When we were down fishing with Mark Drummond earlier this summer, we went into Eldredge Bros. Fly Shop to get some supplies. We were talking about the day and Jax was excited from seeing all those busting fish and decided that for his birthday this year he wanted to fish for stripers instead of trout and salmon. Well, Jim caught wind of it and wanted me to bring Jax down to fish with him. Jax’s birthday isn’t until October 18th but it was the right time to fish because the fish are still around.

Keep in mind, Jax is only eight and we were fly fishing with seven weight rods, sometimes with sinking lines. We were also staking out places and waiting for fish to come by. The first day we fished until 10:30 pm. and were on the water by 7 am. the next. We saw fish both days but didn’t always have shots at them or they wouldn’t eat.

The second day was the most successful. The first fish to follow Jax’s fly up to the boat was around 30 inches! Jim and my heart was just pounding but the fish saw the boat and bolted. We had one fish hang out and Jax had three shots but the fish would only follow the fly and not eat. This continued like this all day and then the wind picked up, so Jim needed to find a flat out of the wind.

As we were slowly making our way to the new spot we spooked several fish, which got Jax excited. We set up at our ambush spot and waited. Jax was very patient and spotted crabs while we kept a close eye on the water and then on the edge of the wind line I saw movement like a ghost coming out of the shadows and then all hell broke loose. The cast was perfect as Jim and I are giving orders. Luckily, they are the same ones, “Strip, strip, stop!” The fish sees the fly and slowly follows and when Jax stops the fly, the fish explodes with a burst of power and engulfs the fly!

The first run puts Jax into his backing but Jax holds his ground with the striper swimming back and forth on the flat. Then Jax gets some ground and the fish is coming in but this fish wasn’t done and races back towards the ocean and we see backing for the second time but, again Jax holds his ground and it goes back and forth.

Jim and I are snapping pictures. A few high fives are done and then I notice my heart is pounding and I am shaking a little. I must have realized that the fish wasn’t landed yet and we go back to the fight.

The next thing that happens was crazy! It does a full run right at us and Jim and I are yelling, “REEL,REEL,REEL!.” The poor kid couldn’t reel fast enough but luckily it was hooked good.

Jax brings the fish up beside the boat and Jim grabs the fish. Jim keeps him in the water to revive the fish then we take pictures and just before we are about to release the fish Jax yells, “Let’s measure him!” It taped out at 25 iches! A great first striper on the fly by himself!

Jax went on to hook and break off a few bigger fish but I think that fish will be etched in the three of our memories for ever.

I had the pleasure of organizing a group trip for the Combs family. I think there was three or four generations represented. Since the hurricane was last week the river was higher than it has been but not blow out and it made for some great fishing. This was a great family and I hope to see them again.

I guided Tim and Mike for bass on the Penobscot river. We couldn’t have had worse condition unless we were fishing in a hurricane and it felt like it at times. We had a river with increasing flows, big rains and extremely high winds but we put a good number of fish in the boat with some other species mixed in.

I recently guided Matt and his dad John on the Penobscot River for small mouth bass. I think this was their first time fly fishing for them and they were amazed at the power these fish have on the fly rod. I look forward to some other adventures with them.

8-19-11 I spent the last three days fishing for smallmouth bass on the Penobscot River with my friends Kevin McKay and Dave Kelly. Kevin was the guide for this trip and had us on bass almost constantly like only Kevin can do. This trip has become a tradition for the three of us. Each year we mix it up and try different adventures that Kevin plans out. We have never been disappointed and it has turned into one of those trips that I wait all year for. I pulled back into Cape Neddick late in the afternoon yesterday already dreaming about next years adventures and news way to tweak the menu and the fishing.

Jim