So Tristan came out to play in the slop, fog, rain, wind, tide and swell. I watched the forecast yesterday, cancelled, then called him back to go, and he was all in. Had the boat wet at 530 and we were underway at 6. Might have been a tad early. Spent the first minutes outside the marina hoping the bass had found the bait but after many casts and cruising around there was nothing to be had.
We drove through the tide and swell and got soaked, and then a steady mist added to our saturation. Birds weren't up there were no marks and nothing showing. We took a cruise across the pond and found birds mostly hovering over a dead striper that followed us around most of the morning. Tristan is a worker, newer to saltwater fly fishing, but eager to get his fly in the water. Today there was a lot of driving and looking.
While over there he caught a schoolies, around 26 inches that spun his head as I went to lip him and he was gone, I was hoping that wasn't the only fish of the day. We decided to drive out the big bridge and then around Coney Island before heading up the channel and coming into the lighthouse along side the sporty Knoll. Nothing showing, I was frustrated, could have called it there, but it just felt like something might happen.
We took a spin back to the sporty water and found some birds very interested in the water below. There were bass, some good ones, blowing up on bunker, and soon we were tight. Tristan landed the top pic and had several other good shots at bigger fish. One thing I advise, if you see that swirl or blow -up, put your fly in there, quickly.
We kept at it for awhile hoping it would go again but that never happened. After a quick lunch and some more casts I called, but not before heading out front in some huge swells with tons of birds overhead. It would have been a life-jacket-on move and I only would have went all it if I saw consistent fish on top.
It always helps working with other Captains that are out on the water, saves time and gas, and your kidneys. There is still A LOT of good fishing to be had. While I believe the last two weeks was probably the main body of big fish that will pass by New Jersey this fall, Montauk is still red hot and there are fish on the way.
I have blocked out my schedule at the practice to work my little side hustle here, so if your interested in a boat trip, I wouldn't sell a wade trip just now unless you're a newcomer, the fish just aren't touching the beach so far this fall, give me a call or text 732 261 7291 or shoot me a email colin@theaverageangler.com