Sometimes you can't pass up on an offer. This evening I had just made my way out onto a rock on a dropping tide when I spotted Captain Karl Hoelpler from Bass Chasers Charters on the hunt for striped bass. There was enough water in the tub that I had to watch where I walked. Its brutal down there.
Maybe that's why my Simms waders took such a beating. Not only is it rough on the waders, but your ankles and your core as well. You need to stick to some kind of balance or you'll be listing over until you fall it.
I think Karl has pity on me. He sees me up to my nipples in the water struggling to get my fly to where I want. He's the most knowledgeable guide on the river and his catch numbers confirm that. The look above says it all about Karl and fly fishing..... he's a guy who know what is needed to get it done, a lot. I think last year he put his clients on and landed over 850 striped bass. When he made his way over and made the offer I was all in.
We moved upriver and hit all the spots. He knows each rock, every seam, and safely maneuvers that boat in the big currents on a dropping tide. Last night when I was out I counted 8 boats, and I can say, at times, they don't look like they know how to handle the big river, and it's not even big. Karl's concern is that this year someone is going to put themselves in harms way, or worse
While not fish were found, I learned something, they're just not here. I was lucky to have a caught a few starting about a week and half ago. The weather's playing games up and down and now we are ready to get big rain this weekend, I think that can only help. Right now were running 15,250 cfs, still below the average. By Sunday night I predict we will be looking at over 30,000 cfs.