I fished the Essex River with my good friend Joe and the fly of the day was the clouser minnow and the white half and half. Joe landed a 31" bass and a 25" fish as well as many smaller schoolies. The incoming tide in the AM was the best tide before the boat traffic. There have been so many healthy legal fish caught and released already this spring with very thick shoulders and fat bellies. From all reports the fishing is only going to get better. Fish the biggest flies you can cast until the fish seem picky then change to a smaller fly. The bait has never been better we saw adult herring 5-8" schooled up and juvies every where in the bay. We here reports the bait is thick from the Cape to Maine as well. Thank you ICAT for changing the regs.... This fall should prove to be oneof the best in ten years.