Striper Desktop Image or Screensaver

[Fish_Eye]

A few of you have asked for a screensaver or desktop image to help get you through the winter of 09’. I’m happy to oblige with this shot taken off Block Island in August. This horde of stripers was blanketing the edge of a near-shore reef. As always, the largest fish is near the bottom of the school.

The water was clear, but not gin-clear. There was a lot of suspended particles in the water and a ton of jellyfish (the scourge of 08’) but despite the reduced visibility you get a pretty good view of what it’s like when a school of marauding bass swarm over a spot. Can you imagine a big bucktail jig down there? How long would a live eel last in that crowd? Would a big fish beat the smaller fish to a popper worked overhead? You dream up the scenario that best suits your style of fishing. There’s no wrong answer.

The truth be told, a thirty-pound striper inhaled a big pink Hogy that Captain Ed Hughes was fishing off of Captain Ryan Sansoucy’s charter boat Optimus Prime. I had suspected a certain area would hold fish, I jumped in and as soon as I cleared the boat Ed had hooked up on his first cast. One day I’ll get that moment captured as the ultimate photo or video...maybe next year.

I’ll eventually post this and other shots to my website in larger sizes. Enjoy the view.