It was December 16, 2001, and after a Scotch tasting on the Angler’s Membership, I had fallen asleep (learn: “handed out”) on the subway again to Rockaway. It was superb I nonetheless had my pockets, to not point out my laptop computer, after I awoke someplace in Brooklyn to my telephone ringing. I attempted to say howdy, however my voice wasn’t but working. “The place the hell are you?” stated Capt. David Azar earlier than I may communicate. We had been going to make one final go of it earlier than pulling the boat and calling it a season. “Get a cup of espresso and I’ll be there in a half an hour I stated.” An hour later I used to be combating off a splitting headache whereas peeling again the fingers of my fleece gloves in order that I may chip the ice off the overboard discharge tube of my outboard. I may see my breath as I blew on the guidelines of my fingers in hopes that I might be capable of really feel them once more quickly. By now I used to be starting to noticeably doubt my resolution to not pull the boat two weeks in the past. My outboard sputtered and stalled after I turned the important thing. Apparently it wasn’t comfortable about being out on this chilly water both. After a couple of phrases of encouragement, it sputtered to life and we had been off.
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Ten minutes later we’re greeted at Breezy Level jetty by acres of gannets dive-bombing the water. As we approached, probably the most extraordinary bass blitzes occurred proper earlier than our eyes. A whole lot of fish north of 20-pounds plowing although faculties of 10-inch herring. All of the sudden my headache was gone and we had been each fairly heat. We launched so many fish that day within the 20- to 30-pound vary we misplaced depend. Good factor I didn’t pull the boat!
Earlier than stepping into the main points of such extraordinary December fishing in my neck of the woods, let me provide the next disclaimer: It’s often not this good. Any native sharpie will let you know that December in New York Harbor is dominated by schoolies. Normally you’ll discover loads of these small fish underneath birds on peanut bunker or sand eels. As soon as I begin seeing huge numbers of these 20-inch fish, I do know it’s going to be over quickly. But each few years the celebrities align and the circumstances are excellent for all these huge bass which have been hanging out in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut to come back reserving down the coast proper in regards to the time the herring arrive. When that occurs, all hell breaks free.
It’s no secret that huge bait brings in huge fish, and these herring are usually within the 10-inch vary. And it’s additionally well-known that bass are likely to get somewhat loopy within the fall. Significantly within the late fall. As they put together for the lengthy migration, these fish eat something and all the things, attacking their meals with reckless abandon. Removed from being over, December may be one of the best month of the 12 months for sticking a trophy bass on mild sort out. However as I discussed, it definitely doesn’t occur yearly.
In 2001, we had a very hot November, however when December rolled round we had some important chilly snaps, adopted by fairly a couple of unseasonably heat days earlier than it received nasty once more. I imagine this created the proper circumstances for the bass and herring to be on the identical place on the identical time.
Undoubtedly, a profitable and productive December relies upon not solely on herring, however the timing of the striped bass migration, and that has loads to do with the climate. In my expertise, we have to have a comparatively heat November for the stripers to hold round lengthy sufficient for his or her migration to intersect that of the herring. If it will get chilly and nasty early in November, the bigger fish have a tendency to maneuver down the coast sooner than they’d have in any other case, thereby by no means encountering the herring in our neck of the woods. Optimally, what we would like is a benign November with none snow. It doesn’t matter that a lot if it will get chilly rapidly in December as it could take some time for the water temp to catch up. Plus, chilly snaps flip fish on and make them feed like loopy. In fact, getting out in such circumstances presents its personal set of challenges.
Such excellent fishing in Decrease New York Harbor additionally is dependent upon the arrival of the herring, in fact. Normally it’s late November when these fish head to overwintering areas from the New York Bight to Cape Hatteras. Whereas overfished (and with an unsure future), Atlantic herring are nonetheless thought-about probably the most ample fish species of the world. Residing and touring in massive faculties, these silvery streamlined fish are 9 to 14 inches lengthy.
The perfect factor about this final shot at stripers is their generally extraordinary dimension. There’s actually no different time of the 12 months the place you possibly can witness massive bass blitzing massive bait in such a reckless trend. There are the occasional blitzes on grownup bunker within the spring in North Jersey, however within the fall, bass are frantic to pack on kilos feed all of the extra voraciously. The ferocity of a late-fall, bass-on-herring blitz is a sight to behold.
With the intention to see a lot of herring in Decrease New York Harbor, chilly circumstances are key. It’s usually well-known that herring are a coldwater species, and their arrival often is dependent upon a great stint of under freezing air temperatures.
Since 2001, we’ve had a number of years of massive fish on herring, however it by no means lasted greater than a day or two. Normally, as soon as these chilly snaps begin occurring in December, they don’t cease. And with chilly snaps, you often get laborious northwest wind which makes getting out to the fish tough. I’d should suppose there have been loads of crazy-big bass blitzes on herring on these days the place it was simply too chilly and too windy to sail. So it’s an inexpensive risk that this form of extraordinary fishing occurs for every week or two throughout each December, however the climate is simply too nasty for anybody to get out and be there for the blitzes. And actually, few of us would even hassle withstanding such uninviting components like freezing salt spray, particularly after December 15th, when striper fishing in New York State turns into catch and launch solely.
There have additionally been loads of years the place the herring arrive and all now we have are schoolies round as a result of the massive fish have already left. It’s attention-grabbing to witness a 20-inch fish attempting to eat a 10-inch bait, however not fairly as enjoyable as watching a 20-pounder eat a pencil popper.
Striped bass can definitely face up to stand some very chilly water temps. Striped bass are cold-water animals, in any case. I’ve discovered that they’re not antagonistic to water temperatures within the 40s, so long as that huge bait is round. That leaves us a big area within the late fall/early winter the place these fish are nonetheless actively feeding. And after they feed throughout this time of the 12 months, man, they actually feed! However, if there isn’t a lot different bait round, equivalent to peanut bunker and/or sandeels, the bigger bass aren’t prone to stick round lengthy. Take into account these fish are on the transfer and if there isn’t any forage they aren’t going to remain.
Discovering herring may be as straightforward as searching for gannets. These are massive birds. They appear like a seagull on steroids, but they’re simply distinguished not solely as a consequence of their dimension however by the truth that they shoot straight down into the water from nice heights, really submersing themselves fully to catch their prey. Gannets are likely to observe bigger baits, and after they arrive within the late fall, they’re nearly all the time on herring.
My favourite bait for the herring-crazed bass is a blue-and-white pencil popper. The noise-making capabilities and the attractive side-to-side wounded-baitfish motion will get a stripers consideration proper fast, and their profile appears very very similar to a herring’s. For those who decide up a herring additionally, you will discover a blue tint to its again, thus the explanation I desire to make use of the blue and white coloration. The first motive that is my first selection out of the field is due to the superior floor strikes the pencil will draw. Bass simply hammer this stuff, generally coming fully out of the water to seize them. There are dozens of producers, however I exploit the plastic Cotton Cordell model for a couple of causes. The primary is the truth that it floats. Typically, significantly later within the day, you’ll get more and more cautious fish that observe your plug, boiling on it, however not placing it. When this occurs I discover I get numerous strikes by pausing the bait (leaving it lifeless within the water). I get numerous laborious takes as soon as I begin retrieving it after such a pause. You merely can’t try this in case you have a plug that sinks. There’s additionally the additional advantage of retaining the plug within the water longer with such pauses. I additionally like these baits as a result of the have a rattle in them which undoubtedly attracts consideration.
Subsequent on my listing of go-to lures can be the 9-inch Slug-Go or comparable tender plastics. These baits provide a reasonably good dimension and profile imitation of a wounded herring, and each draw some ferocious floor strikes when labored on or simply underneath the floor. In fact, you possibly can fish down deep additionally, and guys do stick some fairly good fish with diamond jigs, weighted soft-plastics and bucktails, however why would you wish to hassle doing that when you possibly can catch them on the floor? Massive ravenous floor feeing stripers is what the late-season New York Harbor fishing is all about in my ebook. For those who’re a fly-fisher, throw huge slender flies. Certain there are herring patterns on the market, however something with numerous lengthy feathers appears to work simply fantastic on this scenario.
For those who fish the Decrease New York Harbor space, maybe you must suppose twice earlier than winterizing the boat, or placing all of your surf gear away for the winter. In December striped bass are making ready for his or her migration right down to their wintering grounds offshore of North Carolina and Virginia. It’s fairly an extended journey, they usually burn numerous energy alongside the best way, so these bass really feel a powerful organic urge to fatten up and pack on the gas for the journey. If the climate patterns enable a gathering of the herring and stripers in New York Waters, it can lead to a number of the most extraordinary blitzes of the 12 months. Let’s hope that occurs this 12 months.
