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A night in a cheap hotel in Redwood, the kind of hotel that is only a way to not sleep in the street. But what the heck am I doing here, huh ? That’s the stupid thing with fishing, you gotta get up early, and very often, hit the road for a long ride. And because of this, to go fishing tomorrow for this crazy day waiting for me, fishing for stripers in the delta, I needed to be close to Xav’s so we can leave at dawn. Fly fishing for striper, god damn it… This fish that I’ve only seen in the magazines and the videos. Something crazy, an XXL seabass on a run, with its striped shirt. And to make me catch my first striper on the fly, Xav says that nobody beats Mike at this game.

Mike is Mike Costello. This is simply one of the (the ?) best guides for flyfishing for striper in the delta of the San Francisco bay. More than 15 years of experience on this fishery, author of a book that is true reference on the subject, he is the A-Team of striper on the fly just himself.

Mike is a guide who makes you love the guides. But be prepared cause one day with Mike, it’s fucking intense!! 200% in the game from the start to the end, he’s got a knowledge of the water, the fishs, and the gear that forces admiration. We go to the spot, stop the boat, he gives you the right rod with the right line density and the good clouser, and then, just follow his tips… and set!!! He demonstrated it from the first spot. At that moment, you say to yourself “well, there is the potential for something great today”.

Impressively professional, if you spend more than 15min with less than 3 strikes, he’s gonna bring you somewhere else. He knows exactly how to fish each spot, and constantly search for the school of big fish that should make the day of your life. With Mike, you’re 100% confident. It’s a team work: he knows that with this gear, this fly, fishing this way on this spot at that time of the day, you should soon be in contact with the fish ; just follow him. If you follow his advises, you’ll catch fish, you’ll have a great time, and if it doesn’t work, be sure that he will try everything to make you catch fish! I had a hell of a day with him. For my first day fishing for striper, I caught many of them, I had many strikes. I was totally crazy for my biggest of the day, a great 8.5 pounds, but I have seen later in his book that some fishermen reached the stars on his boat… with numerous fish above 20 pounds, some caught on topwater, and the mega big one weighing 47 pounds!!

One day with Mike, it’s a full year at the Harvard of striper fly fishing. You leave him fucking tired but your head is full of so many things. His schedule is pretty busy (almost one year in advance…), so if you wanna go with him, just take it in advance (or go to the California Fly Shop...). One thing for sure, this is a day you won’t forget.

It’s Mouching certified !