Hot Spot: Fort Pond - The Fisherman

Hot Spot: Fort Pond

chris
Chris Albronda from Montauk Anglers Club shows off a night time Fort Pond walleye.

With saltwater fishing options very limited to most of us in the Northeast this time of year, freshwater fishing may be the ticket to filling your down time or giving your fishing addiction a reprieve. Located in the heart of Montauk, the pond offers 180-plus acres of fishing, over three miles of shoreline, and depths of 25 feet. Add all this together, and you have the perfect home for smallmouth and largemouth bass, walleye that have grown to almost state-record size, an ample supply of panfish and some huge carp! Add in a little ice if it gets cold enough, and this is a trophy hardwater fishery. In addition, if ice stays away, then options abound.

A Pro’s View

LAUNCH RAMP
The DEC maintains a boat ramp on the south end of the pond. The facility is immediately west of the East Hampton Town athletic fields in the Village of Montauk. To get there, drive east on Main Street, make a left on South Embassy and a right on South Erie. Look for the brown DEC sign, and make a left.

I have fished Fort Pond for many years and have scored well on big largemouths, trophy smallies, panfish galore, and a handful of walleye. Most of my damage is done in the warmer months, from March until December. For winter fishing, Chris Albronda knows this lake better than anyone does.

Chris said, “This time of year, when the cold really sets into Montauk, the Fort Pond fishery is the only bite in town. Depending on what you are targeting, timing is the key. Walleye fishing happens in the dead of night. During the new moon, the fish will be hitting the shallows as soon as the sun sets. During full moons, the fish will settle into their spots along the shore a lot later into the night.”

Do not overlook the daytime bite, either. Chris feels they bite well then too. Fish will be caught during the day using lures you can work extremely slow, with long pauses, hence, the Rapala Husky Jerk suspending and Rapala slow rising jerkbaits are a cut above the rest on Fort Pond. Another prime daytime bait, per Chris, would be the Z-Man Ned Rig, which again fished extremely slowly.

Tackle Crunch

Chris suggests that for jerkbait fishing you’re going to want a medium to a medium/heavy type rod. Walleye have incredibly hard mouths, so having a rod with a little bit of backbone that can really set the hook into these fish will result in more landed fish. The Ned rig setup should be an ultralight setup with a 2 to 4-pound test fluorocarbon line, the real key to success. For the bass, a medium spinning rod rated for 10- to 17-pound line and size 3000 reel spooled with 10-pound test fluorocarbon and 8-pound fluorocarbon leader is best. On the panfish front, I like to use mono in 12, with no leader on a 6-foot, 6-inch spinning rod rated for 10-14

Location, Location, Location

TACKLE SHOP
Montauk Anglers Marina and Tackle

467 E Lake Dr.

Montauk, NY 11954

631-668-3232

Hours: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday

At night, along every shore in the lake, walleye sit so close to the shore that, at times, their backs will stick out of the water. Anywhere that you can find shoreline where you can take a long cast parallel is where you’re going to find walleye. Put enough time into that area, and eventually, they will pass through. The walleye will be on the sand, along the invasive Phragmites, and found along hard structure. During the day, the walleye move into deeper water. Focusing on deep drop-offs will be paramount to your success.

For large and smallmouth bass, the areas are similar with the one exception – daytime fishing is the way to go. As the cold of night sets in, bass, which are already in a lethargic state, will get even more lethargic, in fact, almost dormant. I have found the best bass action is along the western shore where the sun has had time to heat the water ever so slightly. The area along the railroad tracks on the north end is also another good spot, especially for smallmouths.

If you want panfish – yellow and white perch specifically, nothing will beat small jig head tipped with worms. Another great option, which is also good for bass, is live shiners. A standard worm under a float is a solid choice as well.

Easy Access

To get to Fort Pond, simply jump on Route 27 – Sunrise Highway and head east. Once you pass Hither Hills State Park, Fort Pond will be on your left as you enter town. Access can be had from the east or west side. The north end has better parking, in my opinion, but the south end near the launch ramp is also a good spot.

Instead of a dead winter where all you do is complain about the cold and the lack of options, grab a rod or two and head east to Fort Pond.

If you have a small boat and the lake is ice-free, the launch ramp is free. A boat will give you the option to drop-shot or jig the deeper holes in the lake and possibly score with large walleye and big smallmouths and largies.

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