9/14-15: More Albies at Montauk

[Tuna]

Saw my brother Jim for the first time in months Friday. Neither of us were exhibiting rational behavior, as we went out in some pretty rough seas, thinking we might find fish in protected waters on the south side.

On the way, we saw albies feeding off the point. Jim put me on them and I took one with a 4 foot cast (the best I could handle in the winds and chop).

Got to the south side, nada. It was calmer, but reminded us of a day with his wife a few falls ago when we should not have gone out.

Went back to the Point. Now and then, saw bass in the mix. Jim took an albie (the video of which might never be seen by his wife) and we each lost one. Gave up when the pods got dispersed, thinking that we had exhibited at least some sense during the day by leaving some fish to return to apparent safety.

Saw two other boats out in 4 hours.

It was good to be with Jim - he has not had much time with me at Montauk in the fall for several years (it was actually his first albie at Montauk since 1998), and I needed to be face to face with someone who knew me well. I am in the doghouse big time with his wife Susan ("I expected you to show some sense, given my husband's lack of judgement"), but she will eventually forgive me, as she did for that worse day we went out several years ago.

My new whaler handles 25-30 knots N NE better than my old whaler.

Saturday I fished with my best friend Bob, who I had not seen for several weeks. Showed a consistent lack of good sense by not waiting for the winds to drop (although they were a mere 20 knots by that time). Didn't even stop at the Point, which had larger swell than Friday. Puttered around the south shore, then while going back towards the Point saw a single fish surface at Caswells, then several albies. Bob took a nice blue on spinning, then a nice albie on spinning. Bob had 4 albies follow his next cast, one of which I got.

Got another after the wind dropped outside of Turtle Cove.

Then around 3 PM the Point, now rather calm, showed hints of what fall fishing at Montauk can be like. Lots of small feeds and a few larger ones - some mixed, some mostly albies, some mostly blues, some terrific bass feeds. The albies were remarkably hard for us to take, although Bob managed another on spinning. But visually it was breath taking - sun, clear water, and fish visible in the water in many spots.

Around 4:30 PM I managed to start getting albies on the fly. Bob had one on the fly later outside of Turtle Cove, but lost it.

Every fish I took that day I saw the strike. The sight of an albie, taking a fly, is a great love of mine.

The nervous tick in my left eye I developed mid week is gone. Not gone is my shock, confusion and sorrow. But it was good to see Jim and Bob and spend time on the water, and I am pleased my willingness to fish in rough water cost no one harm (except my doghouse status with Susan).

[joshr]

Peter--

As you saw, my Dad and I got into the great Sat. afternoon action as well. Yes, the albies--which were EVRYWHERE--were finnicky, but we found that by going very small (flies that were basically just an epoxy body and almost no tail) and by going a little deeper, we got more hookups. My Dad had one run off more line than I've ever seen an albie run off....it was CRAZY....then, deep in the backing the gel-spun had dug into itself a bit and the fish broke off--damn! But we got 3 or 4 others to the boat and lost a few more. I had a strange lost fish--fish went straight under the boat, then ran the other way getting me wrapped around the lower unit of our motor....miraculously, I got the motor lifted and the line freed and the fish was still on! Then, a minute later he was gone....didn't break off, didn't pull the hook...just somehow spat it. Weird for an albie.

Anyway, one interesting thing. At one point my Dad and I were both using intermediate shooting heads...one an SA, the other an Orvis. The Orvis Int. heads are definitely a good bit denser than the SA ones, and we were definitely getting hookups on it when the SA wouldn't produce...even when the guy with better positioning and better presentations was using the SA. I'm absolutely convinced that getting the fly a little deeper was key to hookups...I've found that in the past too.

Where did you see the bass boils....all the big beach blitz boils I saw were bluefish, although we did see that a bunch of little boats had gone in tight to shore much earlier, and I figured there must have been some good blitzes that might have been bass.

Unfortunately couldn't fish today (Sun)....must have been spectacular out there given the weather. I knew this weekend was gonna rock when I saw that there was gonna be a steady N/NE wind a cold front and big new moon tides all at once....that's the perfect recipe for triggering the fall run.

--Josh

[Tuna]

The bass feeds we saw were early in the feed (3 to 3:30 PM) and oddly were well off shore. The bass would come up strong for about a minute, then the blues would take over the same spot. Never had a shot at them, but saw the brown backs a few times.

We also saw the boats against shore but never got close enough to see what type of feed was on.

Friday, the bass also were out pretty far, and both Jim and I had shots at them but no hookups.

[AndyF]

Cannot believe anyone was out there on Friday. I was in E. Hampton and the normally calm Gardiner's bay looked like the Perfect Storm. It gradually improved and I had one day out on Sunday, which was beautiful. I never made it out to the point because the albies were thick off of Gardiner's Island and the conditions were perfect. There were even some nice pods on the other side of the rip in Bostwick Bay, which I've never seen before. Despite the number of fish and conditions, I only managed one, which broke off as I was getting him onto the boat. I saw a few strikes, but the one I got was also on the deep side.

Despite my lack of success, it was still great to be out. My office evacuated Thursday and police were going from one bomb threat to the next. The enormity of what happened is still hard to comprehend rationally.

[joshr]

Andy--

Good to hear the albies got into Gardiners. When I was running from 3 Mile Harbor to Montauk about noon on Saturday, the bay was dead (although it was also still prety dirty water from the blow). Saturday afternoon turned out to be beautiful once the winds died, and the run back to 3 Mile at about 5:30-6 pm was among the most beautiful boat trips I have ever taken....the whole bay was like glass, beautiful setting sun etc. But I saw no fish the whole way back. Where besides Bostwick did you see albies in the bay on Sunday? Did you take a look at Tobacco Lot and Eastern Plains Pt.?

--JHR

[AndyF]

Josh--at one point I swung up to East Plain point but never went on to Tobaccolot because all of the fish I saw were between East Plain and the rips off the ruins. At some points they were within 50 yards of the shoreline and others they were pretty far out. The most concentrated action was probably between the inside of the shoal that runs up the point and the green buoy. They were running pretty strong throughout the high tide.

There were some sporadic pods in Bostwick bay (on the other side of the rips) and they were fun because the water was much calmer, but they were much less frequent.

Saw one guide (I think Ken Rafferty) who was catching them with lures (possibly Deadly Dicks). Otherwise there were not too many boats out there.

I'm in 3MH also (Harbor marina) so it was nice to see so many albies close to home. I'll probably try it again next weekend.

[joshr]

Andy--

I'm in Harbor Marina too. Most years by this time I have moved my boat (Edgewater 247 cc) around to Star Island Marina in Montauk for the fall fishing. For various reasons, I've been slow to do that this year, but I will definitely move it this weekend.

By the way, which boat is yours? A couple weeks ago I chatted briefly with a guy who was taking flyrods out of his SUV and about to head out late afternoon by himself in his Grady...looked like about a 20 footer...could that have been you? The boat was one of the first--maybe the very first--slips on the dock (meaning closest to the parking lot).

--JHR

--JHR

[AndyF]

That was indeed me--I remember talking to you (and your dad?). It's a Grady 222, which I love except perhaps for the the bow rail I decided to get but which has cost me a few flies. Last year I was in Gardiner's marina most of the season.

Sorry you're moving out. Send me an email at atfrankel@hotmail.com if you ever want to fish or grab a beer. I'm out on weekends all year.

Andy

[venture]

Just came back from Montauk. It was good to get away from reality, and the only way to get far enough away is to go fishing. I'm sure that everyone who had an exciting weekend also had some deep moments of prayer for those who lost their lives and loved ones last week. This weekend seemed a bit magical to me. I so appreciated being here and experiencing nature during it's most beautiful time.

I did not want to come back. I stayed through Monday. The Albies were very active at Point today (Monday). They were thick from the rips off the point to the rips off the false bar. I left the dock at around 4:00pm. The fast action was 5:00pm - 6:00pm. The fish were very active and relatively easy to catch. They liked my very small fly, very sparsely tied wing only, of green and white, on a little #8 light wire hook. Tiny lead barbell eyes. Really tiny, something you would catch snappers on. They hit it on every cast when they were hot.

Went 4 for 5 within an hour and a half. They all fought well. No one else on the boat. Pretty big boat to move around, but you didn't have to move much. Just start to the east, and drift west. Each drift gave you a good shot, you'd hook up, then have to motor back up east after you boated the fish.

Heading back to the harbor at around 6:30, I saw what appeared to be one of those rainbow refractions in the clouds. It was competing with the sun's brightness, a far distance away. This rainbow of sorts was west and a bit south, looking as though it was over New York City. I knew this rainbow of brightness was in fact all those beautiful souls released from their pain and suffering, and enjoying the beautiful sunset on this most perfect fall day. God bless them. Howie

[Tuna]

Howie:

Like all your posts, your words capture so much. The magic of Montauk in the fall, an afternoon with albies and, as the sun falls, visions of spirits in the sky.

Events are beginning to catch up with me but although there is still smoke on the water, our spirit will not die.

[AndyF]

The rainbow you saw was visible from Manhattan. Unfortunately, I saw it from my office window. Many people in my office took notice.

[AndyF]

The rainbow you saw was visible from Manhattan. Unfortunately, I saw it from my office window. Many people in my office took notice.

[ikarus47]

Nice images Venture. I do hope the souls are at peace, and that the soulmates left behind can find peace and happiness again.

Next time you're at the point look out for that fool at Turtle Cove trying to cast over the breakers........