New York Metro &
New Jersey

October 25th, 2003

Darn This Wind!

Featured Affiliate

Get the Garmin 76s GPS unit - a Reel-Time top product. $400.00 plus shipping.

I know you guys are getting sick of me talking about the weather but it’s really killing me this year… I sit here writing this with a trash can full of used up Kleenex beside me, a nose that is completely incapable of passing any air, I have little to no voice and my irritated throat feels like sandpaper. Okay, it’s a typical cold, expected this time of the year, and year, I’m being a baby. I actually like the cooler weather because of course it brings those big stripers in. This year is no different in that respect… but this darn wind!!! It’s taking day after day away from me! I can’t remember a time when I could expect at least three quarters of the week to be blow-outs. The Montauk Redbone, while it went ahead as planned, most with small boats came in decidedly early and the second day was canceled. I’m still trying to thaw out. Tomorrow dosen’t look that much better. Satuday looks like we might catch a quick break in the morning, but that wind is going to set right back in and blow pretty consistently through next week. What’s up with that!

Well, the good news is that the cold front turned the fishing on in points west of Shinnecock. The bad news is that it turned off the East End pretty good, possibly pushing the albies out for good. I hope I’m wrong about that, and I just might be… Who knows. Seems as if the farther west (or South) you went this week the better you did. New Jersey (both north and south) was just downright awesome with albies off the beach and some pretty crazy blitzes right in surfcasting range. The New York Bight lit up in a big way as some bigger bass moved into the various bays and could be seen in some really shallow water where they had pushed peanut bunker. The water has been crystal clear and the visibility has been phenomenal. The east, even when the weather allowed was

slow and most anglers didn’t see anything but bluefish.

So… This weekend, we deal with the cold and hope for less wind… But the bass are moving in and so we’ll be out there regardless… We have no choice. Go forth and fish…

And don’t forget to email me your own reports. Tight lines all.

Tight Lines!

John McMurray

New Jersey

Captain Paul Eidman from Reel-Therapy checks reports a good start to the fall run in Northern New Jersey with big bass and bluefish blitzing peanut bunker both inside and out.

Captain Gene Quigley from Shore Catch Guide service reports that Central New Jersey is on fire. Check it out:

John,

Sorry for the late reports but things are just ON FIRE!! Today we had blitzes from the Hook to Barnegat inlet, non -- stop all day long!!! Guys in the surf getting as much as the guys in the boats! Bass and blues everywhere on the inside - Albies outside. All the rainbait you could want and more -- tons of peanuts too! Words cannot describe the action -- get on it if you can now, south winds coming could knock it all down for a few days.

Capt. Gene
Shore Catch

This late report came in from Capt. Brian DiLeo of Iowa Fortune Guide Service:

Ocean City / Atlantic City Fishing Report

This week offered us a whole lot of wind that made things quite for the first part of the week but when the winds clamed the back country lit up with some very good fishing. The 3 day fast that the bass were on ended with the bass on the feed in a big way especially through the night time hours. Fall seems to be in almost full swing with the daytime fishing coming into its own producing a lot of good bass with the day time trend for the week shaped up to be that they are either there or not there but when you found them the were numerous and quality is size. Last light, first light and night time still is
producing  the most aggressive and largest Bass in the shallowest of water and should remain the pattern until the waters stabilize in the 50's. As it has been all year the Bass are larger and more numerous than the years past and things are shaping up to be a superior fall providing action for both Fly and light tackle anglers alike. Most Bass through the week ranged in size to 31" /10lbs and very aggressive on the take. We also unfortunately had lost several 33"+ fish that when hooked up would make it very clear that they were not going to
come to the boat and after blistering first run and a short battle would spit the hook nonetheless still very exciting and nice to see the larger Bass are on the move. Water temperatures are ranging between 54-61. Along with the Bass there is still a good number of Bluefish in the 3-5lb range making short time of any bait or lure put in front of then also providing some nice sideshow action.

According to Captain Frank Crescitelli from Fin Chaser Charters things have started to open up in Raritan Bay with plenty of bass in the high teen / low 20 range. Frank had them on the surface several days this week.

Jamaica Bay really came alive this week as the fall’s stripers moved into their regular haunts. They can be found feeding on peanut bunker and aggressively taking surface flies in some of the better flats. Water clarity has been excellent, so sight fishing is not only possible but also likely…. How long this will last we don’t know. There are plenty of schoolies around, but there are bigger pods of fish as well… Just have to find them.

Western Long Island

Nothing to report from this area this week

Eastern Long Island

Things seemed to have slowed considerably at the point. Mostly bluefish around, but still a few pods of stray albies. Another run of bass will certainly happen at some point and most guides expect this to happen sooner rather than later.

Farther West in the Shinnecock area Captain Don Kaye checks in with this report:

The week began with Breezy conditions, then Very Windy and then to RIDICULOUS! The fierce windstorm this week, once again, kept us in port! The winds abated, slightly, toward week's end and anglers Rob Shine and Shawn Murphy came aboard for a full day session on Shinnecock Bay. The 20 knot N/W winds 'chopped up' the Bay waters so we began our session in the ocean, running along just off the beaches, which allowed some shelter from the stiff breezes. We spotted some surface activity and hooked a couple of Bluefish. Later, still along the ocean beaches, lots of Blues were busting on bait and a number more fish were hooked and released. That afternoon, back in the Bay, the winds subsided enough to comfortably fish the channels, resulting in the capture & release of a number of Striped Bass up to 27 inches. Two fine anglers overcame tough conditions. Still waiting for the Fall run, sunshine and calm seas! Capt. Don Kaye, Shinnecock Guiding, 631-7288175

Fishing from the shore in the Shinnecock area is Salty Flyrodder Joel Filner. He checked in this week with this report:

At last some fish. And no wind. And no rain. But alas no albies
(caught anyway). Fished Friday morning, leaving the water to go and
get the long underwear out of the closet, but managed some small
stripers on the end of the outgoing in the back at Shinnecock. Friday
afternoon a major bluefish blitz on the beach from the east jetty
eastward about 150 yards and about 150 ft from the surf to the end. I
missed most of it but enough of the regulars had a bluefish special.
No albies sighted at Shinnecock since last Tuesday the 14th when they
were in abundance. Saturday morning with the polypropylene watched
nothing happening either front or back for an hour and a half, got
into the jeep and drove to Montauk. This follows a report of fish at
Shagwon on Friday afternoon. The ocean side at Caswells was declared
dead on my arrival as Paul and Brian went to explore but the
surfcasters were packing up. I went to Shagwon. The fish showed at
1:30 included bass, blues, and albies. But the surfcasters were elbow
to elbow and the north west wind worked against the fly rod. Sunday
morning was turn around and go back for breakfast. Monday was an
excursion on David Blinken's boat. Sunshine, no wind, gentle waves,
and fish. Magic day. Fish were tough to find but after a day's cruise
of the Peconic, including Gardiners, the ruins, and some beaches on
the rip, found fish caught same. The group ended with 6 blues, 8
bass, and a wonderful striper "rise" on the way back to end the day
in the sunset. Great work by David and nature for an atypical great
fall day.

That’s all for this week… Pray for better weather…