Fish on the Flats

If the good Lord allowed me but one method of fishing for all eternity it would have to involve a fly rod and sight casting to cruising fish in thin water, preferably tailing redfish, mudding bonefish and stripers on the flats. And so it was that my wish was granted this past week, albeit here on earth and, thankfully, not the eternal hereafter. For me it gets no better than tossing crab and creature flies to striped bass cruising the shallows and in an eating mood. I got to play that game this week right here on Long Island with Captain Vinny Catalano of Joey C Charters, and to say we had fun would be understatement. Not only did the fish want to play the game but having the opportunity to share that time and special space with someone who fully understands the dynamics of skinny water fly-fishing and is very good at it made the game all that more enjoyable. Captain Vinny and I hooked up to catch a perfect tide on a perfect day, with plenty of sun and limited wind… ideal conditions for this pursuit. Fishing crab patterns and other small crustacean flies we had a ball casting to many…and I mean many…bass; hooking, landing and releasing our fair share of stout stripers, from cookie cutter schoolie fish to keeper-sized bass. We spread the wealth around taking turns on the ‘push pole’ and had some really spectacular hook-ups. This is a totally visual experience. Believe me, those “takes” alone are worth the price of admission. After the bass eats, the rest of the game is just icing on the cake!

While this was but one day out of a productive e week for Vinny, it was fishing he enjoyed for the entire week, and it will only get better. In his words, “From rolling bass at first light to sight casting them on the flats the bite is totally on! I had the most enjoyable week poling the flats watching clients come tight to big bass! I even had a chance to get in the action myself during my outing with “AP”. He put me right on them. I'm expecting this kind of fishing right through June, especially around the new moon for the big boys.” If you have an interest in a great fly-fishing or light tackle experience give Vinny a buzz at 631-766-1695.