TomHughes
10-21-2002, 08:29 AM
Colin and I met at the Hanover Street Ramp on the Patapsco River on Sunday, 10/13/02 at 06:30. We planned to fly-fish on the Chesapeake Bay until 11:30, but changes had to be made when we located a large school of trout. We arrived back at the ramp around 13:00 after a great day of catching.
We started out searching for diving birds on the Western Shore and after sighting only a few, decided to cross the Bay to the Eastern Shore. There we sighted ‘the birds’ working a school of baitfish. Colin, using floating line on a 9-weight rod, started catching some striped bass on a top water-popping fly. I joined in with my 7-weight rod, sinking line, and an Orvis Super Clouser fly. The striped bass pulled hard and put up a good fight. We discussed this and agreed it was due to the drop in water temperature. The Upper Bay was 64.7 degrees the day of our trip. The catching went on for the next 45 minutes until the current stopped running.
We scouted the Eastern Shore up and down the coast for about an hour prior to heading back to the Western Shore. Using my Lowrance http://www.lowrance.com/Marine/Products/LCX-15CI.asp combined plot charter, fish finder and GPS; our plan was to pass the structures that have been productive in the past. We were backtracking hoping to find some fish where we didn’t earlier in the day. We were lucky and found breaking birds, bluefish, striped bass and trout…all within a quarter of a mile of each other.
The striped bass and bluefish were caught on ‘the fly’ and the trout were caught on light tackle using jigging spoons.
This was the most productive on topwater:
http://www.fishingworks.com/Users/UserFolders/Tom_Hughes/PhotoImages/Productive%20Fly%203.jpg
Techniques Used:
Popping On Top - The rod tip should be parallel and very close to the water surface during the retrieve. Cast the fly, and the moment it contacts the water, start stripping in 2-foot increments, popping the fly at a 3 to 4 count. Stop the fly for a 1/2 a second between counts. Repeat this again and again, until the fly is back at the boat.
Note: If the fly is not popping loud enough try using intermediate or sinking fly line. It will force the nose of the popper down during each strip. This is very productive with the large Edgewater Boilermakers.
This was the most productive fly on sinking line:
http://www.fishingworks.com/Users/UserFolders/Tom_Hughes/PhotoImages/Productive%20Fly%202.jpg
Technique Used:
Long & Fast Striping The Fly - The rod tip should be parallel and very close to the water surface during the retrieve. Cast the fly and count it down to the desired depth. Start stripping swiftly in 3' increments. The fish will hit the fly while dropping, so always be ready to strip-set the fly at the beginning of each strip.
The most productive lure for trout-on light tackle:
Johnson Smoothy Spoon, 5/8 Ounce, Red and Prism Sides
NOTE: Trout are very color conscience. I fished silver spoon-NO TAKERS, a Smoothy with Yellow and Prism sides - NO TAKERS. If you are on trout keep trying different colors until they hit.
Technique Used:
Vertical Spoon Jigging - Open the reel bail with the rod tip at 9 o'clock. Count the lure down to the desired depth OR let it hit the bottom. *Keep the bail open and stop the line and hold it with your trigger finger. With the rod tip down just above the water, swiftly move it up to 11 o'clock. Then drop the rod back to 9 o'clock. Keep a tight line during this presentation. The fish usually hit while the lure is dropping.
*This will allow you to keep in contact with the bottom OR keep the spoon at the desired water depth throughout the drift. Keep in mind, that the most productive way to fish for trout (weakfish) is to KEEP A TIGHT LINE and the SPOON HITTING THE BOTTOM. If you loose contact with the bottom there are 2 ways to adjust that; straighten out your trigger finger and let more line off the spool or attach a heavier spoon.
Tight Lines,
Tom Hughe
Fly & Light Tackle Guide
http://www.capttomhughes.com
We started out searching for diving birds on the Western Shore and after sighting only a few, decided to cross the Bay to the Eastern Shore. There we sighted ‘the birds’ working a school of baitfish. Colin, using floating line on a 9-weight rod, started catching some striped bass on a top water-popping fly. I joined in with my 7-weight rod, sinking line, and an Orvis Super Clouser fly. The striped bass pulled hard and put up a good fight. We discussed this and agreed it was due to the drop in water temperature. The Upper Bay was 64.7 degrees the day of our trip. The catching went on for the next 45 minutes until the current stopped running.
We scouted the Eastern Shore up and down the coast for about an hour prior to heading back to the Western Shore. Using my Lowrance http://www.lowrance.com/Marine/Products/LCX-15CI.asp combined plot charter, fish finder and GPS; our plan was to pass the structures that have been productive in the past. We were backtracking hoping to find some fish where we didn’t earlier in the day. We were lucky and found breaking birds, bluefish, striped bass and trout…all within a quarter of a mile of each other.
The striped bass and bluefish were caught on ‘the fly’ and the trout were caught on light tackle using jigging spoons.
This was the most productive on topwater:
http://www.fishingworks.com/Users/UserFolders/Tom_Hughes/PhotoImages/Productive%20Fly%203.jpg
Techniques Used:
Popping On Top - The rod tip should be parallel and very close to the water surface during the retrieve. Cast the fly, and the moment it contacts the water, start stripping in 2-foot increments, popping the fly at a 3 to 4 count. Stop the fly for a 1/2 a second between counts. Repeat this again and again, until the fly is back at the boat.
Note: If the fly is not popping loud enough try using intermediate or sinking fly line. It will force the nose of the popper down during each strip. This is very productive with the large Edgewater Boilermakers.
This was the most productive fly on sinking line:
http://www.fishingworks.com/Users/UserFolders/Tom_Hughes/PhotoImages/Productive%20Fly%202.jpg
Technique Used:
Long & Fast Striping The Fly - The rod tip should be parallel and very close to the water surface during the retrieve. Cast the fly and count it down to the desired depth. Start stripping swiftly in 3' increments. The fish will hit the fly while dropping, so always be ready to strip-set the fly at the beginning of each strip.
The most productive lure for trout-on light tackle:
Johnson Smoothy Spoon, 5/8 Ounce, Red and Prism Sides
NOTE: Trout are very color conscience. I fished silver spoon-NO TAKERS, a Smoothy with Yellow and Prism sides - NO TAKERS. If you are on trout keep trying different colors until they hit.
Technique Used:
Vertical Spoon Jigging - Open the reel bail with the rod tip at 9 o'clock. Count the lure down to the desired depth OR let it hit the bottom. *Keep the bail open and stop the line and hold it with your trigger finger. With the rod tip down just above the water, swiftly move it up to 11 o'clock. Then drop the rod back to 9 o'clock. Keep a tight line during this presentation. The fish usually hit while the lure is dropping.
*This will allow you to keep in contact with the bottom OR keep the spoon at the desired water depth throughout the drift. Keep in mind, that the most productive way to fish for trout (weakfish) is to KEEP A TIGHT LINE and the SPOON HITTING THE BOTTOM. If you loose contact with the bottom there are 2 ways to adjust that; straighten out your trigger finger and let more line off the spool or attach a heavier spoon.
Tight Lines,
Tom Hughe
Fly & Light Tackle Guide
http://www.capttomhughes.com