1st Striped Bass Caught on a Fly - and Then Some

The sun was coming over the horizon when my friend, Ben Legg, the first client I ever took out some 15 years ago, arrived at Sandy Point State Park. In the past, we had enjoyed many productive and fun trips together on his boat, a 26' Boston Whaler, which is now in FL.

Ben and his friend and fishing buddy, Paul Grimm, boarded my boat, and we started to cruise south on the western shore. We stayed well off the shore line as we stopped every now and then so I could use my binoculars to see if there were any working birds. We ran all the way south to G"83A" without locating any fish. No problem. After some more cruising we located some working birds and the skunk was off. When the current went slack we ate lunch and it wasn't long before catching started again.

This is the 1st striper Paul
 Ever Landed While Fly Fishing

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We weren't far south of the Bay Bridge when.... 

Ben Caught This Striper on Topwater

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The majority of fish were caught on an ebb current (outgoing tide)in the afternoon. There weren't many boats out in the after 1:00 pm yesterday. The most productive fly....

Sinking Clouser 3"

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Most Productive Technique

Short Striping (with sinking line)-Cast the fly out and count it down to the desired depth.  With a weighted fly and 350 grain sinking line it sinks approximately 1’ per second.  If the line gets tight during the countdown get additional line off the reel and in the water.  This allows the fly to sink close to where your cast landed.  To accomplish this put the rod tip just above the water and figure 8 the tip to let more line out.  Start stripping the line in 1-foot increments, swiftly, back toward the boat.

Tight Lines & Smooth Seas Always.

Fly-Fishing 'the salt' for Striped Bass and Bluefish

Bob Mockard and his twin daughters, Janet, and Jean, wanted to learn how to fly fish for striped bass on the Chesapeake Bay. Once everyone was aboard we cruised out on Mezick Ponds at Sandy Point State Park.  A fly casting lesson was given, and after everyone took a cast or two, we headed south on the Bay.

It wasn't long before we saw some blitzing stripers and bluefish on the western shore.  Something special happened on our 1st drift.  Bob landed his 1st striped bass while using a fly rod.  Once we got on some nice size stripers Jean and Bob caught a couple simultaneously.

We had to keep moving in waters from 16 feet to 22 feet deep to stay on the nicer schools of striped bass.  Janet enjoyed taking photos and catching fish on the fly, as the one shown below.

Equipment Used this Trip:
9 weight, 4 piece, Tip Flex, Fly-Rods, LA V Large Arbor Reels, Full Sinking Line, 20# Fluorocarbon Leader (Tippet)

Productive Flies:
3" Sinking Clouser, Green & White Body and Tan & White Body

Most Productive Technique:

Fast Stripping the Fly

Cast the fly and count it down to the desired depth.  The rod tip should be parallel and very close to the water surface during the retrieve.  Start stripping swiftly in foot increments.  Keep stripping the fly all the way back to the boat.

This cool weather should help bring in some of the fall run that we usually enjoy from mid-October to December.  So don't worry about catching cabin fever.  There's still plenty of time to land some nice size stripers. 

Taking Your Best Buddy Fishing

Curt planned a fly-fish outing for his best fishing buddy, Bruce, who was also his father.  They have fly-fished many exotic locations throughout the years and wanted to add one more location, the Chesapeake Bay.  Their plan was to catch some hard fighting striped bass and other saltwater species.

The weather during both days was outstanding; not too hot or humid, with a slight breeze keeping the waves low on the water.  There hadn't been much topwater action in prior days, so a 9 weight fly rod, teamed with sinking fly line, and a 3" sinking clouser fly, were used and were very productive during the entire trip.

Nice striper caught by Curt on the 1st day

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A little variety

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It's always a pleasure to show my clients some of the Chesapeake Bay jewels.

Thomas Point Lighthouse

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Unfortunately I always have to call 'last cast'.  When I did Bruce made one of those casts all fly anglers like to make, right up to Sandy Point Lighthouse.  On the 1st strip it was fish on.  The outing finished with Bruce catching a nice 23" striper, tying up the score of 140 fish (70 each) for the 2 day outing.

Curt and Bruce - 'Best Fishing Buddies'

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