For a vast majority of anglers, the fishing season has come to an end, as persistent cold winds out of the north have taken a firm hold.
While we still wish for a much-needed rainfall in this historic drought, most have retired their rods and reels to the darkness of their basement or garage. The weather window for fishable days is increasingly narrow. If you want to fish, you better act quick.
My 30-foot boat, Rock Water, is now resting high and dry, but she will be launched once again in late March to trap for lobster. It’s hard to believe, but that’s only a few months away. Stay positive, I always say.
Still, unfortunately, she will undergo a major operation this winter, as I will replace her fuel lines and install new twin 90-gallon fuel tanks. My guru of all things technical and mechanical, Adrian Pickering, the owner of the marina here in Sag Harbor where I’ve docked my boat for decades, will oversee the project. Rock Water is in good hands. In Adrian we trust.
That said, I have not stowed away all of my rods for the season. Fish are still here and on the feed, primarily striped bass, sea bass, blackfish, and cod. When the weather allows, the fishing has been productive in many locales.
As such, early Sunday morning I entered the Montauk Marine Basin to join a blackfish charter that was organized by Bill Bennett of Sag Harbor. A plumber extraordinaire who has unclogged various drains and fixtures in our house, Bennett is also a most skilled fisherman.
“Glad to have you aboard,” said Capt. Tyler Quaresimo of the charter boat Simple Life, as I slung my gear upon the stern deck in the early morning darkness. Sunrise was still over 90 minutes away.
It was wonderful to be aboard, despite a chilly and stiff northerly wind that ruffled our exposed skin. “Let’s shove off,” said Quaresimo, as Brian Damm, our experienced first mate, untied the dock lines. “We are going to head off to Rhode Island. It’ll be a two-hour ride.”
Ironically, Bennett had chartered Quaresimo the prior day. Despite a strong northwest breeze, the crew headed off to the rocky coast of Rhode Island, and Bennett returned with a solid catch of the rough and tumble bottom-feeding fish. Trudging along in the sloppy seas as the sun broke above the horizon, we were hopeful for a repeat performance.
“Okay, you can drop them down,” Quaresimo yelled to us as the anchor took hold just a scant half-mile off the shoreline. “Let’s see what we can do. Catch ‘em up.”
Baiting up with green crabs, the six of us aboard lowered our rigs into the 55-degree water. It only took me a few minutes to land the first fish of the day, a chunky five-pounder. A most pleasant start.
For the next two hours, the bite was robust, with fish up to eight pounds being landed. While we had a few lulls in the action later in the morning, we caught our fair share of blackfish, including numerous shorts, on that bright and sunny late fall day.
On Monday, Bennett fished again, this time with his colleagues from the Sag Harbor Fire Department on the Viking Starlight out of Montauk for their annual charter trip. And he was scheduled to head back out again on the Viking Star yesterday. Did I mention that Bennett loves to fish?
Given all of his recent time on the water, it’s a good thing I don’t have any immediate plumbing problems or concerns that require his expertise.
“The bass fishing has been great off of the ocean beaches for many,” observed Ken Morse of Tight Lines Tackle in Southampton and Sag Harbor. “Small diamond jigs have been the hot lure of late.”
Morse also gushed over the excellent blackfish action for anglers dropping green-crab bait into the rapidly cooling waters.
“So long as the weather is good, the blackfish are there,” Morse said. “But the season will soon end. Anglers should get out when they can.”
Quaresimo said the same of striped bass. “The striped bass fishing has been great at Montauk,” he added. “It’s been fantastic in the local rips. I hope it lasts.”
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Fishing tips, observations, and photos can be sent to [email protected].