It's Nearly Over

It’s the last week of November, and the air and water temps are dropping. Wind and rain had been in the forecast over the holiday weekend. I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving.

The Full Beaver Moon was Monday night. Locally, the marinas are bare, and most boats have been shrink-wrapped and put away for the winter.

Fishing is just about nonexistent locally. The die-hard fishermen are traveling to Montauk and New England to get their last licks on the blackfish. Ocean water temps are still 52 or 53 degrees, and the blackfish still seem reluctant to really bite. It’s been day to day at Montauk and Block Island. Some days it’s limits, and others just a pick.

Luckily for the fishermen, there still are plenty of large sea bass taking the blackfish baits. On some days, a few codfish are also in the mix.

The blackfish season ends December 27 in the ocean waters. There is still time to get that last-minute fix before it ends. The only issue is weather.

This time of year, weekly good weather days are few and far between. If you see a good day, you need to jump on the boat.

The full moon did affect the porgy bite in the ocean. There still are a few short bass along the ocean beaches.

They are catching some scallops in the bays, even when the town waters opened and it was not encouraging. Some days they are grinding out a bushel or two and will continue to do so. Prices are in the $40 to $50 range.

For the birdwatchers, waterfowl have arrived. Mergansers and bufflehead are in the cove and local creeks. Scoters and long-tailed ducks are in the bay. Even low tide sees the dabbling black ducks feeding. Bald eagles are almost a daily occurrence.

A reminder to the anglers who have finished their season: Clean and service your tackle before you put it away for the winter. If you need repair of your rods and reels, take them to your local tackle shop. If you need something new, I suggest putting it on your Christmas list.