RI Provo, 9/9/05

1. BAY:"Fluking is the name of the game," said Sam Toland of Sam's Bait & Tackle. "I've never seen a season like this one where it gets progressively better. Normally, it's just the opposite." Fluke have been biting at the mouth of the Sakonnet River and off most of Aquidneck Island's beaches, off Goat Island, and near the Newport Bridge, he said. Off Bailey's and the other beaches, fluke are taking squid strips on flashy rigs in 50 to 75 feet of water. In the upper Bay, the fluke bite is "pretty good" near Conimicut Light, said John Littlefield of Archie's Bait & Tackle.
2. Bluefish are also biting in the lower Bay, particularly in the East Passage. The bluefish bite is virtually guaranteed in the Sakonnet River, off Sapowet, Fogland and Sandy points, said Joe Latinville of Riverside Marine, noting that the blues frequently shoot into the Tiverton basin, too. Shore fishermen have been taking blues along Burma Road in Portsmouth, said Toland. In the upper Bay, the bluefish bite has been iffy at best.
3. Bass fishing is terribly slow throughout the Bay, although Ed Hughes said he found stripers among blues off Castle Hill. Latinville said he weighed fish as large as 37 pounds. He recommended Taylor Lane in Little Compton on the Sakonnet for shore fishermen and the waters off Lands End and Sakonnet Point for boaters. Tube-and-worm rigs and eels have been luring the big fish, he said.
4. On the reefs off Newport, Tiverton and Westport, sea bass are huge. John Dubois caught a 6.24-pounder this week. Triggerfish fish have appeared, too.
5. Scup aren't numerous, but they are large. Look for them off the Clambake Club, Sakonnet Point, north of Third Beach in the Sakonnet, and around the Dumplings off Jamestown. In the upper Bay, the White Church Bridge in Barrington has been a fairly consistent spot.
6. BEACHES AND SALT PONDS: Gil Pope, a commercial rod-and-reel fisherman, caught a 13.55-pound fluke last weekend. The fish was 31 inches long, 16 inches wide and 3 inches thick. "I caught it south of the center wall of the Harbor of Refuge about a mile out or so, on a combination of fluke and squid strip," he said. "It was in the afternoon and the current was moving pretty fast and I had to use a 12-ounce sinker to keep the bait on the bottom. It was just one of those days when the larger fish were biting. I had a 7-pounder, a 5-pounder and a 4-pounder in the same area on that same day and quite a few 3-plus-pounders as well. The next day, same spot, same baits, same tide. There were just a few smaller fish and not such a great day. Such is fishing."
7. Fishing the Narragansett surf over the weekend, Bill Nolan took a 41-pound bass on an eel. Ron Mouchon of Breachway Bait & Tackle has been finding small concentrations of large bass on the reefs off South County.
8. "Anglers have been treated to full coolers of jumbo scup," writes Frank Blount, skipper of the Frances Fleet out of Galilee. "There has been a nice mix of sea bass and a few fluke mixed in. The fish are bigger then we have seen at this time of the season in years. We will be sailing daily at 8 a.m. The jumbo fluke and sea bass trips continue to do well and will sail through the fall. Sea bass should take over as the fluke start moving to deeper water. Night bass fishing has turned on again. The fish are the biggest fish that we have seen for the season. On one recent trip we had several fish in the 40-pound class, and the pool fish top out in the 50s."
9. OFFSHORE: "There's a monster slug of good water in Oceanographer's [Canyon] that must hold a massive amount of fish," said Sam Toland. "It's working its way toward the Fish Tails. There's also some nice water moving into the Dump. It should hold some albacore and mahi."
10. The bite between the Dip and the Fish Tails has cooled, Toland said, but it should improve within two weeks. "Overall, the fishing is not good," he said, "but it's certain that it's going to improve."
11. FRESHWATER: Bass are striking weedless frog and mouse lures in the middle of the day on Turner Reservoir in East Providence, according to Bill Quatrucci of Bill's Bait & Tackle. The Yum Buzz frog has been especially effective, fished over the heavy weed cover.
12. On Stump Pond in Smithfield, a lot of undersized pike, and occasionally a keeper, have been taking heavy-medium shiners, according to Rudy D'Agostino of the R&Y Shop. At night, large bass are nailing surface lures near the inlet.
13. BEST BITES:Sakonnet River:Bluefish, scup
14. South County reefs:Bass, bluefish, seabass, scup
15. Stump Pond:Pike, bass

NY side of LIS, 9/9/05

1. Western Long Island Sound: A lot of blues spread around with big fish amongst them. Even the snappers are huge, to 14 inches in some cases. And since the blues are on the L.I. side of the Sound, the porgies have run to the Connecticut side. Jack's B&T in City Island reported slow fluking, but there should be one last hurrah for the species next weekend.

2. Huntington/Northport bays: Great fluke action with some 15-17 inch shorts but plenty of keepers with a few 5-pounders mixed in. They're biting on both sides of Huntington Bay, as well as Cold Spring Harbor and Oyster Bay. Four Winds B&T reported a nice mix of blues and keeper bass south of 11B in 50-60 feet of water. Porgy fishing hasn't been very consistent.

3. Smithtown Bay: Sean Barron and his dad had fluke to 25 inches using killies off West Meadow Beach and Steve from BLT Cafe in St. James had five fluke to 22 inches in the same area, according to Swaine's B&T. Bluefish from cocktails to 8 pounds are in and out and some keeper bass are in Stony Brook Harbor with a lot of schoolies. Chumming is the key to porgy fishing, but that draws bluefish.

4. Port Jefferson to Mattituck Inlet: Jigging for bass and blues is producing good action in the Middle Grounds, with the stripers getting bigger each day. The Celtic Quest reported the sunset bite on porgies has been fantastic. Fluking took an upswing in the past week. Over the weekend, Mark caught a 10-pound fluke, then followed it with keeper sea bass and stripers on the Capt. Bob in Mattituck.

5. Orient Point to Fishers Island: The bass bite has gotten better and should continue to improve through next weekend's full moon. Eels and dark bucktails at night are hitting the majority of the 30-pounders. Bluefish are mixed in and can be diamond jigged in the Gut or Race. Porgy fishing is very good all the way out to Fishers, and when the tide is slack in the Gut, there are a few jumbos, according to Wego Fishing.

6. The Peconics and Gardiners Bay: Not a lot of big weakfish, but some good keepers being taken on squid and diamond jigs by Greenport and Roses Grove. Plenty of cocktail bluefish with some bigger ones at Jessups. Porgies are everywhere and still being taken in terrific size and number.

7. Montauk Point: Surfcasters caught some bass yesterday just east of Ditch Plains and on the north side at Lazy Point, according to Freddie's B&T. The north bar and false bar have also been producing in the middle of the night. Under the light has been tough with the large heave that has also slowed the traffic for offshore boats (though the ones that do get out are doing well with tuna and sharks).

8. Shinnecock Bay: Limiting out on fluke has become work, but some anglers are sorting through the shorts poised for their fall dash to the ocean. It's been a remarkably consistent year for fluking here, and there's no reason it shouldn't end with a bang this month. Ocean fluke anglers are taking some fish to 8 pounds, along with nice sea bass off the wrecks and rockpiles.

9. Moriches Bay: The fluke are moving; on Tuesday, Julius and his wife had four keepers at Buoy 14, but Wednesday, there was nothing there and they caught their keepers at Buoy 4. Silly Lily's reports squid and spearing still working the best, usually three hours before high water. Plenty of schoolie bass in the cuts, and weakfish are biting by Buoy 31.

10. Great South Bay/Fire Island Inlet: Fluking had been pretty good over the holiday weekend but a roll of waves the last few days has turned them off, according to Augie's in Babylon. Expect a good fall run in the next week. A lot of big bluefish are inside the bay and blowfish and kingfish are being taken on the north side of the bay. The water is still a little warm for the fall bass explosion, but with the loads of bait around, it could happen any day.

11. Jones Inlet/Western Bays: Since the heat wave ended, the fishing has come back to respectability. Fluking is still fraught with shorts but the action is terrific and there are 3-5 pounders. Scotty's reported one boat anchored near Point Lookout Bridge taking 25 nice sea bass to 16 inches and two 3-pound triggerfish. Stripers are still small but the evening bite is starting to stir.

12. East Rockaway Inlet: Bay Park Fishing Station reported some nice ocean fluking last weekend as the gang on For Reel took 16 keepers to 7 pounds, and the Donna Rosalie had a limit at Cholera with only a few shorts. Offshore has been slowed by the ocean storms, but over the weekend, the crew of Momentum had an 80-pound bluefin and a 100-pound yellowfin from the east wall of the Hudson while the 50-50 was on the west wall hooking longfin, a hammerhead shark and a '-pound swordfish.

13. New York Bight: Bluefish are feasting on the bodies of bait, busting the surface with fierce action. Poppers will snag some to 8 pounds if you come across a blitz. Fluke action in Jamaica Bay has been good, but the by-catch of sea bass and porgies has been even better with scup to 2 pounds and in good numbers. [by tom rock]

Bluefin tuna remain red-hot - The Boston Globe

1. September always brings a renewal of fishing excitement to our waterfront, and this year is no exception. Except to say that along with the new dedication of striped bass to their feeding habits -- especially with so much peanut bunker around these days -- and the coming of new bluefish, the red-hot fishery for football bluefin tuna has drawn in just about everyone who has a boat capable of fishing 5 miles offshore.
2. Area A: Good bass catches in Saco Bay and the river mouth, down along Southern Maine to Kittery. Isle of Shoals has some excellent bluefishing mixed with the bass. Fishing the ledges holds very strong with cod and market haddock still good fare. Football tuna is the game just offshore from the Gulf of Maine through Massachusetts Bay. Tuna is hot off Plum Island, and the stripers and bluefish are feeding on bait along the beach.
3. Area B: Some large bass catches from Baker Island to Peaches Point. Nahant to the outer harbor islands has been productive water, and a 48-inch bass was caught off Winthrop this week. Other catches at Spectacle, Georges, and Deer Island. Plenty of bait in the inner harbor -- especially small herring and peanut bunker -- makes Boston Harbor a place to wet your line and follow the boats already out there. Some of the action has returned to the surface.
4. Area C: The bluefin craze has come close to shore, as anglers are fishing for them within 4 miles of the Scituate beaches. Also some good bluefish action along the cliffs and in the North River mouth. Fish there long enough and you'll find a mix of everything. Also, pursue the feeding stripers right up to the South River confluence. Again, from this shore across to Stellwagen, the football fishing is tremendous. Plenty of bass action in Duxbury Bay, along with bluefish, which are hitting right up to the Powder Point Bridge.
5. Area D: The Canal has its moments, with plenty of traffic. The fishing is generally better around the west end and into upper Buzzards Bay, where from the Buttermilk Bay side to Pocasset and Hog Island Channel the fishing has been steady. Plenty of action in middle bay around Clevelands and along the Elizabeth Islands, especially Robinsons Hole. Cuttyhunk produces big stripers at night, as does the water from Gay Head to Nomans. Around the other side, Sunken Meadow is strong in Nantucket Sound with bass and bluefish. Wasque is worth fishing again, despite the swell.
6. Area E: Tuna fishing ongoing off Chatham with some big stripers being boated off Monomoy, with some good action in the rips. You'll find a few fluke still biting in the Bass River, and the Falmouth beaches have some good bluefishing, right out into the Sound and across to the Vineyard. Along the State Beach shore, from East Chop to Edgartown, the bonito fishing is still pretty hot.
7. Area F: Still a lot of swell off the north-facing beaches, with weeds making the fishing tough. Inside Cape Cod Bay, good fishing from Billingsgate along Truro to Provincetown Harbor. [org pub Boston Globe by Tony Chamberlain]

Rhode Island, 9/8/05

1. BAY:Unusually good fishing along the Warwick shore, north of Conimicut Point: blues & bass. Big bass have also made a return in recent weeks. I believe it is due to favorable water temperatures and the amount of bait in the water.
2. Large bluefish are also biting off Goddard Park in Greenwich bay, Potter's Cove on Prudence Island and Ohio Ledge, says Bob Neilson of Wildwood Outfitters. "The blues are absolutely monstrous, and in large schools," he writes. Ken Ferrara recommended Brenton Reef and Beavertail Point for large blues. Smaller, 5- to 6-pound fish are biting near Halfway Rock, Hope Island, and Conanicut Point. On the Sakonnet River, Joe Latinville of Riverside Marine, said, "Catching bluefish on topwater plugs is almost a given at Fogland and Sandy points. The fish are up and down all day long. Tide doesn't matter."
3. Fluke as large as 9 pounds have been biting in the waters off Sakonnet Point, said Latinville.
4. BEACHES AND SALT PONDS: Fishing off South Kingstown has slowed some, Neilson reports. "People are saying that it's the first time they have been skunked all year," he writes.
5. Commercial rod-and-reel fishermen opened their fall season yesterday in high, westerly winds and rough seas. "The seas and calming down," Ron Mouchon reported from his boat yesterday morning, "so hopefully by the weekend, fishing will improve." Inside Charlestown Breachway, off the camping area, a young angler took a 34-inch striper Wednesday morning.
6. Bass have been taking eels at Watch Hill, plugs at the Weekapaug overlook at night, and tube-and-worm rigs inside Quonochontaug Pond, said Don Cameron of Captain Don's Bait & Tackle.
7. Inside the Narrow River and Ninigret and Quonochontaug Ponds, fly fisherman Ed Lombardo is catching stripers and hickory shad on the flood tide. "Peanut bunker and silversides are really abundant, and this can become a big problem," he writes. "With all of that bait around, your fly gets lost. Most of the bass are schoolies, anywhere from 15 to 20 inches, but there are occasional keepers. I'm fishing a No. 1 white Deceiver on a 12-foot leader with a 6-weight floating line. Another good fly is a black-and-white Clouser Minnow. Worm patterns also work, and for larger fish, I like to use a 4- to 5-inch-long squid pattern, all white with a little pink in the body."
8. Fluke remain at the Center Wall and also around the Charlestown Breachway in 40 feet of water, according to Neilson. To the west, the fluke have moved into much deeper water, said Cameron.
9. Scup are biting on the slack tides inside Quonochontaug Breachway and Stonington Harbor at high tide.
10. Sea-bass fishing is improving off Misquamicut, Cameron said.
11. Bonito appeared in Quonochontaug Breachway yesterday morning.
12. OFFSHORE: Swells and high winds have kept most boats at the dock this week, but before the blow, offshore anglers were catching a lot of mako sharks. Bill Slattery caught a 320-pounder at the Mud Hole, according to Ken Ferrara.
13. BLOCK ISLAND: "With the small bluefin tuna gone, we have focused our efforts on stripers," writes Chris Willi of Block Island Fishworks. "The past few days have been slow, but fish have been around. Those of us who did have success were fishing the early morning hours coinciding with a good tide. Bubblegum, rainbow, and chartreuse Slug-Gos have worked. Black Rock, Dories Cove, and North Light produced. Hula Charters' largest bass of the week was a 41-pounder. "There is plenty of bait around -- loads of it. Capt. Eric on the Rooster reports great sea bass action on the wrecks."
14. FRESHWATER: Twin Rivers Reservoir in North Providence is the best spot to fish for bass and hornpout, says Rudy D'Agostino of the R&Y Shop. Largemouths as large as 4.5 pounds have been taking shiners, and hornpout have been biting nightcrawlers between 6 and 10 p.m.

On The Water, RI, 9/8/05

1. Steve McKenna of Quaker Lane Bait and Tackle, North Kingstown told us the bass fishing is still pretty good and that it held up consistently throughout the month of August. Bill Nolan, one of his buddies, caught a 43-pounder from the beach at Narragansett on a live eel one day late last week. Steve himself has been doing well and catching bass on Slug-Gos and eels after dark pretty much every night. It’s been consistent action from smaller fish up to about the midteens for him and for his customers who are fishing the Narragansett area.
2. Big seas have made things unfishable since early in the week due to the storms offshore in the south. Once this situation passes, Steve expects the fishing to get back to normal.
3. Bluefish made a major appearance up inside Narragansett Bay since the rainstorms last week. Surprisingly, there has not been much reported in the way of bluefish action outside the bay. But up in the bay, Steve said the only place the blues aren’t hitting is in swimming pools.
4. Fluke fishing is on the way out this time of year. It’s slowed down pretty much all over the area, with a few scattered catches being made along the south shore beaches.
5. Scup fishing is still red hot and will be for a month or so more, but blackfish are slow for the moment. There are loads of bait around, which bodes well for the remainder of the fall.
6. Earl at Saltwater Edge, Newport reported that not too much has changed since last week’s report. Bluefish are present in the Newport area, but there aren’t many of them. The bait situation is not very good at this time, even the peanut bunker seem to have moved out of the Newport area. Speculation is that all of those bluefin tuna that were ripping around the area may have had something to do with this situation.
7. Mrs. Dangelo of Maridee Bait and Tackle, Narragansett, R.I. said anglers have been catching keeper stripers on clam bellies off the Point Judith docks in the evenings. Bass and blues are in the harbor refuge.
8. Captain Andy Dangelo caught a wahoo over Labor Day weekend on one of his offshore charters that was 24 pounds. The captain has been catching bass over 30 pounds off Block Island during his local striper charters.
9. Loads of bait in along the shore and beaches do draw and hold the predatory species. Early and later in the day, the bass are hitting eels and plugs. In the daylight hours, bluefish are the dominant catch off the jetties and breachways when the tide is running.
10. Fluke have slowed down, with a few minor catches being reported from the waters in front of the “Cottages” in 50 to 70 feet, but it’s definitely slowing down. Porgies are still thick, easy to catch and big.
11. Kevin at Breachway Tackle, Charlestown said this week was slow, in general. The fish (bass) haven’t been cooperating very well. Ron, owner of the shop, who has been slaying them all summer long, has been going out and not catching, so something is wrong. Kevin noted that Ron said the bass are hard to find and not biting when you do find them.
12. There are still plenty of bluefish and snappers up inside the salt pond and running in and out of the breachway, but the bass are a disappointment.
13. The bonito have been reported in the area, but nothing specific as to exactly where. One sighting took place off the Pt. Judith walls. As we all know, all news is old news when it comes to reports on any member of the tuna family because they move around so darn fast.
14. Fluke fishing is pretty much over. There may be a week or two left before it’s completely finished, but even now no one is doing very well.
15. Porgies are the best bet for action and filleting material when it’s needed.
16. Rob at Wildwood Outfitters, Wakefield said there was an increase in bluefish that are following the peanut bunker and silversides up into the bay and in along the beaches. There is a ton of bait in the Point Judith Salt Pond. Schoolie bass catches have picked up in Narragansett around the Avenues and in both the Pt. Judith and Charlestown Salt Ponds. The numbers of bass are up lately, but overall the average size is down. Eben Horton caught a 36-pounder along the Narragansett shore with one of his custom-made needlefish plugs in copper color, but that was the only big fish they heard of this week. Dannys and needlefish plugs are popular this time of year, as well as any of the Storm and similar swim baits.
17. The Mud Hole is holding albacore, bluefins and mahi-mahi, but no yellowfins yet. Many of their offshore fishermen are coming in for supplies, which is an indication that things are heating up. The Dip has been red hot for all the different tunas. Steve Flood, captain of the Rum Runner did an overnighter at The Dip and caught yellowfins, albies and mahi-mahi under weed patches by trolling and chunking after dark, the usual routine for a canyon run.
18. We missed John Swienton’s report from Twin Maples at Block Island this week.
19. Captain Don of Captain Don’s Tackle, Charlestown, Rhode Island said that this week there were a few small bluefins back on the south side of Fishers Island again as of Wednesday. One customer who was back there tube-and-worming, or trying to in the dirty water, said there were loads of bait with some small bluefins chasing them. But they disappeared too quickly to get a hook into any of them. There have continued to be random hookups from schoolie bluefins in The Race even since the majority of these fish moved off to the east two or three weeks ago. At his end of the beaches, the Quonny Breachway is alive with bass and bluefish that are chasing peanut bunker.
20. Don told me that there are more needlefish up inside the pond than he’s ever seen. This is good news because it will surely draw big bass up inside the pond where the guys in kayaks and small boats can have a crack at them.
21. In front of Watch Hill, a couple of his old-timers have been doing well by casting Creek Chub Darters. Daybreak and dusk have been consistently productive out front at the Quonny Breachway, where there are some decent keepers being caught on the dropping tide. Generally, the bite dies out with the tide or after the sun rises up above the trees.
22. Fluke have been moving in and out from the drifts that many anglers fish off Misquamicut in waters ranging from 45 to 80 feet and are still being caught, but not in big numbers. There are still good numbers of small fluke to be caught up inside the salt pond on small jigs baited with mummichogs. Last year they were gone by now, so anglers are lucky they are still around in catchable numbers.
23. Remember, this time of year, when all the bait moves inshore, so do the fluke, so look for them in shallow water up inside salt ponds, bays and river mouths. They are not gone yet, they are just not where they were all summer long.
24. Porgies are all over the place and are a “give me” for anyone who seeks them.
25. Hearsay midweek indicated that there were some albies out off the Quonny Breachway, but it was only secondhand news and not verified by another source. Captain Don saw bonito in the breachway a week back but has not seen any since. However, with all the bait around, he believes that it’s only a matter of time before these tunoids move in to feed – providing they come into the region.
26. Don of King Cove Marina, Stonington told us the big waves have made a mess of things along the south side of Fishers Island and around the Watch Hill Reef complex. The fish seem to have moved off the reefs and inside over the past week, since things began kicking up. The best fishing is being found between Sandy Point and Napatree Point, as well as out on the Stonington Flats where there have been good numbers of schoolies ranging on up to keepers of nearly 20 pounds. Kevin from the shop caught fish to 38 inches the other day. Sandy Point has been producing fish from both boat and surf – same thing over at Napatree Point.
27. Some false albacore have shown up off Charlestown and Quonny breachways, as well as out along the south side of Fishers Island, starting last week and right up to Wednesday.
28. Fluke fishing has slowed drastically, but sea bass and blackfish have picked up. Salted clams have been the ticket, rather than crabs, for blackfish, but remember that the season closes in Connecticut waters from September 7 until September 22, when it reopens through December. This second split in the season will be the time to mobilize and do some serious “togging.”
29. There have been weakfish caught up to nine pounds off the Quonny Breachway and up the beaches as far as Misquamicut. The odd report was made by a regular who fishes the beaches every morning. He noted that there were 5 little 10-inch weakfish that were beached, evidently chased into the shallows and washed up on the beach by bluefish early Wednesday morning.
30. Only a few blue crabs are around, and no one is really talking about them.

New York Pike Fishing

SILVER LAKE
Without question, Silver Lake is one of the premier pike waters in western New York. The 761-acre fishing hole in Wyoming County has everything a growing northern pike could want, including a rich forage base of alewives and perch and thick weeds to serve as spawning and ambush cover.

CONESUS LAKE
There is no place in New York where an angler can count on hooking a 30-pound pike, but Conesus Lake is one of a handful of waters where northerns that size are known to swim. DEC biologists have actually handled such fish during local netting forays.

SODUS BAY
For consistent catches of 4- to 8-pound northerns -- and occasional tussles with larger specimens -- it's hard to imagine a spot better than Sodus Bay. Catches of 10 or more such pike are frequently reported in the bay, and wallhangers of 15 to 18 pounds are caught each year.

SENECA RIVER/CROSS LAKE
The Seneca River begins as a canal outlet at the north end of Seneca Lake and then flows in a generally northeasterly direction for about 35 miles through the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge and Cross Lake before meeting the Oneida River and forming the Oswego River near Phoenix.

OWASCO LAKE
While its south end is known for giving up big pike through the ice, Owasco Lake is overlooked by Esox lovers during the warm months of the year. I suspect that's mainly due to the abundance of other game fish in the lake, including brown trout, lake trout and smallmouth bass. Certainly the 8- to 15-pound northerns that enthrall Owasco's hard-water cadre do not disappear in the summer.

SANDY POND
A 2,400-acre bay on Lake Ontario's Oswego County shore, Sandy Pond has a mean depth of 8 feet and a maximum depth of just 13 feet. Weedy from end to end, it's perfect habitat for northern pike and the panfish they love to eat. A run-of-the mill pike in Sandy Pond is a 5-pounder, but 15-pounders are caught annually. In July, the biggest pike will be in the deepest part of the bay, or tucked under weed mats or deadfalls in areas where boat traffic is relatively light.

SIXTOWN POND
Here's a bit of a sleeper, but it won't interest readers whose primary interest is a trophy-class northern. Sixtown Pond in Jefferson County doesn't grow many whoppers, but if you're one of those anglers who enjoy hooking lots of medium-sized pike in relative solitude, it could be just the retreat you've been looking for.

1,000 ISLANDS
Old-timers claim the pike fishing in the 1,000 Islands region of the upper St. Lawrence River isn't what it used to be, yet a good ice-fisherman will have no problem catching several nice fish per outing in Eel Bay, Chippewa Bay and other areas where northerns stage prior to their spring spawning run.

SARANAC CHAIN OF LAKES
The Adirondack region is full of good pike lakes, but the Saranac Chain of Lakes stands out as a consistent producer. Seven interconnected bodies of water are within a few minutes of the village of Saranac Lake in eastern Franklin County. They are Upper, Middle and Lower Saranac lakes, Weller Pond, Oseetah Lake, Kiwassa Lake and Lake Flower. A map of the chain may be obtained from the Saranac Lake Chamber of Commerce, 30 Main St., Saranac Lake, NY 12983. Perhaps the best all-round pike water in the chain is Middle Saranac, which spans 1,393 acres. Its average depth is only about 9 feet and there are plenty of weedbeds to hide northerns that average 2 to 4 pounds but sometimes grow to 8 or 10 pounds.

LAKE CHAMPLAIN
Northern pike are so abundant in the bays and creek mouths along Lake Champlain's shore that generations of sportsmen on the Vermont side once enjoyed shooting big northerns in the spring -- with deer rifles!

While the statewide creel limit of five pike per day applies to Lake Champlain, the minimum keeper size is 20 inches. Most will run considerably larger than that. Virtually the entire 110-mile length of Lake Champlain is home to at least a few northerns, but the most consistent fishing for the species is from Plattsburgh north. Kings Bay, off the mouth of the Great Chazy River, is excellent, as is the water around the abandoned railroad bridge stretching eastward from the village of Rouse's Point.

These areas may be accessed by taking U.S. Route 11 east from Malone or by following Route 87 and Route 9 north from Albany to the northern sector of the lake. Public and private marinas are available at Rouse's Point and Plattsburgh. For advice on accommodations, try the Plattsburgh-North Country Chamber of Commerce at (518) 563-1000.

Rich Clients to Help Out Fishing Guide

PORTLAND, Maine— The case of a single 11-inch smallmouth bass has reverberated far beyond a Maine lake and the fishing lodges of Maine's Grand Lake Stream, echoing through the courts to the canyons of Wall Street. It involves an undercover sting operation aimed at a popular fishing guide with an unblemished record, New York area investment advisers who combine wine tastings with fishing vacations, and allegations of abuse of power by the Maine Warden Service.

Fishing guide Randy Spencer spent two days on trial on a criminal charge that he helped a client keep one fish more than the legal limit. The trial ended in a hung jury in June, but a civil charge is pending, and the 56-year-old guide's well-heeled clients have planned a Manhattan dinner and concert to raise money to help defray his legal bills. Along the way, the Wall Street Journal, CNBC and the Bloomberg financial network have reported on the case.

It all started last year, say Spencer and his supporters, when the new owner of the venerable Weatherby's lodge on Grand Lake Stream decided to get a liquor license. As a result, the lodge told investment adviser David Kotok that he and his fishing buddies would no longer be permitted to bring their own wines on their visits, so the group took their business and libations elsewhere. Spencer, who had been a guide for Kotok, helped with the switch, a move that they say stirred up hard feelings among Weatherby's guides. Weatherby's owner Jeff MacEvoy denied that there was any animosity and said he had nothing to do with any complaints against Spencer.

Two weeks later, according to Spencer, a man who identified himself as Al Begin of Waitsfield, Vt., called to hire him for two days. Over their two days together last summer, Spencer said the client caught and released about 50 fish each day. "It was a great two days," he recalled. Three weeks later, however, district warden Brad Richard and his supervisor delivered a summons to Spencer. At his arraignment, Spencer learned that he was accused of helping undercover officer Albert St. Saviour, who was posing as Begin, illegally take three smallmouth bass from Big Lake. Spencer admits that there were three fish on the stringer on their first day of fishing, and that he fileted and grilled them. But he maintains that he caught one of the bass himself and the client kept only his legal limit of two.

He could have pleaded guilty to the criminal charge and the companion civil charge of failing to report a violation, and paid $100 in fines. But he also would likely have lost his guide's license for a year. The jury deliberated for nearly four hours at the June trial but was unable to reach a verdict. Prosecutors and Col. Tom Santaguida, the head of the warden service, decided against retrying such a minor case. However, the state still plans to proceed with a Sept. 22 trial on the civil complaint.

Spencer's legal bills already have reached $15,000. The New York fundraising dinner for Spencer is set for Nov. 5. Spencer's supporters also want to learn why a guide they say has the ethics of a Boy Scout was singled out as a target.

"I see a young 20-something game warden trying to make a name for himself by taking down a community pillar, and some jealous competitors and a whisper campaign," said Kotok, the chairman of Cumberland Advisers of Vineland, N.J. "And now that they were caught in it, the game warden bureaucracy is trying to dig in its heels and protect its turf because it backfired on them and they're embarrassed." Santaguida said the vilification that the warden service has received from Kotok and others has been balanced by support from the public, and he has no regrets about launching the investigation. "We hold guides to a very high standard," Santaguida said. [org pub telegram.com by Jerry Harkavy]

Old Bridge, NJ Shore Fishing

OLD BRIDGE — Fabio Dos Santos sat on the sandy shoreline in the northern corner of Old Bridge Waterfront Park Monday, surrounded by family and friends. While two fishing poles sat propped up in front of the 31-year-old Perth Amboy resident and the crew, the only thing they were catching were some Labor Day rays. But Dos Santos didn't seem to mind. He said they were having a good time on Raritan Bay, where they had the freedom to spread out as much as they wanted — something they said they wouldn't have at more popular Shore destinations. "We live close to here," said Dos Santos, who comes to the beach every other week. "It's always like this, not too crowded."

While most people opted for points farther south, Old Bridge Waterfront Park yesterday attracted a loyal following of sun worshippers and swimmers seeking to escape long drives to crowded shorelines. "I actually used to go to Sandy Hook, but gas is so expensive," said Edison resident Nellie Kanjo, as she sat on the beach with a magazine in her hand. "If you want to come and get some quick rays, it does the job." The 24-year-old Rutgers University graduate student said she doesn't have to contend with traffic to get here and, generally, feels more at ease.

It's quiet, isolated, it's unknown, and it's free. Near Morgan Bridge, where Cheesequake Creek empties into the bay, fishermen dotted the water's edge. Kids kicked soccer balls in the sand while adults sunbathed and listened to the distant drone of personal watercraft . Juan Valentin, 52, of Elizabeth, said this strip of county waterfront has come a long way. "

This beach was dirty before, but they fixed it up," Valentin said. "They used to have flies as big as bees. The water is cleaner." said Valentin and his wife, Sonia, said coming to Old Bridge does save them money on gas, but that isn't the reason they usually spend time here. "If gas was cheaper, I'd come here anyway because they fixed it up," he said, fishing pole at his feet.[org pub Asbury Park Press BY JOHN MAJESKI]

Montaukm 8/30/05

During the week the offshore fishing was restricted a bit by the weather, but as the weekend approached, the winds moderated and the boats were able to get out to the vicinity of fifty fathoms, and they caught tuna. The tuna fishing is a bit frustrating though because of a lack of consistency. As one charter captain put it "one day a hero, and the next a zero" And, you can get back to the dock only to find out that you were only 6-7 miles away from a bonanza.

The shark fishing though is very consistent, if not spectacular. Big and medium bluesharks and small makos, with occasional nice sized ones. Just about every boat does the same, three or four sharks, and not very far out, fifteen to twenty miles max.

Inshore the fluke fishing continues to wind down. I remember years ago Labor Day weekend was the peak of the big fluke season. One trip stands out in my mind. We had spent the day slamming the Cartwright bluefish and on the way in made one drift for fluke. In that one drift we had four fluke of 10-1/2, 10, 9-1/2 and 7 pounds. Now most of the big fish are caught in the spring. You can still get occasional doormats now, but you have to have a lot of patience. The FLYING CLOUD is out of the fluke business for the rest of the year and now it’s all porgies all the time. LAZYBONES would probably like to switch over to diamond jigging except that it doesn’t seem like it would be very consistent yet.

Striped bass fishing seems to be slowly improving, plus there are good amounts of bluefish around at times, much to the dismay of those using the live porgies. [via email report]

Philadelphia & Suburbs

Conditions great for holiday fishing

By STEVE CARPENTER
Burlington County Times

This Labor Day weekend should prove to be ideal for saltwater anglers working anywhere along the coast. Fluke and croakers have been pretty plentiful for those fishing off the beaches, with impressive black bass coming from the wrecks.

Weakfish catches have been improving the last two weeks, but many continue to be throwbacks, with the north end of Long Beach Island a popular area.

Boats working Myers Hole, Marchelder Channel and B1 Buoy report better-than-average catches, with clam or the popular squid and minnow combo doing the trick. Much of the croaker catches are coming right off the beaches in about 40 feet of water, with clam and squid a top bait choice. Surf anglers are also scoring with croakers with clam baited on top and bottom rigs.

To the south at Delaware Bay, boats continue to pickup fair numbers of croakers, weaks and fluke. In addition, tautog have been reported from several areas. Anglers are reminded the tog season is closed until Sept. 28 in Delaware waters.

Those fishing for weakfish and striped bass are finding sporadic results, with the incoming most productive. Bottom action continues to be focused on croaker, spot, flounder, bluefish and weaks, with 14-Foot Light, Miah Maul and Crossledge getting most of the attention.