This week traveling anglers from Utah and California found the inner-Harbor alive with big bass slurping silversides in the upper reaches of the bays. These new arrivals, covered with sea-lice, were taking both surface and sub-surface imitators both on light-tackle and the long rod. Where we were able to find the baitfish stacked up on the fish finder, the anglers cast to swirling big bass or raised the stripers to the surface on blind casts. Some of the best surface action was to be had, and the largest fish of the summer are here in numbers.
The week proved to be a scorcher which heralded equally hot striper fishing. Brad Hill's from Alpine, Utah and his lovely, first wife, Cindy, traveled east for a week's vacation and 3 days on the water. Hill's, a very experience fly fisher in both fresh and saltwater, found the stripers cooperative casting chartreuse half & half's and a epoxy-head herring creation, tied by Tom Keer, NE Editor of Fly Fisherman, using 400 grain DepthCharge fly line on both Monday and Wednesday. I was busy releasing numerous school bass (15-20 day) to 27 inches, while Brad's biggest fan, Cindy, snapped photos and offered words of encouragement. On Wednesday, Brad struck his first keeper of the week with the herring pattern; a nice 16 pound, 34" striper that was promptly released.
San Diego, CA, father and son team, Mike and Jerry Palmer, tried their hands with Boston's bass using light-tackle, soft-plastic, surface presentations. They had a day to remember. Mike's first bass at first light exploded at boat-side on a Texas-rigged plastic stick-bait. The 38", 22 pound linesider dumped half the reel on the first run and we had to give chase with the boat. Not to be out done, High-liner for the day, son Jerry, raised and hooked his own 36", 20 pound keeper bass. A few small blues and numbers school bass to 27 inches were hooked and all released unharmed.
As the heat wave abated by Friday, Brad and Cindy Hills were treated to the best fishing of the week. Sighting swirling bass on the near mirror-like surface, we switched to a chartreuse popper fished on floating Wonderline. Brad spotted a swirl, directed me to move the boat, and on his second cast, using a staccato retrieve with a long pause, raised and struck the big one. The 36", 20 pound striper was instantly into the backing and heating up the Vortex anti-reverse reel. Big bass continued to pop around the boat and we could see them raise to the popper and almost nose it before turning away. We found that a protracted pause after a few quick strips brought the most aggressive strikes, and red & white poppers worked best. Four keepers 36", 35", 34" and 30" with a total of 30+ bass on fly rod for the day for one angler was a great Boston vacation finale. It's great when a plan comes together; I'd rather be lucky than good! (Photos are up on the website)
Capt. Mike Bartlett
B-Fast Charters www.bfastcharters.com
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