7/4-5: Montauk

[Tuna]

Fished Friday with my cousin Stan from New Mexico. He gets out east about once a year to visit relatives, and can get away with about a 4 hour trip before family business sneaks up on him.

We got out around 11 am and found birds working near the lighthouse. Looked like mostly blues on the surface, but I got a 20 inch bass casting a sinking line quick, and two more small bass and some lost flies while Stan played with blues on spinning.

We then headed for the south shore, but the surf was kicking sand up near the beach so we worked our way back. Had a chance to point out Jim Hull and, about the time I mentioned he puts his clients on big bass, the spin fisherman in his boat took a nice one.

Back to the point for some more lost flies but I managed one 30 inch bass which gave a real nice fight.

The day had been a cool combo of sun, haze, clouds and then the fog came in about the time Stan had to split. Stan, if you read this, don't forget I want copies of the pictures (both your and my fish).

Saturday I decided to fish a bit earlier. There were birds working the rips at the light at 6:30 am, but I could find no bass. Tried under the radar with no luck either.

A little before 8 am I headed towards Caswells. Early in my first drift I saw a big bass hit my fly and it was off to the races. Ran more than half my backing out before just getting off. I thought it might be a day of the one that got away.

However, next drift in the same area and I hooked another nice one. Dang fly line was tangled, but I managed to keep it from running out. Bocca gripped it to land it, a shade over 16 pounds and my best fish of the season. Until... A few follows and drifts later, got another big hit, and another screaming run into backing. Gtreat long fight, bocca grip landed it, a shade over 17 pounds.

Got some more follows but things slowed as the incoming tide came in stronger. Got a 27 incher reeling my line in which fought well also.

Tried a few minutes at the lighthouse again, but lost another half and half (what I took all the fish on) and I decided to call it quits by 10 am.

DLC, those 2 good fish Saturday were my training for the upcoming weekend up your way. I'm ready now.

[fmw]

Wow. That report was kind of a surprise. I didn't make much of an effort on the south side this weekend, what with fog on Friday morning, a swell from low pressure system, etc. How were the conditions? At the beach on Saturday, the west wind and sweep were fairly brutal. I'm also wondering Tuna . . . do you really have to make an effort to get into the rocks or do you just drift around in 15 feet of water or so of off the various southside points and coves. I also saw those birds/blues this morning off the lighthouse.

On Friday, I went west and ended up catching a bunch of small blues . . . which were in pretty solid from Culloden Point all the way west into Napeague. I had gotten up at the crack of dawn and flailed away at an Amagansett bay beach while bass practically sprayed in my face and refused to take a fly. I intended to keep driving out to Montauk, but with the pea soup fog, I went back to bed and didn't get out till later in the day. The early a.m. fish this year have been extremely finnicky and I have never really figured them out. There were tons of small sand eels present.

Today, after driving by the lighthouse and playing with blues for a bit at late morning, I made my first trip to the Gulls. Did I see Josh from this website there (as I believe from previous posts that he has an Edgewater)? If so, I was by myself in the Grady center console. I know it was probably a big no-no going there by myself without ever having been there, but I tried to play it really safe and saw the trip as an exploratory journey and tried to stay well clear of harm's way.

I went up to there after hearing from someone at the dock who had a good day there on Friday. The fishing was tough until the tide slowed down around 4 o'clock. At that point, it busted open. I began to get comfortable with the drift I was making on the southeast side of Little Gull and began to catch cookie cutter 24" bass. I caught about 4 in a half hour and also had several pop off. Once the fishing opened up I had some action on every drift. By the time that died, there were huge amounts of birds over large schools of blues. I caught a few, then headed home. All in all, a good first outing at what is a very interesting, intense place.

[Tuna]

FMW - on Friday, the south side looked unfishable - pretty big swell, and sand suspended in the water pretty far from shore.

Saturday, there was less swell and clear water to the break around Caswells.

On Saturday, distance from shore seemed to make a difference. There was another boat with 2 fly guys (I thought it might be BIGE but forgot what his boat looked like). They were drifting in 20 + feet of water, and I didn't see them hook up. I was starting under 20, and drifting at times to under 10, and it worked. Had a few scary moments, but the wind was mostly west and I generally stayed outside of the break and the rocks.

I really don't know what I am doing out there in mid summer, but tend to get as close to shore as possible and sometimes do well. I notice Jim Hull, who probably does know what he is doing, often fishing deeper than I am, but sometimes he is in close just like me.

[joshr]

FMW--

Yep, that was me...now I know why you were sort of patrolling the area without really trying to get in there. It really can be pretty hairy trying to do it alone even when you know where all the big rocks are. We got a few decent fish, but we also lost several--including two brutes that cut us off in the rocks.

If you'd like to head up there some time with me in either boat, I'd be happy to show you the ropes. The key thing in the Gulls (besides making sure you don't crash into a rock!) is that it really gets much more fishable when the tide slows down towards the end of the tide so the drifts are not so fast and the fly can be retrieved naturally. When it's really cranking, it is really frustrating cause there are all these big fish around and you just can't get a decent presentation.

--JHR

[martinatpw]

Josh, My buddy is eager to put his boat back in the butterfish.. Have yu heard anything other than the basics? East side, but the general public know that now.. trying to see if it is worth it. Bass could be a back up. good report. thanks. Sean.

[joshr]

Sean--

Haven't heard anything other than the basic "there are small BFTs in/around Butterfish....don't know anyone who has chased them yet, although I know Jim Levison was thinking about going after them this week....I'll call him in a couple days and let everyone know what I find out. I bet Howie knows the real scoop...Howie?

As for bass as a backup, there have been lots of reports--including Tuna's above--of good numbers of very nice size fish on the south side in the usual spots--Caswells, cottages etc. I haven't gotten there myself yet...but wish I had!

And hey, let's make sure we get a chance to fish together this year sinc ewe never got it done last season.

--Josh

[joshr]

FMW--

Did you also try navigating the reef between the two gull Islands....when we left at about 3:30 (had to get home, alas), the birds were incredibly think there....there's a reef in there that some of us call the Horseshoe....it hold huge fish a lot of the time....tough getting the fly in there but when you do, it can be very rewarding. Also very tough to do alone, slthough at the top of the tide most of the bolders are covered enough that you can get over it--just get the lower unit trimmed up out of the water!

Yesterday my Dad lost two big fish he pulled out of there--one that we saw and so knew was a brute, and one that just felt like a nice one. One of them was kind of cheating though since he hooked it while the fly was dragging behind the boat and he was trying to undo a line coil...but as soon as he got the knot, I knew we were in trouble cause I saw that we had finally gotten the fly rightinto the middle of the reef...sure nuff, whammo! At least the knot didn;t rip the guides off the rod.

--Josh

[fmw]

Josh: I did not try to get into the "horseshoe." I know what you are talking about as I actually was at the Gulls once -- about three years ago on a guide trip. The birds were extremely thick there, but I kind of knew that it was exactly where I would get into the most trouble by myself. I did notice that you guys had your engine trimmed way up.

After you left, the tide slackened, the wind died and I repeatedly took the same drift that you and your dad were taking at Little Gull. It actually became very easy and the fish really began to boil. When I saw you, I was a little antsy about even trying to pick up my fly rod -- but I ultimately caught all fish on the fly with sinking line and white deceivers. For about a half hour, I had a fish on or dropped or a follow on every drift past the boulder sticking out on the southeast corner of Little Gull. Then the bass petered out there. You might also remember a glom of birds working in the rip line east of Little Gull along that drift, however, when I went through there, I was only cut off by blues. By about 4:30, there were acres of bluefish, stretching across the whole way between the islands and the whole south side of Great Gull. Perhaps bass were under the blues, but there were just so many around, it was hard to tell. I headed back to Montauk at 5:00 p.m.

Thanks for the offer . . . I would be happy to have you out . . . I've got my Dad out this weekend (I think the Gulls would give him a heart attack), company the following weekend and heading to upstate NY after that . . . maybe aim for an early August pre-Albie-arrival trip. Which actually brings up another point on the Gulls: I've also heard somewhere that the area around the Gulls are a little known, but often outstanding spot for bonito.

By the way, Tuna, I think your boat is about three slips down from mine in Gone Fishing (the farthest row out).

[joshr]

FMW--

Indeed the Gulls are a very good early albie spot...and they do get bonito some years. We'll try and connect in August some time...email me any time at jreibel@wgen.net.

--JHR

[BIGE]

Hey Tuna, did you think it was me 'cause they weren't hooking up???:p


Actually, haven't been out in a couple weeks and probably wont' for a couple more.

Had a baby girl Saturday morning!!!!

Now I'm gonna have to name the boat.:)

[Tuna]

BIGE - no, not because you weren't hooking up, but because you waived (but I was too far away to see if it was you) and the boat looked almost familiar (but really wasn't). Congradulations on your new arrival, although you should probably wait a few months before getting her started on flyfishing.

FMW - yes, my boat is on the farthest row out, slip 133 I think. Looks like we'll have some chances to compare notes more this season.

I am really psyched about this coming weekend and fishing with DLC and buddy Bob around the Cape. Got out of work early yesterday to get the Paramus Orvis shop to fix my brand new Vortex reel (drag was not functional) - Yvette gave up and replaced it, but told me the picture of her with a BIG bass on the Orvis website was taken at Monomoy. While she tried to get the drag on the reel to work, another customer was telling me he had been out to the Cape recently for his first salt water fly fishing ever and did quite well. DLC says he has some new spots to show Bob and I, so I'm psyched to see some new waters and some of the shoal/rips he put us on a year ago out there.

[fmw]

BIGE: Congrats. Remember I still owe you a trip.

Tuna: I think I'm slip 129.

[fmw]

Speaking of naming boats, I have not named mine. Like BIGE, maybe I'll wait for a daughter. However, certain friends who know I get a lot of laughs out of the Ron Popeil Showtime BBQ rotisserie oven infomercials have suggested that I name the boat "Set It and Forget It."

Tuna: Looks like you picked a good weekend for the Cape as Montauk may not be very fly fishable this weekend. NOAA is calling for 6 to 8 foot seas Friday and 5 to 7 on Saturday.

[joshr]

BigE--

Congrats! We had our first--also a girl--back in December....it's amazing (although not so conducive to fishing).

Re names: Your little one probably already has a name, but just in case you're still considering names, AndyF from this board is a good source of ideas. His recommendation for our daughter last year was: Anne Chovy.

--Josh

[BIGE]

Hey Tuna, I didn't know you were in Gone Fishin'.

I'll look for you next time I'm out.

Thanks guys. Abigail Elizabeth and mom are both doing great.

[venture]

BFT schoolies are running through the area. I'm thinkin about goin on a search this weekend..........Gonna go out to the 700 square and go west to butterfish hole...........short run.....ANYONE UP FOR THE RIDE???

Howie

[martinatpw]

can't go but would love to hear the details.. I almost went out there on Tues, but glad we didn't.. I think weather was rough.. anyway, might try again next week, so you are the search leader.. email is Martinatpw@msn.com as I've heard from you before.. I bet your looking forward to chatham again.. I hear p town is hitting already and a couple boyz on the Jody Lynn, (hyannis) did a search and deploy this week, but have not been in touch. I think the short spot has action..
good luck, hope to hear a good story. Sean.

[BIGE]

Howie, haven't heard from you in a while. Hope you're doing well.

I'd love to make the run, but the new baby won't have it. (actually the new mom).

I've heard mixed reports. All under 100 lbs., but they are out there. Good luck.

Rich

[venture]

Yup Sean, I can't wait for Chatham this fall. I hope the troll bite will happen this year.....Last year was drifting with bait, which I hate......but it was productive. We ended the season with 22 giants none trolled.....Hopefully this year things will be different.

And Congrates to you Rich.......New fathers have a tough time fishing. I' ll be around all summer and most of the fall, so I do hope you can join us one day for an offshore trip.... I may try a little searching on Sunday if the water calms down....Heard there are scattered schools from Block Island to the Butterfish hole...

Howie