Shinnecock - first fish in 2 weeks

[Albieaddicted]

The last two weeks have been nothing but trying to figure out the best place to fish in the wind, for me. With it out of the northwest, all of my flyfishing options dry up. In desperation, I decided to check out the Ponquogue Bridge tonight for the last of the outgoing. Wind was west northwest (what a surprise) which meant back casting into it, but even numb fingers are no big deal when good bass are around. And I saw some good ones. Landed 3 fish just short of being keepers and had on one great looking fish for about 10 seconds and dropped him. Fish were here, thankfully, feeding with abandon - a sight for sore (dry from the wind) eyes! :) Dacron left the guides, good, strong fish with bellies.

Wading under the Ponquogue Bridge is one of my favorite places to fish, or should I say "was". 14 years ago, I landed my first bass on the fly here and I've never been the same. But tonight, after landing my third fish of the night, I hear company from up on the span. No sooner do I have him released and there are two guys actually baited up almost over my head. :confused: If I had actually decided to stay and was lucky enough to land another fish, I would have no doubt had to deal with their monofilament. I don't know what's happened, but there are not many guys with rods in their hand these days with any sense of the rules. At this moment, I'm taking solace in the fact that these bass were picky and their only good memory of the night will be of me landing that bass - ON THE FLY!!! Peace.

[peteD]

Thanks for the report. I'm headed out soon as Jersey has been quiet the past weekend.

[Albieaddicted]

Tried again at the bridge last night - not a sign of life. --124-3 Going to check out my favorite drop off tonight; should be a perfect, windless night. Hope the fish agree.

[Northfork]

I agree. Should be a good night for flycasters. I'm too pooped to give it a shot. Fished early this morning at a northfork beach for some small stripes. Left to go do some errands that needed being done. Later, said to myself - "Greg, this wind is really calm. Might be last chance to take the boat out." So, I run out to Gardiners - nothing. Try Eastern Plain Pt. - nothing. Run to Plum Gut and then into the Sound off East Marion - nothing. Did see some gannets working off the Ruins. Last trip for me off the boat.

[albieonthefly]

You are hardcore Albie, hope you get some beautiful fat cow!

Looks like the weekend is going to blow --124-3

Tried again at the bridge last night - not a sign of life. --124-3 Going to check out my favorite drop off tonight; should be a perfect, windless night. Hope the fish agree.

[Albieaddicted]

Conditions were ideal last night - no wind, full moon. Got out on the flats around 10:15 and found more bait than I'm used to. Inch long bait (not sure if anchovies or not) and what I think may have been bigger than peanut bunker. All this bait was flipping around in some real slick water and as I got to the stretch I wanted to fish, I hear a huge rush of bait fish and a sizeable splash to go with it, albeit out in deeper water and out of casting range. :eek: By the sound of the bait, easily 7 inches or larger. This is not a sound I'm used to hearing here. Usually it's spearing being fed on sporadically by tell-tale slurping bass, another great sound. After an hour of fishing without a tap or sign of feeding bass, I'm baffled. (#$119) Most nights I can barely see or hear spearing and bass can be lined up to feed. Last night, bait galore and nothing.

With only about a half hour left in the tide, I see something odd. A gull drifts by, which is pretty normal over here, but then heads back up current - at a good rate, too. I decide maybe it isn't a gull, light him up and two yellow eyes are looking at me. I've heard seals barking out on some of the sand bars at night in Shinnecock at this point in the year, but I've never seen them on the move. He stayed within range of my light for the next 20 minutes and actually was curious about me. Everytime I lit him up, he would noisily dive, one time nearly coming completely out of the water landing with a big splash. Just before I left, he came within 30' of me and instead of just looking with his head out of the water, he raised up out of the water (a good 1/3 of his body was above the surface) to really check me out. Pretty cool.

I suppose this seal could have driven off any number of bass, but do you think a 20+ lb bass would get out of dodge? What about a 30 or 40?

[john hollenberg]

I have had seals grab #25+ fish. That seal was just waiting for you to hook up. You are lucky. You would have lost your whole flyline.