I had the opportunity to fly fish for striped bass with a friend at a fishy location (which shall remain nameless!).  We started wading pre-sunrise and casting by sunrise.  My chartreuse/white Lefty Deceiver got bumps, but no hook ups.  I waded towards the mouth of a creek and switch over to a chartreuse/whiteClouser Minnow.  Fish on!

The interesting thing about this catch is not the fish, but the pattern.

A dropping tide at the mouth of a inlet, river, or creek at sunrise or sunset is a classic pattern.  But, what really made the difference on this trip was depth.  I was using a line with a rapid sinking tip, which helps get the fly down into the water column.  But, it was the additional weight of the Clouser Minnow that made the difference between a skunk and a catch.  Good thing I keep a detailed fishing journal! 😉

I have always been fascinated with the Cape Cod Canal fishery.  The depth, current, and submerged structures of this seven mile “inlet” represent a system full of fishy patterns.  On my last last fishing trip to the Cape Cod Canal, I landed a keeper striped bass.  The size of the fish is not worthy writing about; but, the pattern is! 😉

This season I have fished location “X” three times: at the same time of day and during the same moon phase.  The first two times, the tide was flowing “right”.  The third time, the tide was flowing “left”.  I fished the same plugs all three times, with the addition of the Northbar bottle darter (7.25″, 2.5 oz, blurple) on the third fishing trip.  I know this because I keep a detailed fishing journal! 😉

On my fourth fishing trip to location “X”, I will make sure that the tide is flowing in the correct direction and that I have plenty of Northbar bottle darters. 😉