Captain Steve took me, with Jerry, Jim, Steve’s cousin John and Paul, on a blackfish trip to Fishers Island on Wednesday October 25th. Although it sits only two miles from the southeastern coast of Connecticut, Fishers Island is part of Southold, New York. Fishers is about nine miles long and one mile wide. It’s eleven miles from Orient Point which is the tip of the Long Island’s north fork. We had a southwest wind against the outgoing tide for most of the trip. It wasn’t ideal conditions.
I got things started with a decent tautog, another name for the species of wrasse native to the western Atlantic from Nova Scotia to South Carolina. We worked hard catching and releasing many fish under 16 inches, the length needed to keep the four fish per man limit set by New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation. After a few anchor adjustments and moves we almost got our limit. Jerry ended the trip with a couple of nice blacks when the bite turned on just before we had to leave.
The ride home wasn’t ideal, but with a cooler full of fish the crew was satisfied. Another positive was that my November Inshore Journal due date coincided with the trip. If you want to catch some blackfish call Captain Steve. His boat the Professional Cryer is docked at the Montauk Marine Basin. Tell him you’re a Montauk Sun reader and want to get in on the action. I guarantee you’ll have great time.
