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Hello, it’s Kevin T again from the “suds” around New York. Despite cool spring temperatures and soggy weather, surf fishing is again off and running in our area. Striped bass began appearing in Jamaica Bay in late March, albeit in small “schoolie” sizes early on. Bigger fish began to fall to bait fishermen around April 15th; the official opening of striper season here. Cool water temperatures and the sporadic appearance of baitfish contributed to a more lethargic bite. As a result, lure fishermen like myself found slim early season pickings during cold nights stalking the bay rips. The arrival of voracious bluefish, however, seemed to turn on the action like a switch. Once I read the first reports of bluefish blitzes along the south shores of Brooklyn, Queens and Long Island, I geared up and raced to my favorite spot. I was greeted by the sounds of shouting surf fishermen, screaming reels and thrashing bluefish. For those of you who have never leaned into a “chopper” bluefish (ten pounds or greater) I recommend a fishing trip to our area. Arguably they are pound for pound one of the toughest fighters on the end of a line. They will fight to exhaustion and are known to wreak havoc on tackle and reels. Anyway, after a couple of bouts with a few toothy blues, I tied on a chartreuse colored bucktail and added a strip of red & white pork rind. I retrieved the lure slooowly, with the intention of working a little deeper in the water column and elude the bluefish mayhem near the surface. It appears I guessed right and nailed this 36 inch striper (pictured) a few casts later. Once again, the sleepless nights, rugged shoreline treks (the sand really does get everywhere) and dreams of “choppers” and “cows” are once again the stuff of surf fishing the Northeast. If the unpredictable economy has you down, remember- whether using lures or bait, sport fishing remains an inexpensive source of entertainment. With proper care of your equipment, you can enjoy many hours of outdoor fun at nominal cost. Keep casting. Have a great summer!
My name is Kevin Toomer, I am an avid surf fisherman who spends many sleepless days and nights prowling the New York Metro area's ocean beaches and jetties in search of monster striped bass. While I do not consider myself an expert or "pro," I have devoted a considerable amount of time to reading and research about this elusive gamefish. As a result, I have honed my craft enough to haul in a few notable keepers each season. Bait fishing (bunker chunks, clam and squid) remains a popular method to catch these migratory fish. Lures, however, are in my humble opinion the most consistent way to track down and hook these intelligent creatures. I typically use white or chartreuse bucktails tipped with red and white pork rind. In rare instances when schools of stripers are feeding near the surface, popping and swimming plugs can be deadly if fished properly. There is a surprising cadre of brothers who like to fish this way. I often run into them standing at the end of a rock jetty with waves crashing all around, or lined up along popular stretches of the surf line, rhythmically casting and retrieving. Many are equipped with the very finest in equipment; Van Staal reels, Lamiglas rods and the latest in line, plugs and lures. Irregardless of the level of gear employed, we all approach this sport with great intensity resourcefulness. Some of my fishing photos have graced the web sites of Shakespeare Fishing Tackle (makers of the Ugly Stik) Dick's Sporting Goods, and local surf fishing sites. Both of the fish in these photos exceeded 36 inches in length and were caught using lures.
This is Kevin Toomer writing you again from the New York Metro area beaches. The 2007 striped bass and bluefish Spring run is off to a rousing start. Hordes of bluefish dominate the area beaches, providing many a thrill with the spirited battles they provide on the end of a line. Striped Bass have announced their presence as well, though they have been a bit more elusive and temperamental about their preferred tide conditions and locations. Thus far, I've landed and released many undersized stripers (NY State size regulations are a minimum of 28 inches in total length.) Through careful study and, of course, some luck, I have reeled in a couple of keepers as well. Both of these fish were caught in Jamaica Bay (Queens, New York) using surface popping plugs. What a thrill it is to see the water explode beneath a surface popper as a striper executes a furious strike! And what a battle to fight him onto the beach! Add to the mix a roaring surf, darkness and strong ocean currents and you can imagine the challenge. That's why I fish- I love the thrill of the chase. With any luck, I hope to send along a photo of a "cow" in the near future. That's what we call the really big striped bass (30 lbs +) up this way. Tight lines to all of you out there. Kevin T
Hello everyone! Warming temperatures and cool ocean breezes can mean only one thing to a guy like me- BIG FISH! The New York Metro area has experienced a massive run of bluefish to open the 2008 season. In fact, a noted sport-fishing columnist has described the run as "unprecedented". Huge numbers of crushing blues seem to devour anything thrown at them along ocean beaches, back bays and even local canals and channels. I've witnessed blitzes of 10 pounders hammering bait schools in water no more than 3 feet deep. Weakfish have made an appearance here and there, and a pending world record 19 lb 12 oz fish was recently caught off the beaches of Staten Island. Big stripers have begun to arrive from their Hudson River spawning grounds and several monsters have found their way to the hooks of local anglers. I caught this 38 inch beauty using a pencil popper in Jamaica Bay (near JFK airport) on May 22nd. With $4.00 per gallon gasoline already a reality here, it's nice to be able to find great fishing action in local neighborhood waters. Wishing everyone a fun summer. And if that fun happens to include a rod and reel- "Tight Lines" to you! Kevin T