First Striped Bass of the Season! (Marone saxatilis)

As any one who has been following me knows I have been terribly busy. While the load is lightened we still cannot rest, but I'll save you the boring details of my work and get to the fun I was able to sneak myself into.

The past few weeks I was feeling the water with nothing much to show. Eyeballing the tide, losing sleep, exhausting myself by forcing trips. 3 skunked trips for me felt like an eternity. But I had my head held high, as I noticed cormorants starting to show. All I could do now is wait for when the tide is right with me and the universe/work.

Last Thursday we finished work earlier than expected. So I promptly clocked out and checked the tide, moon, and wind to decide when and where I will go, Do I need to get my butt going now? Or should I take a nap and go later?

Conditions told me to take a nap and go at midnight. I decided to go to the closest spot, which is a prolific bottleneck. I was convinced this was going to be a good day when I saw an Osprey swoop down and pull a bunker out of the water.

Above is a full sized Bunker Atlantic Menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus), number one baitfish along the east coast. At all stages of their life they are a valuable food source for most salt water predators and that includes my target, Striped Bass. The Bunker above was foul hooked on my minnow lure, there were so many I was bumping into them each time I retrieved. This was encouraging and at the same time taxing as each time it happened I had to asses if it was a strike. At the same time I knew if there were any predators chasing them, I am right where I need to be.

Patience seems to be the only tool that can help me now. It's now 1:00 am and I have noticed a Bunker jumping here then a bit later over there. A steady jump as if they were feeding freely. An hour of this and no bites I think it's safe to say that there are no Bass chasing them.

I sat down next to my fishing bag and lit a cigarette to contemplate leaving, but something, maybe the wind shifting or a certain smell I decided to stick around. I can't really put my finger on why I decided to stay but it seemed promising when suddenly a handfull of Bunker jumped all in a row. They seemed stressed, I thought, as the roars of jumping bunker started to increase.

I cast my minnow lure gave a few strong cranks to dig it deeper into the water column then I reel as slow as I can. Even if I can't feel the lure beating, I knew it was still working properly. I was reeling so slow I could feel every joint in my shoulders and knees creaking. Every millisecond in a deep anticipation, these are big Bunker I think there will be big bass.

My Lure made it up to a ripple in the current and tumbled, a split second later my lure turned into an anchor. Knowing that didn't actually happen I set the hook as hard as I can and reeled a few cranks keeping the line taught. At this point the battle begins. Despite my drag being near locked with 50 lb braid and a 50 lb fluorocarbon leader this fish started to peel line. As a relief this didn't last long I was able to get it in close.

Close just don't cut it if you know what I mean. I am standing on algae covered boulders holding my balance with a fish the size of my leg fighting for it's freedom. It is only feet away now and thrashing, I also know its a keeper. Once the fish is calm I see it is hooked just so, feeling lucky I made it this far I reached in to lip it.

Some would say it didn't count because it made it off the hook before I could get it out of the water. I say, damn right it counts because I jumped right in after it and wouldn't ya know it, I got it!

Soaking wet I with a 30 inch fish on my new stringer I felt satisfied. I felt no need to keep fishing as the limit is one per person and I am simply tired. One is enough anyhow, my fridge will be filled for a whole week. Now Almost 2:00 am Friday morning, I pack up my fish to get my butt home, I have work soon.

On the stringer bleeding while I get ready to clean.

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