New York Metro &
New Jersey

New York Bight on Fire!!!

5:30, Halloween morning when the phone rang. I reluctantly picked it up and Richard said “So, what do you think?” “I told you last night, there’s a gale warning today,” annoyed that I could have gotten another hour of sleep. “You pu#$y was his response. It looks fine out.” After a long pause I said, “OK, OK we’ll give it a shot, but I have to be at work by 10:00.” One hour and two coffees later I was loading my gear onto Richard’s brand new Parker. The wind was cranking, my hands were already starting to numb, and I was cursing Richard under my breath. As the sun crept over the horizon I noticed a small cloud of birds. Probably just picking bait off the flat, I thought. But as it got brighter, the cloud got bigger and thicker. I noticed several more clouds over the white caps and I started to get excited. “Move your ass Richard,” I said as I pointed to the birds. After banging the pier a few times we were off. We didn’t have to go to far before seeing breaking fish amongst the white caps. It was a least 25 Knots out of the North by now, so I picked up the spinner and tossed out a bucktail. Nothing. After a few casts I switched to a crippled hearing. Nothing. Meanwhile fish were breaking all around the boat. What the hell, I thought. “Must be on big bait” I said to Richard. “Probably Bunker,” was his response. I tied on one of my massive, poorly tied deceivers that resembles nothing more than a 8 inch mass of bucktail, hackle and flash. Tossed it about 40 feet into a hollowing wind and let it sink a bit before giving it a tug. That fist strip felt like I was pulling a telephone pole. Holy !@#$ !!! I yelled as I did the old “flyline jig” to free the line under my feet. I was into backing in a matter of seconds. “This is a big !@#$%^& fish.” I let out a string of cuss words that would have made my mother faint as I battled the life on the end of my line. I looked over and Richard was hooked up also. 15 minutes later I lipped a 39 inch fat and beautiful bass. Richard had one that was just under 40 inches also. Nice!!!

Of course it didn’t stop there. Before we had to go in, lest we get blown away by 40 plus knot winds, we ended up with a 38” a 39” and several fish over 36”. Multiple double hook ups, and we got into backing on just about every fish. Of course I didn’t get to work by noon. Guess what they were feeding on. No, not bunker, guess again. Ah, you’ll never get it. They were chasing cocktail blues, which were chasing anchovies. Absolutely incredible. GOD I LOVE THE FALL!!!

The New York Bight, especially Jamica Bay / Breezy area is on fire!!!! A big pod of fish moved in, and man are they aggressive. With action like this, who cares about the Yankees. This weekend’s Ft. Tilden Last Chance Catch and Release Surf Fishing Tournament (see news) should be crazy. Can’t wait!!!

The wind this week made the fishing tough, but those who had the cahones to get out there and get beaten up, the reward was big. The cold snap was the just the thing we’ve been waiting for, as it dropped the water temp from the low 60’s to the low 50’s. The bass fishing is awesome right now. While the North Shore is a little slow, all along the South Shore, the guys are hammering them. Out east the weekend saw the last of the albies as they came up for one last meal before heading to Harkers where Frank Crescitell, Dino Torino, Gene Quigley, Barry Kanavy and Paul Dixon are hooking 20 pounders. The Jersey action is red hot also.

But now, “The West is the best.” It’s about as good as it gets right now. So get off your butt and get out there!!!

And don’t forget to email me your own reports. Tight lines all.

Tight Lines!

John McMurray

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New York & New Jersey's Fisheries

Western Long Island

Wind’s a bitch!!! Tough fishing this week on both the North and South shore. Cold weather and even snow flurries in some places. Most people didn’t go out. Spoke with Captain Matt Morrillo of Fly-A-Salt Charters this week and he said that there are fish all along Stony Brook, Port Jeff and Smithtown, but its nothing to write home about. Albies were still around last weekend, but not very thick. Matt’s boat took a few, but he said they wouldn’t go for long runs. Most fish just stopped short. Most likely they’ll hit the road after this cold front. There are also some small blues around according to Matt, and some alligators in the mix also. Matt let me know that the South shore was a different story. Big bunker and big fish have been making Fire Island Inlet very interesting. Matt said that if you could get out there when those fish were aggressively feeding, and imitate a large bunker you’ll do well. Bait fishermen have been nailing 30’s, 40’s and 50’s on the live ones.

Farther west on The North Shore Coldspring Harbor has been seeing sporadic bluefish and bass blitzes. Great Neck and Manhassett have been seeing bigger bluefish but the bait is not a thick as it has been.

Eastern Long Island

Out east things are still alive, with the albies making one last showing. Captain Scott Holder from Dragonfly Charters checked in with this report:

Hey John, Well as you know John most of the week I was down in Florida. No not fishing but the next best thing, I bought a second boat to do more offshore fishing and to use in the fall. There will be no stopping this platform it is built for the big water. So John when I do the Manhattan Cup this year look for a 25' Black Fin to be tied up at the dock, just look for the black hull. Enough of that let me tell you about last Friday. I went out to Montauk to try out the new boat. John Sicilia was on board and he managed 10 albacore and 2 Bass. The morning was excruciatingly slow, with fish popping but not taking. The afternoon picked up as the tide started to move. I had to keep changing flies to get the right pattern, one pod would take one pattern another would take another. All the Albacore were caught near the Lighthouse in the rip and we produced the Bass on the South Side. It looks like the beginning of the end at Montauk for us so, I will be fishing Fire Island (Home base) for the rest of the fall, unless something dramatic happens. There are reports of 40 lb fish on the south shore so I will be looking to get into that action. With reports of Big Bunker on the beach and in the Bay, the fly of choice is obvious with sinking lines to get to the bottom for Big Bass. PS John thanks for helping me on the Cross Bronx last Thursday when my axle decided to shift upon hitting a Canyon sized pothole (what are they kidding me with that road!!!). After 20 hours of driving to be stuck in the Bronx is no fun, but John came through with tools and his eternal smile, he is a true gentlemen.

No problem Scott. I know you’d have done the same for me. By the way Reel-Timers, I got a close look at Scott’s new Blackfin. Its awesome! Perfect flyfishing platform for those big water trips.

To The Point Charters’ Amanda Switzer let me know that things were still going strong in Montauk last weekend “There are a bunch of smaller sized bass, and blue fish. The Albies were raging over the weekend , but I haven’t been out in a while because of the wind.” She said.

Farther west Shinnecock is still hot. Captain Don Kaye for Shinnecock Guiding checked in with this report:

The weather was great, the seas were calm and the fish were everywhere. Large schools of Bluefish off the beaches and some schools of Stripers too. The Bass were working the surface in the Bay as well. On the outgoing tide, near dark, schools of large Shad were leaping and busting all over and they ate just about everything you presented to them including flies and jigs. It was really great until Mother Nature dealt a low blow with high winds and cold temps. Hope she'll take a tranquilizer this week.

Me to Don. Me to.

New York Metro

Holy moley the bight is on fire!!! Big fish under the birds. Its absolutely crazy right now. I can’t even explain it. You have to see it to believe it.

Captain Joe Mattioli from On The Bite Charters is getting into the action. He checked in with this report:

Hi John We had bass and bluefish before the cold snap, these fish were on the feed chasing bunker and busting on top . The chopper blues (16lbs) were ferocious ,working well into the backing and fighting all the way to the boat making it very difficult to land with my Boga grip. Bass 8lbs to 17lbs are in the mix. , This weekend should be a good one, providing the wind doesn’t blow us out. I Have dates available !

Capt. Joe

Captain Frank Crescitelli send in a report right before departing for Harkers Island. He had this to say:

Hey John well we all said that if the weather got a little colder the fishing would really turn on and it has in a big way. Thank you fish gods! Last week the Northwest wind really hurt us and we had to work really hard to score, but not too hard for Megan McGowen who caught her first New York Bass on the fly, it makes them all that much more fun. You don't want it to be too easy! It's the contrast that makes you realize how fortunate we really are with the fishery that we have. Yesterday I hosted Nelson Breen and Austin Tribet, who are working on a book on exactly the same subject, and we experienced great fishing for busting Bass on the surface and had fish to 31" all beautiful healthy fish. Next week I'll post a report about the (hopefully) fabulous Albie fishing from Harkers Island, I'm leaving today to meet Dino and Gene Quigley for some fun and fishing, see you on the bounce...

Capt. Frank

Speaking of Dino and Gene. They phoned in a report from Harkers last night. Phenomenal was the word Gene used. The Albacore are all in the 20lb range and they are busting bait on the surface in typical fall fashion. Dino said, “You gotta get down here, its worth it.” Man I wish I could. Gene also said that his Shore Catch Partners are doing very well with the bass on the beaches of New Jersey.

New Jersey

New Jersey is red hot! Check out Captain Paul Eidman’s report:

Hey guys.. Winds have been howling so this fly flopper hasn't been out in a few days. My friends in the Sandy Hook surf have been doing well on the stripers to 34" on big deceiver and half/halfs, and naturally big yellow plugs work best with the wind in your face. FYI- There are stripers in the "COW" class lurking about the bay in a big way right now. There's plenty of mid size bunker now to hold them here so now is the time to try to kiss and release a fish of a lifetime.

Catchem up!
Capt Paul

No joke. Now is the time. That’s all for this week. Don’t miss out on the fabulous fall run. Get out there.