Good Numbers Showing

[Tony Buzolich]

For those of you who have been waiting for the stripers to show up in mass they're finally here and hopefully will continue building in number.

Yesterday, we got on the water about 5:30AM and and after seeing another boat drifting minnows hook-up, I made my first cast of the day and hooked up immediately. First five minutes of the trip and I've got a nice eight pounder to the boat. We drift down stream and work the banks and within a few minutes another comes aboard.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/IMG_6899email.jpg

Lots of boat traffic everywhere with some real A$#%&#s motoring between ourselves and the bank we are casting toward. Most other boats are drifting minnows and trolling. Only saw one other boat fly fishing.

By 9:30AM we had nine stripers(6#-12#) to the boat and decided to get away from the crowd and head upstream. Mid-day, the the bite pretty well shut off, the wind came up,and time to head home. Over-all a great morning.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/IMG_6902email.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/IMG_6905email.jpg

I may be on the water this afternoon so we'll see how the evening bite is going as well.

[jbird]

Tony

I'd love to come down there and do some of that with ya!

Great report!!

Jay

[Hairstacker]

Tony, great report, love the pics! :D

[Dabalone]

Nice fish. Good current up there, how are you set up and are you swinging your clouser in the current or mostly stripping it back in. Appreciate any advice.
Thanks

[lee s.]

Keep Showin'em Tony. You da man. Yahooooo!!!! You still in the shop? Might have to sneak up there and see ya. ;-)
......lee s.

[Tony Buzolich]

As the video's title says we are definitely stripping. Casts are very close to the bank and then the all fearful countdown. I say this because most of the time the fish are feeding along the rock walls and ledges. They're after crawfish, eels,and squawfish in the rocks. And, this should be a clue as to what size flies and colors work best.
Hi Dab,
With a fast moving currant you can only count down so long before you're hung up in the rocks. Sometimes you only get a one - two count before you snag, and yes the SAC does eat a lot of flies.

In deeper water, you want to get it down as deep as you can before your first strip. But here's the game, strip too soon and you simply swim the fly over the fish's head. Wait too long on the drop, and you snag the bottom.

Sometimes what I do is a quick strip as the fly hits the water. Then let it drop and strip again. Let it drop some more, and then strip all the way in. Kind of like walking down a staircase.

And don't forget the Delta Dangle as Dan calls it. Strip right up to the boat and watch your fly before pulling it out of the water. Often, at the last second, you'll get a slam-grab right as you're lifting the fly out of the water.

The fishing isn't red hot all over yet but it's gotten a lot better this week.

Hey Lee,
No, I'm no longer at Johnson's just working out of my house. How's the Russian doing? Any Shad yet at Johnson's over there? Give me a call if you're up this way.