Have Mercy

Well, what a trip so far.  I wonder if I can talk my wife into embracing such a transient lifestyle.  I think the Trout Bums are onto something, moving around, chasing fins.  I made it to Newport, Rhode Island to Papa Lars and Mama Nellie’s place.  I tried to find out about an angling mayor from the early 1900s, and since that turned up bupkis, I am trying my hand at striper fishing.  In Narragansett Bay.  Atlantic Ocean.  I haven’t thrown the fly at them yet, but last night, the ol’ Rappala did just fine.  Them boys were flailing around chomping on squid, but a well-aimed cast with the king of crankbaits elicited a few slashing strikes.  You could see them in the light cast by the largest ship I’ve ever seen  (on the navy base, this monster transport used for Abrams tanks and heavy armored vehicles, dwarfed even the aircraft carrier docked next to it) as the stripers were surfacing.  I tried to cast just in front of them as they were cruising, and surprisingly, it worked.  I attribute most of my success to leaving my camera at home, but I managed to land three of the brutes, lost two, missed one, and had several chasers.  The fight left a little to be desired, but my weaponry consisted of some pretty heavy tackle, and I was just horsing them in.  This keeper measured 30″, and was my second fish.  We are making plans to hit it tonight, and I’m bringing the six weight St. Croix, so we’ll see what kind of match the ol’ noodle is for these salty beasts.

Striped bass from Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island