Schoolies vs. big

[Roop]

keepers +...

So it's easy to substantiate the belief that if you're into a pod of cookie cutter schoolies that's what you will continue to catch.

Being fortunate enough to be standing on a flooding bar when a blitz came through (and through my legs) I've seen larger fish hugging the bottom with the smalls up top as the blitz worked it's way by.

My question is, reading and hearing in the shops about larger fish being taken when the majority of people are into twinkies, it would appear that these bigger fish are loners or is it just the angler is being skilled/ lucky enough to pull one out of the school?

What do you think?

[Fly Rod]

SKILL and KNOWLEDGE is a remarkable TRAIT!!!

[macojoe]

And so is the Luck of the Irish!!

[hooked]

When you're catching the big ones, it's obviously due to skill.

When all you can get are rats, catching large is all due to luck.

[KJLane]

This time of year and again in the fall, the big fish are definately not loners. They school up and migrate, often with other large fish. Down at Cuttyhunk last October, I was lucky enough to be present when a school of large bass was moving through. The fishing was easy, and all the fish were between 20 and 45 lbs. 2 days later all of those fish were gone. When the bass aren't migrating and are instead in mid-summer residence mode, the schools break up to a certain extent into more of a loose affiliation with an area rather than a tight nit school. Nonetheless, I don't think it can be argued that big bass are loners. That's my take!

[OTAVARTS]

theres a great video out, Striper Magic, it was handed down to me so i couldn't tell you how to get a hold of it. It's all underwater film by a guy from North Kingstown RI. it's awesome, all bass. and you see giant schools of bass and exactly how you described, the small bass up top and the cows swimming at the bottom. it's a great film, worth trying to find.