With the passing of September’s full and new moons, the fall striped bass season is on. Fishermen all along the North Fork are catching slot fish — 28 to 31 inches — or smaller, with anglers toward Orient reportedly pulling in fewer but slightly larger fish, according to Bill Czech of Jamesport Bait and Tackle.
“Yesterday, they had striped bass jumping all over the place in Mattituck; they were all slot fish and smaller. And a couple guys around Orient Point, they had bigger fish, but not as many. So I believe that the fall run of bass is on. We haven’t heard of any false albacore yet. They did have them on the ocean, but nothing on the beaches,” Mr. Czech said.
Also happening this fall, the New York Department of Environmental Conservation is asking fishermen to help with a research study out of UMass/Amherst that is trying to understand shark depredation and its effect on fisheries along the North American continental shelf. Shark depredation is the partial or complete removal of a hooked fish by a shark directly from an angler’s line before the catch can be retrieved.
Researchers are asking saltwater anglers from Maine to North Carolina to complete an online survey, which aims to better understand depredation and the perceptions recreational anglers have of its potential impact on their catch. The survey is being conducted by UMass/Amherst’s Danylchuk lab and is available to anglers through the end of October.
The study researchers are also available to answer questions via email: Evan Prasky, [email protected]; Dr. Andy Danylchuk, [email protected]; or Dr. Ezra Markowitz at [email protected].
Mr. Czech stated that he had not heard of anyone losing a fish to sharks locally this season, but that the seals have been a problem for those fishing farther east along the North Fork.
“Guys have been blue fishing, and the seals have been biting. The fisherman wants his diamond jig back and seal wants the bluefish. It’s a tug of war out there.”