Fishing

They have been around for a very long time. Well before even dinosaurs roamed and roared about the planet.

Charter and party boat captains, eager to get back to their livehoold and get clients back on the water, finally got the chance to do so this week.

I was completely baffled. For over 10 minutes on Sunday morning, the screen of the fish finder to the left of my helm seat clearly showed the contours of the sandy bottom 45 feet below. However, the markings of any life, fish that is, were totally absent from view. From the look of things, apparently nobody was home.

“When the wind is in the east, it’s for neither man nor beast. When the wind is in the north, the old folk should not venture forth. When the wind is in the south, it blows the bait in the fishes’ mouth. When the wind is in the west, it is of all the winds the best.”

Despite below normal water temperatures, things are starting to open up on the fishing front at least, especially in areas west of Montauk.

Meteorological wishes notwithstanding, it has not been a surprise to see our local water temperatures drop. On a jaunt to my lobster traps last weekend, I saw 47-degree water at Cedar Point to the entrance of Gardiner’s Bay, a 3-degree drop from a week earlier.

Marinas and boatyards, which had been deemed non-essential under the governor's New York on PAUSE executive order, have been allowed to open, giving people happy to social-distance with fishing gear in hand reason to celebrate.

As of this week, spring officially arrives. While it’s pretty clear we will be dealing with the effects of the virus for the foreseeable future, I’m putting forth in solitude, preparing my boat for the season and launching my lobster traps into the still-cold waters.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s commissioner announced on Friday the detection of a coccidian parasite in a sample of bay scallops collected from the Peconic Bays, which is believed to have contributed to the massive die-off discovered in the fall of 2019.

Tight Lines Tackle on Bay Street in Sag Harbor is jammed from the roof to the floorboard with just about every kind of tackle, apparel, and bait imaginable. You name it, you will likely find it.

The timing was perfect. Last Thursday’s full moon, backed by a strong wind, finally brought in a great low tide. It had been at least nine months since I’d witnessed one of such magnitude. Its significance also prompted me to head over to one of my favorite sand flats to dig up some steamer clams.

They seem like national holidays these days. I’m not referring to National Fruitcake Toss Day or National Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day (yes, they do really exist); I’m talking about Black Friday and Cyber Monday. For better or worse, these two days are marked on many a household calendar, and just about every consumer has latched on to them with great enthusiasm.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo asked the U.S. Commerce Department on Friday for federal action to help New York's scallop fishery following the massive die-off in Peconic Bay scallops. 

I’m a tall guy. When I stand up straight, which sadly is not often due to some rather severe scoliosis of my spine, I normally would measure out at nearly 6 foot 6. Despite my poor posture, I’ve become well accustomed to the many benefits my tallness brings in everyday life and activities.

Last Thursday was a rather solemn day, but I knew it had to happen at some point. Like reading a popular best seller, the page had to be turned. And there was no going back. I removed my gear, tackle, and electronics from my boat. It was the final chapter and the book has been closed.

The weather windows for fishing are getting narrower by the week. The winds have been howling and the frequent bursts of cold air have dissuaded even the hardiest of anglers and captains from venturing on the high seas of late. No doubt about it, it has been a blustery fall season by any standard.

When it comes to fishing, I’ve always been a believer in beginner’s luck. But only up to a certain point.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has drafted possible regulations in response to a 2018 assessment that striped bass are overfished.

It was quiet. Almost too quiet. A recent late afternoon stroll through my local boatyard brought to me the realization that the boating and fishing season for many has come to an end. Watercraft that once gleamed in the summer sunshine with a fresh coat of wax, were now entombed in nondescript, heavy-gauge white plastic. They have been put to rest.

The season for harvesting scallops in state waters commences at sunrise on Nov. 4. If you are a bit curious, sunrise will commence at 6:23 a.m.

Gold is alluring to just about anyone and will always be categorized as a very precious metal, valued at its market price on the commodities trading floor. Gold is golden. It’s a given. 

When it comes to the weather, I sometimes think that the Nobel Laureate Bob Dylan summed it up just right: “You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.” It is famously featured in his song “Subterranean Homesick Blues.” While Dylan does not hold a degree in meteorology, it’s kind of hard to argue with the meaning of those simple lyrics he penned over 50 years ago.

Fishing is sometimes a gamble. Some days you are the hero, and the next outing you can be found sulking and wondering where the fish went. There are never any guarantees when you drop a baited hook and line. Fish markets make their livelihood this way.

For those entering a tournament, whether it be for a tiny flounder or a giant bluefin tuna nearing 1,000 pounds, the competition can be intense no matter the quarry at hand. And with that, a number of tournaments adorn the upcoming calendar for those seeking not only a tasty dinner, but a little extra cash in the pocket.

From a fishing perspective, it was as quiet a season as I could ever recall.