I've been waiting and needing a numbers day. Didn't know if it would come in the fresh or salt waters. I surely didn't think it would have been today. Started the day in the tidal zone where I broke out the tank and landed three little guys. Coolest thing was one of them got settled into the tank and regurgitated
a small American Eel from it's gullet. As the fish caught it's breath the eel did laps around the tank. So now I know what other baits are on the stripers menu in the Delaware. I thought I was done but something told me to stick with it. It was high tide and it would be some time for that area to be fishable. I packed up and headed north to the non-tidal zone. After a long hike I found a spot I had scouted out last year but hadn't moved a fish in, yet. Well today was the day. I started out wading WAY out into the river, like sketchy wading out, and found a bunch of rocks and current ands seams, that all
held fish. By outings end I had landed over 15 fish with the largest over 35 inches and one just below that. These were all good fish, feisty, strong, and in big current water after taking the one fly I used all day on the swing, not easy to land, and surely easy to break off. The fish at the top which started off the day, well there's a story. When I made my cast I noticed the line was all tangled up. I figured I strip it in, find it, and get the loops out and get back at it. But sure as shit the big fish hit and pulled line. The line passed through the big guides but by the time it got to the mid-butt section, well, off it came. I watched my rod tip come up and go under each time the fish made a run. So I fought this fish with half a rod.
Somehow I got it in. If the fish broke me off I would have lost the top two sections of my rod and my day, my best Delaware day to date, would have been done. "Thank You Jesus" is what I said to myself. I really didn't have to move up or down river much to keep this banner day going. Catch a fish or two, move a bit, come back and someone else jumped back in that seam or behind that rock. It was that good.
After you catch a bunch, especially if you do this often, you would normally think, "I'm good". But when you're a skunked, or a one and done guy, you want to ride a day like this as long as you can. As long as the fish kept at it I would too. One fish, surely a hybrid striped bass (below) fought
way harder than it's size. I have noticed their mouths are smaller, body shape is different, and the lines are broken on their sides. The best part, well their were many, was that I was all alone. I just hit it right.
And now that I think back I may have landed 20 fish as the images above aren't repeaters. I can't put into words how special that day was. It's been five years now of fly fishing the Delaware for striped bass. Yes, I caught a river monster last year. I've had a big fish this year. But most of it has been zero or one and done outings, and there have been many. I started keeping a log, but I just can't. I can say this when most guys count fish, I could count hours. I am easily over 200 hours since March 1st. And it gets frustrating. It gets in your head. And not too many understand it, I know most wives don't get it.
So I had wound up in a spot where I hadn't started. The current was, well still moving as it was non-tidal. But for some reason I found myself struggling with the current and the rocks now seem to be Vaseline covered. At one point I was in too deep, my stripping basket filled with water, my feet gave out, and it was over Johnny. I went head over and bounced down the river a bit before I somehow landed back on my feet. And somehow my stripping basket, loaded with water, didn't slip down below my waist to my knees which would have been the nail in my coffin. But somehow, yes shaken for a minute I made my way back to the shore. It would have been the classic, "He went doing what he loved most". As soon as I got righted I dug my phone out of my waterproof sling pack, which works better if you zip up the pockets. I would have hated to not have pictures of this day, plus, who would believe me.
The day, besides the fishing, was just perfect. Bluebird skies with spring like air temps. The water was gin clear so a lot of the takes could be witnessed. The water and sun made for a great back drop to take some really cool pictures of my favorite fish. I really enjoy taking images of these fish. They are beautiful. It's not easy with the one hand to hold and the other to shoot as your options are limited. It
was just all good. So, now what? Was it a fluke? No pun intended. Do unicorns reappear? I would have to say I'm good now for a while. Yes, I will fish, but that drive for a numbers and good fish kind of day has been satiated. I will mostly likely go back to the skunk or one and done trips. River fishing isn't like boat fishing. And fly fishing isn't like spin fishing. So when that magic happens, it's really magical. Below is the fly that got it done. All. Day. Long. That will go into the display case in my fly tying room.
If this day was my last of the season on the Delaware I would be good. In the next week or so I'll re-cap the 2023 spring season. Of course, many lessons learned and easy to Monday morning quarterback it all. But, one things for sure, I can say I didn't make a wrong move on Wednesday, May 24th, 2023.
