Montauk Bass report

In Memory Walter K · Post by **In Memory Walter K** » Oct 5th, '11, 18:42

For the past week and a half, it seems that live eels drifted a la Fluke fishing is the preferred way to fish. Fish on a moving tide. The Great Eastern area seems to be the popular drifting grounds. All the fish we caught drifting eels on the weekend were in the 28-30 pound class. The fish my dock mates caught were exactly the same size. Once the tide slows down you have to deal with eels cut in half by Bluefish. Trolling long surgical tubes on wire seem to get smaller Bass and monster Bluefish. Trolling is difficult because of lots of drifting boats and the "mosquito fleet" of center console and flats boat fly fishermen. If you plan to troll, go off alone and search for 30-40 ft areas of bottom rising from deeper waters. Surprisingly, despite their premium price, Montauk Marine Basin ran out of eels on Saturday morning. If you're coming out from somewhere else, you might consider buying your eels further west on your way out. Most of these fish are 40"+ classifying them as "trophy" fish, thus allowing you one more fish. If you're planning to troll wire, expect to use 250-300' of wire.

PeterPalmieri · Post by **PeterPalmieri** » Oct 5th, '11, 20:25

There is no place in the world like Montauk in the fall. Thanks for the report Walter.

Last Friday I was out in Montauk about 2 miles from where Walter is talking about. No bass but 10-12lb false albacore everywhere and relatively easy to hook with a fly rod.

Just amazing how you can have two bodies of fish so close but not together. We didn't see a bluefish.

Charlie J · Post by **Charlie J** » Oct 6th, '11, 05:20

when your finnished with them send them down my way, ill be waiting

bobfioresi · Post by **bobfioresi** » Oct 6th, '11, 11:49

walter, hammered them on sunday and monday on eels middle of incoming to its heigt better toward the flood.had 3 on sundey a 32" fish a 35lb and a 43lb threw the 43 back in on monday had 4 approx 35lb and 1 45llb threw the 45 and 2 30s back in i'll call you to hook up for sunday or monday bob

PeterPalmieri · Post by **PeterPalmieri** » Oct 6th, '11, 13:06

Bob,

I love you Montauk guys throwing back 45lb schoolies not even interested in snapping a photo to share with the rest of us.

I am planning on running down to sunken forest (about 15 miles east from the inlet) on Sunday. Will be very happy if we find fish and great day if we get a few over 20lb. Over 30lb and it's unforgettable. At 45lbs I'm framing the photos.

I hope you guys understand that your a 12 year old that can walk to Disneyland. Don't want to hear anything about that good old days crap.

Face · Post by **Face** » Oct 6th, '11, 15:25

Always interesting to read how you fish for the same fish we catch in the Chesapeake so differently. From the mid-chesapeake north almost nobody uses eels. During the summer we use live spot to catch resident fish up to about 32". Jigging soft plastics and metal is good some of the year. Spring and Fall we troll massive parachutes for "trophies". At the mouth of the bay people either troll, jig or use live eels during parts of the year. The eelers consistently catch the largest fish between 40 lbs and 50 lbs + (50" or so) but have a relatively slow day.

I'll be fishing two fall tournaments in Maryland waters trolling. As I've posted here before, we troll about 28 lines, just a little different from what you're used to up north.

TailhookTom · Post by **TailhookTom** » Oct 6th, '11, 15:36

You troll with 28 lines????? Wow, when fishing the reefs off of SE Connecticut I consistently troll 2 lines -- both loaded with 400 ft of wire and an 1 and 1/4oz bucktail jig, or, 2 lines --- both loaded with braid and tube and worm. The action is non-stop with this setup.

I can't imagine deploying 28 lines, let alone keeping the from tangeling - for offshore trolling I have trolled as many as 10 lines and even then I need a solid crew who are ready for hours of boredom trying to find the fish on the troll, followed by 20 minutes of complete chaos when a school of tuna hit the baits.

In Memory Walter K · Post by **In Memory Walter K** » Oct 6th, '11, 15:39

Different? 28 lines out? With two wire lines 250' out I have to worry about guys tangling them up, not only when one has a fish on, but if either of them is accidentally at a different length, they can foul each other on a slooow turn.

Tony Meola · Post by **Tony Meola** » Oct 6th, '11, 21:17

http://www.tmancustomtackle.com/

Has anyone tried the set in the above post?. Looks like just a take off of using a lead torlling weight in front of the lure.

Face · Post by **Face** » Oct 6th, '11, 21:46

Remember this post? http://www.bertram31.com/newbb/viewtopi ... 336c782719

I was a mate for about 5 years but now I just fish for fun and occassional tournaments. It might sound crazy but yes we do troll 28 lines. We fish planer boards which are conceptually like outriggers that reach out about 150' off each side of the boat. We fish 12 rods, sometimes more, off the boat and another 8 or so per side on the planer boards. We primarily fish braid on the boat rods and mono on the planers. As a kid we fished wire line off the boat before planers were big here. We rarely, really rarely, have a tangle. The key is measured/marked line distances and varied weight. We only fish this way during the spring trophy season and fall/winter trophy run. The fish aren't really schooled up and we usually have between 1 and 5 fish on at a given time.

If any of the faithful would like to come along and learn how this is done, give me a shout. It's not as difficult as you might think.

Face · Post by **Face** » Oct 6th, '11, 21:54

Walter, I guess I don't really understand how you guys up north fish when you fish wire. It seems to me two lines would be really easy to keep apart. That said, you must be fishing tubes/surgical hoses or some type of spoon if they tangle that easy. These to me are "aggressive" lures. I primarily fish parachute lures which are like a bucktail with a rubber shad 6", 9", or 12". These lures are "passive" and will not work over into another lure/leader. If you send me your address via pm I'll send you some lures and ideas for you to try in your waters. I fish surgical hoses for bluefish but its a whole different type of trolling. We fish 6 lines on down planers for blues.

In Memory Walter K · Post by **In Memory Walter K** » Oct 7th, '11, 08:41

Face- It is true that when we troll wire up North, our lures are the "aggressive" kind. Umbrella rigs with tubes on them, big surgical tubes, Bunker spoons, etc. Even when we use "Parachutes" or Bucktails tipped with pork rinds, we jig them as we troll. The fishing seems to be best when the tide is moving and our ocean tides are strong causing our high spots to have very visible rough rips. Trolling against the tide gives you the best control and the slowest trolling speed, but eventually, you have to turn and work your way back. That is almost always done in some degree of boat traffic that's doing what you are doing too. With a bunch of "pros" it's not too bad as a pattern develops and we honor it. It's at it's worst on weekends when many inexperienced anglers cris-cross the pattern or just cut across it, and that's where tangles occur, and with wire, it's often easier to replace the rod and reel with another set up than spend the time trying to sort out the mess that has been created. I still am in awe of you working so many lines at one time.

TailhookTom · Post by **TailhookTom** » Oct 7th, '11, 08:58

Walter - it always amazed and pissed me off when we would have up to a dozen boats all trolling wire through the rips at Valient Rock (as an example) - all the boats would be trolling a loop going across the face in an East to West procession, and then some knucklehead would come in perpendicular and troll North to South.

On more than one trip when their lures would get tangeled with mine, one of my crew would pull said offending tangle into the cockpit, and after untangeling, would hook the offenders lure to one of my stern cleats. At this point in time I would go in gear and pull the line off said offender's reel (this was only done after said offender was warned and his intellectual limitations were properly noted to him), we (the local charter fleet) would refer to this as a "Montauk Lookback!"

Face · Post by **Face** » Oct 7th, '11, 09:07

Understand conpletely about respecting the pattern. We have the same issues here. Two springs ago a guy cut in front of me so i tightened down the drags on my two deep lines with 28oz inlines and pulled in all his tackle. I had no choice asit would have otherwise ruined my entire spread. Do you use inline weights or drop sinkers? How heavy?

TailhookTom · Post by **TailhookTom** » Oct 7th, '11, 09:27

I personally do not use any weight when trolling with wire. I just set out enough wire to get to the depth I want using my 1 1/4oz parachutes or bucktails. Most of the spots I fish are 30' or less so I drop out 290' of line to get a foot off the bottom.
When trolling tube and worm I prefer to use braid and a small keel sinker -- usually no more than 1/20z unless the tide is screaming so fast that I need to add more.

Face · Post by **Face** » Oct 7th, '11, 09:59

Most of the trophy fishing i do occurs in the shipping channel of the chesapeake. Depth is between 60 and well over 100' in mid-bay area. Fish are suspended. Occassionally i venture outside the channel and pick up fish on the bottom in 40'.

For your wire fishing... Try your umbrella on braid, measured 55' from rod-tip to leader, 20-28oz inline weight. This will put your baits right where you want them and away from your long line. This is a high percentage catch rod for me. Especially considering i ryn over 20 of them.

TailhookTom · Post by **TailhookTom** » Oct 7th, '11, 11:51

My personal best for stripped bass was 51lbs -- caught in 13 feet of water on April 16. We are fortunate up here to have so many shallow reefs that I don't even think about trying to troll in water deeper than 50 feet.

If I go into deep water, the trolling stops and we will switch over the 3-way rigs and drop right down to the bottom and drift.

Face · Post by **Face** » Oct 7th, '11, 12:50

Tom, drift what? Live bait? Our fish really arent schooled up, usually not structure oriented(there are exceptions), and usually are feeding on menhaden suspended in the water cilumn, not on the bottom. I should add that our 28 lines usually have a tandem rig to two parachutes or an umbrella with two baits to total 56 lures. My personal best is 48".

Face · Post by **Face** » Oct 7th, '11, 12:52

Any tips to trolling shallow water? I've thought about trying it during tourneys when boat pressure seems to drive them out of the channel.

TailhookTom · Post by **TailhookTom** » Oct 7th, '11, 13:34

90% of the time I am drifting a swinghook bucktail with a porkrind. In really deep water I use up to 20oz of lead, most of the time I get by with 12-16oz. The 10% I will 3way live eels.

The shallow water trolling i referred to above is exactly what I do - two lines only, wire drops 1 foot in depth for every 10 feet of wire let out. I have my wire marked, by the tackle shop, with different color electrical tape from 100', 150', 200', 250', 300'. 350' and a 400ft there is a small barral swivel connecting the wire to dacron backing of another 350 yards.

The main thing I make certain of is that for bass, the slower the better, and let out enough line that you can feel the bait bouncing off the rocks.

davidms · Post by **davidms** » Oct 7th, '11, 13:53

Walter,

I was talking to a guy who said that he uses live Spot instead of eels and has better results. Do you know anything about using Spot?

DMS

davidms · Post by **davidms** » Oct 7th, '11, 13:57

Walter,

By the way, my wife and I were turning around in the Three Mile Harbor Marina parking lot a couple of weeks ago and saw a beautiful little B-20 there. I said to her, I wonder who's...wait a minute...It must be nice to have the 20 for west of Gardiner's fishing trips and the 31 for this time of year in Montauk.

DMS

In Memory Walter K · Post by **In Memory Walter K** » Oct 7th, '11, 14:02

Spots and Croakers have been "imported" from down south, and to the best of my knowledge can be purchased at Star Island Yacht Club for mucho dinero apiece. Truthfully, small Sea Bass and small Porgies would probably work just as well as the Croakers and Spots, but would be deemed illegal to have in your possession at any time. If found on your boat, you would be liable for a big time fine per fish. The others have no NY State regulations on them, so they're OK.

In Memory Walter K · Post by **In Memory Walter K** » Oct 7th, '11, 14:03

That's mine! I don't use it enough!

Face · Post by **Face** » Oct 9th, '11, 09:41

Spot us by far the best summer live bait for resident stripers in the chesapeake. I've caught 300lbs of fish in 1 1/2 hrs commercially. Nonstop fishing as fast as you can get a bait in the water. Spot arw more desirable than croaker as they are s
soft and have no spines or gill plates. Once you get the fish fired up they become competitive and you catch larger and larger fish. You will see 3-5 fish following your hooked fish to the boat trying to steel its spot.

When you find the fish, rig an egg sinker of apprioriate wait above a swivel. Add a 4' leader of light fluorocarbon and a treble hook if keeping fish. We keep them at 18" and wont catch undersize fish on live spot. Use a baitrunner drag set really light so the fish wont feel you or fish an open bail with the line light between your fingers. You will feel the spot get nervous and then the striper will run with it. Count five seconds, dont jump the gun, then set the hook. Fish your spot above where you mark fish by about five feet. Sometimes they catch on the bottom but generally better suspended in the columb. If you have extra spot throw some against the transom to stun them and get the fish turned on. This fishing is a blast and will impress your guests. If a spot has been hit and scaled, take it off as it will not catch again. Rebait! Good luck.

Wingnut · Post by **Wingnut** » Oct 9th, '11, 11:56

Face,

How is the water looking in your area of the bay (??) I'm in Rock Hall and the water has been terrible since the storms and runoff out of the Conowingo. It is the worst I have seen on the bay in 25 years!

Most of the charters seem to be running down to below the bay bridge or through the Kent narrows and down to Eastern Bay. Its about an hour run either way for me.

I'm spoiled as usually I go out to the triple buoys area / mouth of the Chester and can fish 10 minutes from home.

JD

Face · Post by **Face** » Oct 9th, '11, 13:38

Really couldnt say. The fishing sucked after the storms but i think the water is clear now. I've been getting a b35 ready for fall tourneys. They'catching blues macs and rock just below cove pt right now. Might go tomorrow. Water in the creek here is clear. I'm hoping temps come down so we get the big fish earlier.

Face · Post by **Face** » Oct 9th, '11, 13:41

Strange year, freshest its been in 60. Catfish everywhere this spring.

Face · Post by **Face** » Oct 11th, '11, 12:17

Forgot to mention...hook spot through back at beginning of dorsal fin. Remove scales stuck to hook point.

Brewster Minton · Post by **Brewster Minton** » Oct 11th, '11, 12:37

Fished the lighthouse yesterday. 11 Tuni , 20 bass. One was 32# on a 7 wt fly rod. Wide open. If you can go,go.

randall · Post by **randall** » Oct 11th, '11, 14:56

lotta buzz around about the fishing in montauk!!

In Memory Walter K · Post by **In Memory Walter K** » Oct 11th, '11, 15:55

Saw two Bertram 31's there-My Buddy and one hailing from Greenport named Reel Time, if I am not mistaken. Didn't respond to my radio calls on 19. Brew, what boat were you on?

Brewster Minton · Post by **Brewster Minton** » Oct 11th, '11, 16:17

My flats boat. 16' Dolphin super skiff. Has two towers back and front. I was by myelf. Boat is called the Eidos (Tarpon) in ancient Greek. 90 Yamy 4 stroke. She does 46 knts with the racing prop. 52 mins from the locks to the lighthouse. 7 gals. One of the first Kevlar hulls ever made. 700# without the engine.

In Memory Walter K · Post by **In Memory Walter K** » Oct 11th, '11, 19:44

It was the perfect day for that run!

Brewster Minton · Post by **Brewster Minton** » Oct 11th, '11, 20:03

I had to slow down for 3 boat wakes. Like glass.

randall · Post by **randall** » Oct 12th, '11, 08:35

lake atlantic and july hot. not too many days like that in october. there was a small boat fishing off the jetties in east hampton....you dont see that too often.

Face · Post by **Face** » Oct 18th, '11, 07:50

Still catching off long island? How about jersey? i have a tournament oct 29 in the chesapeake and awaiting their arrival.

Tony Meola · Post by **Tony Meola** » Oct 18th, '11, 20:30

Face wrote:Still catching off long island? How about jersey? i have a tournament oct 29 in the chesapeake and awaiting their arrival.

The bass are spotty of Barnegat. Plus pretty snotty over the weekend so not a lot of action. A good friend of mine is heavy into bass fishing, born and raised down there. I saw him driving around on Saturday. He said not worth the gas to go out. So that tells you what it it like right now. Maybe this storm coming in will turn them on.

Bertramp · Post by **Bertramp** » Oct 19th, '11, 03:47

just got this from a Sag Harbor buddy......

http://www.soundingsonline.com/news/dis ... ff-montauk

randall · Post by **randall** » Oct 19th, '11, 08:35

cool. nice shot of the point and north bar in the background.

bertram31.com

Montauk Bass report

Montauk Bass report

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Spot instead of eels?

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