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Montauk Blackfish
By Captain Andy LoCascio
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Captains Joel, Rich, and Andy |
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Maptech Charts |
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I thought we were going to
be fishing at Cartwright or one of the many other great Blackfish spots
within minutes of Montauk. But, Captain Joel Lizza of the Sea Otter Fleet
had other ideas. The sea finally lay down after a big blow that lasted
nearly two days. The conditions were just right to leave the local fleet
behind and head for Block Island a little over 15 miles away. A great
break considering it was the end of November and there were so few good
weather windows that time of year.
I had forgotten just how close
Block Island was from Montauk. Just over 20 minutes later we were
pinpointing one of the many rocky outcroppings that can be found on the
south side of the island. We watched the sonar machine as we came off of
mud/sand bottom in 60ft of water onto a piece of structure that peaked at
just over 53ft. It looked perfect and after another circle or two and a
brief pause to judge the drift we anchored right over the top of it on the
first try. The wind (what little there was) and the current were both
from the same direction and we only needed a single anchor.
Joel broke out the green
crabs and we quickly baited our rigs. A quick drop to the bottom and each
of us took advantage of our braided lines to probe for the best chunk of
rock. Rich had the first touch, but Joel managed the first hookup and
only five minutes into the bite and we already had our first 5lb fish at
boat side. The action never slowed for the rest of the tide and we had
way too many fish to count, included a couple of husky 10lb fish.
Fall and
winter are the time
As many other northeast
species are either gone or starting to wind down, along comes the fall
blackfish season. Water temps are really dropping and as the season opens
the first fish are usually caught on structure in the 25 to 35ft depths.
As the season progresses these fish move to structure in deeper water.
As there is much more shallow water structure as opposed to deep
structure, as the fish move they become more concentrated on fewer pieces
of bottom and the bite just keeps getting better. In the spring, when the
fish are spawning, they can found in water as little as 4-6ft in depth and
there is so much structure in these depths that the fish are typically
scattered over large areas and it can be almost impossible to duplicate
the fall and winter action. Montauk keeps their bite the longest and is
typically the best bet for big Blackfish throughout the late fall and
early winter.
Find the
structure
Rock piles, wrecks, and
submerged reefs provide the best fall action. Blackfish are feeding
heavily and putting on weight to get them through the winter months.
Crabs, worms, shellfish and other reef dwellers comprise most of their
diet. All an angler needs to know is the depths and general areas that
are producing fish. Once in those areas, even a modest fish finder can be
used to find the structure. Don’t waste time trying to locate the fish,
Blackfish themselves will rarely show up even on the most powerful sonar
units. Spend a little time and search the bottom to find the more isolated
and pronounced chunks of structure. The fish will be much more
concentrated and easier to hold on the more isolated pieces. The more
pronounced the structure, the more forage it will support, and the more
blackfish that will reside on it. A good GPS can be used to save the
coordinates of these spots for future trips. Shore ranges can also be
used to return to these prime pieces of bottom. Blackfish pros carefully
guard the locations of their favorite spots. As the deeper structure
typically provides some of the best action (when the fish finally move to
it), these spots are even more carefully guarded. When the fishing is
slow, investing some time in locating good blackfish structure can pay big
dividends later in the year.
Get on
the hook
As with most reef and
wreck fishing, anchoring is critical. Marker buoys can be used to
pinpoint the most attractive piece of the structure. It is a good idea to
have several markers at hand while preparing to anchor. Often a marker
will be dropped and an even better piece will be found while preparing to
anchor. Simply drop another marker and use that one instead. Even though
they are rare occasions where one anchor will be adequate, it is almost
always a good idea to double anchor. Conflicting and wind and current
conditions make it nearly impossible to keep the boat positioned on a
productive piece of bottom. By using both a bow and stern anchor the boat
can be kept in the same position regardless of changes in either the wind
or currents. By adjusting the amount of scope on the anchors the boat can
be repositioned over different parts of the structure. Be sure to have
ample line on both anchors as well as buoys on any bitter ends that are
not tied off.
Leave
your light tackle home
A good conventional reel
on a medium to heavy rod is best. Select a reel that can handle
30/50lb-class line. The rod should have enough beef to handle sinker
weights up to 8-12 ounces, yet must have a sensitive enough tip to feel
the subtler tog bites. Blackfish are notorious for darting into crevasses
and wedging in, the heavier tackle will enable the angler to get them off
the bottom quickly and keep them off. Braided lines provide an extra
advantage. The thinner diameters and less water resistance allow for the
use of lighter sinkers. The lack of stretch allows the angler to feel
every bite and every change in the bottom. It also allows the angler to
pull the hook out of hard baits and into the very tough mouths of the
blackfish.
Rigging
up
There are almost as many
different rigs as there are fishermen. A simple and effective rig
consists of a 4ft length of 50lb fluorocarbon attached via swivel to the
main line. A six inch standoff or dropper loop six inches above the
sinker is passed through the eye of a single 2/0-3/0 Ultrapoint Beak Bait style hook.
Hook sizes and style vary depending upon the bait being used and personal
preference. It is critical to constantly check the hook to ensure that it
is still sharp as it is very easy to lose the hook point as it rubs
against the rocks. Multiple hook rigs are not recommended. Most of the
best bottom will be very sticky. Nothing is worse than hooking a good
fish and having the free hook get hung up. In the shallower depths a
sinker of as little as 6 ounces can be used to hold bottom. However, as
depth and current increase heavier sinkers must be used. The sinker must
be heavy enough to hold the bottom at all times and to give the angler
enough feel when attempting to determine the composition of the bottom.
Some anglers use a short length of lighter mono to attach the sinker.
This is known as a breakaway rig and can be useful in areas where once
stuck, the sinker is rarely freed. However, in many cases the stuck
sinker can be freed with a little care and patience. In these areas a
breakaway rig would result in an excessive loss of lead and lots of
re-rigging time.
Baits
Blackfish can be caught on
an incredible variety of baits. Blackfish pros are continually discussing
the fine points of various bait choices. The most effective baits in the
fall are the hard baits, especially crabs. There are many types of crabs
that can be used, Greens, Fiddlers, Ghosts, Asians, etc. Though local
availability often is the deciding factor, everyone seems to have his or
her personal favorite. Hard baits are a good choice as much of the
structure in the fall also holds pesky bergals and other species that will
steal soft bait. Blackfish can be finicky at times and when possible
having a second bait choice can make the difference between a pick and
some very hot action. However, switching from one bait to another will
often cause the fish to ignore the other bait and all anglers on the boat
will have to switch to the new bait. Chumming with clams or mussels can
often have the same effect and is usually not necessary due to the
isolated nature of structure being fished. An easy way to get some scent
in the water is to use either cut pieces of larger crabs or by cracking
the shell of smaller crabs. Once the fish start chewing on your baits
enough scent will be released to keep their attention. The size of the
bait being presented should be varied. There are times when large whole
baits work best and other times where only the smallest pieces will work.
If the fish seem to be tentative, it is a good time to scale down the
bait. Small crabs can be fished whole either with our without their
claws. The hook should always be placed with the least amount of damage
to the bait. One way is to have the hook enter through the base of a claw
and have the point just exit through one of the legs on the same side.
Know the
bottom
Once the sinker has hit
the bottom, a gentle lift and drop can be used to determine its
composition. Continue lifting and moving the sinker until hard bottom is
located. Hard bottom will often have a crunchy and broken feel to it.
The more crunchy and broken, the more productive it will be. Once good
bottom located a couple of more bounces can be used to determine the size
and height of the piece. This method should be used repeatedly until a
complete mental image of the bottom topography has been established.
Flipping the sinker a few feet from the boat can also aid in the search
for good bottom. However, casting too far and dragging the bait back
across the bottom will greatly increase the chance of being hung up.
Hold it
steady
Once a mental map of the
bottom has been established it is time to settle down and hold the bait
steady. The sinker must rest completely on the bottom and there should be
just the slightest slack in the line. You will be able to feel the hit
right through the slack if you allow the line to pass through the thumb
and forefinger of your left hand. Blackfish can be extremely wary and
will often take an exploratory nip at the bait (be patient). If they feel
too much resistance, they may quickly lose interest. The rod tip should
be held low so that there is ample room to both strike the fish and lift
it away from the structure. If the action is slow wait at least a minute
or two before moving the bait. If the action is hot and a minute goes by
without a touch, move the bait, it is probably in a position inaccessible
to the fish. A couple of repeated tugs or a continuing pull is the signal
to set the hook (this takes some practice). The depth and the nature of a
blackfish bite means that not every hook set will be successful. If the
bait is stolen, drop a fresh bait back to the same spot and try again. If
a fish is hooked and landed, also drop back to the same spot. Often a
single location on the bottom will produce fish repeatedly. As the fish
are crunching the baits, scent is getting into the water and more fish are
being attracted to that spot and a feeding station is created. This is
another reason why it is so important to ensure that the boat is not
changing its position.
Know
your area
The Blackfish pros
attribute much of their success to a combination of various skills. They
use their sonar units to find and explore new potential hot spots. They
use their navigation abilities to return to the best spots at the right
times during the season. They are adept at identifying and anchoring
directly over the most productive pieces of bottom. They are quick to
adjust their bait choices and presentations depending upon the behavior of
the fish. They know what spots produce better or worse during particular
tides. All of these valuable skills can be used in the pursuit of many
other species. Spending time in pursuit of these feisty fish will improve
any angler’s abilities and make him or her a much better all around
fisherman.
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