Boston bass

[OnTheDrop]

Had an opportunity to go fish with my buddy who runs a small charter on the North shore. We were fishing out of his 23' Parker. This was my first time targeting Stripers after years of wanting to give it a whirl. Wish we still had the runs down South... We were mainly targeting them with live bait, some soft plastics, and some monster flies on 10wts from time to time. Let me tell you, it was a hoot and a half. I love when I get to target actively feeding fish, and this was just that. From hitting them in open water, to finding schools of 20-30+ in 3ft of water near the shores, there was constant action. My buddy has it dialed, and runs a top notch operation. This isn't a plug for his biz ( Since some folks think I'm the Pusher man on here ) but when it's that good, I can't refrain from putting his info down.

- Greasy Beaks Fly Fishing -


Here's a few pics, and if I can configure it, I have some awesome videos.

Hope everyone is having a great Summer.

Cheers,

 

[OnTheDrop]

The biggest one I hit is pictured coming in around 35-36". Fast stripping a fly about 8" long. I watched him break from the group and follow it for 20' before turning and smashing it. It was a heart stopper...

 

[TimberTodd]

That's fantastic Tanner. I am with you I sure we had the numbers in the rivers like there were when I was a kid.

 

[troutdude]

Dude. You certainly weren't kidding, when you said you'd been busy!

My uncle got a 40 pounder, on the Smith, in the mid 70's. It is indeed a shame that, we don't have those runs anymore.

 

[C_Run]

Nice. That's still my dream to catch one here at home. There are still some around so I hear.

 

[hobster]

[No message]

 

[troutdude]

ROTFLMBO!!! OnTheDrop has a new moniker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[OnTheDrop]

HA! I do love Curtis, and especially this song.

 

[hobster]

Awesome, I love it as well! Beautiful fish bro, so jealous, sounds like an amazing time!

 

[Native Fisher]

Good eating and good fighting fish, however I think they fed heavily on salmon smolts and I suspect if there were still strong runs of them everyone would be yelling about invasive species and how we need to kill them all.

 

[OnTheDrop]

Good eating and good fighting fish, however I think they fed heavily on salmon smolts and I suspect if there were still strong runs of them everyone would be yelling about invasive species and how we need to kill them all.

You bring up a solid point. But, those aren't my fisheries, so I don't mind a large bass population.....

haha! Kiddin'..... After seeing them behave, I don't think it'd be just the smolts. I bet they'd try to hammer the adults as well. Ha, Ferocious critters.

 

[Markk]

I remember strong runs on the Smith in the mid 80's

 

[troutdude]

I remember strong runs on the Smith in the mid 80's

In the mid 70's too.

What happened, to it? Did it get decimated, by over fishing?

 

[Native Fisher]

In the mid 70's too.

What happened, to it? Did it get decimated, by over fishing?

ODFW stopped planting them. Coquille River and Smith both have strong populations. The people that are good at it are more secretive about it. The fishery has all but disappeared on the coos, dredging of the bay is the likely reason for that, it has changed the saltyness of the water and the natural reproduction went away, same with the shad on the coos is my understanding.

 

[Native Fisher]

You bring up a solid point. But, those aren't my fisheries, so I don't mind a large bass population.....

haha! Kiddin'..... After seeing them behave, I don't think it'd be just the smolts. I bet they'd try to hammer the adults as well. Ha, Ferocious critters.

Yeah they are an awesome predator, I was only half serious with original post. When ODFW planted them here on the coos, they also planted coho and chinook and all our fisheries were great. Sometimes it just seems convenient for us to blame invasive species...

 

[OnTheDrop]

Well, us humans can be some of the most "invasive"...