#11
|
|||
|
|||
Well - Harkers Island is outside Moorehead City in NC. So that would probably be a 1000+ mile tow for you.
Sea Conditions - Montauk is like any other place. It can be glass flat. You are basically ocean fishing and with the rips and currents up there it can be brutal. The video was of our best days there. We were stuck on a N/NE blow a solid 20 - 25 and when the tide came around.........solid 4-5 foot tight seas. It was just miserable to get around even in a 23 SC. The best advice i can give you is to be flexible on your dates. I'm not a die hard, go in any conditions, fisherman. I like it to be enjoyable. We were never in danger of dying, but you would not have been out in an 18 seacraft, that i can promise you. Look on a map at montauk, you can always get on the leigh side of the point to stay out of the wind. If you have the time, i'd make that trip a week long and you'll be sure to get at least a couple of days of good weather unless you are extremely unlucky. As noted before, montauk is some of the best surf fishing on the east coast. So if you go, you want to take rods to fish off the beach with in case you get blown out. I do not know much about the fishery, but albies in general are water temp and bait dependent. They can be there one day gone the next. The past 2 years, mid october has treated me well. That video was shot Oct 15th - 17th. I've heard columbus day weekend is a zoo up there for fishing, so i would not plan for that. Also, you need to be prepared for a run and gun style of fishing........almost bumper boats. If the birds get fired up and start working, everyone puts the hammer down to go after them........like i said, run and gun. Last year i had 4 on my 23 and we rotated drivers, its just easier that way. Those albies are so fast, when you pull up on a school that are busting the surface, you'll only get 1-2 casts to hook up and then they are out of casting range. Here's me and you can see it's a little chunky on the water, not terrible but not glass either. One thing is for sure..............you get a good dose of albie fishing on fly and light tackle, you won't want to do anything else. I wish i could get into them closer to MD but when they go by NJ and MD, they go far offshore. Very cool sight to see them smashing through the schools of bait. They are like little missles!!!! |
#12
|
|||
|
|||
Sure that's not a bonito?
|
#13
|
|||
|
|||
My time is flexible & I intend to travel on weekends & fish monday to friday. Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't that a bonita you are holding in the pic ?
|
#14
|
|||
|
|||
oldfielder beat me to it !
|
#15
|
|||
|
|||
correct you are
you get a mix of albies and bonita. You also run into some of the biggest bluefish you'll find on the east coast. Last year some of the blues we caught tipped the scale over 14 pounds......big ole brutes If you have the week open, that is your best bet. I would plan to arrive on a sunday, get settled, and start looking to fish on monday or later. One thing very cool about Montauk in the fall..........TIME doesn't really play much of a factor...... i.e. - there is no reason to be out there at O dark thirty. Sleep in, get a hot breakfast, and work your way outside. If eeling is your thing, lots of that goes on there as well. I've only ever fishing with fly and light tackle artificials. http://www.snowflycharters.com/ he runs a 23 seacraft up there for fly fishing trips |
#16
|
|||
|
|||
Does the moon phase & tides have any significant influence on the albie/bonito bite ? Any preference ?
|
#17
|
|||
|
|||
Be honest with you - i've never paid attention to the moon phases in Montauk. We always just pick a window, load up, and go. Honestly though last year we just got lucky. The absolute only way the trip was a success was because the fish were so close to the harbor. It was just too rough to get anywhere.
|
#18
|
|||
|
|||
Any fishing reports for Montauk ? I'm sure there are a few owners on this forum that fish the area.
|
#19
|
|||
|
|||
Crushed big bass all weekend. No real blitzes around but plenty of albies popping up. The new moon tides and the ground swell would have made an 18 very dangerous in the rips but fishable in some more protected spots. Problem is the big fish were all hanging out in the elbow rips.
|
#20
|
|||
|
|||
Thanks for the report. Are the ground swells predictable in advance & if they are, how far in advance (days) can they be forecasted ? I am preparing to get down there in my 18' when the blitzes are in full swing & I want to monitor the conditions & hopefully pick a favorable window that will maximize the oportunity to utilize my boat to the fullest.
|
|
|