Reread the sentence of ellipses at the end of the previous post to know why fall is such a wonderful time. The air was cool yesterday, the wind was just right, the water was nice and calm but not totally flat . . . and the bass have arrived. I scored at least one fish at dawn, dusk, and in the dark yesterday, so for me I am honoring October 25th as this season’s official beginning. And it wasn’t just the 5 fish and 5 misses I had, it’s that the air and water finally have that ‘feel’, something primal which is not easily confined into the limiting space of words.
I fished alone for dawn and dusk and was delighted to see a lot of bait, what appeared to be sand eels, getting skittered around. The dawn and dusk bites happened exactly on schedule, during the times between nautical twilight and the sun at 0 degrees. At night, we had a fine crew roaming around, scoring a slow pick of fish which could have probably lasted through the night if sleep wasn’t a requirement. I will not be humble, at all, when I say the Shoestring Teaser was a raving success last night! The lure is no longer a virgin, as it scored its first bass, documented by Steve and me. The Shoestring also charmed two herring. It’s really going to be a hot lure this year, especially for any fly tiers who are on a shoestring budget J
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| There really isn't anything better than catching a bass on a needlefish. There are other good things of course, but they are just filed into different categories. |
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| Herring like the Shoestring too! |
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| The Shoestring is no longer a bass virgin! There is simply no way a bass can resist that seductive limpness and profile, as well as Donald's world class artistic skills. |
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| Score another one for the Shoestring. Come on, it really looks like a sand eel. |
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| A 7 inch snapper bluefish slammed my 5 inch mambo this morning. How many other fish will attack something 70% their size? |
Well, having successive nights of complete sleep will probably not happen again until January. When it's time, it's time, when it rains, it pours. From here on fall will gradually build to a crescendo. The 10 day weather forecast looks great- continued cool with some changeable weather finally. It's now time for a dance with the real world, following the infallible music of nature. Happy fall!
