Lateral Line Ambassador Wild Bill just returned from fishing for stripers, ablies and bluefish the last few days and filed this report. Sounds like Montauk is on fire. Better pack the rods and reels and head up there soon!

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Simon and I took his 23 Reg to Montauk Sunday and fished through Wed. The wind blew from the NE each day 15 to 20 kts and occasionally a little more. The boat sliced through the sometimes big waves in the rips at the Point with ease. There were very few large charter boats out, but those that did go caught some big bass. It seemed like there were fewer light tackle and fly guides booked also. It is a shame more guys did not go because the fishing was stellar. We never had to venture more than a mile from Montauk Point and had surface action almost constantly. By the second day we let all the spin and casting rods in the room and fly exclusively.

The albies were there in force and the stripers were plentiful and of good size for this time of year. The plethora of blues kept the fly tiers busy. It was a challenge to try to stay away from those chewing machines. All of our action was topwater. Crease flies on a floating line worked great, as did small albie flies on intermediate lines. Many of the albies were in the ten pound range.

I had a most unusual catch. Hooked an albie and he quickly ran into the backing. The pull seemed really extreme on my nine wt. As the fish was worked to the boat I saw a second albie caught in my backing. The first albie was landed and released and there was a second albie on my fly. I never heard of such a thing but apparently one of the fish was swimming with his mouth open scooping up rain minnows and got snared in the Dacron backing. He apparently rolled and became more secure in the backing. Both albies were released in good shape. It reminded me a little of crabbing with a trot line when I saw the albies coming in two at a time.

Do not know what it is about a snotty NE wind but it really seems to turn on the albies. In a center console, rain gear is a must even on clear days; and it is not a bad idea to wear a life vest.

Had four days of Montauk at its best with my good friend Simon. We did not count fish but they were abundant. This will be another trip for the memory banks. Brandon and I will try to go back up in another week. It would be great if the fishing remained hot.

If you like eeling, trolling or diamond jigging, it should not be hard to find an open date on one of the many large charter boats. If your game is fly or light tackle, there are a number of capable guides who may have openings.

Picture taking was a little difficult at times, but we did manage a few.

Simon Cleaning Off His Rig

View From Our Motel Window

Common Sight this Week

Simon with a Topwater Bass

Montauk Albie on a Crease Fly

Bass on a Small Rain Bait Imitation

Wild Bill

It’s long been maintained by many, including organizations like Stripers Forever, that there is a glaring problem with the ASMFC management plan for striped bass in that attributes zero allocation to illegal fishing for stripers. Fact is that illegal fishing happens and should be accounted. Why the ASMFC has decided not to account for it is crazy and shortsighted.  Regardless, below is an example of what goes on and these are just guys that got caught.

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HARTFORD, Conn. — A Connecticut fisherman and a Rhode Island seafood dealer were arrested, accused of the illegal sale of striped bass.
The fisherman, Sean Bradshaw, 44, of Pawcatuck, was charged with the landing and sale of striped bass without a commercial license, commercial fishing without a vessel permit, possession of untagged striped bass and the commercial sale of scup without a license and during the closed season.
The seafood dealer, John Guerrieri, 50, of South Kingstown, R.I., was charged with buying seafood without a Connecticut seafood dealers license and operating a motor vehicle without a license.

The DEP’s Environmental Conservation Police unit and the Rhode Island Environmental Police investigated and both men were arrested Monday at Bradshaw’s home.
At the time of the arrest, Connecticut and Rhode Island officers seized 42 striped bass, total weight 971 pounds and 89 scup, total weight 87 pounds.
With the fair market value for commercial striped bass at around $3 per pound, the estimated value of this bass was $2,913. All of the fish was donated to the Amos House in Providence, Rhode Island.