Hairstacker
09-21-2005, 04:08 PM
Fished the Delta today in my inflatable kayak for a few hours. Started out fishing for largemouths on top but only got a few hits and no hookups, so switched to an olive woolly bugger and then a Clouser. Nada.
I switched back to a size 2 red/white Tap's Bug (topwater deerhair bass bug) and was getting a few hits here and there but no hookups when I noticed a big school of fish (I assume shad) boiling the surface in a circle about 6 feet across in a frenzy to get away from what had to be a very aggressive predator. I thought it had to be a striper, so I tossed my Tap's Bug right into the middle of the boiling fish. I started working it back very actively when, BLAM!, fish on! My 5 wt. rod bent over double and my reel started singing, "Haaa-lle-lu-yah, Halleluyah, Halleluyah!" Ok, maybe it didn't sing like that, but it did make a GLORIOUS noise as the fish ran and stripped out line. He made 3 more runs before I finally brought him to hand, a nice clean 19" striper. I know, nothing special, but just a blast on a 5 wt. rod. After measuring him, I admired him for just a moment, released him and kicked into high gear.
I continued to see similar boils of baitfish up and down the slough and I proceeded to plaster the area with my Tap's Bug, bringing it back each time with a ruckus. I ended up missing 4 other stripers on the surface, including one that caused a topwater explosion that almost gave me a heart attack. Alas, it was time to leave before it ended. :cry:
While I was there, I also saw a turtle, a great big white/cream-colored owl, and a couple of egrets that were watching the water where all the action was. It was definitely another fun day on the Delta. And memorable, given that was my first striper caught on a surface fly. A Tap's Bug no less. 8) 8) 8)
I switched back to a size 2 red/white Tap's Bug (topwater deerhair bass bug) and was getting a few hits here and there but no hookups when I noticed a big school of fish (I assume shad) boiling the surface in a circle about 6 feet across in a frenzy to get away from what had to be a very aggressive predator. I thought it had to be a striper, so I tossed my Tap's Bug right into the middle of the boiling fish. I started working it back very actively when, BLAM!, fish on! My 5 wt. rod bent over double and my reel started singing, "Haaa-lle-lu-yah, Halleluyah, Halleluyah!" Ok, maybe it didn't sing like that, but it did make a GLORIOUS noise as the fish ran and stripped out line. He made 3 more runs before I finally brought him to hand, a nice clean 19" striper. I know, nothing special, but just a blast on a 5 wt. rod. After measuring him, I admired him for just a moment, released him and kicked into high gear.
I continued to see similar boils of baitfish up and down the slough and I proceeded to plaster the area with my Tap's Bug, bringing it back each time with a ruckus. I ended up missing 4 other stripers on the surface, including one that caused a topwater explosion that almost gave me a heart attack. Alas, it was time to leave before it ended. :cry:
While I was there, I also saw a turtle, a great big white/cream-colored owl, and a couple of egrets that were watching the water where all the action was. It was definitely another fun day on the Delta. And memorable, given that was my first striper caught on a surface fly. A Tap's Bug no less. 8) 8) 8)