Greetings from Capt. Dave & Baymen Charters!

We are officially only a few days out from the start of the Fall Run… In my 26 years of guiding on the bay, I have seen it start as early as August 25th and as late as September 6th – for our local waters inside the bay.

I will be running the bay looking for the first signs of migrating fish. I hope and pray it is a great fall run of fish that pass through our waters. Big Fish numbers are at an all-time low overall. Pockets of forty pounders have been reported all season in the Cape Cod Canal, Chatham and some spots around Boston. Also, some surprising big fish coming out of Maine waters.

Striper numbers for Baymen Charters this season has been very, very good. Our average fish have been 26″ inches and that is the general feel of where the fish stacks are at with the current year-class of striped bass. MAJOR changes in management are underway. I have been on record for 26 years calling for one fish, 36″ inches or greater, from Maine to Virginia, but it has fallen on deaf ears. So, now that stocks are in serious trouble once again (history repeats itself) there will be some major changes coming for 2020 and beyond. Let’s hope it is 100% science based for the sake of the fish population. I have written and submitted my annual letter to the management committee.

Doom and gloom aside, the fall run is about to start. Fish numbers are very good and there will be some big fish caught as the striped bass make their annual fall-winter migration down the coast to the Chesapeake, Delaware and Hudson Rivers to spend their winter and spawn. If you FLY FISH or LIGHT TACKLE fish, I would love to be your Captain and guide and put you into fish for the FALL RUN 2019 and the SPRING BLITZ of 2020 and beyond!

Tight Lines & Good Fishing!

Capt. David Bitters, BAYMEN, baymenlife.com