SURFRATS.COM ARTICLE SECTION

Early October Fish
By: Paul Melnyk
Oct 9th, 2007

Much can be said for the absence of the schools of blitzing slammers that we had seen in the past. It is a sorry state to spend the week making 5000 casts, and connin’ up with 10 fish.

What is going on? Some say global warming, some say lack of bait. The pressure placed on the schools by the boats is also suspect. I prefer to opine that the fish inshore are a function of water/air temperature, bait, sun-light and tide cycles. The thought that we may be into a low cycle for bass hitting the beach is also a consideration.

The northern coast is producing very well (RI, Con, Mass) so I tend to doubt that the fishery is in jeopardy. I know the fish are on the move. The big school of bait haven’t made for the surf yet.

The blitz in Montauk is a guaranty. I have never seen a season without blitzing. The big chew just seems to have been postponed. Lack of storms and cold weather may be nice for us, but the fish are put off by these conditions. Our action out here has steadily been moved to later in the season, with lots of fish in early December. Thank you all for staying home, snug and warm. We locals are hardcore and we like the bigguns for ourselves.

When the fish are few, it is a good time to kick back and improve your skills. 5000 casts with a bucktail will do wonders for your upper body. Start walking. The back bays, coves and shoals are good places to recon and you will shed a few pounds in the process.

We “extremists” have always taken our share of fish, even in lean times. Try new techniques. Just be careful if you push the limit. Be smart and safe.

When it does “turn on”, you know doubt will here about it a day or two late. It is common knowledge to us locals that fish don’t bite till Tuesday, and stop feeding on Friday night. Tell me that a bass is a dumb animal. You have to be there, to hook up in a big way. A call from a bro will no doubt arrive about an hour late, although there are the times when big fish will sit on the beach for an entire tide. The noon bite at Shagwong in October, 2000 was one such event.

I got the call from Attila just before lunch. Cell service at the Wong is spotty at best, but I managed to here “shhhhh, crackle, shhhhh, BASS!…. shhhh…… crackle…. SHAGWO!…… crackle…. COWS!” through the receiver. All of us locals know of the “@#$% WORK!” mindset which follows the bass down the striper coast. I gathered my gear and made for “The Wong”.

The trip up the beach seemed to last forever, as I plowed through the soft sand to the Point at a modest 40 MPH. My shocks and the passing gulls received a workout. God help the dumb bird who refused to give quarter! As I reached the first bar, I could see about 20 trucks set at the point rip. 15 guys stood in the wash of outgoing, 15 guys were pulling hooks from huge choppers and cow bass. Joe the Plumber was in one of his classic fits, his hair shooting out wild man style as he waved his arms and dragged in a 30 pounder with his 7 foot rod.
“Get the @#$% out of my way, you a$$hole!” was the hue and cry from the mob.

I pulled up to Attila as he landed a 38 pound fish at his feet. This fish would bring him second place and $2,000.00 from our pals in the Local’s Tourney. His eyes were bugged out as he threw the fish in the truck and shot off to Johnny’s to weigh the fish. Every ounce counts in the tourney. Five minutes in the sun…Five ounces…

“Paulie! They are all over the place!” Attila shouted as he spun his tires in the gravel. Twenty envious pairs of eyes watched him fly….

Melnyk jumps into the wash and proceeds to throw off his first bucktail, as the line is tip-wrapped. Five minutes and curses and frantic twisting of leader sets me for my first big cast.

BANG! The tip drops and I am into a nice fish, which runs me out and down the beach. With my rod held high over everyones head, I “’scuse me, so sorry…” my way through the pack of casters. In 5 minutes I land a 25 pounder. Too small….

Another cast and I’m stuck on a rock. I take the line in my hand and make two turns around my forearm to give a steady pull against the seaweed and mussels, at which point I am just about pulled off my feet…..

I stand there awe-struck as I watch the line spool off at an alarming rate. All I can do is hold on as the slob makes for a wash of tails in the rip. Bluefish tails. In two minutes I hook the fish of a lifetime, and get bit off. The choppers have taken my swivel!

So, I didn’t catch the world record that afternoon, but we all had a great tide, with chopper blues to 20 pounds and many high twenty sized bass. Another slob of 40+ pounds left the beach with the pack. I had, maybe 20 fish. Eight inch bunker wash up with the Northwest wind and dropping tide. The big blitz lasted till sunset. Many tired arms. This was the one big fish, afternoon blitz for the Wong that year. Never to be repeated.

Moral: Screw Work…You gotta be there.

(c)Paul Melnyk 2007, written exclusively for Surfrats.com

Back to Surfrats.com or Striper Message Forum