How late into the season do you fish? - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

MountainBreeze · 10-01-2002, 06:53 AM

I hear the fall in N.E. is a great time for fishing!

Just wondering how late into the year / winter you guys / gals fish. Is there a point when it's just not "worth" going to the surf?

Thanks for any feedback,
Rob

JohnR · 10-01-2002, 07:32 AM

Last year had November as a much better fishing month in many respects than October. Last October had a lot of storms that shut down the fishing or at least made it very difficult...

November 17 last year I landed a 28 pounder at C-town with Ice & friends... There are still fish moving through after that....

We'll see when DZ's work comes out on with some nice info on a particular December storm

Got Stripers · 10-01-2002, 07:45 AM

I think last year I caught a keeper every month of the year, with maybe March and April being the exceptions as I had switched to fresh water just to clean gear

. I caught more fish last winter than I caught last summer if that gives you a hint.

Joe · 10-01-2002, 07:54 AM

The short answer is the week either side of the new moon in October….but it depends.
It depends on the type fishing you are most likely to do, boat or shore, night or day. It depends on whether or not we get strong line storms or tropical storms; it depends on whether or not we get a southwesterly flow, or a frigid northwest.
For striped bass fishing, the new moon in October is considered prime for night fishing be it from boat or shore. Night fishing holds up at least until Halloween, but usually longer. Night fishing on Block Island goes well into November.
If it does not happen around the new moon, the best week will, almost definitely, occur sometime during October.
Some great day fishing can be had along the beaches at first light during November. In November, the 4-Wheel crowd will drive the beaches, in search of the blitzes that can occur at anytime. The fish tend to be smallish – but not always.
Last year, due to an exceptionally mild fall, there was striper fishing during the day at the breachways and along the Narragansett during December – a very rare occurrence, but not without precedence.
Most fisherman quit fishing before the fish leave. There are a small handful of anglers who (believe it or not) do well in the salt ponds during December evenings. I’m from RI and I usually quit the Monday after Thanksgiving – I usually hear about someone getting them after I quit and I invariably kick my own a… for quitting early. This is a picture of a blitz at Charlestown a couple of years ago for which no anglers were present. I had a camera only. Check out those birds!

The Iceman 6 · 10-01-2002, 08:24 AM

Pulled a "schoolie" out of the E. River in December while jigging, sure it was glowing and had 2 tails but was fun nonetheless....

Ice

ps: that was a nicea fish John R - last keeper I saw caught in 2001....

bloocrab · 10-01-2002, 09:10 AM

gotta switch to hogs and cods in December - February

chris L · 10-01-2002, 11:06 AM

sometime in November while I wait for the ice to show up then tip up till March . No more December thru Feb cod trips lately .

MarkL · 10-01-2002, 11:24 AM

I'm going late this year. I'm still standing in Narragansett Bay w/o waders and don't plan on digging out the neo's any time soon. Its warm, but could also change fast. Bait hasn't even grown up yet. I'm predicting good fishing (cows) in RI through December. Thats my guess.

STEVE IN MASS · 10-01-2002, 01:13 PM

I caught a 9 1/2 lb 30"er on December 29th last year....but that was in Jersey, so I suppose that don't count.

I would think that this year you could go to almost Thanksgiving in Rhody and Mass South Coast.....may not be as productive as over the next month, but there will be fish around none the less.....

(Charlie (my grandfather) got his bluefish in Westport on Nov 2nd last year......)

HESH2 · 10-01-2002, 03:02 PM

FISH UP INTO DEC,PROVIDING WEATHER IS OK CATCHING SCHOOLIES.WHEN MILLSTONE HAD ACCESS BLUES CAUGHT IN DEC.IF MILD WINTER WILL FISH EVERY NICE DAY.HAD A BASS NITE CHARTER AND MATE TOLD ME THEY GOT A CALL FROM RI THAT SAID A HUGE SCHOOL OF LARGE BASS WAS ON ITS WAY IN DEC BUT THEY HAD ALREADY PULLED THEIR BOATS.FISHED RI WEEKEND OF THANKSGIVEN BEAUTIFULL WARM WEATHER,NICE DAY BUT NO FISH.

joeangler · 10-01-2002, 04:57 PM

will be fishing well indecember when the fish move out i go to the thames river stripers all winter long its awesome

Bill L · 10-01-2002, 06:20 PM

I'll fish Charlestown through Thanksgiving Day, with a long standing tradition of going T-day morning. Depending on weather and other factors, sometimes this is my last day out, while often I'll go the first few weeks of December. I find my late season game being light tackle at first light, with the fish size dwindling. My last fish last year was 30" on December 18, which was also my last time out on the beach. Tried the Prov. River/Hurricane Barrier a few times in the winter, but its pretty disgusting

shore manic · 10-01-2002, 10:07 PM

hey hesh, stop screaming at us your caps must be locked. we're a quiet sort of group here. S-B.com is the b.... ,good fishing and good people!!!!!!