Once again this morning was cold and windy. I bet air temps were below freezing with the wind chill!
Nevertheless, I was out of the house and on the beach just in time to catch the sunrise. An entire day of fishing lay ahead and I was excited.
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After recording that video I began to scan the horizon with my binoculars. Perhaps all this wind and waves would drive fish into the surf.
30 minutes goes by and I spot a good flock of birds working over fish. ​Only issue was the school was way down the beach, and I was freezing my butt off!
It was a tough decision but I decided to move to a different section of the Cape. My idea was to fish in the lee of the wind where conditions would be much, much warmer.​
I drove away leaving the birds and fish behind, hoping I made the right call.​
Pogies in the Wash
I arrived at my new destination and began to hike down the beach. My spirits were high, however two hours quickly went by without me catching or even seeing a single fish.
Then in a heartbeat, everything changed.
​As I was walking east down the beach I spotted a dark patch in the water.
At first I thought it was weeds, but upon closer investigation I identified the patch as a dense school of adult pogies.
The school was so dense and so close to shore that I was able to capture some underwater photos of the pogies using my GoPro Hero 3 camera.​
This was a great find! I figured there must be some bass and bluefish in the area, just waiting to attack the pogies.
An instant later and the school of pogies began to panic. I saw much larger, streamlined dark shadows cruising around the outskirts of the school. The predators had arrived.​
Alligator Blues!
I hustled to cast a plug out beyond the pogies, directly towards the big shadows, which I guessed were either big bass or "alligator" bluefish.
I began my retrieve and accidentally snagged an adult pogie on one of the plug's treble hooks. I let the pogie swim with the plug and about one second later a big bluefish crushed it.
I let the blue run with the plug for a couple seconds and then set the hook. Fish on!
I watched the bluefish take off with several other big bluefish swimming by his side. Throughout the entire fight I had at least one big bluefish following nearby the bluefish which I had hooked.
Suddenly more big bluefish began to corral the pogies. As I fought my fish I watched other alligator blues dart around in the shallows, just a few yards in front of me. It was quite the sight!​
After a great fight I landed the fish. This bluefish was long, fat and extremely healthy looking. He had no doubt been eating very well.​
After releasing that bluefish I tied on a treble hook and snagged a pogie. My idea was to live line the pogie and hopefully illicit a huge topwater hit.
I'll share more about that later on. For now it's time for me to wrap things up here at Panera Bread (they have great wifi) and get back down to the beach.
Click the orange download buttons below for more information.​
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An additional 6 HD photos
of the area fished
3 Google Earth images
of the area fished
I followed on your foot steps this morning without success. You must have special vision to see the fish in the water. I kept casting every 25 yards without any bite. It was first time in the area for me and I wanted to catch some blue fish for my wife that likes them. I read that they were over there all summer but I didn’t have chance to make the trip. I was off today and decided to visit the spot after reading your report. I may go back next weekend and have better luck.
Thanks for the update Emil. Things change quick this time of the year that is for sure. Especially when bass and blues are on pogies. Yesterday’s hot spot can be a desert today.
Regardless it’s a beautiful area and definitely a great place to go fishing. One of the best places on Cape for big bluefish in my opinion. I am sure you will hit the blues there eventually if you keep trying.
I would be very interested in hearing how things go next weekend if you go. Thanks for the update and good luck!
I went out last night and started out at Nobska Lighthouse. Never fished this area. After loosing a plug I decided to drive East to try some outlets. I found some schoolies at one place and after one hour I got a big hit. It ended up to be the biggest Blue fish caught this year at almost 33″ and 15 pounds. I arrived home after midnight but accomplished. 🙂
Terrific! Always worth losing a little sleep for a night like that.
Well done Ryan, as usual. Both my dogs would recognize that area in a heartbeat, as this is one of our favorite winter walking areas. Beauty all around, and the fish just adds to it. Nice, thanks.
Great place to walk the dogs Peter, I’m glad you are familiar with the spot. Great place for a stroll during the winter. Thanks for commenting!
Beautiful fish! Nice catch!
Thank you! Tonight was great too! Gotta love October!