MONTAUK SUICIDE RUN 10-6-12

Got a text message from my buddy Andy Tuesday morning with some simple, yet irresistible language – “So, if I go to Montauk this weekend where should I pick you up at?” I gave him a simple reply – “Meet me at the turnpike” Andy has purchased a Yack from a guy on SOL has to go close to Montauk to pick it up and……. since we are going to be close we should check it out!

From there it was a week of waiting, packing and getting more and more excited. Visions of blitzing 30 lb bass danced in my head – bent rods and bags of fillets.
Friday finally rolled in and it was a good day indeed. Spent some time packing every lure known to man and then making decisions on what to put in my bag. Ended up carrying a few Bomber style lures (slim minnow stuff like the SP Minnow, Bomber Salt-A, broken back and a few poppers. Also threw in a couple of needle fish, a pencil popper, and some swimmers. A few swim shad, some soft plastics and lots of bucktails and jig heads. In the truck was a box with about 7 planos filled with various plugs, bags of soft plastics and assorted other items.
Also included were a few cases of Monster! Yes, it was that kind of trip. 

Met Andy at 8 pm and we headed “north and east” until we could go no further! Neither of us had ever fished Montauk from shore. We arrived at Midnight to find a mild evening, bright moon and a picturesque lighthouse perched on top of a cliff. It all looked fishy in a good way!



Poked around at the point by the light where we saw very people fishing and no one catching. The water was calm and the shoreline consisted on rocks, rocks and more rocks – boulders protruded from the surf, some alone and some with dark figures perched atop like Great Blue Heron looking for a fish. These were not birds, just lonely anglers casting and peering into the moonlight waves. A light SE breeze was wafting balmy wishes upon all present.
After some reconnoitering at the point we looked at a map and decided that we would go to a parking lot in an area called Camp Hero. We pulled in there after some time spooking the local antlered four legged residents who, eventently, like to snack along dark roads. There were a few campers and other vehicles in the small lot but everyone was quiet. Two anglers were parked next to us and we chatted with them as se suited up and Andy searched his truck for that “magic lure” which was clearly buried under 4000 boxes of good, but not magic lures. I waited for what seemed like hours but was really only minutes until he loaded his lures and was ready to proceed.
The guys next to us where just handing out with a lantern and lawn chairs I guess waiting for sunrise??? Anyway, one was nice enough to show us how to get down the cliff (Andy was going to use his tow rope to rappel I think). We slipped and slip down the 150 foot drop and reached the beach where we found the same boulders but this time it was very devoid of fishermen. We set up to the north of the patch with Andy electing to wade out to a boulder to perch on – I fished about 75 yards away and did not feel the need or spirit to wade that deep and climb that high. I waded out to clear the shallows and just stood in the water. Tried a few different soft plastics and was eventually rewarded with a tug on an 8’ black senko Fat Boy lure. A tug is all I got and when I reeled in I discovered that something with very sharp teeth had sawed me in two. I think it was a flounder from what I felt.

Waked down to where Andy was perched and he had gotten a bump on a swim shad. We fished around for a few hours and then decided to climb the cliff to the car to refuel with monster and switch out some lures. Spoke with an early riser (HA!) in the parking lot and he told us, among other things, that the area where we were was a good morning spot.

We fueled up and went back to it. We went a little south this time from the path as we wanted to get to the south (into the wind) facing side of a cove. Andy found a nice rock that he got out on and I found what I thought was a perfect spot standing behind a boulder that offered a perfect leaning post. That lasted a few minutes until a slightly larger wave crested up off the boulder and soaked my chest and face above my waders – Arrrrrrgh. Thought about going to stand on a rock but the two I attempted were just not very comfortable to perch on and cast.

I look over and see Andy ha his white light on – and that means he has a fish! Work my way back to shore and then down to where he is – he hold up a sweet 32’ striper that he got high sticking a bucktail on breaking fish. Told me they started popping in front of him! We did the cast and transfer maneuver (I tossed him a hook and he attached the bass so I could drag it to shore – so I really landed the fish HAW 
I set up to one side and because the fish were in tight just stayed behind the deeper rocks instead of one top. The sky is just getting light when I put on a burple brokenback Bomber and was rewarded with a crashing fish that popped off. A few casts later and I get a splash as I am about to lift the lure in front of me – a hard jerk and a crash as the striper kills my plug at my feet. Brief struggle and I lip and fat bass that was only 26” Still exciting! As I am fighting the fish I could see the dorsal fins of other bass behind it and yell to Andy to cast at his feet – he does and hooks up and then pops off another fish.
Release the short and get back to work - another bass slams my bomber and again, another 26” We continue to fish with no action once the sun comes up and I look down the beach to see lots of people arriving and setting up. Many guys are hard at work with pencil poppers but we see no one hook up with anything. Looking towards the point there around at least 50 boats along the shore and out and around the area. We pack it up and head back to the truck - drive to the point to find it less crowded and most people just sitting around looking at the water. Again, guys on rocks either waiting for something to show or pencil popping the empty water. We fish there for about an hour and Andy lands a small sea bass on a metal.

Pack it in up at around 10:30 and go pick up the yack – sweeeeeeeeeeet boat with all the bells whistles and electronics installed! Andy is gonna be a killer in this vessel
The ride home was brutal with lots of traffic and I was glad when I rolled into my driveway and could shower, eat and sleep!


Thanks Andy for great company and a great trip!

Great to meet 126Andy as well - he was a very nice man with a very large mustache, LOL

Well your trip sure sounds so much better than mine lol...

My trip stated off by me having to knock on the bedroom window of my buddy who came with me lol i should have known then just to turnaround and go home he over sleep lol....

got up to the point around 8am and the shoreline was dead just a bunch of guys hole fishing poles no one fishing lol.
well fast forward the whole day and that was the scene not one fish taken or even spoken about all day.

Oh well it was a good time hanging with my long time friend and shooting the **** all day...

Smitty -


Sorry to hear that you found it so dead. At least it was a really nice day out - good fall weather!


Lets get together and make another run at Montauk before those bass leave!