Ahoy All: Will present a Slide Show "TO CATCH A TUNA" for CT FISHERMAN Tues. even., 1/18, at 7 PM in Middletown, CT at the Cypress Arms Resturant, call Vick at (860) 983-3198 for more info. Will present a Slide Show "ABOUT FISH TAGGING" at 2:00 PM Sunday afternoon, 1/23 at the Peace Dale Library in Wkfld., RI. Seminar is open to the public, call Jessica at (401) 783-4085 for more info. Thxs., Capt. Al Anderson

Ahoy All: Fished a Norwich local/friend (Brian Patterson/Mike Joy) Tues. 1/4/05 in the basin area, despite rain the night before/murky water, fish bit their silly heads off on both the ebb/fld. tide, had several 25-26", 28" fish, all 112 stripers T/R for the ALS. Regular vertical jiggers only picked away, no sign of ice, FW Surface temp. 32-33F, not many fish south of the old THERMOS plant, floating dock by the crane has been relocated to the Marina area. Back at it this wknd?, weather permitting. Capt. Al Anderson

test4 FLY RODDERS KICKED BUTT Fished Steph Cramer & Bill Krueger yesterday (1/1/05) on the Thames River (upper basin), strictly fly fishing (8-10W) for O-W stripers, using fast-sink lines (450/550g.), white/silver/chartruese Clouser type flies. First hour there (last of the ebb), fish bit well, but on the change of tide/wind, developed "lock jaw". Trollers and vertical jiggers caught well early, then bottom dropped out for most. Finished day with 38 fish to 24" T/R, with marina dock area, Police Station, and junkyard hole showing high numbers of fish. Surface F. water temps 32-33F, suspect SW wedge temps in low 40s (where fish are located). Capt. Al Anderson Hit the Thames River this morning with Bill Krueger & Capt. Al. I think the fish had hang-overs. We tagged/released 38 fish to 22", but it wasn't easy. I caught 70 on the tube rig yesterday...21 on the fly today. (Yup, I'm pooped). The chatter today was that the fish weren't feeding. Some of the real Rats, plus a couple of prominent fishermen did not do very well. The fly rodders outfished the jiggers & trollers today. Another gentleman was fly rodding from a boat with his dog as coach...and having a ball. I used a 450 Teeny, & chatreuse/white Twissler tied on a 800 1/0 hook. Besides the fun of catching fish, I'm really happy that, for 2004..first day of 2005, there are 320 bass swimming around with my name on the tag as hauler/angler, & Capt. Al will keep me informed of any recaptures. Sometimes you really have to work to make the Capt. look good! HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL! a pooped, but still long-winded, little old river rat. steph cramer

Ahoy Gang: On Saturday, Dec. 4th, 2004, Corey Losardo, age 11, fishing with his dad, caught a Thames River O-W striped bass that was quickly T/R for the American Littoral Society. This 22", 4.5 lb. striper carried away ALS tag #649548, and marked the 35,000 game fish so marked in my career. It was but one of 43 stripers this junior angler tallied that day! The ALS, one of over 60 tagging agencies now along the Atlantic seaboard, is helping fisheries managers better understand game fish resources. Young anglers such as Corey. are counting on fishermen like you to report, in a timely fashion, the recapture of any tagged fish. Thanks for your help, Capt. Al Anderson