How are you going to spend your Fall Run?

[JohnR]

So - the fall run is upon us. Some areas are quiet and some are hopping like mad. My hot spot last year on the South Shores of Mass Bay has been surprisingly quiet the few times I've fished it but one fellow I know has plucked a few large bass out of there. This time last year I had numerous bass over twenty pounds and many in the thirty-pound range. There was plenty of bait and plenty of daytime surface feeding fish. Once they went down at night, the horses came out. But this year, that area has been slow.

Our resident Scituate boat guru has been scratching his head since coming back from chasing sweet water fish up in Maine. He's managed to scrape out a decent day but not in the way he would have expected and in no way, anything like the free-for-all blasts of last year.

Down at my new home, the huge schools of fish, mostly smaller blues, have been crashing hard on silversides but there are not the massive schools of Peanut Bunker in Narragansett Bay like last year. Several of the locals tell me that there has not been big bass way up in the bay in any numbers due to lack of big bunker in the upper reaches of the bay. This is being echoed more and more ALL OVER the Northeast and is a very scary trend to say the least. Ten or fifteen years ago, those big fish chased massive schools of adult Menhaden all over Narragansett Bay and many of those fish reached over 40 pounds with some in the 50s. I've seen the pictures and heard the stories but that may be a thing of the past, a sad reflection on earlier times that may never happen again if that forage fish is allowed to be driven to extinction.

A lot of reports coming in from the back beaches of Cape Cod have large schools of big bass chasing eels, needlefish & teasers, BIG swimmers & teasers (OK - most anything with teasers) and this IS the time of year that we dream of fishing the Cape. Most of the tourists are gone and the beaches are open.

Anglers up in Maine and points north should have their fill of fish. At the beginning of last October, a very knowledgeable Maniac was almost upset leaving big bass in his traditional haunts for his annual pilgrimage to Martha's Vineyard for the Striped Bass & Bluefish Derby running on the island until the middle of October. He wasn't upset for long as he recorded some large bass and the many Albies working the shores around the island.

Rhode Island is getting real hot with South County providing big bass, big blues, and a tease of Albies from the shore. Block? Well, Block is Block...

With all of that said, this is the time of year most of us have plans to shake loose and hit our "Meccas" for stretches at a time, hunting for those HUGE Bass and other fish that get us all revved up this time of year. Many extended stays on the Cape or Trips to the Islands or perhaps someone rents a room at the Andrea for a few weekends in a row. It is that time of year where most of us gather up a big last month long push and a few more keep at it past Thanksgiving as our striped friends head south for the winter. Places like The Ditch, Ballston’s and Head of the Meadow, Race point and the Wellfleet Hollows, Nauset & Chatham, Nantucket, MV, The Elizabeth Islands, Block Island, Watch Hill (and associated long walks), Montauk, Fisher's Island. The list goes on and on.

Last year, I was fortunate to spend a week on MV for the derby and many strong nights on the Mass South Shore, Cape & Rhody. This fall will be a very busy fall for me but not much time as I'd like will be time on the water. There is always next year for me.

But how are you going to spend your Fall Run???

[schoolie monster]

I'm gonna give that previously mentioned south shore spot some time over the next couple weeks and I hope to get the boat out on the harbor on the weekends... with any luck, the boat traffic should thin out a bit.

Reports have alot of fish north of the harbor, so hopefully they will make a stop on their way south. I'm gonna pull the trigger on a couple days off when and if those fish materialize locally.

Then hopefully get down to Rhody to extend the season and hang out with our fearless leader a bit.

Still recovering from vacation and birthday party so I haven't thought about possibly hitting the vineyard with Bill and Julie for a couple days.

[Blitzseeker]

I leave for the Cape after work tonight.....will have an eel in the water this evening. Staying until Sunday midday. Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaaw!!

After that, I usually close up shop on the Cape for the remainder of the year and hit the RI south shore.

I'll post a report when I get back.

[chris L]

First Im going up to NY state for some trout ( game farm trip for kids ) this thursday . then head home sunday , reload truck for the salt then head to truro for a week . then maybe a rhodey leg
then a LI fling , then who knows maybe a CT trip .

[JohnR]

Good luck Blitz - save some of the fish for the Rhody waters...

[Charlie M]

I am going to try to get out of NJ as much as possible. I will be in Rhody this weekend and hopefully a few more times. IRI will get a few visits as well. NJ should keep me entertained during the week. I hope to pluck a few nice fish outta NJ waters...

Charlie

[Mr. Sandman]

I plan of hitting the following surf spots (not in a particular order)

Cuttyhunk
Block I (X 5 at least) my favorite bass haunt on the planet bar none.
Gooseberry I
Beavertail
Quonnie
deep hole
east beach
Nap
watch hill
Prudence Island
Fishers Island
Montaulk point (probably fish Montalk from a boat...I can't stand surf crowds anymore, if I see more then one other guy nearby, I generally move on.) This is why I don't fish race point or Montaulk from the beach anymore...It is not that I hate people I witnessed a hell of a fight in both places, I left race point when the gaffs and fillet knifes came out and I never went back, and left Montalk when someone tried to steal my plugbag. Too bad because both are primo places but that is not why I surf cast. I want to get away from that crap to just solitute and big fish under the stars, I don't need or want anything else.

Any other hotspot suggestions?

Next year I will return again to Nantucket, already planning that trip. What a great place! (bring the family to this place, everyone has a ball)

[JohnR]

Are you talking about Gooseberry Island, RI or Gooseberry Neck, Ma?? I haven't fished either yet but am personally interested in both

The only place of significance absent from Montauk north I noticed was MV - Not always the easiest or most economical to access but, it's on helluva place to surf fish... Every been there?

[CSK]

John I'm going to spend the run memorizing the Patriots playbook so I can realize my boyhood dreams of becoming an NFL QB.

Seriously, I'll be dividing my time between the Northshore of Long Island, the Canal with a little Plum Island thrown in for good measure.

[JohnR]

CSK = Scott Zolack!!! Yeh I get it now!!! Our own celebrity former pig hurler, hehehehe...

I'm assuming that your Plum Island is the NY PLum Island and not the Mass one, right? Hopefully next year I'll try Montauk but it's just too much easier to get to Block for me.

There's a car ferry from New London, CT. to Montauk? Anyone know how much to bring a surfage vehicle back and fro?

Thanks....

[CSK]

No no, John, Plum Island in Newburyport.

He he Scott Zollack. What's he do these days? Sell Buicks with Grogan?

[Got Stripers]

I'm still hoping that bass move into the bay from up north, but so far it hasn't happened. I'm thinking maybe give slip a call and (gulp) try the canal just for yuks or maybe BM and the beaches of the cape .

Then I hope to be giving you or clamdigger a call, so I can get the guided tour on RI, maybe get out to the famous watch hill reef I've heard so much about. I'd love to get down for a couple days with my boat, plug in some gps numbers, learn the lay of the land so to speak.

Headed out tomorrow with Tony Hill from SOL in tow, but I'm it might be hard fishing, assuming it lays down enough overnight to even get out. Might have to put my tail between my legs and duck into the river or pull out and had to Plymouth, the later being a better plan probably.

[CSK]

John, I dunno about Ferry cost. You're right about Montauk being far. Jeez it's damn near 3 hours from NYC, and that's without checkpoints

[Mr. Sandman]

Originally posted by John R
Are you talking about Gooseberry Island, RI or Gooseberry Neck, Ma?? I haven't fished either yet but am personally interested in both

Gooseberry neck, MA was there a few nights ago, did not score that well but it sure looked good. That was my second time there and I was all alone. I want to catch low tide and work the rocks at the very tip.


The only place of significance absent from Montauk north I noticed was MV - Not always the easiest or most economical to access but, it's on helluva place to surf fish... Every been there?

As a boy(17) I spend an entire summer on the vineyard and have made nearly bi-annual trips there after. Last summer I went for a week. There are some sweet spots on the vineyard no doubt. my favorite spot there is wasque point (chappaquid#^&#^&#^&#^&). Thats big water when its ripping....I have done well there and the place is big enough so that even if other are there it is not crowded.


Sounds like those CT guys did pretty well at Cuttyhunk. I heard the hot lure was wooded plugs: beachmaster danny or beachmaster atom I know atom and danny but not familiar with beachmaster series though. Any ideas?
I will have a full load plugs and my eel bag on my belt ...one can only carry so many. But I would like to know what the beachmaster series are all about.

[Mr. Sandman]

I have never fished plum Island MA , I have read a lot about Plum Island but have heard it gets crowded so I have not really had a strong desire. Maybe someday. That is why I tend to go to islands, most guys will not (or simply can not) put in the effort to get there, and that's OK by me.

[jettyjockey18]

got stripers-

i'd take tony to plymouth, especially after a big rain this time of year...the bay should produce real well...plus if you go to plymouth you can't complain about the scituate ledges and the lack of fish...

[Mr. Sandman]

Originally posted by John R
There's a car ferry from New London, CT. to Montauk? Anyone know how much to bring a surfage vehicle back and fro?

Thanks.... [/B]

The ferry runs between new london and Orient point (another great place to fish, esp from a boat!!!)I take it on a regular basis, they have a couple big boats and it takes a 1hour 20 min or so. check out:
http://www.longislandferry.com/rates.html
for rates and sched.


If you want to drive to Montauk you have to drive to the other fork. I suggest taking the shelter Island ferry to shelter Island (leaves from greenport) ($8) then the shelter Island ferry ($8) to the south fork and then it is a short drive to Montalk. If you drive around you can save the 16 bucks but it is a pain.

[JohnS]

I am going to Nantucket next Friday for a long weekend it's been a long time since I was there last and am ready to hit the beach.

[Mr. Sandman]

Just came back from cuttyhunk and now headed to nantucket....you lucky dog!

[JohnR]

Thanks...

Sandman: The Beachmaster has the best wigglewobble I've ever seen on a Danny style plug. Better than the old Gibbs Danny's and far better than the new ones (what wiggle). The just ain't cheap. CMS gets 14 smackers sans hooks or 16 bucks with. Best putting your own trebble hooks/split rings/and single hook w-tail anyway.... But they are SWEET...

GS & Clamdigger - we should consider a time to put Bob's boat in at Westerly and run out to Fisher's Island/Naps/Watch Hill some time soon - especially if we found some live bait ... It's fairly close and if things get nasty, you can pop back inside... Need mapage though...

[Saltheart]

To bring a car over to Montauk , you pay about $75 round trip to Orient Point then you take little ferries to Shelter Island then to Hampton. Anyway , 3 boats total each way. I believe the little boats are about $30 total round trip . So figure roughly $100 for the car.

Ditch friday and RI Sat (meeting up with the SOL bunch). We'll be fishing the Ditch a couple more weeks then down to the RI South shore from Fresh Pond Rock to Watch Hill. This year I'll be missing a weekend in late October do to business travel but if its still good fishing , I'll still go into Nov.

Hard to believe we are down to the last couple of months already. How come 8 months of work seems like a lifetime but 8 months of fishing is over with in the blink of an eye?

[Got Stripers]

How come 8 months of work seems like a lifetime but 8 months of fishing is over with in the blink of an eye?

Man did you say a mouthful .

[Mr. Sandman]

you have to "make time" to fish. Just do it. When everyone is sleeping, leave for a few hours and get back before they wake.

When the bass are in I have kissed my wife and kids an early good night, just as they sat down for dinner, drove to the ferry, got to the island just at dark, fished hard all night and caught the first ferry home and made it to work on time the next morning. Yeah I was tired but it is nothing that 10 or 12 cups of starbucks coffee can't cure. In a few days the shakes go away I am ready to do it again. (In my younger days I kept my truck at a friends house there all season long and flew back and fourth from westerly as needed...15 minutes and you are there)

The fall run really does not last that long. you need to sqeeze the most of it. Before you know it its winter. If you need to fish, just do it. Tonight!

[JeffH]

I have a long weekend trip Oct 5, 6 & 7 at the Cape. Then I will be fishing the RI and CT shoreline in search of the #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&. Last I heard he was kidnapped and turned into an indentured servant working construction, once he pays off his dept he can go back to fishing.

[CMSTRIPER]

Hope to make many trips to the Island of my birth(Long),maybe one assault on the Cape and the rest of the Fall in the glorious waters of NJ.

[Clammer]

Bob & John R , I;m up for anything, we can fish in mine in the bay[BOb will fall asleep] or tow down to watch hill, which makes Fishers a quickie in bob;s rig!! proably find fish on the backside// between Barn island and Stongington // I can get us fresh bait but its not cheap/ we order it we own it no matter what!!
Personally I ;d like a night of surf fishing at the Block,but Ican;t do it alone//

Seems I;m the only one that has trouble getting weekend time. LOVE those weekdays

For the rest of the year in the bay I know Ican fish nights and catch fish, but for plugging schools of bass in the bay in the day its been about 6 years since any steady fall run, A few mixed in under the blues at times// Its the end of September and I:m still using everything I know to get some fish running from point to point///
chunkers and tube and worm are doing it !!!

Looking forward to the 4th leg in Ri, I heard Patrick and Mindi might do two nights -- that sounds interesting//////
Could do two, one, tote up then watch the stars, and think I was fishing !!! two fish for real saturday

For the people coming into Ri I have plenty of room for you to stay/crash/start early, etc !!!! Just let me know

[Jenn]

Havent been able too get out much...oh wait...hardly at all this year....looking forward to the Rhody trip in Oct!!!!! Planning on headin out that thursday after work and making a nice long weekend out of the deal!

Other than that.....who knows....maybe if I am lucky I will be able to pull off a spontanious trip or two......

[Don M]

John R:
Some of us have a place at Quonny for the last three weeks of October...just to let you know you are welcome to spend a night or two there if you want. Good food, some good people and most of all a short walk to great fishing. Habs may even have a few extra prototypes for you to try.

If your interested give me a call or drop me an e-mail.

[Patrick82]

Funny. No adult bunker and no large stripers. What a coincidence. Thanks Omega Protein

For me, I guess I'll be working. Have 6 applications but I doubt any of them will hire me full time. Right now, I guess the best I can do is two part times with the hopes of something better coming along. I can't wait to be overworked and underpaid.

Did you know in Germany and a lot of other European countries, companies give you a full month off? Even if you are just working a little job? Americans over there say they love it. Gives them a chance to enjoy the finer things in life.

I'll be fishing a little bit as the stripers start moving past us. They should be here but I haven't had the chance to make it out yet. Maybe tomorrow.

Of course there is the Rhode Island trip.

And I'm gearing up to move out by December. Mindi wants to come down here. I want out of my house. I'm not badmouthing my parents because they are great to me but time to move on and settle off the homestead. Apartments are crazy down here. One place in stamford wanted a little over 2 grand for a studio. I'm thinking of one of the Havens. Not the biggest place but we'd be close to the water and have a place to escape it all.

Hey Chris L, you're up that way, you know of any magazines or papers that have apartments listed?

So ya see, I have a full plate and fishing is on the backburner until we get settled. We won't have a computer for some time so you'll have to go without my presence. However will you carry on?

[JohnR]

Don - cool

Imagine, a weeknight fishing quonny with a late drop and none of the numbskulls reeboking on the the rocks with a beer in their hand...

Sounds good... I can feel an illness occuring sometime next month...