Madison, Captain Morgan

1. Without warning the wavelets erupted into a froth—whole and less than whole--menhaden multi-directed and propelled by the force of crushing jaws. Fish were jumping and gulls diving, drawn to bits of fresh food there for the taking. A mile long at least, this scene was not the only one being played out on the Sound. It was a day that bluefish anglers wait for and hope they become part of—this unfolding adventure.
2. Fishermen are drawn to this scene that has been described over and over again as a compulsion to catch fish. Blues are drawn in because of their need to feed. The fish they are most notably consuming are menhaden or bunker, a stock that over the years has been depleted and continues to be drained but that is not where this is going.
3. Instead, we are focused on the rush that comes from an angler patiently waiting for the right time to hit their favorite point or rip or boulder field. Those first few chill-filled nights that seem to reach out beckoning for the frost to come. The faint tint of color that suddenly appears one morning when the fog lifts to unveil the horizon.
4. Up a tidal river, schools of bunker stealthily invade, causing hardly a ripple to the naked eye. It is quiet as they forge inward toward the shallows, those adults looking to spawn. There is no commotion from following bluefish or bass. As the tide transforms from slack to ebb, a lonely angler in a bare bones boat casts his net coaxing it until it begins to gradually swell and then pull. His reward is a small number of live fish, firm from the cold and somewhat oily to the touch.
5. On any other given day, this same river can be swollen with boats, nets, and anglers trying to catch their bait and avoid the unavoidable—gunwale banging and tangled monofilament. On this day however, to the relief of this angler, the river was void of that type of activity. Now, all that was left was to haul the fish-laden net and keep his catch—now bait—alive until reaching one of his favorite flood tide spots before sunrise.
6. There have been plenty of bass caught this season and this was to be a bluefish blast. And a bluefish blast it was! Put live or really fresh bait in front of feeding bluefish and one thing is for certain. Not only will there be a hook up—but a ferocious one. Blues hit hard before the bait hardly had time to gain its bearings. A few feet below the surface, smacking jaws pursued the lively baits up the water column and across the surface—often two or more in pursuit. Repeatedly, this was how it was, a win-win situation—except for the few fish meant for that evening's dinner table or the smoker. A few fish for a few fish—that's how it ought to be.
7. Striped bass over the low to mid 30-pound range are moving into the Sound with cows more than 40 pounds right behind. Although the water temperatures are still quite warm for this time of year, the recent few brisk mornings, cloudy skies and shorter days helped the migration along. Action has been red-hot at the Race and that trend continues westward to Six Mile, Southwest, and Faulkner's Island.
8. Live bait such as eels and menhaden are scoring well for anglers as is freshly caught bunker—fished whole, sliced/diced, or chunked. Shore catches have improved however in certain areas, like sluiceways, seaworms and swimming plugs continue to be strong baits to use. Many tidal rivers are attracting striper anglers who are looking to hook up on a fly rod or light spinning outfits. Soon the colorful fall foliage will enhance the already picturesque scenery.
9. Runs of baitfish, such as mullet, have been bringing in the bass notwithstanding the schools of silversides and bunker. Competition from these baits can, at times, make the fishing challenging but persistence usually pays off. The recent new moon phase and flood tides fell just right for many working anglers who took advantage of every castable hour. Typically, the results reflected the efforts with many good catches made.
10. Tautog (blackfish) also turned on with fish in the 6 to 10 pound range being caught not only from many local reefs but also from jetties and rock piles close to shore. Mieg's Point, Madison Reef, and Kimberly Reef were good spots to hook up. In most cases, the action was steady once togs were located. They took crabs, sandworms, clams and mussels with the former out-producing the others. There ought to be plenty of good blackfishing days ahead until the season closes down on Dec. 14.
11. A normally freshwater bass angler hurriedly returned to the shop looking to replace a rod and reel that he had just lost to a blue—his first encounter with a bluefish ever. Apparently, he was catching good size porgies off Madison when a pair of blues took an interest and proceeded to dine on his a freshly hooked scup. Amazed at the size and its chopping jaws, Jeremy was unable to recover his gear but did learn, in part, what bluefishing is all about. Those scup were indicative of what's been happening on the porgy scene. Big fish, with even bigger appetites.
12. As far as blues, they are here in force! Snappers are big. Harbors are almost everywhere. And choppers moved into casting range. These fish are hungry and full of fight—the kind anglers hope for this time of year. Whether chunk/chumming, hurling lures, or using any other hook attracting method, given the right set of circumstances, you will be into these fish if you hit the Sound. [org pub Shore Publishing, by Captain Morgan]