Fishing will be good (the snake is back)

[Tuna]

Read a few independent reports that the bass fishing is good when the cherry blossoms bloom, but that this indicator failed this year (the bloom was on, but the bass were not yet).

But my indicator is the big snake that lives in the side of the building in NJ I work at. Last spring, when it appeared, the flats out East were on fire.

Hadn't seen the snake this spring until I took a smoke break around noon. There it is was, curled up in the crack in the side of the building.

So the fishing should be great this weekend.

(Sorry folks, normally I post real fishing reports but didn't fish last weekend, so resorted to snake reading).

[jpuris]

Tuna....was wondering what happened to you. I hit the flats West of Devon YC Sat night around sunset and Sunday around 4:30 am. Sat night was pretty quiet. saw a few bumps in the water but that was it. Sunday morniing was a diff story. Fish all over the place, some only a foot off the beach. I had a few right before first light, and then could not get them to bite. What do you recomend for flies there.......???

Jason

[Tuna]

I've haven't fished that area all that successfully, so my fly suggestions are suspect. Fished that area a fair amount 4 or 5 years ago in full light. Enjoyed watching nice size bass right up near shore, but generally did nothing with the good sized bass but spook them. Brother Jim managed a 10 pounder midway from Devon back to Acabanac (outside of kids and parents in the water) on a small chartreuse clouser. I got a few larger bass on same, but even further west (outside of the cliffs/rocks), but never got any of the lunkers around Devon to hit.

From what I've read you and others have done in the area, sounds like the Devon lunkers are best approached from shore at low light.

[jpuris]

Thanks...Tuna. Do you fish out East a lot?...Can you recomend another area that I might try?...Jason

[Tuna]

As much as I can (fish out East), but either from boat or wading from spots I can get to by boat. I think you are on shore from prior posts, and are hitting the spots I'd think of or have heard of. One place I haven't read you have tried - the west side jetty of 3 mile harbor produces for folks in the am, but mostly small fish. I've got 2 other shore spots to recommend, but need to get back out east to look at a map. Email me at peter.rothwell@microbank.com and I'll have 2 other suggestions I can send next Tuesday.

[joshr]

Jason--

So the bass showed up tight to shore as expected? Excellent. This time of year, try small sand eel patterns with very little or no flash on a floating line. You won't take fish there much after first light, but the small patterns seem to work well when they're in tight like that as the sun rises.

Catch 'em up!

--Josh Reibel

[fmw]

On the East Hampton reports topic -- got some on Sunday morning on sinking line on the west side of three mile harbor. In the cloudy weather, occasional fish still biting past 9 am. Up to 26". Still doesn't seem to be a lot of bait visible in the water although there are occasional birds working.

As far as questions about other spots around the area go, I hope I am not stating the obvious but . . . just looking at all of the inlets and adjacent beaches is the way to go: Northwest Creek, Three Mile Harbor, Accabonac, Napeague.

Speaking of Napeague . . . This is the first year that I have had the state beach driving permit and have never been to Goff Point. For some reason, I have had a vague impression that Goff Point was the best of all the area spots, but have never been out there. Can anyone offer opinions? Is it worth the shlepp halfway to Montauk and the drive down the beach? Once there, where to fish -- inlet or outside, etc.?

[joshr]

Goff is a great spot. That said, I've only fished it while poling a flats boat along the flat (on the outside in Gardiners Bay, not inside Napeague Harbor). You will rarely see fish "show" here though. They cruise along the flat, but they don't break water. So you just have to blind cast and see what happens. In general, I tend to score on the eastern 2/3 of the flat along the crescent shaped beach. Haven't noticed any particular tides as best, so just go and figure that out and report back!

Tight lines!

Josh Reibel

[fmw]

Thanks for the info, maybe I'll try Goff Point this week or next. If nothing else, a pre or post-fishing cocktail at Cyril's is convenient from Goff Point.

More seriously, after it was fairly dull and inactive last year, it is good to see this board with some activity, especially a solid contingent of East Enders.