TO BEGIN: I will begin RECON trips on the bay as soon as the boat is ready. These are discounted short charters of a few hours in search of the first schools of bass in and around our bays. One or two people max for 2-3 hours max. I start them about the last week of April and they run into the first ten days or so of May. If you want to book a RECON charter with me, shoot me an e-mail baymencharters@gmail.com 

So, keep your eyes and ears open. The Rumor Fish are about fly, and why not? The Dandy Lions are blooming…

Tight Lines!

Capt. David Bitters, BAYMEN, www.baymenlife.com 29 Years Guiding The Bay. Fly Fishing & Light Tackle Charters. Shallow Water & Sight Fishing My Specialty.