New York Stripers and east of there

We walked across both the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan Bridge.  Bri took this photo from the Manhattan Bridge. The centifuge of human energy that this city is.  I lived here from 2003 to 2007 and thought I' d never return - but Bri needed to see this place.   

Any fabric person worth their salt has to make the pilgrimage to Mood Fabrics when in Manhattan.  

Our two year anniversary trip.  Getting lost in NYC.  You can just walk around randomly and have fun here.  

Phil Knoll of Massachussets.  I met this guy fishing out here in 2006.  Phil met up with us for a full day of exploring and fishing.  He is the guy that taught me to fish this way and showed me several spots out on the end of Long Island.   

Not actually on her phone - It was just that windy.  Fishing North Haven Island.  

I had to make at least a few casts at Montauk - the far East end of Long Island.  

I caught one Striper in the East River while we were still in Brooklyn Heights. We also stopped at Shinnecock Inlet on the drive out to Sag Harbor and I found some Striped Bass on the flats.  One of the most agreeable gamefish on the planet. 

We got rained on wandering around Wall Street and the South Street SeaPort.  And I can remember some of the reasons I moved away from New York City.  

My favorite way to fish - wading the back bays - with nobody around.   Peconic Bay water was still warm for October and many of the smaller Striped Bass were still feeding in the shallow protected water.  Ripping surface strikes on fast retrieves.

Wandering the shoreline in the Hamptons looking for fish.  Local resident fisherman George McAuliffe and Jamie Ellis gave me some really good tips.  So I wasn't wandering completely blind this whole trip.  

Chowder stop with great food - most of the way out to Montauk.  There was talk of combining half New England Clam Chowder and half Manhattan Clam Chowder.  Also tried Montauk Brewing's IPA.   

There might be a god.  A solid back bay Striper.  Snaps you awake after 100 unanswered casts.  

We walked all over Brooklyn Heights, Williamsbur, Fort Greene, East Village, Central Park and Chelsea.  Momofuku Ramen was a big hit - and it lived up to all of the Anthony Bourdain hype.   

A simple lure selection that worked out great.  I caught most of the Bass on that boring grey 7 inch "Texas Rigged Jerk Shad" in the middle.  When the wind or current is heavy or you need to get down a few feet I fish it weighted.  If it is dark or the water is off-color I fish it in a brighter color.  

Dead seal at Sag Harbor.  Sharks washing up dead in this area this summer as well.  Another reminder that I am fishing at the end of the world.   I don't have children and I am not sure what I would tell them if I did.  

The exploring part of the fishing thing.   The Geologist in my wife.  

The temperature dropped sharply on our second day in Sag Harbor.  The cold windy, sunny and low pressure weather pushed most of the Stripers out of the shallow water and the 14" Bluefish showed up.  

A cool piece of art on the wall at out rental cabin in Sag Harbor, NY.   

Where the big Stripers migrate.  The Striped Bass migrate south along the East Coast from Maine to North Carolina.
They eat as they go.  

They opened up Saggaponack Pond to the ocean using a bulldozer and track hoe to move the wind driven sand dune dam out of the way.  I got there at 4:30 AM and was ready to fish. The tea stained fresh brackish water flowing out into the surf here holds the interest of the big migrating Striped Bass.  

A dream come true for me.  Two very big bass hit within a few minutes of each other.
This fish was released to continue its journey south.