FishTales

Tenacious Billy S. wraps up the honor;  keeps on fishing…and fishing…and fishing…..

Team of Rivals: John P. and Billy S. with a sand-eel stuffed bass at Napeague Ln

Nov. 29, 2010: As I write this, Bucktailin’ Billy S. is somewhere on the East End of Long Island, surfcasting Dusty Springfield style. That is, he’s “wishing and hoping” that rumors of a herring run, able to produce 11th hour keeper bass, are something more than just that: rumors.

On tenacity alone, Billy vanquished all comers this season. But for 2010 Surf Rookie of The Year honors he had a worthy rival in Joltin’ John P. who scored high in fish caught per session. John had a solid October with a keeper at Montauk and schoolies in East Hampton. Billy caught a decent amount of bluefish and bass the whole season long, including his first keeper striper from the surf in late October. Billy essentially sealed the deal on his award when he and Joltin’ John P. fished the sand eel invasion at Napeague Lane, Amagansett, head-to-head on the weekend of Nov. 13-14.

For three days prior, big NE winds and extreme new moon tides conspired against good fishing so there was no bass fillets for the table when we all sat down with our wives for a night-before dinner. Instead we feasted on striped bass brandade and fish chowder both of which were cobbled together from the remains and morsels of my pre-Veteran’s Day keeper.

It was a spirited evening–literally–fueled by a copious amount of wine hauled in by John P. Was this his attempt to influence the judges? Wait, there were no judges.  Surf Roookie of the Year was decided by the catch.  And the next morning, Billy managed a lone schoolie to keep the skunk off our party and chisel his name indelibly into the rookie leaderboard.  He then had the temerity to leave the beach for an 11am tee-time at Montauk Downs–where he scored his first ever hole in one on Montauk’s par-3 2nd hole.

Congrats to Billy S., evermore known as Tenacious Bill.  A salute as well to John P., and all those I had the pleasure to fish with in 2010.

The Fat Lady sang, the east end cooled off, and Fire Island lit up

November 27, 2010

Robert Moses State Park lit up with bass in mid-November

As November fishing wound down on the east end into a ratfest repeat of 2009, the stripers followed the bait west along the south shore–and the smart anglers went with them.  Here are some dispatches by a fishing buddy Verizon Charlie., who fished Robert Moses State Park on Fire Island and Smith Point:

November 15

Charlie R.: Self Portrait with Striped Bass

Hi Fred: I went to Robert Moses this morning at first light. Lots of guys and lots of fish.  I had three fish to 11 pounds and it seemed like most everyone was catching. Tins with tails and teasers were the popular choice. I had all my fish on a white Super Strike needlefish lure.

November 17

Killieman: Dave C. at RM State Park

Fred: I fished Field 5 and Field 3 twice so far this week.  The pattern has been a good showing of fish from first light until about 7:30-8:00 AM on tins with tubes, with or without teasers, and needlefish with or without teasers. After that it’s a pick. Today, I started at Field 3 and we had nothing for an hour. I moved to Field 2 and there were some fish picked there; none by me.  I left at 8:30 AM and then got a call that there were fish to 15 pounds at Field 5 from 9-10:30 AM.  Go figure.

November 19

Fred: I hate to tell you this, but you really missed a good morning at Robert Moses. There were probably 150 guys at Field 5, but it’s a big beach so if you just kept walking, you could find room. The fish were anywhere form 26 to 40-inches, with the majority being small keeper size fish 28-32″.  The lure of choice was an A27 diamond jig with a green tail, though I caught all but one of my fish on a chartreuse green stubby needlefish. As we were leaving we heard in the parking lot that there were fish at Fields 2,3,4 also.

November 22

Local Legend Bob S. at RM State Park

Fred: Just thought I’d give you my latest fishing report. Yesterday and today I fished Smith’s Point and had fish both days.  Just as it got light, the fish showed and the birds were on them. But very few were caught. As it got lighter, people started to hook up. Mostly, the fish fell to diamond jigs with green tubes. But yellow, red or white worked too. Yesterday I had about eight fish from 20- to 24-inches and today I had 21 fish up to 27-inches and three shad 12- to 14-inches . Gannetts were working Smith Pt. too!

November 27

Fred: I just got back from the beach. I tried Napeague Lane, Maidstone, Main Beach, Georgica and I even went on the northside to Alberts Landing. Not a tap. Have a great holiday season and winter, see you next year.

Mr. November: Verizon Charlie is the Mickey Mantle of south shore surfcasting

Three amigos close out the surfcasting season with stripers in diapers

November 23, 2010

Double Header: A baby bass and its tiny cousin fell to a teaser fly and Hopkins

The fishing becalmed on the East End in the second half of November, when the Fat Lady warmed up her pipes right after Veteran’s Day.  I didn’t put a keeper in the cooler subsequent to November 9,  yet I put in the time—16 days for the month—and I caught my  fair share of fish: mostly schoolies.

Seven, for instance, on a beautiful mid-month weekday when I nailed a shortie on my firs pre-dawn cast.  Good omen for the day I thought at the time.  But it took quite a while and a change of lures before I scored another;  it was a micro-striper. Later, I watched a couple of stripers-in-diapers caught near Wiborg beach on the incoming tide. Rather than mug two gents there who seemed so well entertained, I moved over to Atlantic Ave. Beach.  An inviting sandbar was within wading distance, and a few birds worked far offshore.  Over the next two hours, I had five little fatties, none larger than 26 inches.

First Light: Billy S. scored this near yearling at dawn

A hard blow interrupted the bite for two days, but by Friday the wind sat down and bright sunshine counteracted the coolish 40 degree temperatures on the beach.  Lots of small fish popped and swirled in the daybreak surf near Wiborg, Two Mile Hollow and Maidstone Beaches.  The fish were in so close, I took to casting sideways, nearly parallel to the shore.  I even put on my ancient and pockmarked Danny Swimmer plug to serve as a TDD (teaser delivery device) and it produced at least a bump on every cast.  I raised fish pursuing my uglier-than-sin teaser fly and managed to nail four of them, the largest about 25-inches.

Big Bob's beach slugging percentage remained highest

On a beautiful pre-Thanksgiving Sunday morning at sunrise, Big Bob, rookie Billy S. and I all got well on rats that were feeding in the gentle waves. I got fish far out beyond the bar, and some very close to shore.  They were everywhere at first light for about an hour. We moved over to Maidstone where a steady pick was on. There I got a double header and a few more shorties before a big old skate took me out of the game when my Hopkins lure snagged his wing. Bob departed, Billy and I moved to Napeague Lane where we watched Slammin’ Sam the Hook catch two of the smallest bass in the world. Water temperatures in the 50s chilled our fingers so we exited the beach for breakfast. At home, Natalie was in full holiday baking mode. We sampled applesauce cake, cranberry cookies and a fresh cup of hot coffee. In the background, the Fat Lady’s voice rose to full crescendo. Thus descended the curtain on my fishing season, 2010.

The Bonacker Thanksgiving Turkey

There are some who question the veracity of this particular Fish Tale. But I think it too quaint not to retell, regardless.

On the East End, Bonackers (short for the Indian word Accabonac, which roughly means land of ground nuts), are the descendants of the earliest working class English settlers of the hamlet known as Springs. Only a few such families remain of what used to be farmers, baymen and fishermen. The Bonacker family names most commonly include Miller, King, Bennett, Conklin, Havens, Strong and Lester.

Back in the day, these “bubs” lived low on the food chain. In the toughest of times, particularly during the Great Depression, Bonackers were known to eschew the traditional turkey on Thanksgiving. Instead, they’d stuff a big meaty codfish with scallops, stale bread and whatever veggies their gardens would yield. Perhaps there would be some oyster stew or clam chowder, clam fritters or clam pie as well. The codfish, scallops, oysters and clams were plentiful and cheap, cheap, cheap once upon a time. Not so today.

So whether you are fortunate enough to have a fat fowl on your table this holiday, or you are giving a turkey a break by serving a ham, or perhaps a Bonacker’s turkey, here’s wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving from FishTales.

Cook What You Hook: Striped Bass Brandade

PIPING HOT: Fred’s Striped Bass Brandade

I was introduced to brandade de morue salée, a baked puree of salt cod, olive oil and potato, in France more than a decade ago. My Parisian friend Angus makes this rustic specialty of the Languedoc and Provence regions in the most traditional way–always by hand. 

Roughly translated, brandade means mixture. And if you adhere to the the classic 19th century recipe as described in The Epicurean, by Charles Ranhofer, you’ll be mixing and soaking and mixing and soaking, for hours, if not days. 

Soak salt codfish for fourteen hours, changing the water several times, put it on to cook in cold water, set it on one side at the first boil and let it bubble for twenty-five minutes, then shred half a pound of this fish. Fry in oil two tablespoonfuls of chopped onion and one clove of garlic, let attain a good golden color, then put in the codfish to warm; pound and convert it into a paste, working it well with a whip, and then incorporate into it slowly one pint of oil, a little well thickened bechamel, some double raw cream, pepper, nutmeg, salt if found necessary, and chopped parsley; dress it pyramid form and garnish around with oyster patties, oysters a la villeroi and trussed crawfish. 

19TH CENTURY CUISINE: Fishtales–and more–from The Epicurean

I don’t mess around much with salt cod—baccala in my people’s speak—other than on Christmas Eve.  But while noodling for something to do with all the good “meat” left on the carcass of a freshly caught and filleted keeper bass, I experimented with a striped bass adaptation of brandade. 

Of course, I simplify, simplify, simplify. Instead of the dried cod, I use the poached morsels gleaned from the striper carcass which I cooked down for fish stock. Between the head, tail and belly that remains on a properly filleted 10 pound striper, there’s at least 4 cups of tasty fish that can be shredded for this or many other chowders and stews. Be sure, however, that the fishy pieces you harvest from the carcass are picked clean of any scales or bones, etc. I was never in the habit of scaling my fish before filleting, since I typically removed the skin.  I learned the hard way what a mistake that was when I strained the stock and was left with a mess of unusable, scaly fish parts. Disaster. 

With the striper morsels still warm, I mix in, a little by little as needed, one medium potato (cooked either in milk or fish broth), warm olive oil infused from a few cloves of smashed garlic, and the starchy liquid from the cooked potato. Working with a large serving fork, I aim for a consistency as smooth as possible, which depends upon how hard you work. You could use a food processor, but if you tell Angus I recommended it, I will deny it. To him, that’s cheating. You probably don’t know Angus so, hey, do what you’ve got to do. 

The first time I made this dish, it was a few days after I prepared the stock. A eureka moment came later in my brandade experience when I mixed the dish up while the fish was still warm from the stock pot. Much better blending.

Taste as you go. Add chopped parsley, salt, white pepper and a slight dash of nutmeg toward the end. Then, turn it all into a baking dish and drizzle the top with the remaining olive oil. At this point, wrapped tightly, the dish keeps in the fridge for a day or two or three. It freezes well too. The final step is to bake it until hot through and through. Serve with garlic bread or toasted pitas. 

The true Provencales finish brandade with a velvety white sauce. You may choose to go with home made aioli or a lemony mayonnaise. Or simply drizzle it with another healthy dose of olive oil.  Over the years, I’ve further embellished my basic brandade by topping it with panko before baking, or turning the mixture in seasoned breadcrumbs for bite-size, brandade croquettes. Do your own experimenting. Just don’t let Angus catch you.

A dozen fish in a spot all to myself…but not for long

November 9, 2010

“It’s about time you know what it feels like!” barked Slammin’ Sam the Hook. when he learned that I was mugged while fishing in the morning west of Atlantic Ave. beach.  Allow me to explain that term “mugged” in a fishing context.  It is what happens to you when you’ve found a hot spot and suddenly you’re surrounded by latecoming anglers looking to get well on your fish-finding prowess. “It’s not that I relish jumping into a conga line of bent poles,” I told Sam.  “It’s just that most of these guys get up way earlier.”

Puny Keeper: This 28-incher was one of a dozen fish

But today was different.  I steered wide of a couple of gaggles of avid local surfcasters–including Sam the Hook–who were bunched up at East Hampton’s Main Beach, Wiborg Beach and near Indian Wells. Instead, I motored east of their slow picks on small fish and waded into the water near Atlantic Ave. beach,  the scene of Big Brother Frank’s pre-Halloween Sunday keeper. Right choice.  I had a fish on my first cast and banged a whole bunch over the next hour with a bump on nearly every throw. I landed a cool dozen–two puny 28-inch keepers, one borderline, a double header and a bunch of schoolies from 22 to 26 inches. My ugly black-and-tan teaser fly was deadly, scoring two thirds of my catch, including the three biggest. The rest hit a slow moving AVA-27 diamond jig with a red tube. A stiff NNW wind at my back helped me cast like a champion, but the fish weren’t that far; in a trough, just beyond the inner sandbar. It was all touchie feelie on a sl-o-o-o-w retrieve.

Ocean Muggers: I started out fishing alone...but not for long

I had this steady pick of  fish all to myself for about 30 minuter before the East Hampton surfcasting Cavalry showed up.  At one point I walked to my truck to change lures and when I turned around, my spot was newly occupied. That’s when I knew it was time to leave.  In any case, the bite died out with the tide, so it was perfect timing for a lunch break and fish cleaning. Filets first. Then I cooked down the carcass for fish stock and the fixings for striped bass brandade, a variation of a traditional Provencale dish typically prepared from salted cod.  I think I really got it right this time. I didn’t even use the food processor. My Parisian buddy Angus, who is an expert with the cod recipe, would be proud.

The problem with a stellar morning like this, however, is the danger of believing that surf fishing is that easy.  Easy, perhaps, when you find the fish.  But there’s no guarantee from one tide to the next. In the afternoon, everything looked right: moving water, birds working, lots of beach to navigate and anglers everywhere. Only problem: the bite was off. A few small fish were picked right in front of TI Drive but none for me.  Slammin’ Sam, beyond doubt one of the most proficient surfcasters in East Hampton, nailed a pair of schoolies.  But not too many other anglers did. Here is Harvey Bennett’s end-of-day Mobile Tackle Shop report.

Click on the photo for Harvey Bennett's Mobile Tackle Shop video report

My buddy Jay-san lived as others merely imagined but never realized

Nov. 8, 2010

Jay-san surfcasting on Gin Beach in Montauk, October 2003

Sad days. Jay P., a great friend and fishing companion, succumbed last week to a debilitating illness that drained the sport out of a terrific sportsman.  My remembrance of Jay’s inauguration to surfcasting goes back to 1983 with Jay riding the ocean beach for the first time in my Scout, along with Big Brother Frank as we searched for blues and bass. “So how big a pole do you need and what kind of reel?” he asked. “And what type of lures do you cast and where do you get those waders?” By the next season, Jay was fully outfitted, including a brand new Jeep Wrangler boasting a custom made cooler rack with rod holders from Hamburger’s in Tom’s River, NJ. Jay’s trademark was “All In!”

Jaypster was a man who never let reality be an obstacle in the way of his desire. He taught me it was indeed possible to create one’s life exactly as one would want it to be. Where others saw limitations, Jay had the vision to see opportunity. He chose to live his life as most people simply imagined but never realized.

I fished many seasons with Jay and his sporting wife Laura. Besides the catch, it was always the gestalt that he loved most: The camaraderie of the hunt and the celebration of our victories;  The accoutrements of cool, colorful October days: coffee with “fortification”, cigars for the indulgent and, of course, Jay’s signature morning manna for the beach: lovely rolls.

Jay was a big picture guy for whom the details counted mightily. With Jay, we didn’t just clean fish after a good catch.  Jay would see to it that we had a fish cleaning party, complete with Bloody Marys on his deck, and a manly bacon-and-eggs breakfast at his table.  Jay excelled in the kitchen with our bounty.  Blackened bluefish was one of his many triumphs.  And none but Jay could turn out a dish so unexpected and delicious as bluefish parmigiana.

I’ll miss Jay throughout the year. He was a fixture at my table on Christmas Eve, an original instigator of our annual Lunar New Year road trip to Chinatown, and an enthusiastic participant in countless summer “gala gala” dinners and beach parties. But I will miss Jay most during fishing season.

Farewell and tight lines, good friend. The gestalt of surfcasting on the East End simply won’t be the same without you. Heaven has itself a keeper in you.

Big Bob banged a keeper bass in record time

November 6, 2010

White Water: Bob's keeper near the East Deck Motel

There’s good reason why Big Bob needs a Gulfstream 5.  One week he’s in DC, the next in Sonoma or Tahoe. Miami here, Gettysburg there, ad infinitum. For business, or pleasure, whatever.  The man just never stays still. Take a recent November Saturday morning. On the beach in East Hampton at daybreak, Bob phoned in a fish report at 730am saying the waves were outrageous and he’s headed to Ditch Plains to watch the surfers. Shortly after 8am, he joined a conga line of fishermen in front of the East Deck Motel. In minutes, Bob nailed the only keeper from a slow pick of small fish in very big water.  Then, off with his waders, on to breakfast at John’s Pancake House, and then back to Clearwater marina to dry dock his boat for the season.  Whew, I was so tired thinking of Bob’s day that I almost couldn’t fish.  Almost.

Bucktailin' Billy: A casting exercise at Ditch Plains

Meanwhile, Bucktailin’ Billy S. and I put in our time at Ditch Plains, Hither Hills and elsewhere on that same big water morning tide.  But there was virtually no beach to ride and we never got even a bump on our casts. We quit before lunch.  Later, however, I followed up on a fish call from Capt. Harvey Bennett and went back to the ocean beach where I banged two schoolies, one of which I dropped, in another slow pick west of Indian Wells Beach.  I ended the day with a casting exercise for naught near Napeague Lane. So what do to for dinner? Local whiting from Stuart’s Seafood poached in a garlicky clam broth served over linguine and shucked cherrystones.  That took the sting out.

It looks like a two horse race.  Seagulls  don’t count….

November 4, 2010

Bucktailin' Billy's Keeper: Monday morning magic

We’re about eight weeks into my 12 week fall fishing season, a good time to take a look at 2010’s Surf Rookie of the Year standings. Bucktailin’ Billy S. seems to be on top by a narrow margin. Billy came at his first season in the surf with a vengeance. He started by buying a house in East Hampton.  That showed REAL desire.  Then he dropped a bundle on the proper gear at The Tackle Shop in Amagansett. That got him the inside track on the inane rantings of Captain Harvey Bennett; excellent fodder for a right and proper attitude required to fish the surf. In September, Billy chased fish all around the rocks near The Sewer Pipe on Montauk’s southside, where blitzing bass tested his patience by staying just a cast out of reach.  Finally, Billy showed great surfaholic potential by staying out on an extra Monday here and there and building client appointments around his fishing schedule.  Putting in the time has paid off for him.  A keeper in mid-October (See Red Hill Capos Return for Surfcasting 2010) and lots of short fish week after week. Some cocktail blues have rounded out his portfolio, including a double-header late in the month.

John TKOed this schoolie with a Kastmaster to the head

But Billy is not without a worthy challenger.  In the wings is Jolting John P. who also suffered the mossy boulder fields and pounding surf in front of the refrigerator rock at Kings Point where he ingloriously dropped a quality fish in a Columbus Day weekend blitz. However, John did manage a keeper from that session (See Columbus Day Weekend: Stripers on the Rocks) and, for the season, John’s fish-per-minute slugging percentage is awesome. He’s really only been out twice and had fish both times. There ain’t no skunk on him. Still, going into the stretch, Billy is ahead slightly on points. The crucial question is whether John P. will put down the driver long enough to pick up the rod and reel….hint, hint, hint.

Sunrise Surprise: Julian's first striper in the surf

Other 2010 entries include Julian H, a visiting surfcasting novice from Massachusetts. One session, one schoolie (see Four F. Weekend: Family, Friends, Fish & Food). Not bad for starters. Finally, we have Sydney T., or “Seagull Syd”.  She wasn’t aware that we only count swimming creatures.  Those of the winged variety, we usually leave on the beach. No points for Sydney.  But we’re glad she came out. She sure can cast nice and her pumpkin ice cream is the best.

Seagull Syd: A gamer in the surf. But no finny creature to show for her efforts

Tell tall tales.  The weirder….the wilder….the better

November 3, 2010

It’s not that fishermen are necessarily into hallucinogenics.  It is more the case that the beach itself is a sort of drug. A case in point.

Click on this photo for Captain Harvey Bennett's latest inane "Mobile Tackle Shop" report