Alternate Flat Species

Just another day on the flats. No flat inhabiting fish could ever replace the bonefish. That being said it can be fun to target these over looked species of the shallows. It is amazing to see how different a fight a blacktip shark dishes versus one from the cuts and bluewater. It is almost as if the two are different species in every way. Blacktips of the flat are bulldogs. Blacktips of the deep are complete athletes. These bulldogs still put up a fun fight! 

bluewater fly

baby dolphin

Turks Fish Head

Have not been fishing much past few days. The time I have spent on the water was well spent. A wahoo, Cuda, and blackfin Tunas! 

blackfin

Striped Bullet 

mini sub 

Tuna on the Mind

Flew out for a blue water expedition this morning with high hopes for dolphin and wahoo. Instead I found myself hooked up with a giant 130 + lb yellowfin tuna for two hours or so.  Pulling on this heavy piece of machinery left my gut scarred and black and blue. At the two hour mark I had the fish circling 15 yards under the boat stubborn as ever. With the engine prop coming into play I stop filming. Long story short the 30 lb test line snapped. I was so exhausted at the time I cannot say how. Maybe it just pulled itself to pieces or the line rubbed on the hull. Either way just another fish of a lifetime to haunt my dreams. 

Black Tips Flying High

Snuck out for an hour or so this afternoon. Perfect outgoing tide to jump some black tips. Nothing like bowing to a somersaulting fish. Its amazing to see how powerful an athlete these brutes are. I spotted three fish in all. The feed consisted of two sharks duking it out for the fly. It's a good one.

Stormy Monday

They call it stormy mondaaay. A large front has begun to push through the Turks and Caicos Islands. The past few weeks has been bad to the BONE! One fish caught in upwards of 10 lbs. The last couple days I have had the privilege to fish alongside Perk Perkins of The Orvis Company. Showing a seasoned and weathered angler such as Perk a fraction of the islands' bank was off the hook! Not literally, considering the amount of fish we found on one of the highest full moon tides to date.  

Deploying Canoe 

A new Blue Water fly

Perks' secret weapon the step ladder

Mirror mirror on the wall

Tiger Back 

Dolphin and wahoo are out and about. No luck on fly yet just trolling. 

Connecticut Salmon and NY Steel

With hurricane Sandy and the recent Nor Easter the saltwater scene for the most part has shut down on the Long Island Sound. The fish are deep and on the move. The freshwater scene however is a different story.  Atlantic broodstock Salmon and NY steelheading has just begun. Those of you looking to head to Lake Ontario might want to wait for some rain. In the mean time perhaps give the rolling salmon on the Naugatuck a go. Just might get lucky. Here are a few pictures from the past few days. 

Calm before the storm 

Salmo Salar in CT 

Connecticut salmon 

Intruder patterns=reactionary bite

NY Chrome 

NY although dry is producing 

Fish On De Line

Its the reel deal out there right now. Fishing can be catching this time of year. Here are just a few of the fish pulled out this week. 

Adrian Cataldi of http://tipiliuke.com/ has got the blues

Steelhead are just starting to push. Pray for more rain. 

Many local stripers. Saw a 30 lber today rise for a snagged menhaden. 

Color overload

Rainbow trout are sipping eggs 

Silver Surfer 

The Lit Fuse

The hits just keep coming in the long island sound. The past week has been epic to say the least. Gator bluefish, solid striper action, and fat albert blitzing left and right.  Fall fishing at its best! Reports of stripers in the 20 lb range have begun to appear on the western sounds’ radar.  Massive bluefish are still on offer as well.  Find the mature menhaden and get a meaty fly down below. Fast strips and injured retrievals should produce. The school might not be boiling. This does not mean that the silver bullet does not lie below. The bluefish are honed in on meat chuckers snagging. Bait and switch method always a reliable option. The false albacore action is out of this world right now. Get out there before the little tunny has pushed out of the western long island sound and into the bight. Last week we must have seen 200 + albies in the western sound in a six hour period. A rare sight so say the least. To consistently catch these albies on the fly we have been rocks paper scissor for who is on driving duty.  Takes a lot to manage a fly line when running and gunning. 

 Albie desert 

One of the many hooked! 

I was spooled by something while fishing these blitzs. Massive albie or bluefin tuna? I'd have to say albie

Football season is here!

Chompers 

The silver bullet

Another albie pattern

October 2 False Albacore Western Sound

The Western Long Island Sounds funnel is in effect. With the days east wind and the recent front, albies should have made their way a mile or so west. Looking foward to seeing if these speedsters repeat last years schedule.  Thursday and Friday look best. 

Western Connecticut Albie

Got into a lot of albies in the western long island sound this morning. Game on! 

What to imitate 

20 lb plus stripers are here...find the bunks and get your night fish on!

Western Sound : Albies are here!

The sound has just begun to blow up with predators. The bait has been here long enough and finally the water temps are calling in the fish of the east. Tomorrow's north wind forecast should be prime for false albacore. Hour before high tide is the ticket. With last weeks storm the peanuts have arrived. A magical sight to see with the decline in mature menhaden stock. Last fall these beauties never came. These fish I feel are the most important baitfish for the striper migration. For the albies it is the vast amounts of spearing that has been sitting offshore. As to where to look for fat albert I cannot say. These bullets that sneak through the sound every year have a very specific line of travel following various contours. With the schools being from 10-25 fish I cannot help but keep this clockwork route to my self. If your lucky enough to stumble upon fat albert be sure to kill the switch asap! Albies have no swim bladder. It is for this reason one should tread lightly around the tunny. Stalk them from a far and find their rythm. Remember these bullets are swimming in 100 to 500 yard circles.  Try and get ahead of where the eye of the tornado might lie. Waiting in silence only to have your hull being slapped by a school is an accomplishment of its own. 

"The Albert" Two hooks with stinger. 

Stripers are moving in full force

And getting bigger by the day 

Eat me

Some footage from this past year! 

Do not forget about the tailing golden bones on offer! 

Long Island Sound Report

With the cooler weather the fishing is about to get red hot in the coming weeks. The sound is still quiet however there is bait stacked as far as the eye can see. It is only a matter of time before the bones and albies find their way west. The little tunny has been popping up around the Watch Hill Reefs. As long as we do not have an IRENE repeat then these stiff tailed devils should funnel through. Remember it is still early in the season. September is a time of transition! 

On a different note mature menhaden are locked in the western sound. A rare sight for this time of year. Bluefish in the upper teens are there for the taking. Focus on the smaller bait balls and work the edges or down below with a sinking line. Long story short this fall is shaping up to be a hell of a lot better then last years bust. 

On the freshwater scene the rivers in the area are incredible warm. Farmington River would be the best bet for trout. In the mean time carp fishing is going off. Nothing like feeding a finicky carp. A far from easy feat. 

Freshwater bonefish/permit 

Green Drakes are popping in Carpville

A secret night time spot. Yes these are schoolie stripers! 

Kings of the Jungle

 Camped deep into the unknown the past two days. Water temps were in the low 50s with 95 degree weather. Dry fly action was red hot! With the sun setting behind the mountains it was time for El Matador!