Those Empty Bucket Blues
It hasn’t been good.
For the record, I have not had a successful fishing season so far. I’m still looking for my first keeper striped bass, and while I have caught a fair number of fluke that were 18 inches, none have reached the 19-inch minimum. However, I have had no issue hauling in one sea robin after another. Those ever-present, orange and brown-colored winged wonders have been drawn like a magnet to just about anything I put on my hook. But, as the saying goes, it’s better than nothing.
To be fair, I have not spent much time on the water, so I can’t be too demoralized at this stage. It’s still early in the season. Thankfully, we do have some of the finest fish markets around on the East End to help soothe the hurt of an empty bucket at the end of each trip. The soft-shell crabs at Stuart’s Seafood Market have been particularly sweet and plump this spring. Simply sautéed with a bit of butter and a twist of lemon is the way to go. And I’m always up for the spicy Thai seafood curry from the Seafood Shop in Wainscott. Sometimes getting skunked does have its benefits.
But my time on the water will significantly increase in about two weeks, as I will formally retire from my job of the past 30 or so years. No more commute, phone calls, sleepless nights, wasted meetings, emails, and multitude of impatient people. It’s over. And not a moment too soon. While I don’t consider myself over the hill by any means, I do have a lot of miles on my body. If I had an odometer implanted on my chest, I’d be pushing past the 200,000-mile mark. And with a combination of six plastic and metal heart stents helping me stay upright every day, backed by the daily intake of prescribed pills of various shapes, colors, and sizes, kicking back and spending more time on the water is a remedy that any cardiologist would fully endorse.
I’m already planning my summer codfish trips to Cox’s Ledge, and I envision taking my boat to the east side of Gardiner’s Island for those long and lazy drifts for fluke and sea bass off Eastern Plains Point. If I can find them buried in the back of my marina, I may even get my old lobster traps in the water for the chance of a long-favored summer dinner. But alas, my permit lapsed last year and I will need to reapply.
More time on the water does not necessarily equate to more fish caught. And that’s just fine. Whether or not I bring home a fish for dinner is not the point. Just being on the water is what truly matters. Retirement has never looked more enticing to me. It’s a new chapter in my life. In short, it’s time to savor, enjoy, and appreciate each day more than ever before, even if the fish don’t bite.
While my fishing luck remains in the lowest part of my bilge, for others it has been a different story. The shark season got underway in earnest this past weekend with the 31st annual Star Island Yacht Club tournament, and the results were truly impressive.
“The weather was not great on Friday, but the action was good, with a nice number of large sharks weighed in,” said Ben Mahler, general manager of the Star Island Yacht Club. “Saturday’s weather was calmer, but the fishing was off.”
The top shark landed was a 453-pound mako taken by Capt. John Levitt of the Gotta’ Go. Second place went to the boat Mandible with a mako tipping the scales at 430 pounds, while the Mountaineer captured third place with a 378-pound thresher shark. Capt. Steve Roland of the charter boat Professional Cryer hooked into a monstrous 780-pound mako late in the day on Friday, but unfortunately missed the 6 p.m. final weigh-in by about 40 minutes. Tough luck there.
Another tournament, the 47th annual Montauk Marine Basin shark tournament, gets off the docks this Friday and Saturday with upward of 150 boats expected to get into the action. No doubt there are some mighty big fish swimming out there.
And since we’re on the topic of tournaments, the Montauk SurfMasters Spring Shootout is in full gear. The seven-week invitation-only competition ends on July 3 and is open to all current and previous SurfMasters. Entry fees and sponsorships help fund college scholarships for local high school seniors who participate in the tournament. Topping the leader board is Paul Pira with an over-fat striped bass of nearly 48 pounds caught on May 21. Weigh-ins take place at Paulie’s Tackle and the Westlake Fishing Lodge, and more details and applications can be found at montauksurfmasters.com
For those inclined for the peace and solitude of skinny water, action for fly fishermen has been solid of late. Capt. Merritt White, a light-tackle and fly-fishing guide, has ventured into the waters in and around Gardiner’s Bay and reports that the action has been excellent. “Lots of bait around, especially sand eels,” beamed White. “It’s a very good sign for the season so far.” Stripers up to 36 inches have been taken in recent days, with some bluefish mixed in.
Fluke and porgy fishing have been solid off Accabonac Harbor and Clearwater Beach, reports Harvey Bennett of the Tackle Shop in Amagansett. “Lion’s Head Rock has been especially hot for large porgies. Also, small bluefish have been picked up at the Three Mile Harbor breakwater and I hear rumors of weakfish off Clearwater as well as in the bays to the west. Seems like a strong run of them.” Bennett said that some shad have appeared along the Napeague stretch and White Sands, along with some small bass, but the recent wicked rip currents have churned up the water and made fishing difficult. Larger bass have been taken by boat from Plum Gut on diamond jigs.
“Fishing has been a bit picky,” said the ever-smiling Sebastian Gorgone of Mrs. Sam’s Bait and Tackle in East Hampton. Gorgone said that small striped bass still inhabit the local harbors, creeks, and coves, and that large bluefish are still roaming the shores along Gerard Drive. He did note that the fluke fishing perked up a bit outside of Three Mile Harbor.
On a side note, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation will hold a free fishing weekend on Saturday and Sunday, during which anyone can fish the fresh or marine waters of New York State and no fishing or recreational marine fishing registry is required. This special exemption weekend provides a good opportunity for those new to the sport to try fishing for the first time, especially if those with youngsters in tow. At other times, anglers 16 years of age and older desiring to fish in the marine and coastal district or for migratory marine species must enroll in the no-fee Recreational Marine Fishing Registry, online at dec.ny.gov/permits/.
We welcome your fishing tips, observations, and photographs at [email protected]. You can find the “On the Water” column on Twitter at @ehstarfishing