Brisk winds that churned up waters from Sandy Hook to Montauk Point put a hurt on the fishing front over the past few days.
Just before the weather's mean streak, blackfishing was hot in 40- to 50-foot depths on Long Island Sound, in 50 to 60 feet of water off Orient, and in 60 to 80 feet of water outside of Shinnecock, Moriches, Fire Island and Jones Inlets. The South Shore and West End beaches also offered some sporadic stripers and blues. Expect catches to remain worth the effort for another two or three weeks, but the wind is likely to be an increasing problem as we slide past Thanksgiving.
With the holidays just around the corner, the quest for the perfect outdoors gift looms ahead. No doubt this year's effort will entail a little cost cutting for most of us. Not to worry, however, for there are plenty of gifts available at reasonable prices in most local tackle shops, or even online.
Consider, for example, Zeno Hromin's new book, "The Hunt For Big Stripers." It's one of the best reads of the striper season and is sure to help your surf fisherman connect with more and bigger bass. Hromin reveals his own strategies and techniques and then offers chapters by other local surf fishing experts including John Skinner, "Crazy" Alberto Knie, William "Doc" Muller and Bill Wetzel. It's a bargain at $19.95. Visit www.zenohromin.com for more information.
John Skinner's "A Season on the Edge: Stories From A Surfcaster's Year" is also worth putting under the tree. It's available at www.noreast.com and select bait and tackle shops for just $16.95.
Virtually any piece of foul-weather gear makes a welcomed gift. Grunden makes a wonderful pullover hooded fishing top for $99 that will keep anglers both warm and dry. Team one of these tops with a pair of Wrangler's Thinsulate insulated Rugged Wear jeans for $34. Not only are they exceptionally warm, they are also really cozy and stand up well to the rough and tumble world of great outdoors adventures. Visit www.wrangler.com for details.
If you feel the need to give something more high-end, the Lamiglas Kenai Guide Jacket is a great choice. It is lightweight, waterproof, breathable and features sealed seams. At $225, it costs nearly half of some competing tops and is worth every penny. Visit www.lamiglas.com.
Polarized fishing glasses allow anglers to see deep into the water while protecting eyes from harmful ultraviolet rays, sun glare and swinging fish hooks. For just $50 you can grab a pair of lightweight Roland Martin Signature Series Sun-Mag+ polarized glasses from Ono's Trading Company (www.onostradingcompany.com). Special technology allows anglers using these glasses to see up close and far away without changing lenses.
HOT SPOTS
1. Breezy Point (Blues/Stripers)
2. Point Lookout (Sea Bass/Ling)
3. Jones Inlet (Blues/Stripers)
4. Robert Moses Bridge (Blues/Stripers)
5. Fire Island Reef (Sea Bass/Blackfish)
6. Shinnecock Reef (Blackfish)
7. Western Long Island Sound (Blackfish/School Stripers)
8. Port Jefferson (Blackfish)
9. Orient Point (Blackfish)
10. Montauk (Stripers/Sea Bass/Blackfish)
