Ok Guys...first...I am alive
I have to start out by saying this was one of the best fishing trips I have had in a very long time (read years)
The LIBBA guys in conjunction with UMS set us up to get out on the beach as guests for the 4 days...awesome
Big Cookout Friday evening...Saturday was UMS Business meeting and then free admission to the LIBBA Jamboree, a first class all day event...we were treated like dignitaries by some of the friendliest people...all in all I might just have to re think my opinion of New Yorkers...
So what about the fishing you are all asking...so here is what I can tell you
According to everyone we ran into all weekend which was basically a who's who of Montauk regulars I picked the worst fishing weekend of the year...that being said..no Larry...it was not a Skunk
Thursday night...Crazy Alberto, A friend and myself went Montauk Style chunking...Alberto gets an 18lb bass and a Dogfish...nada for the two of us...all night...rumor has it that was the only bass take Thursday night...so I was told
Friday night...Add Paul Melnyk (The Skishin Majician) to the threesome and we once again went Chunkin...Big Rods rated to 160z..in hand all night...perched high on our chests and shoulders...different fishing for me...four of us all night
(I did get Sh%^ for sleeping in the truck two hours)...Alberto and Paul got 1 rat Bass each...thats all
Saturday was going to be the day...time to do it the Montauk way...Real Rock Hoppin & Skishing...It turns out no wet suit could be found so no skishing for the Basic one...but it gets good now...
We gear up outside Freddies...Alberto Paul, Mike from RFA and myself...A Vineyard style super secret access..and bam we are at a beautiful stretch of very rocky beach...Melnyk says...you come with me...so we go...and wade into the water..."you see that little rip out there"..."sure I do"..."that is a rock and you are going to fish off it"..."Ok"...Waste deep...chest deep...Swells make me float...now swim...finally on the rock...Melnyk says fish here...I'll be out there and off he goes to skish off shore...I am 500 feet offshore on a rock the size of a kitchen chair...good stuff...
As the sun sets the wind picks up and I am fishing...water up to my knees on the rock...first fish on Tsunami shad...about 12 lbs...BAsic Happy first Montauk bass...3 minutes later...Good Wave hits me in the face...off the rock...another coming...slice waders climbing back on rock...Ok now...
Darkness comes...I see another guy on another rock a long ways away taking a technical stance and surviving a wave breaking over his head...ahhh that's how you do it...
I switch to eels and bam...second fish...15 to 18 pounds...cool, they are getting bigger...I notice Melnyk offshore with Rod bent over...being towed by something...cool
Wind picks up and twice more I get tossed off the rocks ...waders are shot...torn in three places...Water has to be twelve feet deep around my rock but I am having fun...
Wind picks up more...waves are more frequent and they call this a calm day...each wave is now coming out of total darkness...by the way...both waterproof flashlights have now failed...waders are torn...I am a mess and wett..been underwater more that I planned...nice fish hits my eel...maybe five minutes fighting and this one is better...water is now waste deep on top of rock...bring fish to me and she is mine...I measure her off on my rod but she is well over twenty pounds (measure was just over 43 inches)...Ok I am going to keep her...It has been a bad weekend and the tide will die soon...I unhook this beautiful fish and am in the process of getting a gill strap on her...(Hint to all)...do not bend over to deal with fish until after you have watched for the waves...you got it...I am not paying attention and this time insead of getting lifted up by swell I am bent over and the wave breaks over me...I don't fall off the rock...I tumble off it...sideways...I tried so hard not to let that fish go but it was my safety or let my wrist break...I get myself upright in the trough between waves but the fish (and my strap) are gone...and I am twenty feet from my rock...It take a good few minutes to get back on the rock and as soon as i do...bam...Off the rock I go and decide it is time to make my way back to shore...in the dark...with no lights...and not enough local knowledge for the spot to be alone...
So I get back to shore and the wind is blowin...Off with the aquaskinz and both belts I have on...spread my stuff out to dry as I am soaked to the bone...Out from between my waders and my aquaskinz falls a double plasitc baggie...No way...It couldn't be...
Yes

The smokes are the only things dry on me...
I sit on rock...excited, satisfied, enjoying the best cigarette (if there is such a thing) thinking of all the stuff I need to buy before I return in the fall...then all the places I can do this back home...the Doctors Island area in Cohasett...Toddy Rocks in Hull...Stonewall Beach on MV...
The total for the night was 5 fish for the skisher...three for the Basic one...Alberto was anchored by The RFA guy and they could not get out to the fish...
I can not begin to explain what a great feeling it was...alberto and Paul are top quality men and I am so fortunate we are becoming friends...I didn't get my pic under the lighthouse with a slob but I got some of those memories that will last a lifetime...I will return to Montauk, I will catch more fish, but that last fish and the memories of this trip are already special...
bye the way...vinnie and the guiys at Freddies B & T are top notch also..johnnys...I walked in touching everything of high value and he never even asked to help me...I walked out..
So that is the Truth and nothing but the Truth...start the jokes