If the below has happened to you lately or you would like to read my last chapter on flats fishing or your stuck in the office and bored stiff, you can read my entire report on my site. (url below) Lots of good tips, advice and some funny stuff too. Id post it all here but as you all know they are about a mile long.
Hi Randy, I'm kind of new to fly fishing for stripers, and am frustrated so far. Several days this spring I've fished South Cape beach and Waquoit. Seen hundreds of fish, but hooked up only a few times. On South Cape last Saturday the fish were stacked tight against the shore actively feeding, but they were REAL skittish. I must have spooked 10 fish for every 1 that I got a cast to. These fish were very picky, too. I threw everything at them, several sand eel patterns, crabs, surf candy, clouser's. Fast retrieves, slow retrieves, no retrieves. Nothing worked. Obviously, I'm doing something wrong, but I'm not sure what. Thanks, Brian
Hi Brian, If its shallow you could of tried a clear Int. line. Or if they were on the surface a floating line. (line does not make a splash and spook fish like a weighted line does.) Maybe wrong fly for the bait they were eating. Maybe so much bait that they had a hard time finding your 1 fly in thousands of bait? Try something really big next time so it stands out? Maybe leader to short and they were seeing the fly line. Maybe leader was to heavy pound test and they were seeing the heavy mono? Maybe splashing line on surface and spooking them? Maybe you were not lowering your upper body as they approached and they saw you? Maybe there were a number of other anglers around and the fish were spooked? Maybe you were not leading the fish enough? Maybe they were eating small shrimp or micro eels and they were becoming very fussy? (whew) As you can see their are variables to consider and some others I have not mentioned. Don't be to hard on yourself, others guides including myself are finding some very fussy fish also. Once the tides pick up, they will eat your fly good! Try finding an area that has moving water, that
always works best. Good Luck, Randy
Hi Randy, I'm kind of new to fly fishing for stripers, and am frustrated so far. Several days this spring I've fished South Cape beach and Waquoit. Seen hundreds of fish, but hooked up only a few times. On South Cape last Saturday the fish were stacked tight against the shore actively feeding, but they were REAL skittish. I must have spooked 10 fish for every 1 that I got a cast to. These fish were very picky, too. I threw everything at them, several sand eel patterns, crabs, surf candy, clouser's. Fast retrieves, slow retrieves, no retrieves. Nothing worked. Obviously, I'm doing something wrong, but I'm not sure what. Thanks, Brian
Hi Brian, If its shallow you could of tried a clear Int. line. Or if they were on the surface a floating line. (line does not make a splash and spook fish like a weighted line does.) Maybe wrong fly for the bait they were eating. Maybe so much bait that they had a hard time finding your 1 fly in thousands of bait? Try something really big next time so it stands out? Maybe leader to short and they were seeing the fly line. Maybe leader was to heavy pound test and they were seeing the heavy mono? Maybe splashing line on surface and spooking them? Maybe you were not lowering your upper body as they approached and they saw you? Maybe there were a number of other anglers around and the fish were spooked? Maybe you were not leading the fish enough? Maybe they were eating small shrimp or micro eels and they were becoming very fussy? (whew) As you can see their are variables to consider and some others I have not mentioned. Don't be to hard on yourself, others guides including myself are finding some very fussy fish also. Once the tides pick up, they will eat your fly good! Try finding an area that has moving water, that
always works best. Good Luck, Randy