This weekend I went out fishing on Buzzards Bay with my good friend Jared. I’d been hearing reports of the incredibly strong albie bite, and so we set out in search of the little tunny’s. What we found was remarkable, and not what I was expecting.

The day was bright, clear and calm, giving us great visibility. Early on, in looking for fish, we came across acres of bait — literally. With a smooth surfaced unhurried by wind, there were the little tell-tale rings for 50-100 yards in every direction, the water dark and full of life. This happened all day: we found bay anchovies. We found peanut bunker. We found big bunker. And we found some silversides.

Moreover, we found them pilled against one rock pile all next to each other, all in different clumps. It made choosing the right fly to match the bait nearly impossible. Instead, I opted for a  simple deceiver — something attractive, something that, at speed and in the commotion, might be suitable.

All this bait is good news: it’s a good sign for a strong bite this fall and, most importantly, of a strong ecosystem.

I’m working on a full video of the day, but in the meantime check out the below clip for some of the bait we saw.