It's Time to Start Mining Black Gold
It is the end of August. I have been steadily hammering the bass and
fluke on the east end of Long Island for almost three months. The
fishing has been truly spectacular. My little group of fishing
buddies have taken bass to forty pounds and many fluke from 3-6
pounds. We are still looking for that ten pound plus doormat, and now
is the time to do it. However, it's time to think about seabass.
Somewhere someone called them "Black Gold", and I really agree with
that assessment.
Years ago as a kid fishing in Montauk, we brought the extra seabass
into Ping's Chinese restaurant in Montauk and we would eat for free.
The seabass fishing fell off for many years, but has made a strong
comeback. Last summer and fall we saw great seabass action from
Freeport to Montauk. Hopefully we will see the same kind of action
this year.
Seabass love structure. Hard rocky bottom and wrecks are their
favorite hangout. Areas like Rockaway Reef and Ambrose Ridge on the
west end, the Frisbees and New Grounds off Montauk and the many wrecks
and rocky bottom in Long Island Sound and around Block Island all have
the potential for great seabass action.
While seabass are not large fish, a good fish is 3 lb. or more, the
areas they love required relatively stout tackle. A medium boat rod
from six to seven feet capable of handling 6-10 ounces of sinker and a
conventional reel spooled with 150 yards of 20 lb. test quality mono
line completes the outfit. This is the same set up I use for
blackfish in the early fall. If the conditions are a little more
favorable then a 6 1/2- 7 foot light conventional rod with a small
matching reel holding 150 yards of 20 lb test line should do.
The possibility of taking a large blackfish, doormat fluke or gorilla
bluefish is always present. A few years ago we were fishing a deep
ocean wreck south of Block Island and the seabass were running 2-4 lb.
They were biting very aggressively and then the bite slowed down
dramatically. We initially thought we fished out the piece until
someone had a tremendous hit with the line smoking off the reel.
It turned out to be a 25 lb pollack. We caught about a dozen more in
about an hour and then the seabass started biting again.
As far as rigging for seabass, it could not be simpler. Remember
KISS, Keep It Simple Stupid. It really comes to play when rigging for
seabass. I use a 48 inch strand of 30 lb mono leader to start with.
I tied a sinker loop on one end and a black barrel swivel on the other
end. I the tie three 4-5 inch dropper loops. The first loop is tied
close to the sinker and the other two loops are space evenly up the
leader. I then take 1/0 to 4/0 baitholder hooks, depending on the
size of the fish, and run the dropper loop through a large
fluorescent green glow bead and then through the eye of the hook and
then over the shank and pull it tight. Your done. Attached your main
line to the swivel and put on your sinker and your ready to fish. I
would advise you to make up several rigs and put then in ziplock bags
since you will loose a few to the structure and your buddies will want
to use some of your rigs.
As far as bait, squid strips and skimmer clam are the standard bait.
Seabass are not fussy eaters as long as the bait is fresh. The
biggest seabass I saw caught many years ago was on a small whole green
crab meant for blackfish.
As far a table fare, I believe seabass ranks right up there as one of
the best eating fish. If it's on the menu, that's what I have. Try
bringing some whole seabass into your local chinese takeout and have
them prepare it. Wok and Roll in Montauk, here I come.
I am already working on future articles like Diamond Jigging Stripers
and Bluefish at Montauk and the North Fork in the Fall; Blackfishing
(My favorite) in all it's forms from the westend to the eastend: and
finally the fall wrap up with codfish and blackfish off Block Island
and Seventeen Fathoms in December and January. So stay tuned, the
best is yet to come.
Return to Al Goldberg's Tackle Corner, Al's Columns or Dave's Homepage.
Years ago as a kid fishing in Montauk, we brought the extra seabass into Ping's Chinese restaurant in Montauk and we would eat for free. The seabass fishing fell off for many years, but has made a strong comeback. Last summer and fall we saw great seabass action from Freeport to Montauk. Hopefully we will see the same kind of action this year.
Seabass love structure. Hard rocky bottom and wrecks are their favorite hangout. Areas like Rockaway Reef and Ambrose Ridge on the west end, the Frisbees and New Grounds off Montauk and the many wrecks and rocky bottom in Long Island Sound and around Block Island all have the potential for great seabass action.
While seabass are not large fish, a good fish is 3 lb. or more, the areas they love required relatively stout tackle. A medium boat rod from six to seven feet capable of handling 6-10 ounces of sinker and a conventional reel spooled with 150 yards of 20 lb. test quality mono line completes the outfit. This is the same set up I use for blackfish in the early fall. If the conditions are a little more favorable then a 6 1/2- 7 foot light conventional rod with a small matching reel holding 150 yards of 20 lb test line should do.
The possibility of taking a large blackfish, doormat fluke or gorilla bluefish is always present. A few years ago we were fishing a deep ocean wreck south of Block Island and the seabass were running 2-4 lb. They were biting very aggressively and then the bite slowed down dramatically. We initially thought we fished out the piece until someone had a tremendous hit with the line smoking off the reel. It turned out to be a 25 lb pollack. We caught about a dozen more in about an hour and then the seabass started biting again.
As far as rigging for seabass, it could not be simpler. Remember KISS, Keep It Simple Stupid. It really comes to play when rigging for seabass. I use a 48 inch strand of 30 lb mono leader to start with. I tied a sinker loop on one end and a black barrel swivel on the other end. I the tie three 4-5 inch dropper loops. The first loop is tied close to the sinker and the other two loops are space evenly up the leader. I then take 1/0 to 4/0 baitholder hooks, depending on the size of the fish, and run the dropper loop through a large fluorescent green glow bead and then through the eye of the hook and then over the shank and pull it tight. Your done. Attached your main line to the swivel and put on your sinker and your ready to fish. I would advise you to make up several rigs and put then in ziplock bags since you will loose a few to the structure and your buddies will want to use some of your rigs.
As far as bait, squid strips and skimmer clam are the standard bait. Seabass are not fussy eaters as long as the bait is fresh. The biggest seabass I saw caught many years ago was on a small whole green crab meant for blackfish.
As far a table fare, I believe seabass ranks right up there as one of the best eating fish. If it's on the menu, that's what I have. Try bringing some whole seabass into your local chinese takeout and have them prepare it. Wok and Roll in Montauk, here I come.
I am already working on future articles like Diamond Jigging Stripers and Bluefish at Montauk and the North Fork in the Fall; Blackfishing (My favorite) in all it's forms from the westend to the eastend: and finally the fall wrap up with codfish and blackfish off Block Island and Seventeen Fathoms in December and January. So stay tuned, the best is yet to come.