FISHING CONDITIONS:  Weather has kept me home with clients wisely waiting for better days.  Fishing reports by those that did get out indicate it is off track with few or no fish being caught.

WATER TEMPERATURE:  Upper Bay 37.8, Lower 41.9, Ocean 39.9

MOST COMMON BAIT:  Bunker and something of much smaller size that isn’t yet identified.   

“MUST HAVE” FLIES IN DESCENDING ORDER OF IMPORTANCE:

• Large, heavy Clouser deep minnow pattern, Chartreuse and white 
• Large bunker patterns and half and half’s 

RECOMMENDED LEADER:  I use short (7 1/2 foot) tapered leaders in 16 to 20 pound strength.  For spinning I use straight non tapered sections of fluorocarbon leader material in 25 to 30 pound test. 

BEST FLY ROD AND REEL OUTFIT: 9 foot 9 weight Tip Flex Rod, paired with a light weight large arbor reel. 

IDEAL FLY LINE TYPES:  This time of year I prefer full sinking lines.  I like the deeper profile “belly” that forms with these lines.  Whether I use full sink or a sinking head, use fastest sink rate line in either.  Get it down!!

SPINNING REEL OUTFIT: I have selected shorter, six foot to seven foot, medium fast action rods with 2500 F1 series Shimano Stradic reel.  Jigging works well with at least 3 to 4 ounces and a stinger behind.  Lures like Bass Assassins on ¾ oz heads are working well.

BEST TECHNIQUES: Find fish with your sonar and work the pod.  Expect several fish per area and usually move to new area in a few minutes as the pod breaks up. 

COMMENTS:   Although the larger fish aren’t common there seems to be plentiful supply of 22 to 26 inch fish.  The jumbos may not show back up until bait in this area renews.    

7-DAY OUTLOOK:  I recommend “wait and see” for another week.  Last year the entire month of January and February were productive.  WATER TEMPERATURES ARE ONLY 1 DEGREE DIFFERENT THAN A YEAR AGO.  THIS IS NOT THE END, JUST A PHASE.   

LOCATION:  Mouth of the Bay, CBBT, Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel

SPECIES:  Striped Bass

UPDATE:  January 18, 2010

FISHING CONDITIONS:  Fish are “stacked up” in the pilings.  When located the schools look good with one exception, little amount of bait is showing.  This results in fish not on the feed and slow fishing is the result.  Few fish are being caught on artificial even when in these schools.

WATER TEMPERATURE:  Upper Bay 34.9, Lower 39.9, Ocean 48.6

MOST COMMON BAIT:  Bunker

“MUST HAVE” FLIES IN DESCENDING ORDER OF IMPORTANCE:

• Large, heavy Clouser deep minnow pattern, Chartreuse and white 
• Large bunker patterns and half and half’s 

RECOMMENDED LEADER:  I use short (7 1/2 foot) tapered leaders in 16 to 20 pound strength.  For spinning I use straight non tapered sections of fluorocarbon leader material in 25 to 30 pound test. 

BEST FLY ROD AND REEL OUTFIT: 9 foot 9 weight Tip Flex Rod, paired with a light weight large arbor reel. 

IDEAL FLY LINE TYPES:  This time of year I prefer full sinking lines.  I like the deeper profile “belly” that forms with these lines.  Whether I use full sink or a sinking head, use fastest sink rate line in either.  Get it down!!

SPINNING REEL OUTFIT: I have selected shorter, six foot to seven foot, medium fast action rods with 2500 F1 series Shimano Stradic reel.  Jigging works well with at least 3 to 4 ounces and a stinger behind.  Lures like Bass Assassins on ¾ oz heads are working well.

BEST TECHNIQUES: Find fish with your sonar and work the pod.  Expect several fish per area and usually move to new area in a few minutes as the pod breaks up. 

COMMENTS:   Although the larger fish aren’t common there seems to be plentiful supply of 22 to 26 inch fish.  The jumbos may not show back up until bait in this area renews.    

7-DAY OUTLOOK: Finally the freezing conditions have give way to a normal temperature in the 40’s during the day.  Only occasional rain is forecast for this coming week, so get out and give it a try.   

LOCATION:  Lower Bay, Virginia, CBBT (Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel)

SPECIES:  Striped Bass

UPDATE:  January 3, 2010

FISHING CONDITIONS:  Cold!  Air temperature is cooler.  Trips are still getting out, but comfort and safety require we watch wind chill and start time temperatures closely.  Good news, the colder water has driven the last of the bait down the bay and the striped bass here at the CBBT are feeding constantly.    

WATER TEMPERATURE: Mid Bay 36.3, Lower Bay (CBBT) 42.8, Ocean 41

MOST COMMON BAIT:  Bunker

“MUST HAVE” FLIES IN DESCENDING ORDER OF IMPORTANCE:

• Large 4 inch or longer, Clouser deep minnow or half and half’s in Chartreuse and white 
• Large bunker patterns 

RECOMMENDED LEADER: 16 to 20 pound test, 7 ½ foot or 9 foot.

BEST FLY ROD AND REEL OUTFIT:  9 weight with large arbor reel

IDEAL FLY LINE TYPES: Full sink line in the fastest sink rate. 

BEST TECHNIQUES: Currently the best bite is between the 2^nd and 3^rd islands.  Working the area between the pilings whenever the fish show on the sonar and sink the fly to the deepest it will go in the strong current.  A fast strip back will work but often a slow jigging retrieve is better.  That keeps the fly in the zone longer and seems to get better attention from the fish.  When the current is slack, using a large bunker pattern is highly effective. 

LOCATION:  Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (CBBT)

SPECIES:  Striped Bass

UPDATE:  December 21, 2008

FISHING CONDITIONS:  What a treat, a mild December day, fat schoolie Striped Bass on a half and half fly and the fun keeps coming!  It’s always a little better at the CBBT and the client went home to a snow storm.    

WATER TEMPERATURE: surface 42 degrees, deeper water was warmer.

MOST COMMON BAIT:  Bunker both small and large

“MUST HAVE” FLIES IN DESCENDING ORDER OF IMPORTANCE:

• Large, heavy Clouser deep minnow pattern, Chartreuse and white 
• Large bunker patterns and half and half’s   

RECOMMENDED LEADER:  most commonly I use short (7 1/2 foot) tapered leaders in 16 to 20 pound strength.  For spinning I use straight non tapered sections of fluorocarbon leader material in 25 to 30 pound test.  I use 9 to 12 foot tapered leaders for smaller flys fished in shallow water.

BEST FLY ROD AND REEL OUTFIT: with the exception of when I am targeting big game species I always provide the same basic outfit.  9 foot 9 weight Tip Flex Rod, paired with a light weight large arbor reel. 

IDEAL FLY LINE TYPES: I use two types when fly fishing on the Bay and coastal waters.  I use multi-tip fly line with interchangeable tips in floating, intermediate, slow sink and fast sink.  These allow quick change opportunity and coupled with the 15 foot length allows even the fast sinking tip to be “picked up” off the water easily.  The most common fly line I use is the full, fast sink line in 9 wt line size to allow me to fish the entire water column even in the deepest of areas.

SPINNING REEL OUTFIT: I have selected short, six foot to seven foot, medium fast action rod with 2500 F1 series Shimano Stradic reel.  This will be spooled with braided line of either 14 lb test for lighter lure applications or 25 to 30 pound test for heavier.  Jigging would work well as would many common lures at least 3 to 4 inches.

BEST TECHNIQUES: With the fish feeding all over the water column the best was still the full sinking line.  Cast, let it sink and start a quick retrieve and you were going to have a fish on. 

COMMENTS:   This anler is from Pennsylvania and fishes fresh water all the time.  This was his first Striped Bass on a fly ever and he was hooked!  

7-DAY OUTLOOK: Every day has been good, incoming or outgoing tides, early or late.  Tight lines!            

“Migrating striped bass collect here from mid November through to Spring. Possibly the best Striped Bass fishing on the Mid Atlantic, this area offers fly rod and light tackle enthusiast ample opportunity to catch a personal best. Early season (November into December) large blue fish and speckled trout may also show up to feed just to spice up your fishng opportunity. Tackle varies. For the fly fisherman I use 9 and 10 wt fly rods with large arbor reels. Strong leader attach a variety of half and half’s or bait fish patterns (bunker)to sinking lines. Occasionally floating lines are used with poppers when the Striped Bass are feeding top water and that is a real show! Light tackle rods and lines are toughened up as well. Braided line at least 30 pound test is attached to equally strong leaders, and carefully tied knots are attached to big lures that can attract these beautiful fish to eat. I offer several Van Staal reels attached to 6 foot rods to tackle these big fish.

LOCATION:  Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (CBBT)

SPECIES:  Striped Bass

UPDATE:  February 14, 2008

FISHING CONDITIONS:  It was cold to stand on the deck and cast, but this angler was rewarded.  The pilings of the bridge held fish near the 2^nd island and the fly got down into the zone.  Many fish were caught and released that trip and was it fun!    

WATER TEMPERATURE: surface 38 degrees, deeper water was warmer.

MOST COMMON BAIT:  Bunker and silversides/bay anchovies.

“MUST HAVE” FLIES IN DESCENDING ORDER OF IMPORTANCE:

• Large, heavy Clouser deep minnow pattern, Chartreuse and white 
• Large bunker patterns and half and half’s 

 RECOMMENDED LEADER:  most commonly I use short (7 1/2 foot) tapered leaders in 16 to 20 pound strength.  For spinning I use straight non tapered sections of fluorocarbon leader material in 25 to 30 pound test.  I use 9 to 12 foot tapered leaders for smaller flys fished in shallow water.

BEST FLY ROD AND REEL OUTFIT: with the exception of when I am targeting big game species I always provide the same basic outfit.  9 foot 9 weight Tip Flex Rod, paired with a light weight large arbor reel. 

IDEAL FLY LINE TYPES: I use two types when fly fishing on the Bay and coastal waters.  I use multi-tip fly line with interchangeable tips in floating, intermediate, slow sink and fast sink.  These allow quick change opportunity and coupled with the 15 foot length allows even the fast sinking tip to be “picked up” off the water easily.  The most common fly line I use is the full, fast sink line in 9 wt line size to allow me to fish the entire water column even in the deepest of areas.

SPINNING REEL OUTFIT: I have selected short, six foot to seven foot, medium fast action rod with 2500 F1 series Shimano Stradic reel.  This will be spooled with braided line of either 14 lb test for lighter lure applications or 25 to 30 pound test for heavier.  Jigging would work well as would many common lures at least 3 to 4 inches.

BEST TECHNIQUES: With the fish feeding all over the water column the best was still the full sinking line.  Cast, let it sink and start a quick retrieve and you were going to have a fish on. 

COMMENTS:   We stayed warm on the rides and only when we were stoped had to get out of the protection offered by the canvas on the boat.  Still no complaints from the angler, plenty of fishing to keep him warm.

7-DAY OUTLOOK: Every day has been good, incoming or outgoing tides, early or late.  Tight lines!

LOCATION:  Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (CBBT)

SPECIES:  Striped Bass

UPDATE:  February 2, 2008

FISHING CONDITIONS:   A nice day in February to catch fish and this fly fisherman was up to the task.  Warmer than expected and the fishing was hot!    

WATER TEMPERATURE: surface only 38 Degrees, deeper water was warmer.

MOST COMMON BAIT:  Bunker both small and large

“MUST HAVE” FLIES IN DESCENDING ORDER OF IMPORTANCE:

• Large, heavy Clouser deep minnow pattern, Chartreuse and white 
• Large bunker patterns and half and half’s 

RECOMMENDED LEADER:  most commonly I use short (7 1/2 foot) tapered leaders in 16 to 20 pound strength.  For spinning I use straight non tapered sections of fluorocarbon leader material in 25 to 30 pound test.  I use 9 to 12 foot tapered leaders for smaller flys fished in shallow water.

BEST FLY ROD AND REEL OUTFIT: with the exception of when I am targeting big game species I always provide the same basic outfit.  9 foot 9 weight Tip Flex Rod, paired with a light weight large arbor reel. 

IDEAL FLY LINE TYPES: I use two types when fly fishing on the Bay and coastal waters.  I use multi-tip fly line with interchangeable tips in floating, intermediate, slow sink and fast sink.  These allow quick change opportunity and coupled with the 15 foot length allows even the fast sinking tip to be “picked up” off the water easily.  The most common fly line I use is the full, fast sink line in 9 wt line size to allow me to fish the entire water column even in the deepest of areas.

SPINNING REEL OUTFIT: I have selected short, six foot to seven foot, medium fast action rod with 2500 F1 series Shimano Stradic reel.  This will be spooled with braided line of either 14 lb test for lighter lure applications or 25 to 30 pound test for heavier.  Jigging would work well as would many common lures at least 3 to 4 inches.

BEST TECHNIQUES: With the fish feeding all over the water column the best was still the full sinking line.  Cast, let it sink and start a quick retrieve and you were going to have a fish on. 

COMMENTS:   We stayed warm on the rides with the canvas up.  The sun was great when we arrived at the fishing.  

7-DAY OUTLOOK: Every day has been good, incoming or outgoing tides, early or late.  Tight lines!