December Striper reports from Cape May

[Dave Sikorski]

I thought that might be what it was. I've tied some of the SF blend but haven't used the bunker flies I made. They were a bit bigger than the one you've got there. Might just have to try some "peanut" sized ones.

It seems like a great material. Can you tell what kind of hook that is?

The ones I tied are on Eagle Claws that are tweeked a little to prevent fouling. OneMoreCast showed them to me last spring.

That should be a good seminar, don't tell all of your secrets!!

Merry Christmas.

-D

[CapeMayRay]

Couldn't find anyone to go fishing with today. It was too nice and with a light wind I had to go. Left the dock at noon and headed out to the inlet hoping to find some bird activity along the beach. Nothing toward Wildwood and nothing showing to the south so I worked the inlet rocks hard with the incoming tide. Two hours and only had one small bass swirl at my fly.

Went to the back bay and tried all over the place and finally got a 15 1/4 inch bass on a chart/white clouser way in the back at the mouth of a small creek. Can they get any smaller. Was going to head in but waited for the tide to start going out.

Worked a point with a small rip line and picked up three quick small bass, on the same fly, almost on back to back casts. 16, 16 1/2 and 17 1/2 inches and the action stopped dead.


I expected better action and bigger fish but was happy just to be able to be out fishing this time of year. Had a fun afternoon and a pretty sunset.

[CapeMayRay]

Buddy who was to go today had a last minute change so I was on own again. Enough of a east wind to make running up the beach out of the question. Worked the rocks for a while with no strikes. Water looked good just no fish, so I decided to go in the back.

On the way in I caught two small stripers that hit the old bunker fly over submerged rocks at the base of the north jetty. The area always looks good but I have never done well there.

Moved to the back working a few points on the out going tide and trying to stay out of the wind. It was slow but i managed two more small bass on olive/white clouser.

On the way back I did see a guy off a sod bank get about 5 or 6 small bass using a rubber finesse. Couldn't fish that area with out infringing on his area.

Had another fun afternoon, with 4 stripers and another nice sunset. All the bass were small 18, 18 1/4, 18 3/4, and 19 inches, but beats being home any day.

[CapeMayRay]

Bitter sweet end to the fishing season. Got a call yesterday for a charter this morning. Got to the dock and charter never showed up. Waited for an hour, tried to get him on phone with no luck.

Went out myself and had to work for the couple of fish that I got on the fly. One along the beachfront pilings where they were dumping the dredge spoils. Water was clean until they started pumping. Got an 18 1/2 incher using bunker fly and sinking line.

Worked the jetty rocks and nothing. Moved to the back bay and got another small bass on green/while clouser. Two hits and two fish. Talked to a few other guys fishing and it seemed to be slow all around.

Called it an early day and headed back to the barn for the last time as I will be pulling the boat tomorrow.

It has been a long season. Didn't eat much striper this year but had a fun time exercising and conditioning the young bass to do battle when they get older.