Tuna
06-01-2003, 10:46 AM
Got out a bit earlier than usual Friday morning, and spent my first hour in 3 mile harbor catching small bass (only 1 of 6 was more than 20 inches).
Thought I saw the clouds clearing, so I headed to North Haven. I had about 5 minutes of the mysterious glowing orb (you know, that thing we called the sun) during which I scared 2 nice bass.
With clouds again, I headed to Smith's Cove and threw a sinking line until I got a sea robbin. Yup, they are back (saw a lot over Friday and Saturday). I did see a few bass near shore but had no shot.
Went to the Ferry next, where blues were feeding on the surface and took a few.
Headed off for Paradise Point and took 2 bass about 24 inches throwing a sinking line off the edge of the point.
Saw the sun returning and headed to Shell Beach. Saw some bass but had no shots.
Headed to Jessups Neck where I saw a lot of mid 20 to 30 inch bass in 64 degree water. Turned a number of fish but no hookups.
Tried the Egret but the place is no good at high tide.
Headed back to North Haven for some pretty good flats fishing. I saw singles, doubles and pods up to 5 of mid 20 to over 30 inch fish. Water temps had risen with the sun and the now receding tide to about 68 degrees. The bass were more active than any I had seen so far this season. Even saw a bass side. I blew a lot of chances, but my first fish was a lot of fun - a big bass, with a smaller bass at its side, turns slowly to my fly and boom, the smaller bass darts out and slams it. Had up to 4 bass following my hooked fish, all larger, one considerably larger. Landed and measured it at 28 inches - too bad I didn't have a guest, as one of the larger fish (which I now estimate up to 34 inches) would have hit from the excitement of chasing my fish.
Got another 28 incher casting to a pod.
My 3rd and last fish sight casting was a single, close to the boat. I love seeing a bass hit near the boat, and it was my biggest of the day (29). I was super stoked, not by the 3 I got, but by having sun for nearly 4 hours, by the size of the fish I saw and landed on the flats, and the number of bass I had shots at.
Decided that Saturday would have intermittant sun at best so got out before sunrise for a half day.
I thought 3 mile harbor would be a gimme, but that was the backbone of the potential anatomy of a skunking. Ninety minutes, a bump and a follow later, I took off for North Haven, hoping for some sight fishing.
Bumped into surface feeding blues on the way and thought I had another sure thing. Silly attitude, would have served me right to catch the skunk, but I broke it with a small blue.
There were hints of sun by 8 am, so I went on the North Haven flats. I could barely see 4 feet from the boat, but managed a good angle on one fish that hit, got off, then chased my fly to the boat. It turned on my fly again on another cast, but didn't hit. I saw a few other bass real near the boat before Josh and his pop showed up.
We were getting less and less sun and I only saw one more bass before leaving to search for blues. Found them short of the ferry and got a few, saw Josh and his pop on some.
Sun popped out again and I drifted the Smith's Cove shore, seeing 5 bass (2 of them nice) but I had no good shots.
Finished the day well before noon drifting Shell Beach with a bit of sun. Spooked a few nice fish, then got lucky as the sun hid, seeing a bass near the boat and getting it to hit before it saw the boat. Best fight of the season, although just a 24 incher.
Although I did not see bait on the flats yet, there is more bait other than shrimp around, hopefully the coming weekend will have sun, I wanna get more sight casting chances.
Thought I saw the clouds clearing, so I headed to North Haven. I had about 5 minutes of the mysterious glowing orb (you know, that thing we called the sun) during which I scared 2 nice bass.
With clouds again, I headed to Smith's Cove and threw a sinking line until I got a sea robbin. Yup, they are back (saw a lot over Friday and Saturday). I did see a few bass near shore but had no shot.
Went to the Ferry next, where blues were feeding on the surface and took a few.
Headed off for Paradise Point and took 2 bass about 24 inches throwing a sinking line off the edge of the point.
Saw the sun returning and headed to Shell Beach. Saw some bass but had no shots.
Headed to Jessups Neck where I saw a lot of mid 20 to 30 inch bass in 64 degree water. Turned a number of fish but no hookups.
Tried the Egret but the place is no good at high tide.
Headed back to North Haven for some pretty good flats fishing. I saw singles, doubles and pods up to 5 of mid 20 to over 30 inch fish. Water temps had risen with the sun and the now receding tide to about 68 degrees. The bass were more active than any I had seen so far this season. Even saw a bass side. I blew a lot of chances, but my first fish was a lot of fun - a big bass, with a smaller bass at its side, turns slowly to my fly and boom, the smaller bass darts out and slams it. Had up to 4 bass following my hooked fish, all larger, one considerably larger. Landed and measured it at 28 inches - too bad I didn't have a guest, as one of the larger fish (which I now estimate up to 34 inches) would have hit from the excitement of chasing my fish.
Got another 28 incher casting to a pod.
My 3rd and last fish sight casting was a single, close to the boat. I love seeing a bass hit near the boat, and it was my biggest of the day (29). I was super stoked, not by the 3 I got, but by having sun for nearly 4 hours, by the size of the fish I saw and landed on the flats, and the number of bass I had shots at.
Decided that Saturday would have intermittant sun at best so got out before sunrise for a half day.
I thought 3 mile harbor would be a gimme, but that was the backbone of the potential anatomy of a skunking. Ninety minutes, a bump and a follow later, I took off for North Haven, hoping for some sight fishing.
Bumped into surface feeding blues on the way and thought I had another sure thing. Silly attitude, would have served me right to catch the skunk, but I broke it with a small blue.
There were hints of sun by 8 am, so I went on the North Haven flats. I could barely see 4 feet from the boat, but managed a good angle on one fish that hit, got off, then chased my fly to the boat. It turned on my fly again on another cast, but didn't hit. I saw a few other bass real near the boat before Josh and his pop showed up.
We were getting less and less sun and I only saw one more bass before leaving to search for blues. Found them short of the ferry and got a few, saw Josh and his pop on some.
Sun popped out again and I drifted the Smith's Cove shore, seeing 5 bass (2 of them nice) but I had no good shots.
Finished the day well before noon drifting Shell Beach with a bit of sun. Spooked a few nice fish, then got lucky as the sun hid, seeing a bass near the boat and getting it to hit before it saw the boat. Best fight of the season, although just a 24 incher.
Although I did not see bait on the flats yet, there is more bait other than shrimp around, hopefully the coming weekend will have sun, I wanna get more sight casting chances.