And So Is the YUBA

[Tony Buzolich]

Just got in from a few hours on the water after dinner and had a seven to the boat. My partner, Jim May, hooked ol' Mo on a left over sardina fly from our Baja trip that quickly took him in to the backing. As the fish surfaced, I've got the camera out and the net ready, and like has happened to all of us before, the line just went slack. Damnnnnn!

It seems to happen to all of us when we hook up to a large striper. We get a good grab, we play the fish well, and then all of a sudden the fly comes loose.

What we think is happening is this, these "Big" fish get close to the fly and flair their gills as they open their mouth, and inhale the fly just as they would a minnow or other bait.

The striper then closes his mouth and clamps down tight on the leader, and the fight is on. After a while as the fish gets tired, he (she) opens her mouth and the fly falls out because it was never really hooked to any flesh. It was simply held in a closed mouth.

This has happened to myself and all of my buddy's numerous times on big fish. We can tell also on the leader by the chaffing 5 to 6 inches above the fly.

Tried a little topwater but nothing was working the surafce tonight, even with that big moon and clear sky.

It seems that all of the rivers have fair numbers of fish in them. I'm sure that some will stay around all year and grow big while most will continue to drop down the system and into the delta and the bay for the winter.

[paulegan81]

My partner, Jim May, hooked ol' Mo on a left over sardina fly from our Baja trip that quickly took him in to the backing. As the fish surfaced, I've got the camera out and the net ready, and like has happened to all of us before, the line just went slack. Damnnnnn!

I hate it when that happens!!!!!!
I have the same closed mouth theory.
you know that has never happened to me on top only subsurface??????