Fall
by Mark Gustavson
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| Fall is here and Moriches Bay is loaded with bait. From what I have found in the middle two weeks of September one should have a number of different flies on hand. To begin with have bunker flies in 2 and 3 inches, silverside flies from 1 to 4 inches, killie flies from 1-4 inches, 2-inch sand eels, 4-7-inch finger mullet plus larger patterns for scup, adult menhaden, snappers, american eels and kingfish.
The following are links to good patterns for this time of year: Peanut BunkerSilverside Bay Anchovy Finger Mullet Sand Eel American Eel Everyone fishes differently, I know, but this is my approach to surf fishing when there are stripers running the shore. If there is a wind from the north that keeps the breaker down I look for sand bars and I fish the current that they create. Either I cast just over them to the back of a wave about to brake or I go onto the bar and cast parallel to shore. Quarter the cast to the back of a wave that is about to break before the bar and let the line drift in. I either use a floating line with a two-foot section of T14 or a sink tip (floater with 9 feet of T14 or a Type III tip). I don't strip the fly I just give it short 3-6-inch jerks. The key as usual is to keep slack out of the line. Good hand position helps to accomplish this. While imparting action on the fly keep your hands well in front of your body. If a wave puts slack into the line pull the rod back while picking up line until you are in touch with the fly again. Here is a discovery made by my friend Dan Eng. When fishing West Hampton Beach and adjacent areas in the fall and early in the morning, start with a fly that has light blue in it. It has proven to work when nothing else does.  © 2006 by Mark Gustavson |
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