I just wrote this today, thought some might like to read it......if you disagree, would like to hear that as well, and why.....




Early Season RB/NY Bight fishery....
Some observations....As I mentioned, I have only been fishing that area for 25 years.....
The observations here...come mostly from the last 15 years, 8 of which I have seen a noticeable decline......and meeting others who seem to have the same observations..





1. Where are the Small Bass?
As mentioned, there are literally thousands of bass that winter over
a. in the harbors/deep channels of the NY Bight and the Arthur Kill.
b. (There is also a deep trench in the Croton area where many historically winter)

These are the bass (part A) you hear about being caught the first weeks the season is open....typically, most under 24"...with a few teen fish mixed in. 2011 was a notably high YOY count.....while some of the other years were poor......
I have noticed a gap in small bass populations for the last 2 years for this area
*(With one specific exception, will go into more detail for those who want to hear about it)
Whatever the reason, it's what I and others are noticing......

2. Sandy caused some structural changes to the bay...some areas became "dead" for fish and forage.....I'll try to come back and go into more detail when I get a chance.....

3. Scarcity and Concentration - This "death" in some other areas, caused opportunity for concentration in other areas....such as the Old Orchard Light area....which now holds more fish than it ever has, at certain times in the season...Capts who know and use these areas to their advantage are able to catch more consistenty....








4. Late Start? or less Holdover bass.....
Many of you out there know the early pattern for the bass to turn on...shallow water, mud flats....clam beds..we typically enjoy this early holdover action for a few weeks before the early Hudson migrators arrive from down south....

A. Some of you might argue that with the cold winter.,.....the Hudson, Chesapeake, and Delaware migrators, were somewhat delayed.... I would agree with that.....

B. But what about the holdovers?
We have had decent weather in the NY Bight area for 2 weeks now...(with the exception of the last 48 hours)...the important thing...water temperatures are optimal for a robust bass bite...and this has not happened as of yet....

C. Forage available...
Bunker have been in the bay area since March (albeit in smaller pods, and more scattered, but they have still been there)...
Herring have been in our area for over a week.....

D. Early season catches.....
The contacts I have, on both sides of the Raritan Bay/NY Bight....have only caught a few teen bass so far...and a few dozen small bass...
**These same anglers catch fish to 30# every year before the migratory bass get here....(yes, there are a few holdover bass that size, for whatever reason they stay in the Arthur Kill and NY Harbor deepwater channels in the winter).....
These same friends report only a few fish this year.....to the high teens...
Friends in Brooklyn were out trolling the other day and trolled a few teen bass....

Overall, they are not getting the numbers, that they used to get.....
This is a recurring theme I hear over and over from seasoned anglers and Capts who fish this area....