August 18, 2005 - A children's summer storyGA • The News - Review • August 18, 2005
Angling for keepers
Focus Someone had told my son of a
special fishing spot west of Robins Is-
land marked by a white buoy that desig-
nated where rocks could be a hazard to
navigation. Always an ardent fisherman,
my response to his question "Want to
go fishing ?" brought a quick and posi-
tive reply.
I had caught a good number of squid
a few months ago out at Greenport and
so there was no
Focus problem of bait.
Yes, he had the
ON poles on board, so
NATURE let's get going. His
boat is moored in
by Paul the creek so we
StOUtBntNlfgh had to motor out
to it. For some
reason the motor
on the small boat wouldn't start, but no
matter — we could row out
Once the engine to the big boat was
given a squirt of starter fluid, the engine
sputtered once or twice and then roared
and coughed out its cooling water to tell
us all was ready and willing to head out.
After about a half hour of doing noth-
ing but enjoying the day as we motored
along, we picked up his son Paul at the
commercial dock at North Sea Harbor
on the other side of the bay, and so the
third member of the family hopped
aboard.
Like father, like son — Paulie was
eager to be on board and fun of enthu-
siasm for the day ahead. On our way to
this wonder spot that my son was told
about, we saw fish breaking ahead.That
Suffolk Times photo by Paul Stoutenburgh
Perhaps not this year but next will bring to our bays and creeks weakfish
that are not only good to eat but also provide the fisherman with a real chal-
lenge. Today there are lots of small weaks in the bay but most fall too short
In length to be legal.
could mean only one thing — bluefish. I
quickly grabbed a pole that had a shiny
lure and a treble hook attached and
proceeded to get ready to cast into the
fish ahead. So here goes the oldest, most
experienced fisherman aboard. I swung
back and let go the shiny lure as it tore
through the air heading directly toward
the breaking fish, then — snap — and
the lure continued on its way, unat-
tached to the line. Something fouled the
SUNRISE EXPRESS 90
For Rnsenlations & Information Phone: (631 ) 477.120011.80527.7709
✓A
•Tads
MONDAY - FRIDAY
•MOS. Rock
r
WESTBOUND
M
• Rdw" Wet
syst-
MWF
Lv Greenpod
`5:45 a.m.
7:30 a.m.
11:00 a.m.
2:30 p.m. 5:30 p.m.'++
Southold
5:50
7:35
11:05
2:35
5:35
Cutchogue
5:55
7:40
11:10
2:40
5:40
Mattituck
6:00
7:45
11:15
2:45
5:45
Riverhead
6:15
8:00
11:30
3:00
6:00
Art Queens
8:30
9:45
1:15 p.m.
4:45
7:45
New York
8:45
10:00
1:30
5:00
8:00
EASTBOUND
M
MWf
Lv New York
•9:30 a.m.
11:00 a.m.
2:30 p.m.
6:30 p.m. 8:30 p.m.*—
Queens
9:45
11:15
2:45
6:45
8:45
Air Riverhead
11:30
1:00 p.m.
4:30
8:30
10:30
Mattituck
11:45
1:15
4:45
8:45
10:45
Cutchogue
11:50
1:20
4:50
8:50
10:50
Southold
11:55
1:25
4:55
8:55
10:55
Greenpon
12:00 p.m.
1:30
5:00
9:00
11:00
$Kfwmm
WESTBOUND
Lv Greenport
•'5:45 a.m.
7:30 a.m.
11:00 a.m.
2:30
p.m. "7:00 p.m.
Southold
5:50
7:35
11:05
2:35
7:05
Cutchogue
5:55
7:40
11:10
240
7:10
Mitts
6:00
7:45
11:15
245
7:15
Riverhead
6:15
8:00
11:30
3:00
7:30
Art Queens
8:00
9:45
1:15 p.m.
4:45
9:15
New York
8:15
10:00
1:30
5:00
9:30
EASTBOUND
Lv New York
"8:30 a.m.
11:00 a.m.
2:30 p.m.
6:30 p.m. nn9:45p.m.
Queens
8:45
11:15
2:45
6:45
10:00
Art Riverhead
10:30
1:00p.m.
4:30
8:30
11:15
Mattituck
10:45
1:15
4:45
8:45
11:30
Cutchogue
10:50
1:20
4:50
8:50
11:35
Southold
10:55
1:25
4:55
8:55
11:40
Greenport
11:00
1:30
5:00
9:00
11:45
"Mearorial Day
lhrosNY 9hankso ' Yllaaktrtd
WESTBOUND
>pNOAY
r
Lv Greenport
8:00a.m.
2:30 p.m.
700 p.m.
Southold
8:05
2:35
7:05
'Monday Only
Cutchogue
8:10
2:40
7:10
IMI Memorial Day
Maltituck
Riverhead
1
8: 5
8:30
2:45
3:00
7:15
7:30
through Labor Day
Arr Queens
10:15
4:45
9:15
+Monday. Wednesday
New York
10:30
5:00
9:30
tMWF) and Friday
EASTBOUND
Only
Lv New York
I1:OOa.m.
6:30 p.m.
9:45 p.m.
Queens
11:15
6:45
10:00
+ +Wednesday only
Art Riverhead
1!00p.m.
8:30
11:15
Memorial Day
Mattiluck
1:15
8:45
11:30
through
Cutchogue
1:20
8:50
11:35
Columbus Day
Southold
125
8:55
11:40
Greenport
1:30
9:00
11:45
line from going on its merry way and
I reluctantly brought in an empty line.
Not a very good example to my grand-
son, who was looking on. Oh, well, that's
fishing. We circled back to where the
fish were but by now they bad disap-
peared and there wasn't a trace of them
to be seen. Round and round we went,
trolling and trying out lures of every
size and description in hopes that one of
those young tigers would come to our
lure and strike it.
No such luck, so it was
on to the special rock It's great
that was supposed to generati
turn up fish of all sorts ermen t
We had heard porgies
were in the bay so we set get toga
our gear for them. Deep have suc
down it really didn't mat-
ter if we caught fish or carefree
not Pauthe had brought
along a couple of heros for lunch and
Roger had plenty of drinks on ice. It's
great for three generations of fishermen
to get together and have such an easy,
carefree time of it.
The day was warm and sunny and the
shade of the big cabin added much to
our comfort. We all felt sorry for those
back home, for the temperature soared
in the 90s but on the water it was quite
tolerable. We finally reached the white
buoy that was supposed to bring us fish,
but sorry to say I think my son was sold
someone's "fish story."
After an hour of not even a nibble,
we pulled up the anchor and headed for
the green buoy between Robins Island
and Nassau Point. This buoy has fond
memories for me: As kids this was as
far as our parents would let us go. In
those days the buoy was painted black
and was always referred to as the "black
buoy."
We leisurely passed along the west
side of Robins Island, then around the
long sand spit to the north and then
east to the green buoy. I was hanging
my reputation on it. This was always a
place you could catch fish. My losing
a complete rig while trying to catch a
bluefish needed a fish now; any kind of
fish would do.
The anchor went out and the tide
swung us to a tight and secure hold on
the bottom. We were rigged for porgies
and our lines went over baited with
clams and squid that by now, with the
heat, were starting to smell a bit.
Paulie was the first to get a hit. His
pole bent and jumped around as he
reeled in. We an guessed. Porgy? Sand
shark? (There are lots of them out
here.) Or possibly a weakfish? Over the
side it came — a small weakfish. What
a beautiful, silvery fish, speckled with
gold, green, gray and yellow.
What is its size? Today there are lim-
its on the number of fish and the size of
the fish you can take. Wiggling and slip-
ping, it was laid on the measuring board
— 15 314 inches — too small. Over the
side it went. Then fish after fish came
up, each one measured
for three meticulously with hopes
OnS Of fish of finding a "keeper."
But no, all were close but
0 come t0 none made the mark; all
ther and had to be tossed over-
board.
h an easy, I was pleased to see
time Of it. the small weakfish, for
it meant spawning and
growth were doing well.
Some years we don't even see a weak-
fish. Yes, this was a good sign. Finally, af-
ter nine or 10 "shorts" that were thrown
back, I caught one that just made the
legal length. At last we wouldn't go
back home empty- handed.
The afternoon slipped away. All the
food was gone and we all caught fish.
What better way to spend a 90- degree
day than out on the water with your son
and grandson?
.�Y 3
• catered stare
✓A
•Tads
•MOS. Rock
r
. Pavkgst°nes
' • .. !nn.'
• Rdw" Wet
syst-
pamlty Owned 6 Opsrored SImw 1397
eemem. M0"'
a Lime
• sad end w muds
mare 40=
• catered stare
•Tads
• Conc to Blocks
- • Pem. Wall"ona
(8 tyres)
• Patio Blocks
• c°mestore
• Bw°atrro
I ^^�
. ndaado Sin°
urwarar..e-
.serohmes
ambndge
Rod-Wi
wG 7 gstonq
• Topsdl a Mad,
Pavi
��ft�.�•.
'iYY:ll...
• Olve Ro h
•Gmaal shat°
• GI°nGe y Bdcks
www. cambrid a avers.com °n hed0ona°'°
9 P
used Bdcks fly
• sad end w muds
mare 40=