No surprises this fall

[Back Beach]

Things seem to have shaped up as predicted. The big push seems to have come and gone. Late August through Columbus Day=slam zany for 20-40# fish. A few decent fish were taken after Columbus Day, albeit not in the same numbers as earlier in the fall. Guys are getting small <15# fish with maybe a larger fish 20# plus mixed in now. Wouldn't be surprised to see more single large here or there, but its really over at this point for Mass and RI.

My assessment is its been a great fall, but things seemed to have happened one to two weeks ahead of last fall, IMO. It was real good for big fish until the 25th of October last fall, this year it seemingly tapered off earlier.

For Mass and most of RI its runt time and under 30" fish will fill the plate from here on in.
Curious to hear other people's take on the fall season. I realize some die hards will fish until the ocean freezes over (Flappy ), but what's your realistic take on the fall with regard to the big picture compared to years past?

[RIJIMMY]

my fall has been terrible. I fished mid NArr bay to Newport, Narragnset and Jamestown from the boat. In the last 2 months I got a handful of small fish on eels at night. Nothing over 10lbs. I'll give it a few weeks but I do not have high hopes.

[BigFish]

I agree! I think September was "run time" as after Oct. 1 there was very little going on in my area!

Oh and Mike...I think Redlite will tell you its not "slam zany".......its....."sLaM ZanY"!!!

[tynan19]

Mike, you have nailed the run for a few months now. Was hoping to get out on the same night as my last big fish of last year but buddy bailed and it is going to be just a little too cold for me after it snowed last night. I could always were my snowmobile suit under the waders though.

[Clogston29]

in general, not as many fish seamed to have made it north of the cape this year and i think most people's numbers up this way reflect that. we had them dialed in for about a month and a half, but the weather was unstable and unfavorable for considerable stretches for where they were holding (or at least where i knew them to be holding) which greatly decreased the amount and size of fish taken.

the fact that fewer fish made it as far north as where I fish, and even fewer fish made it further north, the "fall run" was very disappointing up this way. Once the resident fish started moving out (sometime in early october, it was tough to tell because the late september weather was so poor), there really were no concentrations of fish following, and not much bait present to draw in whatever was swimming by.

i pretty much chalk this up to weather and bait patterns, and the slower than average fishing up this way is no cause for concern about the health of the fishery IMO.

[ProfessorM]

I feel that the total lack of peanuts in my usual area killed the late season fishing along the southern bay side beaches. Just very hit or miss for me and no real feeding frenzy action which is usually the norm for the last few weeks. I was also disappointed in no real chance at any False Albacore for me, again not many if any peanuts. But thats fishin. If it were easy it wouldn't be as fun IMO.

[numbskull]

I'm not dead yet...........though given my fall so far maybe I better get that checked.

[redlite]

By far the worst October I can ever remember. Only one supercow Columbus Day weekend, but other than that, since October 1st I think I only had 3 fish over 30#s, and very, very few fish period. Also could be due to the fact that I really haven't fished much. The weather was real tough with crazy s\ sw winds that just made fishin tough.
To add to that, down my way there has been more phospherecsneses (fire) in the water than I have ever seen in my life ANYWHERE, including Race Point. A lot of people have commented on that here as well.
The fat lady has sung, but it has been a season that I will never, ever forget. Great times and adventures with a lot of laughs with some great poeple. Time to take up golf or something else.

[BatesBCheatin]

The NE wind gave up a few surprises on Monday morning in an area I thought was all done for decent fish.

That's all they will let me say.


I'm in it til Dec 1 or til snow hits the beach.

[Back Beach]

Originally Posted by BatesBCheatin

The NE wind gave up a few surprises on Monday morning in an area I thought was all done for decent fish.

That's kind of what I've been getting at. Always a few surprises no doubt, but by and large its been pretty predictable with regard to the big movement.

[ilovetwofish]

This was the worst fall iv'e ever fished in the bay from warick to the jamestown bridge ,lack of peanutes I think was the problem. I had a few real good days jamestown and south.I won't stop till the ganetts go by, i'm hopefull till Nov 1.

[Slingah]

It was the worst fall for me since I have been doing this...there were just no fish in my local haunts, or at least when I went . There is always next year....

[niko]

worst fall i can remember as well. gave up on bass weeks ago.

[Pete F.]

I'm going this weekend and just like always I KNOW I'll catch fish, after all why else would I go? But do I always catch fish? NO
but I hav'nt done bad this fall.
And I have fun.

[cow tamer]

Is this the FAT lady singing??
In the immortal words of John Belushi,
"It's not over until we say it's over. When the going gets tough . . ."

[Flaptail]

If the water gets stiff we will cut right through it!

Last big fish was last Tuesday night since then a lot of 24 to 26 and a few small legals to 30 inches. Did drop a nice one Friday night but it got crowded so I decided to leave before the best part of the tide and having to get in a sh!tfight with some non-believer who wades into the surf ahead just where the fish are though you warned him with good intel. Sunday night the water was munged up but skin needles still took hits even with the hooks coated at the bends with touches of mung.

Each day does see less and less people, gotta luv that.

Just fishin' and having fun, match the tackle to the fish and you loose all the sensations of cold wet fingers, suddenly it's balmy out as far as your concerned

Down to 12lb braid and a light spinning rod now until Thanksgiving then its trout time here on old Cape Cod until the ice.

You hit 53 and you start thinking "how much longer can or will I be able to do this?" Then you think, "I better get out while I can as much as I can!" So long as they are there I go, frosty cold or hot and humid, it's all fun to me.

Flappy out!

[MAKAI]

As long as I am trying it isn't winter yet.Very good last tues very bad last fri, to the end I cast at thee.

[Moses]

Haven't been disciplined on keeping a log until last year but this year has been very similar. Only exception is lack of peanuts in traditional sshore haunts which always produced great bird/bass blitzes.

Tuna are still going crazy out on the Bank and when you deep jig for tuna/cod, you occassionally catch a decent striper (all recent w/i last 2 weeks).

I'm heading out this friday and will report back then but fully expect to catch a variety. Adult pogies are still around in a few areas which must mean bass are still here.

[Back Beach]

Looking back at the last month it seems the peak fishing was right around the september new moon. Guys I know on the north shore had them good as did my pals down in CT.
Mass/RI seemed to be peak for big fish too around the september new moon. Someone said at one point "the train is passing through right now" and that statement seemed pretty accurate. Got my best fish of the year early October, but it was after the "peak" fishing occurred 10 days earlier.

[tobias]

Some good fish still around, buddy got a 44#'er a couple nights ago and my brother got one 38#'s last Friday night. Fish were caught in New England. Heading out this weekend to hopefully run into some fish, just need to dress warm.

[Back Beach]

Originally Posted by tobias

Some good fish still around, buddy got a 44#'er a couple nights ago and my brother got one 38#'s last Friday night. Fish were caught in New England. Heading out this weekend to hopefully run into some fish, just need to dress warm.

Awesome. Your brother is a fish magnet...or did he learn everything from you?

[tobias]

If he learned anything from me, he wouldn't catch a thingI'm just his personal photographer

Originally Posted by Back Beach

Awesome. Your brother is a fish magnet...or did he learn everything from you?

[BatesBCheatin]

Originally Posted by Back Beach

That's kind of what I've been getting at. Always a few surprises no doubt, but by and large its been pretty predictable with regard to the big movement.

The big surprise is the lack of visible small bait. (Although I saw more diving birds and bait earlier this week than I have the whole fall season combined). Other than that it's still too early to tell IMO. I'm still seeing signs that things could go out with a bang and not just a slow fizzle. That may just be some crazy optimism creeping up though. .

I'll come back to this thread in a month and let you know... What I do know is that the longer I'm out there the shorter the winter will be - catching or not. It always seems to end the same though... Standing on a rock in Rhody under a moon with a big skunk freezing my ass off saying 'ok, this is freakin ridiculous'.

And then there's always that one last Xmas trip to LI to 'visit my girl's parents'.

[stiff tip]

what fall run , where did the bigger fish go..off shore w/ all the bait

[vanstaal]

had a push of small fish last week bait for 9 day straight @ Pt Judith light but since Sunday nothing I like to think it's not over