“Folks are getting real itchy,” said Sebastian Gorgone, the proprietor of Mrs. Sam’s Bait and Tackle in East Hampton, when I stopped by his shop on Three Mile Harbor Road on Sunday afternoon for a catchup chat. “Many can’t wait to go.”
Gorgone was talking about the upcoming opening of blackfish season. Anglers were anxious to hit the water to catch a few of the popular and pugnacious fish.
Those who choose to fish in the waters of Long Island Sound can start on Sunday, and four fish over 16 inches can be retained for each outing. Elsewhere it’s next Thursday, with the same four-fish limit. No matter the location, for anglers who are true sinker bouncers, it’s their time of the year to catch and rejoice.
“There’s just something about blackfish that real hard-core bottom fishermen, just like those who go for tuna, can’t wait for,” Gorgone added. “They are a real challenge to catch and it’s equally important to get on the right piece of rocky bottom. And even if you are on the best piece, there’s no guarantee they will even bite. Every day can be completely different.”
Unlike porgies and sea bass, which do not require as much searching and usually attack a baited hook or jig with reckless abandon while on the drift or at anchor, blackfish are a very different breed of bottom fish.
With their rubbery lips and powerful jaw teeth, blackfish are sneaky bait stealers and require a heavy dose of patience. They combine a cautious, almost methodical feeding style within a habitat of dense underwater structures like barnacle-encrusted rock piles, reefs, and wrecks.
Like the old real estate mantra, it’s all about location, location, location. Even a mere few feet off the ideal spot can easily result in a skunking and a slice of humble pie at the end of the day. Over the years, I’ve lost count of all of the outings where I truly struggled or struck out. It happens to the best of us.
“Blackfish season is around the corner, and everyone is getting ready for it,” confirmed Mark Leibowitz of Montauk Inlet Outfitters at 478 West Lake Drive. “The water temperature has quickly dropped to around 64 degrees, and we should see an excellent start when the season opens.”
If you haven’t perused the new tackle shop, you owe it to yourself to check it out. Spotlessly clean and large, it’s chock-a-block full of everything from offshore to inshore tackle, bait, and rods and reels. I was wise to leave my wallet in the Jeep, lest I go on a buying frenzy.
Like Gorgone, Leibowitz is fully stocked with green crabs, the most popular and readily available bait for blackfish.
But it’s not all about blackfish.
“The squid are in!” proclaimed Capt. Anthony D’Arrigo of the Ebb Tide Princess, a Montauk party boat. “The fishing has been steady with mostly medium-sized squid taken.”
John Shaul, the longtime mate on the charter boat Oh Brother!, went on a busman’s holiday on Friday night on the Ebb Tide and scored with a solid catch.
“I had a great time,” he said when I bumped into him at Montauk Inlet Outfitters. “The fishing was really good. It was a great way to enjoy the evening with fishing only 15 minutes away from the dock.”
To get in on the action, the Ebb Tide Princess and Viking Starlite are sailing at 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively, for the tasty cephalopods. Starting on Friday, Oct. 16, the Viking will move up the departure time to 6 p.m. Calamari, anyone?
And if you have an itch to catch tuna, you better act quick as the weather window draws to a close. The Viking Star returned this past weekend from a successful three-day jaunt well to the northeast of Montauk. While the mahimahi proved hard to hook, a full-boat limit of yellowfin tuna up to 90 pounds more than made up for it.
There is one offshore trip left with space available on the Viking Fivestar. It departs tomorrow and returns on Sunday at 3 p.m.
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Fishing tips, observations, and photographs can be sent to [email protected].