I was lying on my couch reading a great book and feeling very comfortable in front of the fireplace last week when I noticed the early season snow squall out the living room window.
The book, “1929,” was an in-depth look at the stock market crash of 1929. Trust me, it’s not exactly uplifting, but it is enlightening. I’m glad I was not there at that time. The book by Andrew Ross Sorkin, who I’ve known for many years, just came out a few weeks ago but took 10 years to write. Sorkin is the morning anchor of CNBC’s “Squawk Box” and a longtime financial columnist for The New York Times.
Unlike last week’s weather, the year 1929 was like a very long snow squall that lasted for years. It snowed and snowed.
The book details the human stories behind the 1929 stock market crash, the Great Depression, and the speculation, greed, and financial ambition that led to the disaster. It’s a most fascinating read that remains near the top of the current best-seller list. Check it out.
Back to last week’s surprise snow: It’s been many years since I’ve seen one so early, and I was actually happy. With the cold temperatures, the flakes even stuck to the grass for a few minutes. It reminded me that winter is around the corner.
Lord knows we’ve all witnessed a plethora of Christmas commercials on television for the past several weeks. Costco in Riverhead had Christmas trees for sale a few days after Labor Day. Black Friday now falls in October, not just on the day after Thanksgiving. That said, sign me up for a hard winter here.
I attended college in Buffalo and thoroughly enjoyed its wintry and blustery weather, but I was not prepared for last week’s weather. I sent an email to the owner of my marina basically saying it’s time to put a fork in it. My fishing season is officially done. He can pull out Rock Water for her winter slumber. I removed my fishing rods, electronics, and various gear the next morning.
When I was younger, I was more hard-core than I am today. Years ago, I was fishing off to the southwest of Fishers Island for blackfish on one of my favorite spots and a furious late-November snow squall came off the Connecticut coast and suddenly engulfed me. It was a whiteout. I could not see land in any direction. Snow quickly blanketed the stern deck. I will never forget it. The fishing was not great and I was freezing in my oilskins standing alone on the stern deck.
Why was I there? Trying to be smart, I hauled my anchor and headed home to the southwest in the stiff northwest wind in the early afternoon using my compass and GPS. It was to be my last trip of that season.
I’m looking forward to a clean start in 2026. The past 18 months have been a challenge on many fronts. Rock Water has been in ill health, but she seems to be back to her good old days after numerous repairs. It’s the same for yours truly. The lobster traps will hopefully be launched in late March. Stay tuned.
For those who are still wetting a line, the nighttime squid bite remains robust. Squid heads out at Montauk are returning to the dock with smiles. As an added bonus, whiting have been mixed in with the squid.
It’s a bonus to see whiting so close to Montauk once again. I remember sailing for whiting a number of times as a teenager in the mid-to-late 1970s aboard one of the Viking boats in Fort Pond Bay on a Friday or Saturday night. The fishing was solid and the rails were lined with anglers.
Whiting are delicious pan-fried, but my favorite preparation is enjoying them after they have been smoked whole over fruit wood. In my view, its smoked flesh is best served over a toasted bagel with a shmear of cream cheese. It’s a breakfast treat. I love smoked salmon, sturgeon, and sable, but they can all take a ride in the back seat. Whiting reigns supreme. If you see it, get it. You won’t regret it.
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Fishing tips, observations, and photographs can be sent to [email protected].