Tag Archives: striped bass

Hot Fall Fishing Action in NYC

Cat is out of the bag but loves the water!

The fall saltwater fly fishing season in New York and vicinity is HOT!

nyc false albacore fly fishing

Blind casting can be rewarding when fish are near but seemingly "out of reach"

Cooling air temps and the subsequent fall in water temperatures in New York provide special times when multiple species can caught from shore, jetty, or beach. In NYC’s marine saltwaters, its the Striped bass, bluefish and false albacore that draw people from their slumber and delay them in the evenings! Yeah!

As someone who has fished from shore enough to be considered down-right crazy by the locals, I encourage you to find your favorite areas and work them thoroughly, steadily, and with routine and even at regular intervals such a 3 evenings in a row, or two pre-dawn mornings back to back. This will hep you see minor changes in the habitat and structure of the beach, and how the current runs at different tide stages. Soon then you will learn, Hey! This spot fishes best during top flood tides and this spot holds bait better on the bottom half of  outgoing/incoming tides. You may also discover that the current comes closer to shore at a certain stage in the tide than at other times! Thats always a plus! I always looks for places where my line move sideways when cast into the water. This confirms that current is present and saltwater fish absolutely love the feeding advantages that strong current provides them.

Fly Fishing from the beach or jetties can be very rewarding if good strategy is practiced. Don’t let the other fisherman around you discourage you, or tell you if the fish are biting or not although I cant help but stop and ask because I live to hear fishing stories.

Perhaps though, it is possible that they just didn’t figure out the bite that day and maybe they didn’t use enough finesse to make a catch. I just prefer that the fish tell me whether or not they are hungry! Many times I have gotten up-to-the-minute reports from others telling me nothing is eating. Then after I get out there and spend some time working an area the fish usually tell me if they are interested or not! A few aspects of saltwater fly fishing (particularly in the Northeast) that should be mentioned here is that there are a few key things that can be done to get your own first-hand opinion on how the fish are biting. Worse case you’ll get in some good practice casting!

Once you settle into an area that looks fishy, work your flies through the entire water column. I typically start with a fly that rides shallow in the water, for better visibility which gives me the chance to see a fish follow or even strike the fly. This will tell me if the fish are playful and if they follow but reject the fly, then I can make minor adjustments to my approach, technique of presentation and fly selection. It is also important to start fishing by making short casts, essentially fishing the area within a 40-ft radius of your feet. If then there are no takers, I will begin working the water column from the top down, casting further out as I continue prospecting. Make casts in ways in which the fly and line have time to sink (such as when casting up current) and follow the fly back down, across and behind, as if swinging spey style.  Keep the line tight and stay in contact with the fly at all times. This will help you cover water in a uni-lateral direction. Pay close attention to currents whether they be up, down, or across as well as the vertical part of the water column. This will help you rule out unproductive water as well as help you determine where in the water column the fish are feeding and what the fish have in their preference lists. Usually I will also throw two or even three patterns through a certain area before moving on. The fish pictured above ate on the second cast of the 4th fly pattern I had selected to fish in that area.

Additionally, don’t overlook your tippet selection if you are in the mood to tangle with a false albacore. Even in stained or dingy water slightly off-color, I find that dropping my tippet to 15-lb TroutHunter 0x fluorocarbon tippet still pays off when most others are not getting bites at confirmed fish such as when casting into a boil or breach. You can get TroutHunter tippets in Manhattan at Urban Angler. Spools are 50 yards, yes thats right, FIFTY Yards!

Lastly, I strongly suggest using the two-handed stripping technique, after the cast, the rod is tucked under the arm and both hands are used, palms up, to strip line in. The most known benefit of this technique is to allow you to move the fly faster but in my opinion the most invaluable benefit of this retrieve is that one hand always has contact with the line in which case you can detect even the most subtle strikes, or strikes from fish that come straight at you as well as allow you to set the hook in an instant without having to reach for more line. One hand or the other remains in contact with the line at all times. Strip setting is now made faster because the hook can be set with either hand at any given moment! The trick of using this retrieve to its fullest potential is to strip line smoothly with both hands, but doing so slowly, and only fast enough that you maintain tension on the line during the retrieve. Then you can change it up a bit by adding a twitch or two and or making a longer pull with your stripping hand. Stops and starts of the fly can also be finessed from most any fly using this technique so long as you keep the rod tip pointed at the fly line where it enters the water.

Close but not close enough

Notice the bay anchovy is not two-tone . The bottom of the tail is also the same color as the back of the fish.

Fly Tying tip du jour:   Clousers Minchovy (modified minnow)

When tying Bob Clouser’s monument fly, the Clouser Minnow, use a short dubbing loop to dub the body of the fly behind the dumbell eyes with Hareline Ice Dub or SLF Prism dubbing. This covers the tread wraps but also imitates the silver lined stomach cavity that the bay anchovies have so distinguished. On the bay anchovy, their bodies are almost completely translucent tannish brown. The only two body parts on a bay anchovy that are not translucent are the lining of its stomach (silver/opaque) and their eyes.

Therefore, if you tie a clouser minnow in all tan buck tail with dumbell eyes of choice, then dub the body of this fly with some pearl flash dubbing as mentioned above, and Voila, you have a more precise imitation. Note: tan is not the only color scheme to use, I also ties these in off-white, light olive, dark olive, pink, chartreuse, and even black and purple. Use similar and corresponding shades for the dubbing as well to keep the color scheme common.

Remember to keep your hook sharp (Go Tiemco!) and get out there and fish for the fresh air and practice if for nothing else!

Keeping the hooks sharp,
Captain Ken Jones
Kenjo Fly Fishing
ken@kenjofly.com

 

Guerilla Bluefish-ing in NY Bight

WOW! New York bight fishing was filled with screaming drags & aerial acrobatics!

stay tuned to Kenjo Fly Fishing in New York City

MORE TO COME!!!

My guest today was vacationing in NYC from Europe and really showed his world-wide angling skills! We really put a hurtin on some monster, I mean, MONSTER Bluefish! Right out of the gate, FISH ON, and once we got this 15-lb bluefish to the boat we spotted another fish, which resembled a giant 30-lb bass, which was chasing down the big bluefish already on the hook and under siege!!! Sure wish we could have gotten a closer look at whatever fish that was!!!!

When I grabbed the tail of this bluefish, it spit out the whole bunker, all in one piece! Upon closer inspection this ancient bluefish had literally no teeth!

no teeth

International Angler Zyed battles monster bluefish in NY Bight

After witnessing this event unfold before my very eyes today, it certainly supports the idea that these two species of fish will swim side-by-side and compete head to head for food flushing out of Jamaica Bay! The silver-sides and bay anchovies are getting hammered as well. Find the birds and you will find the cocktail bluefish… Remember to have fun and keep switching up lures or flies until you find the fish that eats! It is also a good idea to remove any front end trebles on plugs, swimmers and other casting lures. Single hooks simply make for safer landing and de-hooking so you can get that plug back in the water! Plus, it tears up the fish so much less that there is no reason not to reduce the total number of hook points on your lures. WinWin for the angler, and the fish!

Pre-shaped haywire twists were a good finisher to the day after using up all the 50-lb mono on the boat! I prefer large test mono instead of wire because it is easier on the hands when landing fish and it doesn’t kink after a few fish. Nonetheless, it is a good idea to wear a fish glove when handling the bluefish too! It allows for better leader control which aids in better protection for your hands from line cuts to the fingers or palms. For convenience I only use one glove on my non-dominant hand, which handles the leader until the fish is under control and while handling the fish for quick pics and the release.

Freebird

SO! Like a bird, get out there with your light-weight tins, heavy metals (yeah!), and small 2-inch to 5-inch cream colored flies with a silver stripe down each side and even throw in some live bait if you can keep it alive. It is a good thing the bunker are still in town. Until next time, keep your hooks & your wits sharp! Change is good and so is the challenge in cracking the code of finding huge fish that are no where near the birds!

 

Keeping the hooks sharp,
Captain Ken Jones
Kenjo Fly Fishing
Licensed by USCG (OUPV)
361-500-2552

 

Grunts heard around Jamaica Bay

Blasting 20-knot+ winds and hammering tides coming off a full moon had the bass inside Jamaica Bay pulling their Houdini hats down over their noggins yesterday.

Jamaica Bay Striper

Just look at the size of that TAIL! Is that a sign of BIG BASS potential?

The bait is there in some places, mostly 10-14inches in size and not in the denser concentrations we would all like to see. The striped bass inside the bay are being a little elusive and can sometimes make it necessary to get back on the hunt to check for fish in multiple spots… Outside in and around NY Bight is rumored to be another story…

Nonetheless, we managed to pickup a couple of striped bass, both had a good amount of energy when they swam away, tails kicking fast and furious! It was interesting also to see a schoolie bass come up that had survived, or should I say, narrowly escaped, what appeared to be 4 separate attacks from diving birds of some sort, most likely a gannet… For the bass’ sake, he was lucky to have escaped the clutching razor sharp beaks of those birds with only scratches and quite a few missing scales… and for the gannet, i hope he was more successful in subsequent attempts to find dinner!

On another note, it is good to see the kind officers of the DEC out on patrol, stopping on their way past, just to see how the fishing was going! Always good to know these men are out there on the water and brave enough to take on the elements to provide us marine security and enforcement of our fishing regulations.

As of late a few Osprey’s have been sighted as well, and are such magnificent animals to bear witness when they are able to pick up a 14-inch bunker and fly away with it!

Until next time, pray the wind lay low…

Keeping the hooks sharp,
Captain Ken Jones
Kenjo Fly Fishing
Licensed by USCG (OUPV)
361-500-2552
ken@kenjofly.com

Jamaica Bay Bass Action

The bass action in Jamaica Bay is officially ON (THE FLY)!!!

Jamaica Bay Striped Bass

early season striped bass j-bay

…after a brief scouting mission and initial sea trial, lady luck was on our side and the striped bass are eating flies already this spring and that means good stuff!!!

Nothing like getting the backing salty during the second to last day of March!!!

If you are looking for striped bass they are definitely here with quality sized fish in the mix… There will be some bruisers here in no-time. Hope to hear from you soon.

Feel free to call anytime!
Keeping the hooks sharp,
Captain Ken Jones
Kenjo Fly Fishing
Licensed by USCG (OUPV)
361-500-2552

Invaluable Valuables

There were notable days, and single notable catches. Each were spectacular in their own way due to the uniqueness of how the catch was made. What I find most intriguing about these mentionable catches is that it was what the FISH did that made it most exciting. Other times a particular catch stood out among the rest because of how much effort which can require not only a high physical level of endurance but also a mental endurance of epic proportions… Thus why the catch took the “blue ribbon”. The striped bass shown below blessed my father by giving him the privilege to battle this glorious specimen and it brings me pride knowing that my Pops had a chance to catch, battle, admire and release such a marvelous creature…

2011 record striper

The striped bass pictured above was caught and released on live menhaden during late June in the NY Bight vicinity. Because this fish bottomed-out a 30lb Boga, we only took her measurements (length & girth) and after using several different online calculators the estimated weight for all the calculators (including the online, IGFA calculator) came in at over 40lbs. I am so happy to know that this fish was released very lively, because returning the freedom of life that it had earned by surviving the ocean long enough to grow this big shows how life is resilient. This valiant effort that took place between fish and man can teach us all important lessons and the lesson is that any fish that is killed just so it can be “certified” as a record is a true waste! Letting a fish like this live so it can continue to contribute to the resource is most invaluable! I am certain that our future generations of children and their children would agree!

 
Keeping the hooks sharp
Captain Ken Jones
ken@kenjofly.com
361-500-2552

Hot Bass Action Montauk NY

Hot Striped Bass action Montauk Point

Little Pink Lady Strikes AGAIN!

If you have ever heard the expression “Get it while it’s HOT”, just apply that saying to the quality of fly fishing available in Montauk right now!

Some very nice keeper+ sized striped bass have moved in thick now and are feeding almost as if they were intoxicated! Nonetheless, they will be picky if you do not follow the basics of matching the hatch. Its not just about how it looks, but more importantly in how you move the fly. Most flies that resemble a 3-4″ spearing or 1-2″ bay anchovy are getting hit regularly, and then there are some flies that get absolutely chomped by everything!

The biggest battle that remains is how many times can a fly get chewed before the fish begin to refuse it? The Little Pink Lady (above) is one tough mother!  This fly was first tied sitting on the boat at the dock while preparing for a day of albie chasin! Taking multiple species in one day and more than 10 albies have been taken on a single fly it proves just how durable it really is! The fish just cannot wear out this fly and I have only witnessed one refusal! Of course, it is a very good idea to inspect and/or simply retie the tippet after a few fish are landed.

Bay Anchovy Pattern

Never use a dull hook! Keep’em sharp!

The false albacore bite is staying strong and steady, 15lb fluorocarbon is a must even in sloppy conditions and they have begun to feed in smaller packs but the ratio of strikes to landings remain. The Alchovie Fly (shown at left) is one that even the most stubborn of little tunny wont refuse.

Next, it holds true that if you work the areas along the outer edges of the fleet slowly you are certain to find schools of fish that are not already surrounded by boats and on most occasions these situation are where you will experience the best blitzes Montauk has to offer! You’ll be sure to look up from your spool after watching the backing ripped off faster than ever and notice that there is not another boat in sight! Just love it when the fish strikes, turns, and heads for open ocean! If you happen to hook up right away and the fleet finds your school of fish to more interesting than the one previously, let’em have it and just quietly move onto the next pod of fish that is out in the open, off to the side, or  1-2 miles upwind from the fleet…

Capt Kenjo 361-500-2552

Sunset behind the Montauk Lighthouse Long Island

As the sun sets, Montauk Lighthouse is getting ready to assume duties for the night…

 

 

World Record Striped Bass

world record striped bass

Possible Word Record striped bass?

A new potential world record striped bass was caught last night from a boat off the Connecticut coast on a live eel. This fish was supposedly caught by Al Stromski and submitted into the Striper Cup. The fish was weighed in at Shoreline Bait and Tackle in Westbrook CT.

If the IGFA certifies this fish as the new world record it could break the previous record by over 3 lbs which was set back in 1982.

On the Water magazine is heading there now to confirm these rumors…

Stripers Online also has comments on this fantastic catch!

 

Fly Fishing Montauk

Montauk NY – SPECIAL KENJO FLY FISHING ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

Lighthouse at Montauk Point

Montauk Lighthouse on a calm fall day

With great pleasure I am pleased to announce that at the end of September I will be taking Sweetpea to Montauk!!! In late September, Montauk has some of the most epic fly fishing in all the Eastern Seaboard! Massive gear preparations are already underway! It will be interesting to see how many grand slams will come over the course of these dates?

To get in on the action give me a call or shoot me an email as soon as possible as these dates are limited and filling fast!

Currently, I am available for the dates listed below:

September 24/25/27/28/29/30/31  & October 1/2/3

Keeping the hooks sharp,
Captain Ken Jones
Kenjo Fly Fishing – Guide Services
Licensed by USCG (OUPV)
361-500-2552
Member F.C.A.

Warming Trends

NY Stripers in July

Rockaway Striper caught in July

As the weather warms the water and the gulf stream continues to push its warm currents closer to shore, the fishing is heating up more than ever! Any given day, there have been opportunities to head out early and get on some really big bass, which are hanging around the remaining schools of bunker that are still present in NY Bight and Lower NY Harbor. This particular activity seems to be winding down as the water temperature begins to rise past the 70 degree mark.

Mahi Mahi visit NYC

These dolphinfish were very aggressive!

These Mahi-mahi came into the spread completely covered in solid blue neon colors! She hit the shotgun rigger and she put on a spectacular show! These fish are aggressive and travel in packs…

We will be hunting these beauties through the summer along with some school bluefin… Plan to use some hookless teasers to get’em on the fly!

With over 7 species of baitfish in the water and more on the way, there are great chances to have a fantastic summer run of spanish mackerel, bonito, skipjack tunas and certainly the false albacore.

Give me a call asap if you want to get out on the water!

Striper Fishing NYC

Striped Bass on top
Topwater Striped Bass

Have you ever wanted to catch a huge striped bass on top?

I have to admit, these fish are brutal eaters! They like to tail slap the bait around and play with their food like a cat with a mouse. Some say they do this just for fun, others believe they do this to tenderize their food before making it a meal. Others think that the fish is just checking their food for hooks, and that certainly makes this fish smarter than most people give them credit for. Another theory is that the fish is injuring their prey to make an easier meal. In my experience, all of these reasons seem to be true at one point or another.

On many occassions I have witnessed these fish hit a plug up to 5 or 6 times before they finally commit and eat… when this happens it can be the most exhilirating time to be an observer and an even more exciting time as an angler!

If you want to chase after these ocean bulldogs called stripers, they will ceratinly test your wits and keep you on your toes simply give me a call to check availability. There are only a few dates left in June and if it was anything like last year, JUNE was the best month for bass fishing!!!

On another note, a moderate to experienced fly fisherman should be able to reach these fish with a topwater fly, something that which is certain to take this fishing to the next level!

To book a reservation, contact me ASAP at 361-500-2552 or email ken@kenjofly.com

Keeping the hooks sharp,Captain Ken JonesKenjo Fly FishingBrooklyn, New York