With Labor Day in our wake, it’s time to think surf fishing. From now through November, casters will be called to arms from Breezy Point to Montauk as stripers and blues feed up for the fall migration. Perfectly timed to kick off the fall season is The Fisherman‘s Annual Surf Fishing Show and Seminar, this Wednesday night, September 14, at the Huntington Hilton (one quarter mile south of the LIE on Route 110). More than 70 surf fishing related tackle manufacturers will be represented, there are ongoing seminars by some of the best surfcasters on the coast, goody bags for the first 500 attendees, and a free raffle featuring high end surf gear from manufacturers like Penn, Van Staal, Tsunami, St. Croix, Century, Star Rods, Daiwa, Korkers, Shimano, AquaSkinz, Gear Up and many others. You can also stock up on gear from some of the best surf oriented tackle shops and tackle vendors in the region.
The seminar schedule includes “Crazy Alberto” Knie on windows of opportunity for big stripers, veteran surf guide Bill Wetzel on live eeling for cow bass, John Paduano of Premium Bucktails on bucktailing inlets and other places, Doc Muller on reading and working sand beaches, Alfred Anuszewski of the Campo Crew and Block Island’s glory days, and Paul McKain of River & Bay Outfitters on salt water fly fishing.
Show doors open at 6 p.m. and the presentations get underway at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for children 16 and under.
MONTAUK SURF FISHING CLASSIC
Right on the heels of the surf show is the Montauk Surf Fishing Classic, hosted by The Fisherman and Long Island State Parks. It runs from noon Friday, September 23 through noon Sunday, September 25. The awards ceremony will take place at the Point at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday. The first 100 attendees at Sunday’s awards ceremony will receive a goody bag of tackle and all attendees will receive a free ticket for the awards ceremony raffle. Weigh-in for this year’s contest will be Paulie’s Tackle Shop where the doors will remain open 24/7 throughout the weekend. The in-person entry deadline is 9 a.m. on Saturday morning at Paulie’s. The entry fee remains just $15 per angler.
There are three places in the Striped Bass Release Division, and the Striped Bass and Bluefish divisions. Winners of the striped bass (weighed) and bluefish categories will receive $750. Second and third place winners, and first through third place in the striped bass release category will receive quality tackle prizes.
GATHERING OF ANGLERS
A contest designed to foster comaraderie and friendship between Long Island’s surf fishing clubs. All clubs active in the New York Surf Fishing Contest are eligible to participate. The Farragut Striper Club, last year’s winner of the cup, will be hosting the event this year.
This is a catch and release only format based on the honor system. Fish will be weighed on certified club scales and released. Fishing begins at 6 p.m. Friday, October 7 and ends at 12 noon on Sunday, October 9.
An awards ceremony and barbecue will be held in the Montauk Point lower lot immediately following the close of the tournament. Each club is responsible for bringing their own food and beverages. The award is “bragging rights” only and the cup will be passed on to this year’s winning club. Clubs interested in participating in this year’s event should contact Ross Squire at [email protected].
SOUTH SHORE SURF FISHING CLASSIC
The always popular South Shore Surf Fishing Classic will take place from noon Friday, October 14, through noon Sunday, October 16. The contest is hosted by The Fisherman and Long Island State Parks, and sponsored by Captree Bait & Tackle. It kicks off at noon on Friday, October 14, and continues through noon on Sunday, October 16, followed by the awards ceremony at 12:30 p.m. at Captree. The entry fee is $15, and the entry deadline is 9 a.m. on Saturday at Captree Bait & Tackle.
There will be cash and quality tackle prizes awarded to those catching the three largest stripers (36-inch minimum), the three largest blues (5-pound minimum), and the three largest striped bass released (36-inch minimum). The first 100 attendees at Sunday’s awards ceremony will receive free tackle, and all attendees will receive a free ticket for the awards ceremony raffle. Boundary lines are the Jones Beach West End Two Jetty to the east jetty of Moriches Inlet.
BABYLON AUTUMN SURF FISHING CUP
Hosted by Paumonak Surfcasters and LIBBA in cooperation with Town of Babylon and Councilman Lindsay Henry’s office, this event runs October 28 to October 30 with fishing from 5 p.m. Friday to 2 p.m. Sunday. The tournament is open to Babylon Town residents and non-residents. Non-residents will have access to Babylon Town beaches for the tournament, including 4×4 access. Boundary lines are the Sore Thumb to the western boundary of Gilgo State Park. The entry fee is $15 and you can register in person at the weigh station set up in the Overlook Beach parking lot by 6 p.m. Friday. After 6 p.m., the entry fee is $20. You can also enter in person at Babylon Town Hall (Councilman Henry’s office) prior to the start of the contest. For more info or an entry form, contact Councilman Lindsay Henry’s office at 631-957-4482.
JONES BEACH SURF FISHING CLASSIC
Sponsored by Jones Beach Fishing Station, Long Island State Parks and The Fisherman, this contest is scheduled for November 4 through 6. Fishing is from noon Friday, November 4 through 3 p.m. on Sunday, November 6, with an awards ceremony featuring live music by the Slap Jackson Orchestra following the final weigh-in. All weigh-ins are at Jones Beach Fishing Station. There will be cash and tackle prizes for the three largest stripers and blues, with $500 each for the largest bass and blue. Boundary lines are Debs Inlet to the Fire Island Lighthouse, including the South Shore back bays. For more info, call Ed at Jones Beach Shop at 631-559-5938.
SALTWATERS TACKLE SURF TOURNAMENT
This new addition to the surf tourney circuit promises to be a biggie with lucrative prize money at stake and some big name sponsors donating product for the contest. The 24 hour event kicks off at 5 p.m. Friday, November 4th and runs through 5 p.m. Saturday, November 5th. The tournament is unique in several ways. The $50 entry fee (tournament T-shirt to first 100 entrants) is considerably higher than existing surf contests but the payout promises to be considerably larger as well. Based on 100 entries, the first place striped bass will be worth at least $1,500. There will also be tournament weighmasters strategically located across the contest boundaries (Fire Island Lighthouse to Jones Inlet) for the duration of the contest, allowing participants in those areas to officially weigh and release their catch. If the first through third place fish are officially weighed and released, the anglers are eligible for additional prizes. Cash prizes will be awarded for the top three bass and bluefish. Fourth through sixth place fish must be released and are eligible for tackle prizes. Also unique for a surf event are optional Calcuttas for bass and bluefish. These are winner take all and the entry fee for each is $25. Entries are already off to a fast start. Sign up is in person at the shop, and you can also register at Saltwaters booth at The Fisherman Surf Show. For more information, call 631-539-9422.
With both Saltwater’s Tournament and the Jones Beach Classic taking place over the same weekend, it might behoove you to enter both tournaments, especially if you plan on spending a lot of time on the beach that weekend.
If you’re into the surf scene, you’ve got to be excited about the upcoming fall run. There’s the anticipation that accompanies every fall season, a great surf show/seminar to look forward to, and a slew of surf contests that every caster should include on their fall itinerary. It all adds up to one big surf fest for any caster who yearns for the smell of salt air and the pull of the wash under an autumn sky.
