The weather took a turn today and I headed out to O’neill Forebay for some exercise. Equipped with my new Helios II and Lamson Vanquish, I was more excited to cast than to catch. I left the house around 6:00 and by the time I hit the boat launch I was the tenth guy out and most people out were flyfishermnen. I guess lots of people took the week off since it was a very crowded Monday. I hit the trench by the Highway Bridge first fishing both edges with only two small fish.

A float tuber told me he got 8 in the morning before I got there. Next I fished around the island. I saw lots of conventional equipment guys catching fish around the island and in the flats. I picked up a pair between the islands in 16 feet of water. Finally, I decided to finish the day on the wall across from Medreros Launch.   The fish were not bitey like they were a couple weeks ago.  What seemed to work best was a slower strip and letting the fly sink and swing.   I could feel the fish hit between the slow strips.  Maybe the water is getting colder and the stripers are slower.  I managed a dozen fish of the wall in about an hour and decided to call it at 2:00PM. The rod and line cast flawlessly. I did however bust the braid link between the T-14 and running line that I was messing with.   Im not a big fan of loop to loop, and a integrated head is on its way to replace this mess.   Brought home two 20 inchers for Thanksgiving.   Interesting factoid- Striped bass were so abundant in Massachusetts Bay that it was the main food served at the first Thanksgiving according to the diary of Captain John Smith,  who also wrote in his journal in 1614  ”that Striped Bass was a most sweet and wholesome fish as ever I did eat”