There are two bait and tackle shops in Montauk: Paulie’s Tackle of Montauk and the other place. When I walked into Paulie’s, I could not help but to stare at all the plugs decorating the walls. I felt like a child in a candy store!!! 😉

Super Strike and Northbar are two innovative companies that manufacture field tested lures that catch fish, tide in and tide out. Paulie’s has a comprehensive selection of their lures. I could not pass up the opportunity to buy some striper candy.

Paulie’s is the hub of the fishing scene on Montauk. I met some local and regular surfcasters. We shared fishing stories and learned from each other. I was glad to learn that like MBBA, LIBBA is also fighting for fishing access. I discovered that while my “guide” and I were fishing The Point, anglers were into fish at Caswell’s. 🙁

While at Paulie’s, I also had a chance to meet Paul Melnyk, the founder of skishing. He shared his skishing knowledge and told some incredible fish stories; including the one about a the biggest striped bass he has ever landed via skishing (a fish well over 50 lbs, which he released).

When in Montauk, shop Paulies Tackle of Montauk. You will walk away with more than great gear! 😉

Montuak, the Surfcasting Capital of the wold, is full of fishy spots.   Too many spots to fish properly in a single tide.   With limited time and access, I focused my energy on The Point and it’s North and South sides.

I drove to Montauk Point, 6.2 miles from Harborside, to get an overnight parking permit.  The parking attendant with her proper New York accent eventually understood my improper Massachusetts accent and informed me that I could only buy an overnight parking permit for Camp Hero and the Montauk Point parking lots from January 1 to April 30 and from the Tuesday after Labor Day to December 31.  I gave her the OMG! face.  She then told me that I could get a seven day overnight parking permit for the Montauk Point parking lot at Montauk Downs.

I paid the proper New York speaking parking attendant to park for the day and trekked to The Point and Camp Hero with my cameras.

After capturing pictures and video of The Point and the areas adjacent to Camp Hero, I drove 6 miles to Montauk Downs to get an overnight parking permit.

With my newly acquired overnight parking permit from Montauk Downs, I arrived back at the Montuak Point parking lot before sunset.  With daylight burning, I quickly took plugs from my AquaSkinz Cargo Bag and filled myAquaSkinz Cobra Bag.  I selected an array of plugs based on the locations I scouted during the day and the incoming tide.

While gearing up, I connected with a local angler who has fished Montauk for more years than he would admit.   We exchanged information and formed a new plan.  We accessed the trecherous rocks below the Montauk light house by way of an un-marked trail.  He traversed the rocks with ease.  Thanks to myKorkers, I kept up…barely!

We passed two anglers in wetsuits who were fishing bucktails.   The only thing they caught was a rock on the ocean bottom.  Not a good sign. We also passed anglers fishing chunks of Manhaden (a.k.a. “bunker”) on the bottom.   Nothing. Not a good sign.

We fished named and un-names rocks together for the entire incoming tide. Rocks that have been fished by thousands of anglers before me and that have supported the weight of large predatory striped bass.  I fished the best tide I have ever fished.  My CTS S8 was out casting other anglers 2 to 1. I fished my plugs through the incoming tide to the rock below my feet under the blanket of darkness formed by the new moon.  Not even a bump! 🙁

At the end of the tide, my “guide” said: “If you are fishing a spot on Montauk and there is no one around, then everyone is into fish somewhere else”.   Although the bass in the Atlantic Ocean did not cooperate, the bass in Fort Pond did! 😉

Fishing Montuak has been on my bucket list since On The Run was published.   Based on my fishing journal, June and the new moon is an optimal time of year and moon phase for targeting striped bass in the Atlantic ocean.  My friends on striped-bass.com suggested some hotels and local guides.  Nearly all of the hotels were booked or required a King’s ransom.  The Harborside Motel had one room left at a fair rate.   🙂  I contacted several surf guides.  All were booked.  :-(.   Montauk Confidential by Paul Melnyk and Long Island’s Best Freshwater Fishing by Tom Schlichter were indispensable in forming a plan.  I got my New York state fishing licenses online.  I made and list.  Checked it twice.  Loaded up my Suburban: Montuak or bust!

You can reach the Montauk (The Surfcasting Capital of the World) via car, train, plane, or ferry.  Traveling to Montauk on a Friday with my fully loaded Suburban was enlightening!  Traffic on a Friday in New York?   After eight hours on the road, I finally arrived at The Harborside Motel.

I unloaded my gear.  Grabbed my iPhone, Fuji water proof camera and Go Pro. And started my on-the-ground recognizance at The Point.