Blue Fish VideoHi Speed Only
Jeremy and I fly fished the salt water on Friday. I brought along my 17′ Seaway Center Console. Jeremy brought his knowledge of where the fish tend to be when feeding on a certain stretch of beach in the Portland Maine vicinity. Things started out pretty quick as we motored along the shoreline. Jeremy was at the wheel. He spots a splash in the oily looking calm water and tells me to get ready. He quickly positioned the boat so we were just ahead of the direction the fish were chasing the bait. After a couple of cast and quick aggressive strips I had a fish on. I was reasonably certain it was a Striper until it cleared the water in an attempt to rid itself of the hook. It was then obvious I had a bluefish in the 5lb class. I figured chances were slim I would land that fish. The blue fish is known for its sharp teeth so I didn’t think the 15lb test leader stood much of a chance. As luck would have it, the fly was positioned just right in the fish’s mouth and I was able to bring it along side where Jeremy tailed it onto the boat. The pod of fish feeding on bait had moved on so we motored further south. That is where the fun really began. We saw several flocks of Herring Gulls filling themshelves on bait fish being driven to the surface by the relentless Blue Fish. We were onto them… Jeremy thought we should fish, fish for fish. He would hook up then my turn. This was a great idea because we both got to video the takes. Our problem was we were not landing fish. Our leader material was 30lb and the fish were in the 10-12 range with teeth like razors. Jeremy spotted a quided fishing boat with clients spin casting into a pod of bluefish. He suggested we visit with our new neighbors and inquire about some wire. Well that proved to be a smart move. We were offered steel leader and 80 lb mono. Now the fun really heats up. We are chasing fish, I am casting, Jeremy is positioning the boat, taking video and hollering ” There on it!! Strip Strip Strip” Then wham. A powerful bluefish was on again and again and again. We had some great hook ups. Shot some great video. What a great day, sunshine, calm seas and all the Blue Fish you could ever hope for. What else should we do but plan a repeat for the next day….. We did, we saw no feeding birds, no feeding fish, no Blue Fish, no Stripers, no nothing. So, one day it was the ultimate chase with fly rods. The next day was the utlitmate defeat. Only thing to do is go again.
what a freaking blast…i dug out some of my back-up disk drives and looked for a song that a wrote and recorded a few years back. it certainly is appropriate for this outings video. I’ll tell you what…those fish RIP! Pound for pound..I’ll take those over Striped Bass anyday. They are fast, nasty and vicious, they will kill anything in their path, and when they school up together and corner some bait…it is outrageously exciting…My only hope, is that fly fisherman continue to prefer catching Striped bass rather than Blue Fish…Cuz then when morning light rizes over the ocean…all the striped bass guys will go left out of the harbor and we can go right and have action like that all to ourselves. Unless, of course, the Stripers are schooled up and feeding on top as well. Then, its a tough decision..Either way, I had so much fun. I really prefer to fly fish on the boat like we did. No blinkd casting. Find the fish. Sight fish them and only one guy fly fishing on the bow. That way it is a team effort and … working the boat is equally as much an art as is working the fly rod. Positioning, drifting, and killing the motor are all important parts of the chase.
PS. Hey pat – sorry for any of the yelling and screaming at you (even though it wasn’t directly at you) I get sooooo worked up chasing these…my adrenaline starts pumping and I get so into the action…always have…hope I always will.
Hey – if anyone cares…here are the lyrics to the song…Of course..when I wrote it I was not writing about Blue Fish…but interestingly enough – the lyrics fit eithr context .
I’m A Man With The Blues
All you people feeling good get away from me
All you people preachin don’t try to make me see
Cause I’m a man with the blues and that’s all I’ll ever be
If you’re in love for the first time I don’t want to know
If your sitting in the sun remember I’m sitting in the cold
Cause I’m a man with the blues lonesome tired and growing old
If your ship comes in put it on the shelf
When you win your hand don’t tell me how it felt
Cause I’m a man with the blues don’t know nothing else
If you don’t have the blues you’re a lucky man
Don’t expect people like me to understand
I’m a man with the blues and that’s all I am
and Browns and rainbows and stripers……..
You 2 should be on the cover of Rolling Stone”. Great day it looks like and I’d like to know what happened to the small craft warnings from the Coast Guard? Great fish and video, Pat looks happier than when hes behind his desk! Congrats , I haven’t caught a striper or a Blue yet this year.
What a freaking blast. The yelling only added to the excitement. It was so much fun to watch them chase the fly and then make the decision to take it. Great video, they sure can take line in a hurry.
Looks like an absolute panic! Those things clear the line in a hurry. Sweet rif as well you guys put that all together very nicely.