Peter Kaminsky book

[fmw]

Has anyone picked up or read the new Peter Kaminsky book on Montauk? Tuna: As I am sure you already know, you are in the book. I think I remember reading a post about you fishing with him last fall. In any event, it is a breezy read and quite enjoyable. It is great reading the descriptions of some of those huge bass blitzes last fall knowing I was -- at least on one or two instances -- fishing the same blitz. It definitely captures what I want to see when I go to Montauk in the fall: it is great catching one or two albies, but all I really want to do is see the giant Black Hole of bass rise out of the sea. It is also enjoyable reading about all of the personalities and local spots. It definitely gets one pumped for three or four weeks from now. I see on Amazon that even though the book has probably just been released in the last week or so, it is at around 150 in their top sellers: I think this is pretty high for a such a niche topic. As much as I love the book, I hope it does not spur even larger crowds.

[Tuna]

I didn't know I was in the book, but I suspected I might be as David Blinken (the guide we were fishing with that day) has a hbit of telling people I was one of the very early (1991) albie nuts out there and kind of know what I am doing (I like it when I fake folks out like that), so I figured I might get some mention, if only for the exciting day we had out there.

What's the details on the book, as I obviously want a copy.

[Tuna]

I just ordered "The Moon Pulled Up an Acre of Bass: A Flyrodder's Odyssey at Montauk Point" assuming this is it. Had to find out if he said "fun day" or "what an a@@*ole".

[fmw]

I think there's something about you dribbling on yourself. No, just joking. I actually think there's a quote or two from you about casting to albies with a self-effacing comment about how sometimes you stand on your fly line. Also, the title of the book is derived from events on the day you were out with him -- in other words, it was clearly a good day fishing.

[Tuna]

Book was waiting for me when I got home from work last night. Haven't finished it yet (up to Oct 15), but have really enjoyed the book so far. I know some of the characters, so the descriptions of the tensions between them (such as the Paul vs David thing, which I ignore as I like and owe to both over the years) had real meaning to me. But what I liked even more was the capture of the atmosphere of the fall run out there. The smells, the sights, the cadence of the onset of the "Run".

However, unlike Peter K, my fall obsession are the albies (I love bass, but actually prefer stumbling across a few on the flats in the spring versus catching lots of them in the incredible fall feeds [although I love those fall feeds too, the sight of them, the immensity of them, the sound of their tails slapping]).

From a personal perspective, I like him quoting me on the "sweet spot". When I have someone out there with me who is new to it, I try to get them to get their lure (spinning) or fly into the sweet spot. Some get it, some don't.

Vidur Chandy, a brilliant designer and programmer from the software company I work at, got it immediately. He had fished with others from my company before going out with me - trolling for blues, bottom fishing for fluke, whatever. Anything that puts him in the wild, connects him with the earth and/or sea, interests him. But he was a bit surprised how I fished. His love in India was hunting. He thought albie fishing was the closest thing to hunting he had done on the water. He casts a spinning rod fairly well. But more importantly, he reads patterns and has quick reactions. On the days I have had him out, he's found the sweet spot every chance, from day one. He catches many albies when they are there.

On the other hand, my cousin Stan, also a naturalist at heart, couldn't hit the sweet spot the one fall day I had him out (he lives and works in New Mexico, so doesn't get out east that often). Despite having been on the water since he's been a kid, he didn't take to the roll of the ocean as naturally as Vidur. So I get him out last fall, one day before my last day out. We are out at first light, and the albies are thick off the lighthouse. Sweet spot shows, but Stan can't get the cast out quick enough - gets a blue. Happens again. Again. The albies are slowing down, so I take him for bass. I work structure for him, he gets his first keeper. He gets some more bass, more blues. 8 hours of feeds, some big some small. But no albies. Hope I get him out again this fall, wanna try some tricks to get him into that sweet spot.