AMBROSE TOWER, RIP
There are those special places that are responsible for burning permanent memories in an angler’s brain.   Spots where extraordinary things have happened.  Spots where there exists so many possibilities…  So much opportunity.   Ambrose Tower, located approximately 7 miles SSE of Breezy Point, NY was just such a place.   “The Tower” marks the convergence of several main shipping lanes in Lower New York Bay.

Unfortunately, because of idiots standing poor navigation watches on the birdge, the Tower had been hit by wayward tankers 3 times in the last decade, one of which required a total rebuild.  On July 25, 2008, with nary a public hearing, the Coast Guard announced that Ambrose Light would be taken down once and for all.   That’s a bummer.

The thing about The Tower is that no matter what was going on inshore, I could always count on, at the very least, to be able to shoot out there and tangle with some exceptionally big bluefish, and man there were some bruisers out there.  A couple of years ago we weighted a fish on the boga that was 19.5 pounds!  But bluefish weren’t all that was out there.  The water at The Tower is a good 100’ deep.  Any good angler knows that once you get into that kind of depth, all sorts of species can show, and all sorts did indeed show at The Tower.

Indeed, I’ve had my best bluefin tuna days there ever.  I can remember being out there on a slick calm day and throwing crease flies into boiling pods of 20 to 40-pound footballs.  Bluefin would leap out of the water to grab those things.  I can also remember seeing 200 pound fish leap clear out of the water at Ambrose although I can’t say I every hooked any of them.  I can, however, remember hooking “things” that would just swim straight to the bottom and which we couldn’t budge, much less have any hope of landing.  We’ve caught big jacks out there…  Many a Mahi.  Once we even hooked and lost a big cobia at the boat.  Now that was cool!  The Tower was a stopping ground for various whale species as well.

Perhaps the most memorable moment at the tower came in 2005 during the best (and might I add one of the few) bluefin years we ever saw, and perhaps ever will see.  While chasing sparse pods of busting bluefin, out of the corner of my eye I saw a big animal breach and come crashing down.  It was quite far away, but being that I had two marine biologists on board from Environmental Defense I thought I’d ask what type of whale was gunmetal gray and had a white belly.  The response I got was that there was no such whale.   Twenty minutes passed and maybe 20 yards directly off the bow of my 20’ skiff an adult Great White, maybe 20’ in length came flying out of the water, shook it’s body in mid air, then came crashing down with a massive splash.  Everyone’s jaw dropped.  100% true!  There was chatter all over the radio from other folks who had seen the shark as well.  Cool sht.

On my last outing to The Tower, at approximately 9:00AM a big barge with a crane and other equipment pulled up and went to work, as if we weren’t even there.  That was it for Ambrose.  The demolition comes almost 41 years after Ambrose Tower replaced the Ambrose Lightship.  She is no more, yet she will always be remembered.  May she rest in peace…

Fishing Reports
Summer doldrums continue in most areas.  Inshore in Jersey, there isn’t much but the occasional bottom fish.  Roving schools of big and/or small bluefish can be found here and there, but even they aren’t very consistent.    Way, way off of the Jersey Coast, there has been some action with bluefin that are north of 100-pounds, but the midshore spots are relatively barren.  In New York Harbor, the topwater bluefish action has been pretty good.  Find structure with a swift moving current around it and you’re likely to score.  There have also been plenty of medium bluefish under the birds throughout the day.  It’s worthy of noting here that the amount of bait skyrocked over the weekend.  There are a ton of bay anchovies on the outside and a ton of peanut bunker on the inside.  So far it’s just been the bluefish on them as well as a few random bass.  It’s only a matter of time before bonito and/or false albacore get on these abundant baits.  Across the Island it’s been very similar.  Lots of bait, but only bluefish.  Expect that to change soon.  On the North Shore the first reports of bonito have been coming in.  Not a whole lot of them, but indeed, folks are scoring.  Connecticut, Rhode Island and Mass were into bonito this week as well, but most folks believe that the big push is yet to come.  The bass fishing in those states remains in the typical summer patterns.  Early morning and nights are producing for the sharpies, but it certainly isn’t gangbusters.

New York Saltwater Fishing Reports
From Lower New York Harbor, Capt. Chris Hessert from Manhattan Fly checks in with this report:
Well, to continue with reporting more of the same…poor conditions along the shore line with this continued southerly thats bring the brackish water and weeds, I have been running out to the Mud Hole and Monster Ledge. Along the inshore, it has been…at best, cocktail blues. Pretty crummy. Getting passed the 20 fathom line its a different world and yes, the hard tail search continues…yet so worthwhile when you get to  cobalt. Ran to Monster Ledge yesterday and had sights of things you would only see on Blue Planet or Nat Geo if not getting out there. Gas?, well thats just part of the game, dropped a bit too. Not a bad run with a blow less than 10, about 50 minutes. We hung with in a few yards of a mother Fin Back with her calf for a good half hour, giving her a little distance…so cool! then along come around 120 (last count) ocean going dolphin and these guys are not shy, hanging around the boat and riding the bow. You could reach over and touch the dorsal fin. They sound like the are breathing through a plastic cone…Big ‘ole Mola-Mola and a bunch of Leather Back turtles…speaking of turtles, Capt. David Azar was out the prior day and witnessed a Mako making brunch of a turtle…wow!  Yes, the toons are in our thoughts but this is one hell of a cool diversion while on our search, there was the usual chatter a bit south and there are hook ups. Sights like these can give you a larger perspective of the blue stuff, puts you in awe. The weird part, is being on the Subway 4 hours later!

From the Western Long Island/Breezy Point area, David Berman checks in with this report:
Hi John, David Berman here.    On sunday Bob W., Ken J. and I ventured forth fly rods in hand, in the relatively early am, in the search for the ellusive bonito fish that we’ve heard so much about lately , most sightings having been made in the local fishmarkets! Ken was first out towards the tip of jetty while Bob and I hung back to fish a bit from the beach., nothin doing. Look up to see Ken casting and terns working the tip, could it be the green fish? A scramble to find out ensues. Which brings to mind a play on one of the old Chinese Philosophers words to the wise and not so wise. “Old flyfisher who hurry on jetty bound to have crackup” , and it was so! All kidding aside , a hurried misstep on the rocks can result in pain and suffering. I was lucky , some pain and still some suffering, but nothing broken, body or tackle. And all that in persuit of cocktail blues, yellow eyed devils, as it turned out. Nothing doing except a take, a brief fight and then a bite off over the next hour or so, at which point a walk back into the inlet for me to see if I can see stripes instead of green. Sun,sky and tide were perfect for looking, the water could have been clearer  but was manageable if fish would  make themselves viewable. A few  did but showed no interst in my first offering, changed over to a small crab pattern , looked up saw another striped one, flipped the fly, he came up and took as if I had offered a cookie, and we were off. I’ll wait a bit longer for the green fish!   

Capt. David Blinken from North Flats Guiding checks in with this Eastern Long Island report:
I missed last week (bummer) sorry, but there was not much to report any way the fishing was tough at best. This week is another story! There seem to be more and larger bass around relative to last week.
There are also big blues prowling around. The bait as you might think is peanut bunker but what is coming out of the fish when they are brought to the boat is (tiny) bay anchovies (micro bait) go figure. this is making things fun and a bit challenging, and matching flies to this bait means small hooks (size 4 and 6) which makes it tough to keep the hook in the mouth of a fish. Look for the occasional Bonito and Spanish mackerel you might just get surprised.  There is a big problem affecting the late summer bass fishing and that is GILL NETS, strung from shore out 300 feet right in the lanes where bass swim. Sport fish status cant come fast enough! With fewer bass from Maine to New York one has to wonder if the 1980’s are no longer a memory but a reality. Lets hope things change soon!!! Remember, release release release so you can enjoy them another day.

Connecticut Saltwater Fishing Reports
Capt. Sandy Noyes from Rumrunner Guide Service checks in with this report from Eastern Connecticut:
This past week showed some promise of things to come. Mathew came up from the big city and spent the day catching a good number of bass and bluefish. It was pretty steady all day . Also I had Marty and Ron come down from the other end of NY. and they spent a pretty steady day using fly and spin gear. We had bluefish early and bass in the afternoon. I took one day to do a little fishing for myself. My wife and I were looking for the elusive bonito. In about four hours we managed to each catch one and lose another. They were pretty spotty and you needed lots of patience. I know of a few that have been taken between Fishers Island and Charlestown, RI. They haven’t showed with any regularity yet but its still early. One treat that I had this week was to have a seven foot dolphin come by to pay a visit near Watch Hill, he stayed awhile and then left for parts unknown. This happened about 100 yards from shore and in 25 feet of water. 

Massachusetts Saltwater Fishing Reports
No reports from the mainland, but Capt. Tom Rapone from Highly Migratory Guide Service reports good action with the bonito:
8.14.08 -  While the summer fishing pattern still persists on the Vineyard, the first few chilly mornings of mid-August definitely have me thinking about fall. It won’t be too long before we’re in full-on bone/albie mode, and it’s certainly one of my favorite times of the year.  For now, it’s been the same lights-out bluefishing and scattering of bones that we’ve had for the last couple weeks. I would expect the inshore bone scene to blow wide open any minute, as every single creek mouth and harbor entrance on the island is crawling with silversides and juvi herring. As of now, the fly/light tackle bass fishing for anything over 30″ remains a pretty tough gig. The key this time of year is a combination of EARLY morning, fast moving water, and rocks. The rocks will hold at least a few resident fish regardless of water temps…That’s all I got for now. Catch ‘em.

That’s all for this week.  A little light on the reports, but that’s because we’re in the depths of the summer doldrums.  Expect that to change in the coming weeks. 

Wow!  On that note, I’m gonna sign off.  See ya on the water…

Capt. John McMurray

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