I usually fish for stripers twelve month a year, but somehow January and February escaped me in 2013. March nearly got away, too. But I took care of that last night.
Met old fishing buddy Dr. Griswold to catch the bottom of the tide at one of our old haunts. The conditions were certainly favorable. A strong moon tide, good water level, and a water temp of 46. But alas, no stripers for either of us. I swung. I greased lined. I nymphed. I stripped. I jigged. I fished deep, on top, and all points in between. But, you can’t catch what isn’t there.
On a positive note, Bob didn’t lose his Christmas gift. Every year I tie some flatwings for friends as a present, and every year Bob loses his fly on the bottom or in a tree within the first five minutes of fishing it. Not last night. Well done, Bobber.
What Santa brought this year: the Rock Island flatwing
I was also able to coax ninety minutes out of an E.P. Carillo Golossos while on the water. Terrific cigar.
And when I got home, the choir was singing. Spring peepers. Their first performance signals that the over-wintering bass in my local rivers are getting ready to move.
Not tonight. But soon.
currentseams.com 
Ah, spring peepers. When we hear them in these parts you can be sure that the ice and snow has left us.
Stunning looking flies. 🙂
Very nice Steve.
A fish would be the icing on the cake Steve, but being on the water with a good friend and a good cigar is enough to make it all worth it. that always works for me.
Yup. That’s the way I look at it. (Plus Bob not losing the fly).
Hi Steve,
Still tying up flatwings. I know you prefer the Eagle Claw 253. Do you have a preference between the L253 and the regular 253? One of these days I will get up my nerve to send you some photos.
Thanks again, always learn something from your posts along with some entertainment!
Dave,
I love the 253 for flatwings — but it’s a love-hate relationship. I love the shape and design of the hook, but to be fair, many of the hooks in a 100 count box need the assistance of a file to get them up to sharpness snuff. The L — L standing for “laser” — hooks are the same, where in some bizarre universe, laser sharp means “not sharp enough to stick in your nail.” Again, a mill file remedies the problem.
I’ve had double-digit pounds fish start to bend out 1/0 hooks, so now I tie mostly with 3/0s.
Thanks for your kind words, and I’m glad you enjoy currentseams.
Thanks for the insights. I will keep using them and keep my file at the ready.