montauk shore and kayaking areas

[blombie@citlink]

Hi All,

I am new to this forum. A buddy and i are headed down to montauk this weekend. We will be arriving saturday and we are looking for some shore areas for fly fishing. I understand under the light can be pretty crowded. Also looking for a place to Kayak on sunday. We will also have spinning gear as well.
Looking for albies and stripers, and some blues

Thanks Bill

[JGH]

You can launch kayaks easily at Gin Beach, though that's too far a paddle to get to the Point (and I'm not sure you'd want to be there in a yak anyway). I've seen kayaks on the south side, though I'm not sure where they launch. Launching on the south side is probably dependent on the size of the water.

As for shore fishing, you can fly fish most any place except under the light or (when it's crowded) Turtle Cove. Walking west on the south side will get you some casting space. Bring corkers. Can't fish from shore without them.

[peteD]

I've been launching at Montauk on the north side to the left of the snack shop. You need wheels and have to walk down the road, unless you have a sticker.
If you paddle towards Shagwong you will see a rip develop. Its good there, but be carefull because the current is huge and if you hook up you could wind up in the rip and in casting distance. It will be like the battle of the bulge as you get bombed by pluggers.

I've also launched at Camp Hero at the bottom of the road past the parking lot, but the last time I did that I wound up with 3/0 imbedded in my arm and my 2 piece Scott turned into a 5 piece.

[brushfly]

Another option would be Fort Pond Bay. I'm not sure if Albies are in there right now but it's an option if the weather kicks up while your out there.

There's a pier in FP Bay off Navy Rd that I would think you could launch adjacent to. There's also a park at Culloden Shores off Soundview Ave? that might access it as well. Definetely not like around Shag or South Side but a decent option usually away from crowds and paddling friendly.

[brushfly]

South side you can launch at Ditch Plains. It's a bit west of the regular "hot spots" but can be productive on it's own and points along the south side are not too far east of there. Obviously surf conditions would come into play.

[JGH]

I was out (in a boat) on Thursday around sun-up and, as we rounded the Point, there was a guy paddling a small kayak, wearing nothing but a t-shirt and shorts, bobbing up and down right in the rip, trolling a rod. He didn't have a life-jacket, a light, or anything else. A candidate for this year's Darwin awards.