"Flounderpalooza"

It's getting harder to find time for extended fishing trips, but occasionally the stars allign themselves in such a way that I'm able to get away. I had been trying to get out on a saltwater trip with Andy for two years, but just couldn't arrange it until yesterday. Andy had some time and so did I, so he suggested that we meet Tony and Jaime at Cape Henlopen for some flounder fishing using fly rods. He billed it as "Flounderpalooza," and I was eager to give it a try.

Headed down to Andy's Friday evening and after a great meal at Sean Bolen's Irish Pub we headed back to Andy's place. I didn't have any saltwater flies with me, but I was able to tie up a few Clouser minnows at Andy's tying bench after returning from supper.

Got up early on Saturday and headed to Cape Henlopen. We arrived around 9:00 a.m. and Tony, Jaime and another guy, Sawyer, arrived five minutes after us. I borrowed a stripping basket from Tony and an Abel reel from Jaime and heeded their suggestion to wear chest waders. While we were rigging up, we had the opportunity to meet the "original-go-to-the-right-guy." He was, as the name suggests, a guy who always fishes to the right of the fishing pier. Despite his name, a name which he gave himself, by the way, he felt we were wasting our time going to the right for flounder. Time would vindicate us.

We headed down to the beach, and I couldn't believe what I saw. There were 50-60 anglers on the fishing pier, but not a single person on the flats to the right of the pier. We timed our arrival to coincide with the incoming tide. The tide was just beginning to shift when we waded onto the flats. The only drawback was that there was a strong north wind and the bottom was churned up. Not the best conditions for flounder fishing, but then the best time for any type of fishing is whenever you can get away.

The water was about waste deep 100 yards or so off the beach. I'm not a great caster when it comes to chucking large flies, but I got into a rhythm and was able to get the fly to land where I wanted it. We cast and moved, cast and moved for about an hour, but no one picked up a fish. The wind and the cloudy water seemed to be working against us, but we kept at it.

Another hour went buy, and still no one had a fish. Andy and I took a little break on the beach then headed back out. I began to work a sand bar about 50 yards off the beach. I made a cast and as I was bringing the fly back in I noticed something dark near it. It seemd like the shadow of a bird, but then my fly disappeared and I was finally into a flounder. I shouted to Andy and Tony who were on the beach and they came out to help me. Tony had a net and we landed the the fish. A quick measurement proved him to be a keeper. I was going to throw him back, but Jaime wanted him, and since he lent me the reel, the least I could do was provide a meal for him.

I'd like to say from that point the fishing picked up, but it didn't. We headed into the beach around 2:00. As we approached the parking area, I attained celebrity staus with my flounder. People were gawking, and I got my picture taken and placed on the counter of the bait store. Andy began to call me the "Flounder Pope." I'll take my fame any 15 minutes that I can.

We said good bye to Tony, Jaime and Sawyer and headed into Rehoboth for lunch at Dogfish Head. No trip to the Delaware beaches is ever complete without a stop at DFH and a cold 60 minute IPA draft.

On the way home, we decided to go smallmouth fishing on the Little Gunpodwer just outside of Bel Air. Andy and I are having a competition to see who can actually invite the other on a smallmouth trip where we actually catch a smallmouth. Andy has come up to my place twice for smallies and has caught nothing but channel cats. I have gone down to Maryland only to catch a green sunfish. We got back to Andy's and he grabbed two rods and two reels and off we went for some more fishing. On the way, we discovered that even though he grabbed two reels, only one actually had a fly line on it. No problem, it's a small stream, we'd fish together and share one rod.

Arrived at the Little Gunpowder around 7:00. I asked Andy what we should use and that's when we discovered that he forgot the flies. No worries, he still had a bunch of saltwater flies in the car, so we tied on a bonefish fly. Fished for about an hour, but no smallies came to hand. At the last hole we fished, Andy spotted a trout that came out from under the rock we were standing on. He cast to it a few times then handed the rod to me. Two casts later, I landed a rainbow on a bonefish fly. You can do those kind of things when you are the "Flounder Pope."

All in all a great day of fishing with friends. I look forward to doing it again. And, the smallie challenge is still on.