From the structure board by Adrian Sharp.

Flats Fishing

Date: July 05, 2006 at 14:52:19
From: ken, [pool-64-222-58-149.prov.east.verizon.net]
Subject: From the structure board by Adrian Sharp.

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Date: July 05, 2006 at 05:11:07
From: Adrian, [24-151-13-237.dhcp.nwtn.ct.charter.com]
Subject: Stripers in the grass

Eel grass that is.

This past week-end I was kayak fishing and noticed stripers holdiong over the extensive eelgrass beds adjacent to the flats. Sometimes they were rooting around for tiny bait, but sometimes they were stationary.

There was very little current and it was almost like they were asleep.

I had noticed these fish first a couple of weeks previously during flat calm conditions when from shore, you would see tiny swirls and disturbances on the surface from feeding fish. I had rigged a couple of small sandeels bucktails and decided to try a GP since it was the only shrimplike fly in my box. My first cast out to the feeding fish also spooked the other 99 (yes that's ninety-nine) stripers that were lying in between me and the fish! There was no indication that any other fish were there. Being a little wiser I started to work the weed bed a little more carefully and was rewarded with a nice fish of about thirty inches. It had swallowed the GP. Now the GP is one of my all-time favorite nightime flies but I'd not considered it under bright sunshine.

I was paddling those same eelgrass beds by kayak this past week-end and after a short while spooked a single fish that looked to be a good size. I decided to give the GP another try and this time was rewarded with two good sized fish. Not quite keeper size but close. The water temperature was 76F by my thermometer.

The great thing about these areas is I had them to myself. Water too shallow for regular boats and grass to close to the surface for any kind of sunk-line approach. This is a popular spot when the water is deeper and slow sinking lines can be used. Fishing from the kayak gave me the advantage of stealthy aproach and also I was able to spot fish lying stationary that I probably wouldn't have noticed on foot.

Lessons learned:

1) Big fish feed in the eel-grass, even during low tide and when the water is warm.
2) If you see a swirl there may be several fish between you and the one feeding
3) The GP is as effective under bright sun as it is at night.
4) Retrieve the flies only fast enough to stay just above the tips of the grass.

Posted with TalkShop version 2.71-8

Posted with TalkShop version 2.71-8

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