Striped Bass, Where have you gone?

I headed up to Jersey to see the old stomping ground and hook up with my old buddy, the Striped Bass. Conditions were perfect, the bunker were everywhere, but the bass were nowhere to be found.

 I fished the bay, the ocean, the rocks, the beach, the river, and the bridges, but they weren't there. Two day out on the water and had no bass to show for it. Did hook up with some Blues on the beaches and behind the bunker, but no bass.

 My brother dove all day long, the following day and only saw two bass. It was pretty clear that the wave of bass that I had been hearing about had moved north. Oh well, that is what I get for only allotting two days on the Ocean.

 It was nice to be back on my boat however, I can not wait till August when I can take her out again.

Forgot My Boots = Fishing the Boulder Pools

 

In preparing for a trip, I took my boots out of my trunk. Needless to say I arrived at the Gun bootless today. The good folks at the fly shop offered to lone me a pair, but I told them that I was going to make my sandals work. I decided to fish the boulder pools. The only way to fish this section is climbing in and around the boulders that make up the bank.  

 First fish was the beautiful rainbow. I cherish the rainbows because they are few and far between but they are there. The funny thing is the very next fish that hit and almost landed was another rainbow somewhat bigger than the one pictured.

 I landed a few more browns and had to snap a few quick pictures of the beautiful fish.

Blown Out? Think Again....

The Gun was pushing a lot of water. Water was clear but very high.

 I found some fish in the eddies. Some smaller brown that I did not take pictures of and some fallfish. Why a picture of a fall-fish, you ask? They were further up river than I had ever caught one before. I also have to double check the when they spawn, because in the flooded grasses along the bank I found some type of fish larvae and I'd be willing to guess these fall-fish were behind it.

 I had landed four or five browns along with the fallfish and then I got to thinking. When I drove over the river downstream it was quite muddy. Not to far up stream the water was running high but clear. I saw this as a opportunity to try something different. I headed downstream to a big pool that a new was still muddy but improving. I got there and it looked unfishable very fast high muddy water, but that's what I was looking for. When I was fishing upstream in the clear water I noticed that the fish were stacked up in the eddy. My hope was that this fish down here would do the same thing, the only difference being the muddy water. The muddy water allowed some stealth in an area were I feel like I always spoke the fish. 

 The plan worked out well. I worked the slower seams and the eddies and hooked these and a few other fish with short casts in the muddy water.