stars & stripes on the fourth of july!

photo by Al Quattrocchi

photo by Al Quattrocchi

I had the good fortune to fly fish some southern waters with two of my friends, Bernard and Jon this past weekend while visiting family in San Diego. I found myself at dark o thirty, Torrey Pines State Beach, street parked on the fourth of July. With great structure exposed all around us it made perfect sense to hit it early before the crowds emerged. I met a nice fellow named Don, he came strolling up the beach with his fly rod and stripping basket, a welcomed site on this fourth of July morning. He looked like a local so we chatted a little and I asked him if he had any luck with corbina at this location. He replied that he hadn’t seen many beans but one of the bait fisherman the day before landed a nice striper on bait. I notice he had an anchovy colored clouser minnow attached to the end of his line. I told him that it was a great idea to start off with the clouser and if nothing happened switch over to corbina. Off he went far to my left, I saw him wading out chest high and bombing casts over the waves. Shortly after my buddy Jon showed up and we began to scan the skinny water for corbina. Around fifteen minutes passed and here comes Don walking up the beach with a striper in his net. The stars and stripes starting early on this fourth of July weekend. I congratulated him and took a pic. Jon told me the next day, he went out and he saw Don land yet another larger striper…that’s why I love flyfishing the beach, you never know unless your line is wet what can tug at the end of your line… Me and Jon did get some good shots on some corbina working the shallow water later that morning, they were doing headstands for around a half an hour window but the corbina showed us no love. Our buddy Bernard landed a nice halibut in one of the many deep troughs that lined the beach on a clouser. Just another day at the office, good times and great morning fishing with friends.