Ryan -
You'll be happy to know that I am by no means the only one qualified to answer this! In fact, if our mission succeeds, members of the Forum would have adequately sampled the great fisheries whenever the opportunity arises.
To answer your question though, the salter scene here in the northeast is nothing short of AWESOME! When you combine the scenery of a wild beach, good friends, a sunrise over the endless atlantic and willing, brawling gamefish - all before breakfast... it's a winning combination. And it's not just stripers, there are bluefish, small inshore tuna species, and occasionally a weakfish (squeteague, spotted trout, seatrout, etc).
Action per outing - this is something that is VERY different from steelheading. In all the trips last year, I think I got the white stripe on the back twice at most. That's not to say that every time out ended up hooking giants but the abundance of smaller school-sized fish (schoolies) makes the day go like a few husky searun cutthroats do when steelheading in fall. Where the elusive steelhead never comes easy, actively feeding ocean gamefish in the northeast are often churning the surface and all it takes is a good cast and a twitch and you're ON. But steelhead are lifetime trophy trout and I wouldn't want them any other way. I used to say to people I was bringing into steelheading "steelheading on a fly is like only asking the very best looking girls to dance, you don't score often but when you DO....".
Brian Lencho can chime in with some graphic examples. I had some extra frequent flyer miles so I floated him a flight to sample the east coast venue. If the opportunity doesn't present itself for forum members, sometimes ya' gotta force the issue. Brian has extended his hospitality to me on my annual "migrations" to steelhead country so I wanted to show him my appreciation by having him taste a little salty air.
Anyway, we had a blast. I still remember how Capt.Bruce Peters took us out on the rips c/o Sean Fields recommendation and invitation. Bruce motored out a ways and said "this it the spot". We were in a Monomoy Rip, which I swear NO ONE knows the rips like Bruce. Anyway, Brian throws his first cast into the rip and begins to strip... the anticipation builds as a pod of big bluefish crashes out of the standing waves, fighting to anihilate his fly! After a racous rumble the leader parts, blues have really sharp teeth. We replace it with wire and he lands one on his NEXT CAST! We spent the next few days fishing flats, inlets, and I managed to get him on a boat three times that trip.
Boy, when I was a guest to Brian, Tyler and Bill on the mighty Thompson last fall, I was reminded of why I appreciate having great friends in high places (Spences Bridge,etc).
So hey gang, let's hurry up and build this forum up so we can extend our angling adventures to every corner of opportunity out there!
(Ryan - it's snowing and frigid out here... you are getting me shack nastied up thinking about all this great angling!)
You'll be happy to know that I am by no means the only one qualified to answer this! In fact, if our mission succeeds, members of the Forum would have adequately sampled the great fisheries whenever the opportunity arises.
To answer your question though, the salter scene here in the northeast is nothing short of AWESOME! When you combine the scenery of a wild beach, good friends, a sunrise over the endless atlantic and willing, brawling gamefish - all before breakfast... it's a winning combination. And it's not just stripers, there are bluefish, small inshore tuna species, and occasionally a weakfish (squeteague, spotted trout, seatrout, etc).
Action per outing - this is something that is VERY different from steelheading. In all the trips last year, I think I got the white stripe on the back twice at most. That's not to say that every time out ended up hooking giants but the abundance of smaller school-sized fish (schoolies) makes the day go like a few husky searun cutthroats do when steelheading in fall. Where the elusive steelhead never comes easy, actively feeding ocean gamefish in the northeast are often churning the surface and all it takes is a good cast and a twitch and you're ON. But steelhead are lifetime trophy trout and I wouldn't want them any other way. I used to say to people I was bringing into steelheading "steelheading on a fly is like only asking the very best looking girls to dance, you don't score often but when you DO....".
Brian Lencho can chime in with some graphic examples. I had some extra frequent flyer miles so I floated him a flight to sample the east coast venue. If the opportunity doesn't present itself for forum members, sometimes ya' gotta force the issue. Brian has extended his hospitality to me on my annual "migrations" to steelhead country so I wanted to show him my appreciation by having him taste a little salty air.
Anyway, we had a blast. I still remember how Capt.Bruce Peters took us out on the rips c/o Sean Fields recommendation and invitation. Bruce motored out a ways and said "this it the spot". We were in a Monomoy Rip, which I swear NO ONE knows the rips like Bruce. Anyway, Brian throws his first cast into the rip and begins to strip... the anticipation builds as a pod of big bluefish crashes out of the standing waves, fighting to anihilate his fly! After a racous rumble the leader parts, blues have really sharp teeth. We replace it with wire and he lands one on his NEXT CAST! We spent the next few days fishing flats, inlets, and I managed to get him on a boat three times that trip.
Boy, when I was a guest to Brian, Tyler and Bill on the mighty Thompson last fall, I was reminded of why I appreciate having great friends in high places (Spences Bridge,etc).
So hey gang, let's hurry up and build this forum up so we can extend our angling adventures to every corner of opportunity out there!
(Ryan - it's snowing and frigid out here... you are getting me shack nastied up thinking about all this great angling!)
