Greetings from Capt. Dave & Baymen Guide Service, Inc!

On board today for a pre-season RECON tript, Lt. Colonel Richard “The Machine” Comstock for fly or die striped bass fishing!

At first light, dead-calm bay and high tide, and world-class striped bass fishing on the fly. We found fish on topwater and we went right to floating lines and 9 wt fly rods and topwater cork poppers. WHAM! The fish slammed our flies for 2+ hours non-stop.

It was all sight fishing casting to individual fish we could see feeding on topwater. And a nice mix of sizes today from 17″ inchers up to some fine keepers. The fights were intense, even on the small fish. Many fish today took us right into our backing.

We fished all crimped barbed flies today and we dropped about a half-dozen fish. But we landed and released about thirty fish in just over two hours. A crazy, wild, awesome morning fly fishing on the bay!

My regular season kicks off next week and these pre-season RECON trips will come to an end. I have Eighty charters on the books for 2023 and I am excited to get the fly fishing and light tackle striped bass season going.

GEAR/TECHNICAL NOTES: Capt. Dave’s fly fishing outfit this morning was the TFO Axiom II X 9wt, Extra Fast. This rod has got some serious power for throwing heavy flies and putting lift on big fish. My reel was the ORVIS Hydros IV rigged with ORVIS floating line and backing. My leader was six feet of straight 20lb mono. I use Berkley Big Game green. Fly pattern was a Rainy’s cork popper red/white with a white marabou tail. Single rear hook, barbless, and turned slightly up into a Conservation Bend. Polarized sunglasses are a MUST. I wear COSTA’S exclusively and today I wore the Reefton model. And take precaution against sun damage. SPF 50.

STAY POSTED: 

Capt. David Bitters, BAYMEN, www.baymenlife.com 31 years Guiding The Bay. Still In Love.

*****NOW BOOKING 2023, 2024, 2025 STRIPED BASS ON FLY OR LIGHT TACKLE GEAR ON THE MASSACHUSETTS COAST. BOOK EARLY, DATES GO QUICKLY*******