longcast
Well-Known Angler
My brother in law asked me weeks ago if I wanted to fish with him this weekend for this tournament. Sure, why not. We even got some time to fish with Terry from Smith Point Bait Beach & Tackle. Nice guy and a really great shop. He was one of the sponsors along with High Stick Crew and Big Bill's Bucktails. Started off in the western reaches of Moriches Bay for the last of the outgoing tide. Bunch of shorts, that was it. Rest of the crowd was chasing after the bluefish calcutta which ended up at $1,000. They found them............ up to 13 pounds. We went searching for bluefish as the tide surrendered. Found a few fish each stop but no pattern or size. We ended up in Bellport Bay just north of the new inlet on the flats in 2-3 feet of water searching for holes etc and passage to the actual new inlet. Be careful in there. We fish out of a 17 foot skiff and we had the motor up pretty high and still pulling stuff from the bottom! So we start drifting and cleaning up the boat and changing rigs and as we were talking we see one small splash about 30 yards away. We carefully motor up and come upon bluefish just daisy chaining along, fins and tails out of the water!! Shut the engine and drifted along catching one after another, all between 5-6.5 pounds. Fun stuff in skinny water. We saw much much bigger, but could not get them to commit, right up to the boat and all. Almost ready to figure eight like musky fishing.
That slowed up as they dispersed north into the bay, I bet to the docks in Bellport and Patchogue.
Back to the morning spot and came upon a parking lot of boats. We had tide against wind so drift was terrible. Ended up having my brother in law fish while I bumped the boat in and out of gear weaving through the fleet. Starting picking shorts when I could hit some numbers that produced on the incoming during the week, moving about 1.3 -1.4 knots. When we hit the numbers, we picked. Finally we found the one we wanted at 5.70 pounds. Big enough to take the top prize of $1,400.
Went back to the barn, cleaned the boat a bit and went to the barbecue / awards gathering. Nicely done all around.
Oh, and to that lone bass that followed and finally blasted my bunker metal lip in the air, hopefully I will see you one night this week!
That slowed up as they dispersed north into the bay, I bet to the docks in Bellport and Patchogue.
Back to the morning spot and came upon a parking lot of boats. We had tide against wind so drift was terrible. Ended up having my brother in law fish while I bumped the boat in and out of gear weaving through the fleet. Starting picking shorts when I could hit some numbers that produced on the incoming during the week, moving about 1.3 -1.4 knots. When we hit the numbers, we picked. Finally we found the one we wanted at 5.70 pounds. Big enough to take the top prize of $1,400.
Went back to the barn, cleaned the boat a bit and went to the barbecue / awards gathering. Nicely done all around.
Oh, and to that lone bass that followed and finally blasted my bunker metal lip in the air, hopefully I will see you one night this week!
???,, catch them up!!,,,,,,,,,,,,,
