Sometimes the internet is not the best medium to convey how you feel. You write a short blurb and people fill in the gaps with their own thoughts. …. what they think you are saying
Hang on, I am getting to it
I wrote “so far, so good” on the fall run. Has this fall run been good? Great? Above average? Not even close. It’s a same old crap of mullet (and now this year peanut bunker) traveling along the beach unmolested. Where are the stripers ? I think we ate most of them to be honest with you. What I meant to say, that after last fall, that for me personally was the worst I have ever seen, seeing some fish on night tides in Montauk, hearing about fish from south shore beaches was at least encouraging…of course the bite that use to last for a week, now last a day or so. Why? Probably because there are a lot less fish involved. Why? Because we ate most of them.
I am tired of hearing about high water temperatures, bait holding offshore, water pollution. You got everything you ever needed, ton of bait, right time of the year, right water temps, right winds and fishing is still off…way off.
Maybe you missed this post by Lou Derricco, a fellow who I consider much better (and observant angler ) that I will ever be
Are you going out to Montauk again this weekend? I actually went out late Saturday night and fished Sunday morning. Guess I missed you. Wasn’t too happy with the results. I had heard that there had been some fish over the past few days, but not for me on Sunday. Just a short pick. Also, didn’t see any anchovies, False Albicore or bass on the surface. I spoke to a fellow that was on The Viking on Saturday night. He said that there were 60 passengers and only two keepers taken. That is scary. It also doesn’t seem like there are many bass by us at home……… One of my friends, who happens to be a very experienced surfcaster, fished south shore over the weekend. He said that there were all the mullet and peanuts you wanted, but he could only manage small bluefish. I am starting to become very worried. I guess I am not starting to become worried. I have been worried and have been crying about this for at least five years. Patterns are changing, or there are just not as many
fish. Also, I am not hearing anything about sand eels. The sand eels are what saved me and many others over the past two years…………….I am really NOT feeling like this fall run is “so far, so good”. I hope I am wrong………….
Louis J. DeRicco
Hmm, does not sound too promising, does it? Where are all those schools of bass that are usually out of the casting range in Montauk? With birds and boats all over them? I have not seen one in last two extended weekends there. And how about the resident bass in the white water on the south side? Hell, you can catch those buggers at will as long as there is some white water, right? At least you used to…but not any longer. I watched many go down to Browns, Kings, Rat Hole and get nothing to show for their efforts.
Vito Orlando, to whom a last chapter of my new book is dedicated, particularly a story about catching 59 stripers by 9 am and calling it a day while he stayed and went well over 100 that day…Vito is not feeling great these days so he is limited to fishing two hours or so a day on his beloved south side. Last time I talked to him he counted 20 or so bass that he caught in 7 days. He used to catch more on a September morning before sun would come up on most days!
And yes, although Vito, I and many others have been harping on this over the years, some people have either refused to believe that is as bad as we think or just held out hope that we were wrong. But you know that tide is turning when Montauk Guide Bill Wetzel wrote in his last report that he is now convinced that something is terribly wrong with the striped bass fishery.
So, yeah, I wrote so far, so good because for two or three days according to reports I got, it was decent in compassion to last year. Then again, if I hooked a used condom it would have to be an improvement from last year. Too graphic? Maybe but I am afraid that you are going to wish to hook something, anything in few years.
I sincerely hope that the SJ type catch and release contests become not an exception , but something other will follow. You know my feelings on keeping fish, if its legal and you caught it, enjoy it with your family. I have no issues with that (although I do with legal minimums but that is conversation for another day).
I sincerely hope I am wrong. I hope your fall be full of blitzing bass and leaping baitfish. I hope you land them by hundreds and hook the fish of your dreams. But just like we say about patterns…it’s a pattern until its broken. Right now the striper fishery for surfcasters still looks to me to be on downward trajectory. Regardless of few good days here and there
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