On the Fly

First fish of 2014 on a fly

As far as evenings go, it looked unpromising. A thick low cloud clung to the coast, the surf was big and an abnormally high tide had pushed a mountain of water up into the river. As the tide gradually switched from slack to outgoing, the river picked up pace and began to empty back into the sea.

Having fished this river often I knew there was only a few feet of wading room before the drop-off so I gingerly edged forward into the frigid Maine waters in the evening gloom. As I began to throw my rookie double hauls into the current, I had already resigned myself to another skunked striper session.

Today, however, it happened - twice. They were far from monsters but heavy-weights in significance. My first stripers on a fly, and one I tied no less.

First fish of the season

First fish of the season

Here we have it, I pulled in my first fish of the season, an 18" striped bass caught from Casco Bay. 2013 is going to be my "Year of the Fly" - I took a two day fly fishing course at L.L Bean a month ago and I'm now hooked (excuse the pun.) However, on this particular day fly conditions were tricky and this fish was eventually pulled in on my spinning rod with my favourite lure.

L.L Bean button, still upside down

Saltwater fishing is geographically a lot more accessible for me but fly fishing in the sea certainly posses its own unique set of challenges. Rest assured when I pull in my first fish on a fly you will be the first to know and, as tradition dictates I will finally be allowed flip my "L.L.Bean Outdoor Discovery School" button the right way up.