Recently in Northeast Saltwater Reports Category
As a long winter dwindled, it seemed like we might have slow and sluggish Spring. I assumed we'd have a late starting season but it seems a little ahead of schedule to me. Just back from a great tarpon trip around Charlotte Harbor, I was pleased to come home to prime conditions here on the East End of LI. I spent Friday afternoon on Peconic Bay with friend and fellow guide, Craig Cantelmo. We found fish everywhere we went on the incoming tide. There were some bruisers out there and Craig managed to pole me into perfect position for what was to be our best fish of the day, well into his teens. We were so pleased by the numbers of fish that we found as well as the range of size. The shoulders on some of them were broad and many of these fish had that bright blue hue to them in the water when they caught the light just right. Fly tackle and light spinning tackle both work great at this time of year, which I find to be easily the most enjoyable time. On sunny days, you are making careful presentations to clever fish in clear water and on cloudy days, there are lots of good spots to go find large groups of bass on the blind. It feels great to be back out there on the water and still boggles my mind that we have this type of fishing so close to NYC. Weather is supposed to be perfect this week with potential for a decline on the weekend, so we'll be out there a lot and will get back with more details and photos.
The fishing has been on fire in Jamaica Bay. Solid Bass fishing until the Bluefish showed up at the beginning of the week! Big Bluefish and tons of them. Spent the week casting poppers to big fish finning in very shallow water. When we were bored with that, which was rare, we went for Bass in both skinny water on poppers and deep for the bigger ones. The big moon tides
were not as good as the mids but solid none the less. Here is a small mix of photos from the past few weeks...
were not as good as the mids but solid none the less. Here is a small mix of photos from the past few weeks...
Really good week despite all the rain. Been out every day. While we weren't able to connect with anything but bluefish, there were some big bass crashing bunker all around us. Can't bat 1000 I guess. Other than that, we killed them this week. Some real good flyfishing over the weekend and before that. Fish are not real keyed in on poppers yet, but we did manage a handful of really good ones, including a nice bass on a popper in Jamaica Bay... Most action, however, was on intermediate lines. We also had some "bait and switch" action this week. By "bait-and-switch" I mean it quite literally. I'll snag a bunker, then bury a hook in it and feed it out with just enough pressure that it swims on the surface away from the boat. When a big bass comes up and starts eyeing it, I'll reel it in slowly until we are within casting range and I'll have a client throw a big bunker fly at it. We connected with some real nice fish this way! And man does that kind of fishing get the blood going. Good stuff. Also did our first live-lining trip on Sunday. And as is usual with that type of fishing, we did quite well. It should get quite a bit warmer as we head toward the end of this week. Hopefully we'll see more in the way of small bait, particularly grass-shrimp. I expect the top-water fishing to get much better when this happens. The point is, this fishing is only gonna get better... A good beginning to the season.
Report from Captain John McMurray
Report from Captain John McMurray
Marine Synopsis:
High pressure over the southeastern U.S. Will control the local weather through Friday. A cold front will pass through Friday night followed by Arctic high pressure for the weekend.
Fishing Report:
2009 Reports will be available as soon as the saltwater season kicks off. Until then tight lines.
Marine Synopsis:
High pressure over the southeastern U.S. Will control the local weather through Friday. A cold front will pass through Friday night followed by Arctic high pressure for the weekend.
Fishing Report:
2009 Reports will resume as soon as the satwater season kiscks off. Unitl then tight lines.
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