Surf fishing, blackfish and hunting focus for autumn

While some may bemoan the passing of summer, October ushers in refreshing possibilities for local outdoorsmen. It is, after all, this month when surf fishing builds to a crescendo along both the North and South Shores, blackfishing resumes and hunters head afield with high hopes for monster bucks.

Yet October rarely opens in dramatic fashion. With waters still warm, fishing remains in late summer mode and only a hint of things to come can be detected in the subtle improvements of recent catches. In the woods, the urgency of the rut is still weeks away for bowhunters, foliage obscures shooting lanes and warm afternoon temperatures encourage ticks, mosquitoes, no-see-ums and other biting pests to follow human scent trails. But the color of the forest and shoreline brush is surely changing, fish migrations to more southern waters are under way, and a slight chill in the night air signals that the time to focus with an autumn emphasis is at hand. The progression is undeniable, and punctuated Friday by the opening of both blackfish and bow hunting seasons.

"The wind has kept everyone in port for the past few days," said Dave Brennan, skipper of the Greenport open boat Peconic Star II, "but open boat porgy fishing was real good before the storm and it had been taking on more of a fall flavor as we were catching and releasing some blackfish every day."

Brennan noted that significantly more blackfish mixed into this September's catches than in recent years. He plans to keep sailing one of his vessels for porgies a bit longer while specifically targeting blackfish with his other boat beginning Friday.

"It's probably still a little too warm for serious blackfishing to get started in western Long Island Sound," said John Cacciola at Glen Cove Sports Shop, "But the bluefish are everywhere from Tappans Beach to Centre Island Reef. Mixed with them are a few school bass."

Cacciola noted that the blues are ripping into any lure or bait from surface poppers to tins and bunker chunks. He added that snappers measuring up to a foot long are still inside most North Shore harbors. If you want to pass on the blues and try for some blackfish, he suggested moving from one rock pile to the next until you find action. "They probably are not very shallow yet," he added, "so try in 20- to 30-foot depths."

Over on the South Shore, there have been plenty of blues at the inlets, along with a few stripers. According to Mike Danon of the Captain Lou Fleet in Freeport, the near-shore wrecks have also produced very well with sea bass to 5 pounds and a lot of keeper porgies. "When we can get out," said Danon, "everyone goes home with a nice pile of fillets."

One of the biggest problems facing hunters is finding property on which to shoot. This is especially true for upland game fans as substantial open area is required to discharge a shotgun. One way to gain access to good hunting grounds, and enjoy hunting camaraderie, is to join a hunt club such as Birds Unlimited, Inc. At 10 a.m. Saturday they will be holding an open meeting at their Manorville club grounds. Anyone interested in joining is encouraged to attend. Visit birdsunlimited.net for information and directions.

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