Herring! Herring! Herring!

[Terry B'ski]

Unfortunately, they are only at my local greenmarket on the UWS in Manhattan. I recall that the first greenmarket appearance of bonito this summer presaged a quite wonderful run. So I wish this leading indicator to flourish well into the rest of December and perhaps beyond. In recent weeks, I have spent too many hours standing on Rockaway/Breezy beaches staring at the east to west migration signs unwaveringly coursing a quarter of a mile offshore, never coming closer...

--standing on a beach, holding a fistful of yak hair...

[breezyloon]

Terry B'ski, You get us all hot and bothered by your forum heading "Herring, Herring, Herring", and then proceed to give us some poppycock humbug about your Upper Westside Greenmarket forcasting power! You should be ashamed!! Do you think that the bass will be in close on wednesday/thursday?

[Rokus]

tuesday too please.

[filmfly]

http://www.springerlink.com/content/w773248n2275r745/

I would say Friday is the day.

Wayne

[Terry B'ski]

Ever curious, I am going to try to buy/cook some herring next week. Am thinking of grilling, but don't want to do any brining, grinding/compaction, onions, etc. I've tried them at Oyster Bar a few years ago (slightly brined Green Matjes?) and they were good, but not great. Any grilling recipes out there? Will I wake up next to the durians on a bed of ice in Chinatown with a swollen belly and stripes all over my body?

[Rokus]

I'm planning on heading to the point tomorrow (Tue, 12/11) to get a first hand analysis of this years herring situation, after that the boat will be winterized. Will keep ya guys posted....

[AndyF]

I needed to clean out the boat before pulling it and given the good conditions predicted for yesterday (Tuesday) decided to see if anything was going on. It was pretty cold and there was not a fish to be seen. There were groups of gannets, occasionally dive bombing, but they were spread out and didn't see any fish nor even did I mark any bait. There were lots of seals. It was eery to see Montauk so empty. There was only one commercial boat and eventually another center console showed up outside Montauk harbor inlet but he didn't look any luckier than me. The fat lady has officially sung.

[MarkZ]

Yeah Andy, that is surprising given the conditions. I drove to Gilgo in the AM and witnessed 50 or so wheeling and diving Gannets with the binocs so I got out the boat and went out about an hour later. I saw them and as I approached they dispersed...and never showed again to my dismay! In my subsequent run to Long Beach and back to FI saw a few more Gannets just gliding and nothing else. Really looking foward to stalking some G. Bahama bones in a few weeks.

[fmw]

I was going to go out yesterday too to pull some stuff off my boat and get one last look before winterizing. I happened to call my marina beforehand and they said it was already shrinkwrapped! Thus, no trip east.

From what I hear the herring are in strong at Montauk, but I heard mixed things about bass. Mostly that there's few if any bass around. Though I did see a few reports of some bass still out there in the rips for people drifting herring.

Fat lady definitely singing -- especially with strong noreaster coming this weekend.