Montauk

[Hawk]

Has anyone seen any consistent +5 pound Albacore action this week out near the East end?

[BIGE]

Saw none last weekend from town all the way around the point and to Gardiners. However, it was way too choppy to spot fish any good distance. Hopefully this weekend will be better.

[Hawk]

Thanks. I heard of a few decent pods of football sized fish from a buddy last Sunday but seems they are few and far between. Good luck this weekend I will be in search for them myself.

[joshr]

I'll be prowling around looking for the little buggers too...Rich, you have my cell number right? I have yours. Hawk, have a cell that works on the water? Any particular radio channel you monitor?

--Josh

[joshr]

Guys--

Just after I posted I saw the following post on another site:

"Fished sporadic pods of breaking F. Albies @ the point sun-tues. w/ no sucess. This is the begining of the run out here and they r very finicky. Caught some small sea bass while fooling around fluking a little while. Other than afore mentioned action and blues in the A.M. it's very quiet out here. No stripers to speak of around"

[BIGE]

Josh- I have your cell number. If you want to head out together one day give me a call. I'll be out through Monday.

NOAA weather is looking bad right now for Saturday and Sunday. Seas 5 feet, wind 15kt, light rain both days. Let's hope that looks better by the weekend.

Peter, I'll leave the vhf on the same channel as last weekend if you're out there.

Rich

[Tuna]

Yea, I've been looking at the NOAA forecast, not a pretty sight.

Of course, if the albies were already in thick, I wouldn't care, as once they are in, weather like this not only doesn't seem to effect them negatively, there are generally fewer boats and the albies go nuts in the rips.

But with just a few sightings and hookups here and there, several days of wind and rain and the waters around Montauk are gonna look murky and seeing the now and then pod pop up is gonna take looking in the right direction from the right distance at the right time.

I thought Friday would be my one day to fish with my brother Jim but he raced all last weekend and didn't want to erase his wife and employer accounts for an iffy day.

I'll be out there Saturday and Sunday, hoping the storm pulled in an acre of albies.

[Hawk]

Do the Albies generally hit the point first and then work their way in to Gardners and the Gulls a few weeks later or once they are in one place they are pretty much in every place?

[joshr]

Hawk--

Varies year to year. Some years the albie fishing back in the bay is great throughout Sept. and has kept me fishing mostly in the backwater away from the crowds at the Light until nearly October. Other years the backwater albie fishing is not that strong. Most years it's a mix. My father called to tell me he had pods of small ones in Tobacco Lot last Sunday. That's usually a very good early season spot...as is the area on the north side of Gardiners. Some seasons albie fishing is awesome around Fort Pond Bay early, but last year was a dud year for Ft. Pond. So, who knows? Gotta put the miles on the boat sometimes this time of year.

Also, some years there are nice thick groups of albies back around Acabonac (and even inside the harbor)--a beautiful place to fish for them on a calm day, especially when everyone else is out at the Point playing bumper cars...but I have found them to be very difficult back there.

Rich, let's talk as the weather takes shape....would be fun to fish together on either your boat or mine.

Also, all: I'm taking Fri off, so if weather permits I'll be out there that day and will try to file a report when I get off the water.

--JHR

[fmw]

Just returned from a day off yesterday that I spent around Shinnecock. Planned to take today and Friday off as well but cancelled those plans given the weather. Oh well, just means more days off during the fall run.

For what its worth, in the brutal northeast winds, I looked for and did not see albies in the Shinnecock Inlet. (I did not go outside). There were some small blues around -- caught a few, but as I said the northeast winds were brutal. Have also now started to see what seems like legitimate albie posts on web sites at locations other than Montauk, i.e., Breezy Point, Jones Inlet.

Will nevertheless be out east this weekend hoping that the weather will turn. Given weather and a slight engine problem, will not have boat with me as planned. For what its worth, while I cannot offer a return trip at this point, if any of the boat owners on this site ever needs company, a warm body, someone to pay gas, etc., I will be out east a good percentage of the weekends between now and mid-late October.

[BIGE]

Things are looking worse. E winds at 20 kts and seas 6-8 Sat and Sunday subsiding to 4-5 Monday. I hate winds from the east. No place to hide from them.

FMW, I'll take you out. September is looking spotty for me with a wedding and a football game already booked, but I leave the boat in until November so we'll get it done sometime.

[Tuna]

3:30 NOAA report is even worse. Now calling for up to 25 knots Saturday and Sunday.

Hmm.

To be NOAAed (to cancel a drive to East End of LI based on NOAA report only to later hear the albies were hitting) or not.

Please someone turn the fan down.

[joshr]

Forecast is improving!!!

[fmw]

The one thing about the NOAA forecast is that its not really too accurate more than 36 hours out. (I suppose some would say its not ever accurate). Beginning on Tuesday I started obsessively looking at the forecast for this weekend and have seen, at various times, the forecast for Friday showing the wind coming from literally every direction. However, that being said, things do look grim.

On a more positive note, if you look at the New England board, there are a bunch of positive reports of albies and other tunas around the Newport area. That is really not too far away from us. Maybe all of the east winds will push all of the great action down to Montauk. I have a hunch that things are really going to open up once all of this weather settles down.

In the meantime, I suppose it can still be a fun weekend of socializing, BBQ's, etc. without the worry of having to get up early, etc. Along those lines, any of the regulars here are welcome to a Sunday "pig roast" BBQ at the house I stay at in EH (not really a summer share house but several friends who own a house together, and I am the only "summer share."). Just let me know.

BIGE -- thanks for the offer!