Well, as much as I hate to admit it, it's that time of year to reflect on the season as it passes on to greener pastures. I think we all learned a lot this year, and as we learned we had a hell of a season along the way. I learn something every time I step into the water, but this year was especially gratifying because of the degree of collaboration and team spirit we had as we took on new venues and figured them out as a group.
One of the things that really struck me this year was the profound impact of current on fish behavior. Of course I knew things about the way fish act with respect to current, for instance the castless presentation on the Wacky west jetty last year. The stripers were set up in such a way that I could catch fish after fish without so much as a cast, only needed to "dap" the fly and slide it over some rocks before WHAM! another one on. Casting around the area produced only an occasional fish despite the ability to see them all around the area.
But this year, as we became the first group to shuttle to fish South Monomoy from shore (according to Rip Ryder), the lesson of current and fish behavior was emphasized like never before. Depending on our schedule, we could have several hours of idle fishing interrupted by an hour of incredible madhouse fishing with big fish readily available even on 90 degree mid-day high sun conditions. The current, and a certain current, was the key.
That lesson was known to me in several other locales including Brewster Flats and Bass Hole, river mouths, etc. - and I fished these places that way, but the lesson never hit home quite as dramatically as the Tip Rip. I've already applied the knowledge to several other areas with success, even on incoming tide rips in different locales.
Any such lessons for you?
One of the things that really struck me this year was the profound impact of current on fish behavior. Of course I knew things about the way fish act with respect to current, for instance the castless presentation on the Wacky west jetty last year. The stripers were set up in such a way that I could catch fish after fish without so much as a cast, only needed to "dap" the fly and slide it over some rocks before WHAM! another one on. Casting around the area produced only an occasional fish despite the ability to see them all around the area.
But this year, as we became the first group to shuttle to fish South Monomoy from shore (according to Rip Ryder), the lesson of current and fish behavior was emphasized like never before. Depending on our schedule, we could have several hours of idle fishing interrupted by an hour of incredible madhouse fishing with big fish readily available even on 90 degree mid-day high sun conditions. The current, and a certain current, was the key.
That lesson was known to me in several other locales including Brewster Flats and Bass Hole, river mouths, etc. - and I fished these places that way, but the lesson never hit home quite as dramatically as the Tip Rip. I've already applied the knowledge to several other areas with success, even on incoming tide rips in different locales.
Any such lessons for you?