Popping flies that have been working well.

[CapeMayRay]

One of my charters gave me these flies. They have been working very well. I am sure they take some time to make but they are holding up pretty well, make a nice pop and the fish seem to be taking them.

[captcl]

Have they been working day in, day out Ray? Sunny or cloudy?

[CapeMayRay]

Have only used them at around sunset and after dark in the last couple of weeks. Can't ever remember doing well with popping flies in bright sunlight unless the fish are blitzing baitfish. Cloudy and foggy days will do. Stripers just do not like the bright sun. I find they stay deeper but come up along rocks, sod banks and shallows when there is low light.

Been finding fish very active right as the sun goes down. Then there seems to be about a 1/2 hour period where they stop. I believe their eyes are adjusting to the light, then they seem to start hitting again. Never quite as heavy as they do at dusk. Plus it is so much harder for the angler to see and work his fly too.

[CapeMayRay]

Here are a couple more flies that worked last Saturday morning. (the last time that I caught well on a popping fly.)

I had these weird hooks. Don't remember where I got them. I was able to cut the foam in two piece put the hook into the foam so that it hangs lower off the back of the fly leaving a bigger gap to hook the fish. Also while floating on the surface the tail section remains under water. The action worked well and I had a good hook up ration.

I have a larger hook in the same style that I will play with.

[OneMoreCast]

Ray,
If you need more of those hooks, the are known as keel hooks. You can tie 2 surf candies on the shank. One at the eye and the other is at the second bend... the idea behind it is to give the look of a school of bay anchovy...
Several companies make them. The hook in the picture is a mustad.

[CapeMayRay]

I have seen that in Bob's book. Have never tried it. Think I like the one fly on one hook. That is like making two flies and only one will catch.

[foulhook]

Very nice bugs Ray!! They look very familiar though

[CapeMayRay]

Welcome Bob, Fish are still up north where you were a few weeks back. Had one of my charters fishing up in Mass and was catching tons of bass and huge blues and said let me know when they get down to Cape May. If it insn't too cold by then he wants to go out. Don't know if we will ever see the bigger guys down here. Might be January by the time they are here.

[foulhook]

Welcome Bob, Fish are still up north where you were a few weeks back. Had one of my charters fishing up in Mass and was catching tons of bass and huge blues and said let me know when they get down to Cape May. If it insn't too cold by then he wants to go out. Don't know if we will ever see the bigger guys down here. Might be January by the time they are here.

I don't think it's going to be that long. They come in waves remember. The reports I am getting out of CT/RI are just nuts right now. Lots of 30-45 inch fish being caught for the last few days. Temps are finally coming down and quickly. I know it was 26* at my house yesterday morning. Water temps last week outside the Hook were 63* at the warmest. I think you'll see them before January. I am guessing the begining of December you will have them if not sooner.

They are still getting fish heavily up north as well. Like I said waves of fish is the way it usually works. I know the boys in Glouster are still knocking fish but not like they were a few weeks back.

This looks like a great site. Looking forward to meeting some of the guys here.

Tight lines, Bob