Had a tiny window to get out before heading out for a magazine shoot. Conditions are near perfect, although a little tough with the fly rod. Incoming tide, NE winds 15-20, lots of white water and not a person for blocks in either direction.
Here's the deal. People always ask me if you need distance to catch fish in the salt. Most times I would say no. However, where the fish currently are, you need to get it out there a bit. Yes, the fish are inside the bars, but the crashing waves into your stripping basket and at your we're-built-like-horses ankles make standing near or in the water impossible. At least on the incoming tide. Again, standing back in a safe zone, and with a NE wind 15-20, you can only imagine where a large majority of your casts wind up. If you balked a cast or let the line sag a bit an incoming chest high wave would grab it and ruin any chance of a decent swim and retrieve.
Those anglers that only fly fish north will be surprised at what south looks like. No groins or jetties, just sand bars and cuts and bowls. You can see the waves breaking on the outer bar below. I did walk a bit searching for that sweet spot to fish effectively but ran out of time. I came upon a happy camper who caught two back to back keepers on a SP minnow, which is Bomber like, casted out a ways. Not much for bird love where I was bit I did see fish breaking here and there out by the big waves.
I'm looking forward to my boat charter tomorrow, should be a nice day out there and we should be able to get within casting distance of some fish.
