[fallen513]

Montauk.


F'n place.

[Sakonnet]

[report]Happy Fuckos?



[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-QLHjNzp/0/L/i-QLHjNzp-L.jpg[/img]

[size=85]Crabtops will get the significance of this song[/size]





This starts off about a month before the bake. The weekend after labor day is usually when the little tunny start becoming targetable from shore. Crabtops and I got some intel that the jetty near MTK had a strong showing of Aldo so we met up one Saturday morning to try our luck. I don't have any shots of Crabtops or my fish as we were fishing different sections of the wall. I left a few hours before Crabtops did and I think I had four for the day and he had two. After I left, he scored another seven more in the next couple of hours. I should've taken the ferry across Long Island Sound back to Rhody instead of driving across Long Island and Connecticut to get back home (7 hours with traffic); would've allowed me to stay longer but four core from shore isn't anything to complain about. Anyway, here are some shots of some dudes who also caught.



This dude had never caught a tunny before. I gave him a whitebait mushy that I had caught a few on. He landed this fish about 15 minutes or so later.

[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-mJ4thQQ/0/L/i-mJ4thQQ-L.jpg[/img]



[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-FsdJSWt/0/L/i-FsdJSWt-L.jpg[/img]



2nd fish later in the day.

[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-Qbt3WLQ/0/L/i-Qbt3WLQ-L.jpg[/img]



This is one of Crab's buds. His first albie on just as I was leaving.

[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-McsTFb5/0/L/i-McsTFb5-L.jpg[/img]



Then we ran into some knot trouble.

[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-GBdkG27/0/L/i-GBdkG27-L.jpg[/img]



Then Crabtops defty avoids stepping on his own rod.

[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-m5stvJH/0/L/i-m5stvJH-L.jpg[/img]



Finally the hero shot.

[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-g2pRqCK/0/L/i-g2pRqCK-L.jpg[/img]



In my locale, we have about 30 days to target albies from shore. Most days end in failure; no fish spotted, fish spotted too far from shore and/or nothing on the blind cast. I can't remember how many mornings before work, after work and full days on the jetty I put in this season but it felt like I put more hours in this season than ever. However, there was one day at my local jetty that was the greatest albie show I've ever seen from shore. I caught as many as I did with Crabtops the other day and so did at least 30 other guys on the jetty (spin and fly). The fish only showed one time the whole day. Everything was on the blind.



Lot of tying sessions during every free moment away from work and the jetty. You lose a lot of flies fishing the rocks, especially with my preference for a sinking line.



[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-nb9JRjV/1/L/i-nb9JRjV-L.jpg[/img]



[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-MDkJGqL/0/L/i-MDkJGqL-L.jpg[/img]



First fish of the day.

[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-wxb7rCc/0/L/i-wxb7rCc-L.jpg[/img]



Random dude landing one.

[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-7PbCNGF/0/L/i-7PbCNGF-L.jpg[/img]



Now you see him.

[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-MZT9V7v/0/L/i-MZT9V7v-L.jpg[/img]



Now you don't.

[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-MsXFpb4/0/L/i-MsXFpb4-L.jpg[/img]



Soaked.

[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-jxMprZx/0/L/i-jxMprZx-L.jpg[/img]



[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-QLf4HKh/0/L/i-QLf4HKh-L.jpg[/img]



This was probably the best hardtail season from shore I've seen since I moved to New England in 2002.



One thing bothering me before the bake was the wind. The past three years we've pretty much lucked out fishing within the last 10 days of September and the first couple of days in October. The wind usually starts blowing hard every day after the first week or two of October. This year it started early, like within the last 10 days of September. There were some calm days, especially the weekend before the bake which had me regretting the dates we picked.



So, for the first time in four years I didn't have to pick up anyone at the airport. This gave me the chance to take the ferry from New Engerland to Long Island. Fucking absolute pleasure it was. Basically cut 5 hours of driving one-way.



New London, CT.

[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-2fkcpsk/0/L/i-2fkcpsk-L.jpg[/img]



Landing at Orient Point, NY one hour and twenty minutes later.

[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-v8PXXDg/0/L/i-v8PXXDg-L.jpg[/img]

[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-T2DKS7v/0/L/i-T2DKS7v-L.jpg[/img]



Then the ferry from the north fork to Shelter Island.

[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-bh6rm5p/0/L/i-bh6rm5p-L.jpg[/img]



Then the ferry from Shelter Island to Sag Harbor.

[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-8wFcjTL/0/L/i-8wFcjTL-L.jpg[/img]



Fallen and the Ohio contingent were out on a boat the day I arrived so I swung by the jetty near MTK to try my luck. I saw the forecasts and it looked like [strike]shitty[/strike] sporty conditions. Then I got a first hand view.



[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-knkrMpd/0/L/i-knkrMpd-L.jpg[/img]



[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-Bhb5KPh/0/L/i-Bhb5KPh-L.jpg[/img]



[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-ngmKM5P/0/L/i-ngmKM5P-L.jpg[/img]



Felt sorry for this little guy.

[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-VgMhN6m/0/L/i-VgMhN6m-L.jpg[/img]



Struck out at the jetty. Saw one dude land one on a spinning rod, so they were definitely around but the water was a little dirty from the swell. That night, we all met up for dinner in town and made our introductions. Fallen had been out during the day. He can tell you about it in his TR. Basically, there was a feeling of dread (at least for me) about the conditions for the weekend. 20-25 knot winds, seas 4'-7'. Fuck!



Crabtops, Mr. Crabtops Sr. and I met up the next morning wondering what the day would bring with Capt. Derr at the helm.

[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-PTpXnCC/0/L/i-PTpXnCC-L.jpg[/img]



We knew what we were in for.

[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-Dwn3bvK/0/L/i-Dwn3bvK-L.jpg[/img]



[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-DVjDMCH/0/L/i-DVjDMCH-L.jpg[/img]



[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-tNsStS5/0/L/i-tNsStS5-L.jpg[/img]



But there were fish around.

[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-RhbpjPr/0/L/i-RhbpjPr-L.jpg[/img]



So we got our asses in gear.

[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-F2Q75Zb/0/L/i-F2Q75Zb-L.jpg[/img]



[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-4THDqrL/0/L/i-4THDqrL-L.jpg[/img]



And made the best of it.

[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-3PPZF7j/0/L/i-3PPZF7j-L.jpg[/img]



[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-pgMTmpf/0/L/i-pgMTmpf-L.jpg[/img]



[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-g3xdc7j/0/L/i-g3xdc7j-L.jpg[/img]



[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-rFhndmj/0/L/i-rFhndmj-L.jpg[/img]



Lucky shoes.

[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-3vSVnd6/0/L/i-3vSVnd6-L.jpg[/img]



Even the captain wasn't diggin' the slop.

[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-j4T4Cqp/0/L/i-j4T4Cqp-L.jpg[/img]



[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-dpmkfXD/0/L/i-dpmkfXD-L.jpg[/img]



[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-PTLCZfT/0/L/i-PTLCZfT-L.jpg[/img]



[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-Pw5w4Jz/1/L/i-Pw5w4Jz-L.jpg[/img]



But we all caught and no one hurled.



Day two on the boat would have me paired with PXATIM and Capt. Blitzbound. The swell was much less, 3-5 footers but the wind blew like a bitch, worse than the day before and this time from the opposite direction. At least we would have wind with tide. This was Tim's first time targeting tunny from a boat. The day before while Crabtops, his dad and I were out getting our asses kicked by Neptune, Tim went to the jetty to see what he could do from shore. He didn't have a stripping basket and I forgot to give him mine the day before. If I didn't have a stripping basket with me on the jetty and couldn't rig something up, I'd of said fuck it and gone home. Least I could do was give him the first bow shot.



Windy as a motherfucker.

[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-CfPfQ7f/0/L/i-CfPfQ7f-L.jpg[/img]



It didn't take him long to get the hang of it.

[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-hFZpKkV/0/L/i-hFZpKkV-L.jpg[/img]



[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-g3bVPbr/0/L/i-g3bVPbr-L.jpg[/img]



[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-RD36Mmk/1/L/i-RD36Mmk-L.jpg[/img]



We had to head in early before the wind would oppose the tide.



Later that day after Tim and I had dinner we swung by the lighthouse so he can say he was there. The view was a little telling for me. The wind and seas had laid down that evening.



[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-TXR7bCp/0/L/i-TXR7bCp-L.jpg[/img]



Block Island's Southwest Ledge in the background. Can you spot the douchenozzle in the foreground?

[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-JW7WdNH/0/L/i-JW7WdNH-L.jpg[/img]



I checked the forecast and it looked stellar, all things considering; 5-10 knots in the morning building to 10-15 konts in the afternoon, seas 2'-3'. Tim had taken the next day off from work so he said he'd be on board the next morning with Capt. Tondra and myself.



Never thought I'd see these conditions during this trip. And it was pretty warm out to boot.

[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-rkXdGPh/0/L/i-rkXdGPh-L.jpg[/img]



Tim didn't waste any time.

[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-t5CZ7vF/0/L/i-t5CZ7vF-L.jpg[/img]



Shame that reel doesn't go to 11.

[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-Z2MJLDg/0/L/i-Z2MJLDg-L.jpg[/img]



[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-ThbK3f9/0/L/i-ThbK3f9-L.jpg[/img]



[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-NHW6G2c/0/L/i-NHW6G2c-L.jpg[/img]



[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-4XVGmXF/0/L/i-4XVGmXF-L.jpg[/img]



[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-9QDdKqZ/0/L/i-9QDdKqZ-L.jpg[/img]



Yeah, we had the best day of the whole trip. Plenty of fish between us. Tim can tell you about his encounter with a sea mammal. The guides were feeling frisky too. Lots of critiquing of boat handling skills. I thought we were going to see fistacuffs on the water. Even heard over the VHF one capt. challenge another to meet him at the commerical dock at the end of the day.



2014 wasn't the orgy we had in 2011 or 2012. It certainly wasn't the sandeel and dredging show (and no appleknockers) of 2013. Somewhere in the middle with some rough seas mixed in. Noticeably absent this year were the bass. I think I had a few on that I lost while doing some dredging. Waters too warm for them to get them keyed up? Maybe. Over harvesting, lack of sound fisheries management and degredation of the Chesapeake Bay spawing grounds? Don't doubt it for a second. Two years in a row where the bass were thin and this year we had the bait to hold them around. We'll see what happens.



Oh, one more thing. Good shit happens when Crabtops and I fish together. Thanks bro.



Fair tides.



[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-KLMpNxV/0/L/i-KLMpNxV-L.jpg[/img]



[img]http://jasonpzimmer.smugmug.com/photos/i-Cj4K9pv/0/L/i-Cj4K9pv-L.jpg[/img][/report]

[Sakonnet]

Almost forgot, big thanks to Capts. Derr, Dapra and Tondra for keeping us on fish and for their skilled boat handling. You guys made the trip!

[southernstrain]

[blumpkin]

Great fishing report.... I have trouble reading a lot of the threads lately.
Not this one.

[cornholio]

Holy Jeebus! That was dope as fuck.

[D-nymph]

Bad ass, way to hang in there.

[Transylwader]

Hell yeah. Nobody hurled
Hoping them false albanian fuckers show up thick and sick in NC soon.

[skullion childs]

I've been waiting for that. Nicely done.

Consider me jealous.

[pxatim]

[report]Turn it up

Though I spend most of my spring and fall on the east coast chasing the striped ones this would be my first trip to the end. I really went in with no expectations other than to fish some new places and meet some new faces. Any fish at all would be the icing on the cake.



In true Drakian form the guys did not disappoint. The hospitality shown from guys I had only talked to through PM or text was out of this world. Sak and Craptops put on a great weekend and I can not wait for next year! I may even buy a stripping basket!



Blew off work on Friday around 1030 hoping to beat NYC rush hour.



Got pinched in the wrong EZpass lane.. fuck



[img]http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g114/pxatim/20141003_140203_zps2fd78000.jpg[/img]



I'm lost.. google nav can blow me... thanks for taking me through china town ya dick



[img]http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g114/pxatim/20141003_141329_zpsd4f97a29.jpg[/img]



7 hours later I made it and crashed out on the floor at fallen and co. pad with gps digits to a few primo land based spots



5am came quick... solo mission, never fished for albies before. Had 3 shots.. missed them all.



[img]http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g114/pxatim/20141004_070007_zpsa702acea.jpg[/img]



[img]http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g114/pxatim/20141004_074916_zpsc3dfbaff.jpg[/img]



[img]http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g114/pxatim/20141004_111900_zps0d0b04ad.jpg[/img]



Pardon me but when in the Hamptons



[img]http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g114/pxatim/20141004_115406_zps050eebb7.jpg[/img]



Then the rain and wind came



[img]http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g114/pxatim/20141004_133859_zpsd4e8d250.jpg[/img]



Drove back to hit another spot with fallen after their broat trip. Yeah.. this place is fishy



[img]http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g114/pxatim/20141004_143158_zpsb765b6bf.jpg[/img]



[img]http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g114/pxatim/20141004_150700_zps05086fe6.jpg[/img]



[img]http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g114/pxatim/20141004_150649_zps0eb5d6d8.jpg[/img]



After a long day and a lot of casting it was time to regroup, refuel and meet back up with Crabtops and Sak to see how their day went on the big pond.



[img]http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g114/pxatim/20141004_200603_zpsaa2efab0.jpg[/img]



We woke to a brisk wind the next morning and our 700 launch got pushed to 830. The fish didn't care.. they were already doing their thing when we arrived on the scene.



[img]http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g114/pxatim/20141005_071922_zps5ad61cff.jpg[/img]



[img]http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g114/pxatim/20141005_112409_zpse1a75943.jpg[/img]



[img]http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g114/pxatim/20141005_091838_zps7fb8ceaf.jpg[/img]



[img]http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g114/pxatim/20141006_074507_zps88c40888.jpg[/img]



Crabtops is deadly with the bubba blade.. dockside porgy sashimi fanfuckingtastic



[img]http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g114/pxatim/20141005_150528_zpse49c7973.jpg[/img]



What a deal! Good dockside hangs.



[img]http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g114/pxatim/20141005_190808_RichtoneHDR_zps4fe759ae.jpg[/img]



Sunsets over the bay never disappoint



[img]http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g114/pxatim/20141005_184400_LLS_zpsf1179288.jpg[/img]



After getting some fish under my belt and favorable conditions for Monday I made the call and stayed the extra day.. and it was so worth it.



Headed out.. flat calm. The water looks like it's about to explode. Life is everywhere and there is a sense that it's going to happen at any minute.



[img]http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g114/pxatim/20141006_070832_zpsf03f3105.jpg[/img]



We get to the point and pods of albies are flying past us breaking the surface moving at incredible speed. Eating on the run. What a site. Cast to where they are going to be.. strip as fast as you can.. don't trout set!



Later in the morning it slowed down..just long enough that the albies grouped up into bigger schools and the feeding frenzy was on. Bait balls, mini blitzes merging into full on blitzes, chaos, f-bombs, threats, screaming drags, bent rods, busted knuckles, line burns it was everything and more, much more than I could have ever wanted it to be.



At one point I cast into the middle of a bait ball that was getting massacred and I hooked up with a bluefish who almost met his maker by the hands of a large seal. He missed and by the time we got the blue off it was over and a race to get back ahead of the fish.



[img]http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g114/pxatim/20141006_074507_zps88c40888.jpg[/img]



[img]http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g114/pxatim/20141006_074540_zps81dcf74a.jpg[/img]



No words



[img]http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g114/pxatim/03a2b706-e68f-4619-aec3-0cd64e0febf4_zps46c88002.jpg[/img]



Built for speed



[img]http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g114/pxatim/9d423240-e5be-417b-af6b-77a754877843_zps26c49575.jpg[/img]



Can't thank you guys enough especially Sak. Seriously solid dudes through and through. To Crabtops and Sr Crabtops, Fallen and Co. thanks for having me.



Jason Dapra and John Tondra are top notch, if you haven't been to Montauk these dudes are good. Very good, and they will put you on fish even in the roughest of conditions.



Till next year boys... Harkers Island January 2015 Bake?

[/report]

[unskunkable]

That's the stuff!!!!

[Bruiser]

That's the stuff!!!!

I agree. So good