Mike and Dave have humbled many of flyfisherman, Including Me. Night after night, guides and self proclaimed experts come down to Ferry Beach. They show up with all their fancy gear and a smile on their face. They have heard through the grape vines that guys are having 20-30 fish nights at Ferry Beach and when they get out of their car they can see several rods bent over. It is always the same scenario. They walk down and stand as close as possible to the guy with a fish on, and that guy is usually Dave or Mike. They start to strip line from their real while making the typical remarks/questions, “Nice Night, What Are They Taking?, I am so and so from somewhere and I catch big fish up/down there, I just got a new rod, I just got a new real, blah-blah-blah…” All the while Dave and Mike know that this guy will leave tonight with no fish. He will cast further and change flies frequently and become more frustrated as Dave and Mike haul in the stripers and he hauls nothing. Dave and Mike told me what I needed to do to catch fish and now I am telling you. It is simple. You need to get down. Use Heavy Sink tip line – a short leader – an olive and white or black clouser. Forget about pretty casts and what all your books say – just weight up that line and do whatever it takes to get on the bottom. Dave even uses a heavy swivel on his leader to ensure that his fly is getting down quick and staying down. You might laugh at this tactic but I kid you not – Dave and Mike will catch 30 fish to your 1 or none.
