7/18 Stripers on the swing

I hit the water a few hours into the outgoing tide, right before dark at a favorite outflow. I really wanted to swing flies as I haven't in some time. I tied up a September night variant, with my full floating line, and got to swinging.

On the 5th or 6th cast I feel a quick tap, a pause and then violent pulling followed by an inspiring aerial show. It was a very feisty blue of about 5 lbs, hooked perfectly in the corner of the mouth. The marabou collar was ripped to shreds in the process of landing and releasing this little fighter, but I kept it on the line with no other action.

I changed flies after a half hour lull in the action, to a 5" white deciever with bleached peacock topping and jungle cock eyes, and this would be the lucky fly of the night.

In short order I hooked, landed and released 3 chubby vibrant stripers in the 24-26" range. The current petered out and the fish seemed to have moved out, so we decided to check out a nearby spot. I was walking back to shore dragging my fly behind me when I felt a yank and the surface exploded. While I fumbled to get the slack out of my line the fish came unbuttoned.

So we moved and found fish popping in a small channel, they sounded like stripers, but we would soon find out there were blues there as well, smashing small silversides. I decided to change flies to a small Albie Whore.

I made a dozen casts to feeding fish without a hit, and finally, a bright green glow erupted near where my fly was, and I was tight to a frantic blue, jumping and diving with an admirable attitude, I got him in close, and he finally bit me off, taking my Albie Whore as a souvenier. In my experience blues love that little fly.