Last night most of us thought today would be a blowout day. My guys were planning on getting up and back to Jersey which seemed like a good plan. We were up early and my friend Jason said he was heading out to get the morning in. As I talked I saw the other guides at the dock getting ready to do the same.
I talked with my guys and they were good sticking to their plan. Of course plans never go the way you plan them.....because for those that got out.....fishing this morning was great. Jason got his guys on the albies and some big bluefish in sloppy conditions.
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| Blitzbound on the fish this morning |
Today the people in charge of the Redbone Tournament had to make a call if the event should go on. Thursday and Friday are looking horrible and just not fishable in any way. Since I figured if it was cancelled I might head back to Jersey late tonight putting me home in time to fish the beach in the morning in sporty conditions, which are my favorite.
I decided to tie up some bait, Snake Flies, and listen to a few old Grateful Dead shows on You Tube. It was a fun couple of hours. I got about a dozen tied up and ready to swim. It is going to be so good on the Jersey beaches after this new moon and blow.......I'd bet on it.
My week plus a day up here has been great. The fishing great, the sticks in my boat great, and most importantly the Montauk guides more than great. I couldn't have done it without the help and support of Capt. Jason Dapra from Blitzbound Guide Service.....always the friend and a mentor in saltwater boat fishing. Although the week was great, it wasn't without a few mistakes on my part, there's the plug incident- which didn't go over well with some of the guides here, and a moment where I got to close to another guides boat and we had a few backcasts brush their T-Top. No doubt class acts and hard working fly fishing guides up here....something I'm not used to in New Jersey....not the class and hard working part.....but the numbers up here are much different hen home.
I didn't talk about it much but I have to mention the several nights of a good hang at West Lake. On one night I met my sister Jess and her boyfriend and we had another great time and great food. Over the week I have ate more raw fish then I should have but the sushi, which I am no coneiseur, was off the charts. Every night I said I was going to order something else, but I always wound up with a plate called the Rough Rider, and usually backed it up with another. This is it below, shrimp tempura with lobster salad and whatever else, boy was it good.
And everyday I managed to swallow a perfect BLT from Gaviola's Montauk Market. I ate them in the morning, on the boat, and at night. We've all had a bad BLT, well this one is one of the best.
So even though I'm fly fishing, and a lot of the boats were, this is Montauk, where charter boats are a big part with charters concentrating on getting their clients on the fish, and fish for the cooler. Everyday, from the noon time return, to the evening returns, the fish were hauled off the boat to the cleaning tables. Although the bass aren't here, or yet up, the boats did harvest a lot of them, including some big ones. I sat forn several nights with a well known charter captain, who believes that something has to be done to save the bass, and he does his best to let his clients know that "take just what you need, and let the big ones go", and sometimes that falls on deaf ears. It was a pleasure talking with him and hearing his perspective on striped bass from the "other side" of the aisle if you will.
In the end the Redbone was cancelled so I will spend the afternoon securing the boat and loading up before heading home. It has been great and I look forward to returning next year maybe going a little deep into October to catch the bass, and most importantly, not missing my favorite early morning mullet and bass action on the beach and rocks back home. Low tide hits at 220 tomorrow morning so it will be an early window if anything.
I found this sign on the docks at West Lake and am sure it is appropriate for so many including myself.
