Thanksgiving is upon us. It has always been my favorite holiday. Despite all the issues and concerns we face in the world, there is still much to be grateful for. I hope others recognize this.
It’s good to be reminded of how fortunate we are in so many ways, and spending Thanksgiving with family and friends makes this day even more special. It brings us closer together. It’s much more than eating food and watching football.
My dinner on Thursday will include the usual tasty suspects like roast turkey, gravy, stuffing, butternut squash, mashed potatoes, creamed onions, and roasted brussels sprouts (my personal fave), along with a dollop or two of cranberry sauce, preferably not from a can.
Incidentally, I’m actually fine eating the canned cafeteria-like condiment. Why is that? Well, I’m an old school guy from the 1960s, when a Swanson frozen TV dinner was considered rather fine cuisine. It came in a thin aluminum tray that contained a basic protein, simple carbohydrate, and an inoffensive vegetable. Pretty simple stuff.
While I’ve never had a sweet tooth, both pumpkin and apple pie will also be served after our huge meal. Whipped cream or ice cream will be nearby for those who want it. Calories be damned.
But after all the fuss and muss of the Thanksgiving day dinner, I’m personally done by the time dessert rolls around.
Whether it is the reaction to the tryptophan in the turkey or overindulgence of all things good and tasty, plus a glass or two of wine, my body is a complete and total mess. The couch becomes my official haven and safe zone for the remainder of the evening. Don’t bother to move me.
There is one tradition of Thanksgiving that I miss even a decade later.
For many years, my good friend Wayne Clinch of Montauk would organize consecutive fishing charters on the Friday and Saturday after Turkey Day. Weather would determine if we could venture out for a mixed-bag catch of stripers, cod, sea bass, and blackfish. When we were able to sail, we usually did very well.
More important, the camaraderie and laughter are what made it so special as Clinch and the rest of our close-knit group waited for a bit with rod and reel in hand. It was life at its finest. Catching fish was really an afterthought.
Alas, those trips ended nearly 10 years ago when Clinch suddenly passed away. We lost our leader and ultimately the desire to do those excursions ever again. Our hearts were just not into it.
While I still miss his humor and smile, I constantly remind myself how fortunate I was to have called him my friend for so many years.
As you may know, turkey is not mandatory for Thanksgiving. Given that anglers are still catching nice quantities of striped bass, sea bass, and blackfish, fish will be on the menu for some. Yes, it’s okay to serve cranberry sauce with your fish dish.
“Striped bass are still along the ocean beaches,” said Ken Morse of Tight Lines Tackle in Sag Harbor and Southampton. “And blackfish are running well, with fish up to 10 pounds.”
Rick Pickering and Joel Fisher, both of Sag Harbor, went their separate ways on Nov. 20 and landed their respective limit of blackfish at Plum and Fishers Islands. Both said the fishing was solid in the calm waters that day.
Sebastian Gorgone at Mrs. Sam’s Bait and Tackle in East Hampton agreed with Morse about the striped bass.
“Diamond jigs and bucktail jigs have been the hot lures of late. Get out and get them while you can.” Gorgone concurred that blackfish remain strong in the usual deepwater haunts.
And while bay scallop season was a total bust in many areas when the season opened a few weeks ago, a few hard-working baymen are finding a bit more of the tasty local treasure in Lake Montauk. Some of the more successful draggers or those searching in waders with a glass box are getting a bushel or two.
Keep a lookout in our local seafood shops. You may luck out.
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Fishing tips, observations, and photos can be sent to [email protected].