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underwater herring photos

4K views 17 replies 8 participants last post by  Roop 
#1 ·
#6 ·
Thanks Fred,

Your sister in law was probably right, wherever there are a million or so herring there are bound to be stripers. It appears likely that the Taunton once and may still have spawning populations of stripers as well.

The color of the herring underwater is interesting. Their body seems to function almost like a mirror, reflecting their surrondings. When they turn sharply on their sides they give off an almost blinding flash even under low light conditions.
 
#7 ·
Tim...That's what I have noticed as well.... I would like to experiment with more flash on the standard Herring pattern. Trey Combs Sea Habit flies are a good example of this outer flash ...or I should say , imbedded flash that is near the surface of the fly as well. We rarely get an opportunity to see baitfish for long periods of time in the water..that is...long enough to get a good look at them. When you pick them up on the beach or hold them out of water...their flash become subdued.... especially the sand eel. A sand eel out of water takes on a distinctive division between the bottom flash and the back...becoming almost black on top while in the water... even on cloudy days it has the subtle olive back.. Just my eyes seeing though.
 
#8 ·
Here are a few questions since we don't have any herrings (other than many red ones!) around here....
What patterns would generally imitate herring? (by name & reference material/books etc. if possible)
What size are naturals, I'm presuming that spring fish are smaller than later in the year? e.g. length & girth
 
#10 ·
Herd'a Herring...

Pete...
What the Roopmeister said!!! :D
Sparce is good...Less is more...
6"-12"+
Light belly/Dark back/Pearl flash sides/BIG wire hook...
BIG EYEZZZ!!! Who's lookin' at YOU!!! :eyecrazy:
Herring have a reason to look "paranoid"... :eek:
...but it's not paranoia if big stripes really are trying to eat you! :whoa:
 

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#13 ·
John...it IS wall paper!...

Pete...
The "herring runs" are very busy in the early Spring...the urge to spawn drives their movements into streams and lakes.
Prior to my "relocation" to the PharSide of the canal, I resided in South Hadley, MA...About 85 miles inland up the Connecticut River and, in the Spring when the herring arrived, so to did the Stripes! I'd drift herring flys past structure and hang on tight. Great fun!
When the herring are "outside", big phish will herd them into the shore break and I want to be there when it happens...I've got a new CND Atlantis hampster launcher waiting for the dance to start!
Fishing tidal streams and estuaries with these big flys can be very rewarding...Set up on a narrow spot or a current rip to present to passing striped preditors...Once the spawning is completed and the herring return to deeper waters, the party winds down and it's time to hit the flatz and beaches...IMHO

The BEST method for success is to stick close to JURO!:devil:
 

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#14 ·
Nice flies Pete noticed that you put pink in your flies. Everyone should put a little pink in their flies. Works for me. I am sure one of the reasons that the Herring in South Hadley were on the run was the shadow of the c5 which they took for a giant Hawk.:D
FishHawk:hehe:
 
#15 ·
and besides pink, don't forget...

an insinuation of lavender pearlesence...the shade you get when the sun refracts off those shoulder scales...
And Striblue ALWAYS coordinates with his piscatorial attire! :razz:
Now about that c5...a cervical bone in the neck?
Way back when, I could scoop up the entire NorthEast armada and be offloading at Cherry Point MCAS (near Harkers Island) in about 2 hours!
Waste/Fraud/Abuse...Those were the DAZE! :whoa:
 

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#16 ·
Pete, seen any of those herrings in the southside estuaries yet. I may have to take a break from yardwork Sunday afternoon and have a look for myself. Maybe stand in the stream, phling phleys phor phun and see what passes by. Last year at this time the water was gin clear and acid dead, no signs of life until the end of the month. Then the first weekend in May all sorts of mysterious life forms would float by.
 
#17 ·
Hi Phred!

It's been wicked windy and chilly but tomorrow is supposed to be warmer and kinder...
Weshallsee!?
I was going to start visiting spots on the Parker & Bass...
'Looking for promising signs...
Two years ago I bent a rod on 15 April...
Last year it was the first week of May...
I'll post any success...in between walking my new interspecies significant other and rigging das boot.:D
 
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