EPIC NIGHT HERDING COWS!!!

[petespeak]

Since June I've been stalking a pod of 38-40 inch fish that have taken up residence in a remote tidal creek. Water clear and cold as a vodka martini, these fish have been untouchable, hundreds of big fish, literally swimming between my legs, snubbing every technique and lure/bait I offered. Juvie sand eels, crabs and mumichugs were the only forage I could see, and knew it wasn't enough to keep these fish fed and returning to the marsh so consistently.

 

Night before the big blow: rising mist full of starlight, water dark, newish moon, an hour before dead low tide. I hiked back deep into the marsh along the creek to the where a deep channel suddenly opens up to a pond fifty yard across. The surface rippled as I approached the bank and slipped into the inky water, spooking several big stripers that streaked off onto the shadows in a V formation. Once again I threw the contents of my back-water bag at the closed lipped fish and skunk-a-roonie.

 

 I fished the slack then started bounce/floating against the mild current once the tide switched to incoming, blindly casting into the night. Nada. I fished that way, floating all the way out to the open ocean, where the creek empties over a massive sand bar with sweeping currents that rush across acres of shallows and bumps and rocks. I waded/swam out to a boulder that's accessible only at the lowest tides: zilch. The tidal surge pushed me back into the creek and I bounced/floated along the bank, tossing small bucktails and dragging them along. I floated into a pinch point in the creek where I made my stand.

 

Suddenly over my head, I found myself in the midst of a frothing mat of ADULT sandeels: the incoming current was now surging over the sand bar washing swarms of sand eels into the creek where it ran along the beach. Long story short, it took me several tries before I finally dialed in the bite: Pink Super Snax and an epoxy teaser fly The Snax alone didn't get touched. Only when fished with a teaser did I get hit. The fish had spread out along the channel that had filled in when the incoming tide finally gushed over the bar, washing thick schools of sandeels into the wash at my feet. Every other cast produced an explosive hit on the Super Snax. I had it rigged with a 7.0 BKK Titan Rider worm hook.

 

Glorious sky, entire beach to myself. Milky Way shining on the dunes. I fought half a dozen thrashing 38-42 inch until my arms got tired. Took a break and did it for two more fish, the last a solid 45 inches. The fish were there. I had them dialed in. That was enough. I sat on a log for an hour or so. Thats how I go to church.

 

Edited September 18 by petespeak

[Scott Charlton]

1 hour ago, petespeak said:

Since June I've been stalking a pod of 38-40 inch fish that have taken up residence in a remote tidal creek. Water clear and cold as a vodka martini, these fish have been untouchable, hundreds of big fish, literally swimming between my legs, snubbing every technique and lure/bait I offered. Juvie sand eels, crabs and mumichugs were the only forage I could see, and knew it wasn't enough to keep these fish fed and returning to the marsh so consistently.

 

Night before the big blow: rising mist full of starlight, water dark, newish moon, an hour before dead low tide. I hiked back deep into the marsh along the creek to the where a deep channel suddenly opens up to a pond fifty yard across. The surface rippled as I approached the bank and slipped into the inky water, spooking several big stripers that streaked off onto the shadows in a V formation. Once again I threw the contents of my back-water bag at the closed lipped fish and skunk-a-roonie.

 

 I fished the slack then started bounce/floating against the mild current once the tide switched to incoming, blindly casting into the night. Nada. I fished that way, floating all the way out to the open ocean, where the creek empties over a massive sand bar with sweeping currents that rush across acres of shallows and bumps and rocks. I waded/swam out to a boulder that's accessible only at the lowest tides: zilch. The tidal surge pushed me back into the creek and I bounced/floated along the bank, tossing small bucktails and dragging them along. I floated into a pinch point in the creek where I made my stand.

 

Suddenly over my head, I found myself in the midst of a frothing mat of ADULT sandeels: the incoming current was now surging over the sand bar washing swarms of sand eels into the creek where it ran along the beach. Long story short, it took me several tries before I finally dialed in the bite: Pink Super Snax and an epoxy teaser fly The Snax alone didn't get touched. Only when fished with a teaser did I get hit. The fish had spread out along the channel that had filled in when the incoming tide finally gushed over the bar, washing thick schools of sandeels into the wash at my feet. Every other cast produced an explosive hit on the Super Snax. I had it rigged with a 7.0 BKK Titan Rider worm hook.

 

Glorious sky, entire beach to myself. Milky Way shining on the dunes. I fought half a dozen thrashing 38-42 inch until my arms got tired. Took a break and did it for two more fish, the last a solid 45 inches. The fish were there. I had them dialed in. That was enough. I sat on a log for an hour or so. Thats how I go to church.

 

Great way to end a season, excellent prose, thank you so much for sharing this.

[Nbourque]

Unbelievable. Thanks for sharing 

[RAW]

Momma’ said there would be days like that!, nice read 

[Fergal]

40" cow lol.

[Skunkoff]

Gives me hope for tomorrow morning.  Out before sun-up.