Welcome back

This weekend was as good as it gets for me. Walking miles through an incredible array of beach, marsh, dune and coastal forest and meadow. Seeing birdlife uncounted in one of the best places in the US to do so , the Parker National Wildlife Refuge. I'm not an Audobon guy, but I can still be amazed at the variety and number of birds flitting around you as you hike into fish. Fishing was slow for lots, heard one here and there, a little better if you could get out in the rips with a boat. I  caught 50 and never fished within 1/4 mile of anyone. All the years spent learning the fish and the fishery pay off.  I helped two flyfishers to at least get one. One was a diehard Church Pool guy (there everywhere!) who calls Clint's Rock, Bob's. I tried to set him straight, but he wouldn't buy it. Sorry, Clint. The other was a girl who had just started salt flyfishing , but could surfcast. In both cases, teaching them how to make the fly dance on the retrieve  using fast jerky strips as long as you can make them, as opposed to the usual slow motions I usually see people use. Without a lot of bait to lull them into complacency and eating everything that passes near them, they were biting out of reaction and needed a trigger. They thanked me when I passed by them on my way out. The large fish haven't made it in any numbers past Cape Cod yet, should be a few more weeks. Largest I brought to hand was 28", most were in the 18" range, with the the average around 20. Saw my backing twice with it cranked down hard. Mostly I used a 9 wt. with 17 lb. tippet as the wind was blowing 15 to 20 most of the time.  These fish PULL. They just came in from the ocean and are still carrying sea lice. The 50 degree water is ideal for their metabolism . The majority left the Chesapeake in April and have migrated in search of summer food. Hopefully I'll get some of these fish again as they take up residence.
 
 

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I'm jelous Charlie,I spent the weekend doing chores around my property,that looks like a blast!

Very awesome charlie!!!

    A little more fight than the Bows last week? I hit the river the bass are starting to get hot. Local creeks are in rough shape hit them over the weekend and its hard to beleive how long things are.

Welcome Back :)

Charlie -have an area in the Ct River where its only bout 4 ft deep and the Blues occasionally will actually do an airshow when fighting.
Some folks claim they don't jump.

Pound for pound bluefish are indeed the toughest I've dealt with in salt water.  Especially the ones that are in the 15-20 lbs range.  They will definitely give you a workout.

Andy, bones are fast, but they wear out quick. Crank your drag down and they peter out fast. Bones hit 60, blues hit 40. Now imagine something with a lot of weight. I caught a 73 lb. bluefin on a 1/0 fly. They eat bluefish and also swim as fast as bones. Took 1 hr 45 min. on a 12 wt.  At one point it had 200 yds of backing out.  I have zero interest in doing it again. Bones are fun , no doubt. Barnegat Inlet in the late fall. Deceivers and eel flies.  Bet you still got some buddies down there.  I use to know the hot spots along Island Beach,  but they ain't there no more.

One of these days charlie... A buddy of mine has a place in beach haven west..I caught my blues off a barnegat light charter in mid September after we got married down in lbi. I actually was kicking myself in the arse that I didn't have my fly rod because the boat was less than half capacity with everyone on just one side with a lot of space in between. The blues were coming up as shallow as 5 foot from the surface. It was a blast. My prized bonefish I caught in Nassau took about a 200 yard run and then another 100+ run before he petered, they are awesome fish for fighting purposes and pursuit with a fly... The blue fin sounds nuts on the fly but probably ridiculous as you said lol!!! Dardys, tarpon is definitely on my bucket list. I may get the opportunity in the next few years as I have family moving down to Florida.

A friend and I each had boats on the sound for years. Mine was more of an inshore boat , he had a nice one for further out.
We fished the central Sound coastal areas AT LEAST once a week for a very long time--he still does, I sold the boat went to SR country.
It was a nice arrangement- His boat was moored around Clinton  and up the coast a few miles later on--mine was being trailored around to other areas.
Lotsa fish and lotsa great memories.
 

pafisher
!Hey Darby,when is the best time and place for those 75# tarpon?

As with most fishing -- that depends.

There are always tarpon in the back country of the Keys, but they tend to be smaller -- 10--50. For the 75+ fish, it is migratory fish up the ocean side. The typical season is May to early July in the Keys.

This will be my 16th year going the third week of June. Some years it is pretty much over, casting to 10--20 pods of fish per day. Some years it is perfect timing, casting to 50+ pods of fish in day.

Charlie I used to fish the Jersey fresh water scene too.In fact there were a few years that I did n't have a Penna. license as we always went to the Garden State.Musky,Paullinskil,Pequest,etc, rivers and Swartswood,Bear,Hopatcong,etc. lakes were some that we frequented.

DarDys

pafisher
Darby,do you use a guide or go it alone,and is all the fishing from a boat or can you wade?

There are probably places one can wade in the back country, but I'm not sure how you would get there.

Fishing the ocean side of the Keys requires a boat, fly gishing it effectively requires a flats boat with a poling platform.

I have used the same guide for years. Some one literally has to die to get scheduled with him during the migration.

I have chased tarpon elsewhere, but not with the type of success found in the Keys.

Three weeks from today, I'll be there.

I hope you have a blast Darby.....and thanks for your info.

You are welcome. And thanks for the well wishes on this trip.

I have chased tarpon in the Keys, Belize, and the Yucatan. The best results have been the Keys with regard to numbers and size.

I have caught bones in the Keys, Bahamas, Belize, and several areas in and around Mexico. I agree, Andros is the best I have experienced for numbers and probably average size. Although the biggest bone I have caught, 11 pounds, was a March fish from around Islamorada.

I'll post the results, good or bad.