RiVeR rEpOrT 7/5

[FASTEDDIE29]

Originally Posted by Bruce Litton

Rockies & gills seem the way to go & all my reading has underscored live bait for flatheads, rather than chicken livers & such for channels. But years ago, we came for night stripers, lots of big eels & surf rods. One of these eels died on the way, and just before sunset, as I had to rig other rods, I said what the heck and baited up with the dead one. Let it sit on bottom--not long. Line peeled off & I dug into a nine-pound flathead. Towards midnight, I did get to fight a nice striper, but once it got near us--with lantern blazing--it took off on such a terrific run the hook pulled. Told this story to a night striper vet, and he knowingly told me whenever they hook up, the fire gets put out, the lanterns turned off.

Very true Bruce! Lights out even for the net job or beach landing! They are tough as nails in the river! Sitting deep in current makes them pretty tough fish!