Dave is still out West

Posted on September 25, 2019 by Ed Mitchell

My friend Dave sent me more pictures from out west. Lord that looks like fun. I’m drooling. Trout and more trout, and even grayling. He and his buddy Pete are having a blast. Get a load of Dave’s grin. Now there is a happy angler. Lotsa BWO action from what I hear. Big fish on small flies! And you gotta love the bottom picture taken at twilight.

Now don’t you think these guys should be wearing Stetsons?  Come on, you’re out west soaking up the culture. Doesn’t have to be a real Stetson; their expensive. A cheap straw cowboy hat, the kind you pick up at the gas station, will do. Hey, when in Rome go whole hog. LOL

 

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September Doldrums in Long Island Sound

Posted on September 25, 2019 by Ed Mitchell

September Doldrums in Long Island Sound

Well I was back on the water yesterday with the same poor results as last week. Plenty of bait. Yet no fish to be found. We’re stuck in the damn doldrums, folks. Get this: Surface water temperatures are hovering around 68 /70 degrees..hot, hot. With temperatures that high, unless we get a series of quick cold fronts, I doubt we will see a strong fall migration for weeks.

Is the Sound getting warmer? Yeah I think so, but why believe me? Below is what the The Long Island Sound Study has this to say. The Study was formed in 1985 as a joint effort between Connecticut and New York along with the EPA to monitor and help the health of the Sound.

“Average seasonal water temperatures have been slowly but steadily increasing at this location (Niantic) in Long Island Sound.  Winter temperatures appear to be increasing more rapidly than spring, summer or fall temperatures, and winter 2012 is the warmest since the inception of this record by a large margin.  Increases in surface water temperatures have been linked to observed changes in the fish community.  Cold-adapted fish have been observed less frequently in recent years, while warm-adapted fish have been observed more frequently.  The combination of increasing water temperatures and changing fish community is believed to be indicative of climate change. The overall mean from 1976 through 2015 is 3.90°C  (39.02 F) for winter, 11.22°C (52.20F) for spring, 20.07°C (68.13F) for summer, and 12.24°C (54.03F) for fall.”

And get this: I just heard a report that someone saw Mahi Mahi around Fisher’s Island. Really? Well the first frost in Connecticut is typically around October 11th. Couple that with a moon tide and the action should begin. Lets hope.

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False Albacore on a Fly

Posted on September 19, 2019 by Ed Mitchell

False Albacore on a Fly

Got a false albacore on a fly yesterday. What a damn thrill. Yeah I’ve caught them before; I landed my first one back in the early 1990’s out at Cape Pogue on Martha’s Vineyard. That puppy arrived on a roaring incoming tide, grabbed the fly and took off like a moon shot, forcing me to run down the beach after it. But it’s been years since I have been back in the Northeast during the fall. So this is my first “albie” in a long time.

This fish has more alias that a top ten criminal. The correct common name is Little tunny, but false albacore is very popular as is plain old “albie”. But hey, call them what you like, they are wicked powerful, pound-for-pound the strongest nearshore fish in the Northeast. No question. They’ll test your knots, your hook, your rod, your drag, and your stamina. Believe me, it’s going to be a war.

Itching to know more about this fascinating fish? Go over to my magazine articles. Scroll down and look for “Amazing Albies”.  It’s a feature article I wrote for Saltwater Fly Fishing magazine. Interested in Atlantic bonito as well?  There is an article on them too. Best of luck on the water.

 

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Dave is Fishing Henry’s Fork

Posted on September 17, 2019 by Ed Mitchell

Dave is Fishing Henry’s Fork

Dave’s on the Henrys Fork

My friend Dave is out west, fishing the fabled Henry’s Fork. As you may know this famous stretch of water originates in Big Spring, Idaho and is part of the Snake River. It is known world-wide as a fabulous fly-fishing destination, especially for dry fly action on large rainbows, but big cutthroat and brown trouts reside here as well. Go Dave, you lucky bastard!

 

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Atlantic Bonito are in Town

Posted on September 13, 2019 by Ed Mitchell

Atlantic Bonito are in Town

My friend Mark Kuz send along a couple photos of Atlantic Bonito. Way cool. Bonito are a prized catch, no question. They’re fast, cagey, beautiful, and often hard to hook and hold. But once you get one on, man the fight is memorable. Bonito can reach 15 pounds and 8 years of age, but in Long Island Sound bonito of 4- 6 pounds are average, and 10 pounds is real honker.

Atlantic Bonito

False Albacore are a far more common tuna in Long Island Sound. Making them easier to find than bonito. And when false albacore move in, they tend to be larger and more aggressive than the bonito, pushing the bonito away. Hey that’s how the animal kingdom works.

Atlantic Bonito

On the bright side, bonito are here for a longer part of the season. They can arrive as early as June, although July is more likely, especially around a moon. They are in prespawn mode at that time, however, and difficult to locate. And even if you do, they are likely to suddenly disappear for several weeks, moving offshore to reproduce.  But by August they are back inshore and hungry, ready eat. And being more cold water tolerant than the false albacore, bonito may still be around in well into November. I’ve caught them on days I had ice in the guides.

Want to know more about them? Go over to my magazine article page and scroll down. You’ll find an article I wrote on bonito as well as one on “albies”

YOY bonito
caught in Long Island Sound

In the picture above I’m holding a baby “bone” I caught in the Sound many Septembers ago. Yes on a fly. Baby “bones’  grow about an inch a week, so this little pup was born two months back in July. With any luck at all it has 8 years more to roam.

 

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