8/20/12
We had a couple of touches of fall over the weekend. One was the weather and the other was when I ran into Paul Dixon at Gaviola’s. He’s one of those light tackle fly guys that always show up here looking for the albies. He’s a little early because everything has dried up for him back in the bays where he usually fishes this time of year.
I’m a little out of touch right now because the owner of the boat that I run has been away for the last week and won’t be back until later this week. It’s always easier to keep in touch with things when I’m on the water.
Depending on who you talk to, striped bass fishing is good or tough. Saturday the Point was hot, but a lot of bluefish. On Sunday morning one charterboat captain I talked to came back complaining about the crowds and how difficult it was to troll his spots, bringing back one only one striper and a mess of bluefish, while another also trolling around the Point had a half dozen or so nice fish to almost 40 pounds. The secret is to find a spot where there are fish that nobody else knows about. One thing that there is no disagreements about is the size of the fish. There are very few. if any 10-12 pound fish around. Virtually everything is 20 pounds at least. More boats are heading over to Southwest Ledge. The fishing is more consistent over there and less crowded.
Fluke fishing is still holding up with most of the keepers coming from Rocky Hill to the south of Frisbies, where there is also a good mix of sea bass. Charterboats that have all day trips and want to mix in some bottom fishing are usually going after the porgies and/or sea bass.
Shark fishing is still pretty good for makos, and you don’t have to go far for them. Twelve miles or so is far enough, but a lot of the makos are a little too little to be eaten. I guess everyone has heard about the white sharks up on the Cape. We’re starting to see some sharks close to shore here as well, although I don’t think they are white sharks since there are no seals around here. But a shark is a shark. A couple of small threshers have been taken on the head boats and a surfer was knocked off his board by a six footer down by Hither Hills this week.
Tuna fishing out on the Edge seems to be getting a little steadier with boats coming back with double digits of tuna of varying kinds, and some blue marlin showing up in the mix. But overnighters are still the way to go.
I’m trying to get a forum up and running. It only deals with Montauk. If you fish here, check it out at
http://www.montauksportfishing.com/mtkforum.html and contribute. It won’t work if I’m the only one posting. Let everyone know where you fished, when and what you caught. Or ask questions. What’s the down side? NONE.
If you would like to get these weekly reports sent to you by e-mail, drop me a line at
reports@montauksportfishing.com and if you need any other information about fishing in Montauk check out
www.montauksportfishing.comCapt Gene Kelly
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