Couldn't Hook Up but had fun - stripers on the fly

[Black Ghost (Ken)]

I found a new challenge. Surf casting for stripers and blues on the fly. I was going to do a charter up in Wells but the guide I talked to convinced me that I'd be better off from shore if fly fishing was my thing. I did the math and figured out I coul.d buy a used 9-0 ft 9 wt with a new reel/ fly line and save about $100 by fishing from shore on my own. I didn't hook up but I learned alot by casting until my arm almost fell off, talking with some old pros, and watching the others. It was pretty slow out there even for the locals so I don't feel as bad about the skunk.

I tied some deceivers. I learned a little about the different patterns too.

I just wish Maine was a little closer.

[mac]

When I was in Wells nobody was catching anything from the shore. Also had a friend go out on a 10hr Deep Sea Charter and did not do well.

But fishing is fun regardless....

[drachma]

Ken,

I grew up in NH and use to fish stripers and blues a lot near Portsmouth, NH and Plum Island, MA. I have a bunch of flies I can show you I tied and used if you are interested. I also have a 9' 9 weight I made that I can show you to. You certainly have my double hauling jiuces flowing just thinking about Stripers.

Michael

[Black Ghost (Ken)]

Ken,

I grew up in NH and use to fish stripers and blues a lot near Portsmouth, NH and Plum Island, MA. I have a bunch of flies I can show you I tied and used if you are interested. I also have a 9' 9 weight I made that I can show you to. You certainly have my double hauling jiuces flowing just thinking about Stripers.

Michael

Michael-

I would like to see some of your flies . It seems like most store bought flies have the gummy plastic head. I need to stick with a traditional fly pattern.

I'd really like is to get out and do it again, with success and with my own flies.

Ken

[drachma]

Ken,

I'd be happy to show you what I have and the 10' 10 weight I made with a retractable fighting butt. I live in Waterbury Center, but I do come to Burlington a couple times a month for work. Let me know how you'd like to get together.

Michael Milne

[gseries69]

Blackghost,

The striper run has fallen off somewhat in recent years. As a migratory fish, the size of the stock will have an impact on their distribution. The summering grounds for stripers are in and around Cape Cod with the fringe areas being the southern part of Maine. As the stocks decrease the fish will be less likely to head north to find food. These past few seasons Maine has had a tough time with stripers but they are still there. The problem has been the numbers of fish in relation to the abundance of bait making them more difficult to fool with flies.

Your 9' 9wt is the perfect sized rod and wt for most striped bass situations but if you are going to fish exclusively from shore, and rocky areas like Maine, you might want to consider a two handed overhead rod. Beulah puts out an 11' 8/9 wt that's perfect. Make sure to have an intermediate sinking line and also a grained shooter and always use a stripping basket as the currents will wreak havoc on line control.

Striped bass relate to current. Always be sure to check your tide charts and fish areas where there is moving water. Remember also that these are saltwater fish. Your strips should be long and fast to imitate saltwater forage. The most difficult thing to learn will be the strip strike. Most trout fly anglers struggle with this as they tend to lift the rod when they feel a strike. Keep your rod tip pointed towards the water and continue to strip even after you feel a fish. The long strip strike or the fish turning will get a hook up.

Flies are not overly important when fishing to stipers unless you're on the flats. Some good flies include deceivers in white, white over chartreuse, and olive over white. They imitate anything from peanuts to silver sides and white ones even do a good job for squid in the spring. Clousers are also great in the same color scemes imitating sand eels and other forage fish but be careful casting them. Half and halfs are my favorite and there is a local fly in Maine that really works great called the guitar minnow. It was originated by Jim Bernstein who runs Eldridge Bros fly shop in Nedick Maine.

The spring runs on Cape Cod have been very good. Whether you hit Maine again or go to the Cape give me a shout and I'd be happy to give you more specific areas to try.

Tight lines

[Black Ghost (Ken)]

Thanks for the tips Tight Lines.

[Surfcaster]

Try a crab fly fished on sinking line slow slow on the bottom