Northeast Saltwater Fishing Reports: NY, NJ, RI, MASS, CT, MA and NH Fishing Reports: Updated September 12, 2009

Striped Bass, Bluefish, Ablies and Bonita (aka Bones) fishing is busting loose in the Northeast! The last few days there has been some bad weather which has kept anglers off the water, but before that it’s been pretty wide open for light tackle and fly anglers. Full details in the reports below. (pictured is Will who was fishing with Capt. Phil Cronin Capawock Charters out of Martha’s Vineyard this past week and landed this beautiful albie. Way to go Will! Full story below in Phils report)

Northeast Saltwater Fisheries News
There are striped bass hearings coming to your state regarding the topic of allowing North Carolina to roll over their commercial quota on a yearly basis, ASMFC refers to it as Addendum II. You need to read this and make your position known. Click here for full details and dates of meetings.

Northeast Saltwater Fishing Reports
*note the northeast fishing reports work their way up the coast from south to north starting with New Jersey.

New Jersey Saltwater Fishing Reports

Capt. Byan DiLio from Iowa Fortune Guide Service fishing in and around Ocean City and Atlantic City reported in:

Extreme weather had me blown out all week. will be back on the water starting this weekend.Have a great week end. Bryan

The Beach Haven Charter Boat Association reported in from Beach Haven:

The captains of the Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association are making the preparations for the upcoming shift from summer to fall fishing. Captain Adam Nowalski of the “Karen Ann” reports he will be targeting sea bass and croakers in September.Captain Adam says the drop in air temperatures will soon bring a drop in water temperatures provoking a hotter bite from the sea bass. He also is looking for some good croaker action in the ocean. Meanwhile Captain George Finck of “Sparetime Charters” had Richard and Allison Trosko and their two sons out for a half day fishing trip in the bay. The boys had a nice catch of bluefish, really enjoyed the steady action. Captain Fran Verdi of the “Dropoff” is already planning to start fishing for stripers after the October full moon. Until then, he will be wreck fishing and maybe trying to zero in on some blackfish.

New York Saltwater Fishing Reports
Capt. John McMurray from one More Cast Fishing Charters from in and around Jamaica Bay area reported:

ALBIES BASS AND BLUES! Well, we're still solid into Albies.  But we've got some mullet now so we're catching good numbers of bass at dawn and bluefish are crashing poppers throughout the day.  Yeah man, it's been pretty good.  Believe it or not, there are more albies around, than there was last week but they are… well, they’re acting like albies. Coming up good numbers in short erratic/unpredictable spurts and they are very finicky. Word is out now so there are lots of boats chasing them around and that tends to make them very wary. Even the party boats, for the first time since I've been fishing them, seem to want in on the action.  That said, we're still getting a good number of fish on each trip, but we’ve been having to work for them. The good news is that the mullet are in, so some of the shallow areas have been loaded with stripers and big bluefish during the dawn hours. Works out well for me as I can work those fish for an hour or two, then go bang my head against the wall with the albies. Re availability, we've got some, so give us a shout.

Capt. David Blinken of North Flats Guide Service fishing out of East Hampton, NY reported in:

Brandon, The early part of the week was great with lots of albies, blues and a smattering of bass. The best action was around Gardiner's Island and the bait was mostly bay anchovies. Unfortunately, we are experiencing an unusually vicious early season nor'easter. Hopefully we will be back on the water by this weekend.
Until next week,Tight lines.David

Capt Brendan Mccarthy from Urban Fly Guides checked in with this report from in and around the New York City area: 

Have been gearing up for the next 7 weeks of  straight charters. It has been blowing the last 3 days but the  Albacore are in ALL the spots and the bass have started blitzing.  Really looking forward to doing some serious slaying. This is the time  of year to just take your time and catch as many or as few fish as you  want in Montauk. The salad days as they call them. The shot is of Capt John Tondra and Isabelle. They say you can't eat albies but she  sure thought she could!
 
Connecticut Saltwater Fishing Reports
Capt. Sandy Noyes from Rum Runner Guide Service reported in from in and around Stonington:

This past week the fishing has been pretty good despite the weather and the other boaters. Last week we had people stemming the tide, drifting, trolling and anchoring up all in the same small area. It all worked out with a minimum of conflict. The albies have thinned out a bit but have been replaced by larger ones. There are still bonito around. We took one about eight pounds that was mixed in with the albies. There is an increase in stripers and the blue fish are not getting in the way too often . We are starting to see the baby bay anchovies, so that should hold the fish and bring more into the area.
 
Rhode Island Saltwater Fishing Reports
Capt. Mike Duclos from Tiderunner Charters reported in from Long Island Sound from the Watch Hill reefs of Rhode Island to Orient Point, New York area:
Well, the early arrival of Albies is no longer news, but the sizeable numbers of them and the increase in the size of the fish we are catching is worthy of news.Can't remember catching so many of these speedsters this early, but who is complaining. There are good numbers of fish from Plum Island, the Gulls,. the Race and into Watch Hill and east. Pick a spot use a SMALL, I repeat, SMALL patterm that resembles juvie bunker or anchovie and you will be rewarded with the greatest fish in the Northeast.If you haven't been graced with a day in pursuit of them you are missing sheer joy, there is nothing like the blistering run of a false albacore, say nothing of the beauty of the fish.For those that do not have the fly rod skill going for them you can still hook up by using one or two methods, tie an 18" piece of fluorocarbon on to the hook of the smallest castmaster or other hardware and add a small fly. You can also use a water bobber and do the same thing, cast into the fish reel in slow and hang on, they give a good account for themselves if the tackle is not too heavy. Have great week , I wish you all screaming reels. Capt Mike Duclos

Massachusetts Saltwater Fishing Reports
Capt. Phil Cronin from Capawock Charters out of Martha’s Vineyard send us this hot report:
 Albies, albies, and more albies…It’s that time of year again; the invasion of the Little Tunny. What a blast we’re having on these rod breaking, line screaming, speedsters. If you want to test your angling mettle, now is the time to lasso a tunny. Whether throwing an epoxy minnow with the long pole or casting a maria with a spinning rod, hooking up with a False Albacore gets your blood flowing with heart pounding takes and muscle aching runs.

I’ve often explained to my anglers that albie fishing isn’t for the faint of heart. You have to be fast and accurate with your casts. A breaking school only lasts a short while and getting a lure or fly into them while they’re crashing the surface increases your odds of a hook-up ten fold. When we’re targeting the little tunny I try to discourage young kids and inexperienced anglers from pursuing them Sometimes that approach is dead wrong as in the case of 9 year old Will who’s father convinced me that he was ready for the chase. Against my better judgment I agreed to take him out and this is where the story begins. I told Will if he were to boat his first albie it would be worth a prize from the captain and an entry in my log as the youngest angler to do it all by himself on light spinning tackle. With amazement I watched the 9 year old cast, hook-up, fight, and boat his first False Albacore ever. It was the largest one we’ve caught all week! I’ll never doubt the angling ability of a young kid again. Check out these photos and tell me if you don’t see Christmas morning in his eyes…
Congratulations Will in proving a misbelieving charter captain wrong.

Albies aren’t the only game in town as bonito are still around and bluefish are starting to return in good numbers. Bass fishing is fairly slow with the exception of the guys chunking bait off Gay Head. Spanish mackerel have been landed by several friends fishing the east end of the island.

If you’re wondering about what the prominent bait is around the island besides the usual silversides, sandeels, herring, and bunker; here are some photos of the micro-baits we’re running up against:

To all the anglers who will compete in this year’s MV Striped Bass & Bluefish Derby I wish you good luck. Although there are great prizes and bragging rights at stake, the real spirit of the derby has always been camaraderie among fishermen and sharing the passion for angling which we all hold close to our hearts. The fall classic gets underway September 13th and runs through October 17th. Until next week, Tight Lines and Singing Drags, Capt. Phil


Capt. Alan Hastbacka from Got Stryper Guide Service out of Chatham, Mass reports in:

Fishing has been epic to say the least.  We have been mainly tuna fishing with a little albie fishing mixed in.  The top water bite has been crazy before the blow this past week.  I can't wait to get back out there.  We lost a monster of a fish after a 1:45 battle on Tuesday that had to go into the mid 70" class from what I saw of him.  It looks to be an epic fall ahead!
 

Capt. Joe LeClair from North Eastern Anglers fishing out of Cape Cod reports:

Albies and then some more albies! We have had some good times fishing for these little guys inshore this past couple weeks now. Richard and I busted out the bait casting rods and went "old school" on them after a while. What a blast. Until next week, tight lines.

Capt. Lynne Heyer of Cross Rip Outfitters reported in from Nantucket with this report:

Windy conditions, but who cares, the Bonito Bar has been hot!! Bonito and False Albacore have been a plenty on the bar. One of my customers this week, Dwight Moore, landed Two Bones and One Albie on fly. I even got the chance to catch a couple Bones on the trip. Jeff is out with Meg Blair and her son Jamie. Many Bonito and Albies came their way on fly and spin tackle. They left the Bar to look for a Striper for Meg's Birthday Slam. Not sure how they made out at press time they are still fishing. I also got a report from Joe Lipuma after everyone left he was catching Albies hot and heavy for about an hour and a half steady. Fly color today was blue or yellow and for spin Maria's in green and pink and the all time favorite the blue and silver Yozuri. Not sure how Great Point fished most recently, but will post if I hear any news. So even though the wind has been howling, the fish are out there.
 
New Hampshire Saltwater Fishing Reports
Nothing this week from captains there,I suspect the wind this past week blew them all off the water.

Maine Saltwater Fishing Reports
Capt. Eric Wallace of Coastal Fly Angler send us this report:
The stripers have been schooling up here in Maine for the past few weeks,and now the feed south has started!!! we are seeing days ranging from close to 35 fish in 4 hrs to working our but off for a few eats. The one thing that has not changed there is tons of bait around, and lots of fish to feedon them, there are area that are holding micros as far as the eye can see,everywhere little 15-19 inch bass, They have shown us some early blitzes aswell!!! Great to see this throughout Casco Bay, also reports that the
Kennebec is fishing pretty well and that good news for us, as those fish will be coming through Casco Bay soon. The story for us this week was a 41inch out of less then 3 feet of water sigh casting over a sand flat, I'm working on posting the photo after I do some Photoshop work to kill the landmarks. The bait is holding in the grass so the lower parts of the tide have been key higher tides have fish pretty slow and the last few days of NEwinds suck!!!! the tides will change around and thing should light up again real soon pray for some warm south winds.

Well that albie wraps it up for this week (yea I meant the ablie comment, just checking to see if you were reading). If you are interested in an archive of all the past Northeast Fishing reports you can find then here . Now stop reading and get out this week and catch some fish!

Brandon

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NORTHEAST SALTWATER FLY FISHING AND LIGHT TACKLE FISHING GUIDES 

Connecticut Fly Fishing and Light Tackle Guides 

Capt. Mike Delucas
Tiderunner Charters

Capt. Sandy Noyes
Rum Runner Guide Service

Capt. Mike Warecke 
Southeastern Connecticut Fishing Charters 
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Maine Fly Fishing and Light Tackle Guides

Capt. Eric Wallace
Coastal Fly Anglers 

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Massachusetts Fly Fishing and Light Tackle Guides

Capt. Phil Cronin
Capawock Charters

Capt. Alan Hastbacka
Got Stryper Guide Service 

Capt. Lynne Heyer
Cross Rip Outfitters 

Capt. Joe LeClair
North Eastern Anglers   

Capt. John Medelson
Boston Fishstix Guide Service
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New Jersey Fly Fishing and Light Tackle Guides 

Beach Haven Charter Boats
Beach Haven Charters

Capt. Brian DiLio
Iowa Fortune Guide Service

Capt. Paul Eidman
Reel Therapy Fishing Charters

Capt. Gene Quigley 
Shore Catch Guide Service  

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New Hampshire Fly Fishing and Light Tackle Guides
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New York Fly Fishing and Light Tackle Guides

Capt. Dave Azar
Live to Fish Charters 

Capt. David Blinken
North Flats Guide Service

Capt. Chris Hessert
Manhattan Fly

Capt. Jim Hull
Light Tackle Challenge Fishing Charters 

Capt. Brendan McCarthy
Urban Fly Guides 

Capt. John McMurray
One More Cast Fishing Charters

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Rhode Island Fly Fishing and Light Tackle Guides

Capt. Greg Snow
Snow Fly Light Tackle
Fishing Charters

Capt. Ray Stachelek
Cast-a-fly-Charters 

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