Well another Striped Bass season is coming to an end. We all only get 80-90 of them if we are lucky and I have already burned through 33. There is something about fly fishing for Striped Bass on the Sandbars. For me, I usually fish for these fish during the week. I live close to the ocean, so it’s easy for me to pop down to the bars after work. Catching the stripers does not really require too much skill once you have the proper gear (8/9 weight-350 grain sinking line – black or white fly). Although, you do gotta know where the fish will be at different points of the tides. Anyway, I have made some great friends down on the sandbars throughout the years. We rarely make plans and we rarely talk anything but fly fishing. I may fly fish with a guy for 3 nights in a row and then not for another 2 months. That’s just the way it goes. Usually, in the spring, we are all together. Coming outta the wood work and lined up together, hooking fish after fish. Then as summer progresses, everyone kinda scatters (much like the fish). I trout fish alot (all my salt water buds pick on me for that – they say “Why the hell do you fish for those little trout…those things suck…etc..), Others fly fish the Ledges, others fish from boats, others go to the Vineyard and so on and so on. So, what makes the Sandbars so much fun? I guess it’s because it always refreshes my soul. After a day of work, 5 O’clock rolls around and sometimes I don’t even want to go – but I do. Then, I find myself on the .sandbars laughing with a friend, catching fish and hoping that the sun will stay in the sky just a little longer. All the worries of the day seem to disappear. Tonight, was one of those nights. Dave, Billy and I casted into the sunset, hooked a few fish, had a few laughs and called it a night. Simple really. The best things always are. I saw CW and Titleguy, 2 other sandbar drifters that I see from time to time. The Peanut Bunker have not made their annual fall appearance yet, but when the do I am sure everyone will come outta the woodwork before the hibernation.
I can imagine why your saltwater buds pick on you. Those saltwater fish are mostly stronger and bigger than their freshwater cousins. I once asked a Florida guide if he fished for the local bass. He looked at me surprised and asked me why he would go and catch bass when he could fish for Snook and Redfish instead.
It is a shame though that people think that way. It means that they cannot enjoy flyfishing at the fullest. I am equally happy in a quiet stream fishing for Trout as well as standing on a beach sightfishing for Snook. Both have a lot to offer. I really do not care about that much about the size of fish. Take a light rod to the trout stream and you have the same amount of fun as fishing with heavy gear on the coast.
Amen Marcel – could not have said it better.
Hey Macel – also – i am bringing a bunch of those saltwater guys Steelhead fishing. I can’t wait until they hook into a 15 pound Trout in a little creek. I can’t wait to see their face when the fish hits – the line screams off the reel – the fish runs down stream – jumps and snaps them off – then and only then will I say “Now you know why I trout fish?” We gotta get you up here for Some Steelhead fishing you would love it! Do you have steelhead in Germany??? If not here is a basic rundown on Steelhead fishing.
Steelhead = BIG RAINBOWS. They swim around the depths of the Great Lakes and come up all the little tiny creeks in both the spring and the fall. So you can show up to a creek that you could jump across and there might be 8-20 pound fish just laying in the runs. It really is awesome. On top of this you get equally as big of brown trout as well. Your always welcome to come – you’d have a blast.
I know those encounters with tarpon. At least I battled with them on Naples pier for some seconds when they took my scaled sardine destined for the Spanish mackerels.
The popping cork goes under, you strike and before you know it something large and silvery explodes in the water. The line snaps and you are still baffled about what just happened.
The reason my posting are always from Germany is because here …. in the Netherlands we do not have trout. At least no trout rivers or so many trout that it is worthwhile fishing for them.
Steelheads … there is one place that comes close. It is called Lake Oostvoorne, a brackish dammed sound stocked with rainbows. Those fish grow fast quick and are tremendously strong. Very big and strong fish.
The lake is big, there are few fish and I am not really suited to fish that water hence I blank most of the times. On the scarce occasions that I do hook into a fish I have a ball though. Those fish are a lot stronger than the usual stockies from ponds or rivers. Most fisherman loose their fish there in the beginning of the battle because the rainbows run like hell once they have taken the fly.