On The Incoming - Great Video!

On The Incoming // Drake Fly Fishing Magazine

Killer Shot Fall Run 2011

One once said said that a picture speaks a thousand words... Well it is not entirely true for the vast majority of the pictures I take... but this one is a great summary of what surf fishing can be!

Enjoy!

Breezy Point Jetty - October 2011 - Charles Getting Slamed!

Fishing New York City - Jamaica Bay November 2011

Fall Run 2011 - September

The "Fall Run" is the word used by fishermen to describe the annual migration of the Striped Bass that occurs in the Fall.

Each year, striped bass swim back to their spawning grounds and "pack up" on food before the long winter.

Fueled by the bait fish that leave shores and bays, the striped bass normally hunt these preys along the beach of the North East of the USA. This year has been very challenging to fish from shore because the weather has been really affected by the Hurricane "Irene" that not only disturbed the fishing conditions but also caused NY and NJ state some very serious floods, causing a very murky water.

Breezy Point Jetty

This murky water, coupled with very high winds and the quasi-absence of sand eels has been the source of a very tough season. New Jersey shore around Sandy Hook is known to be a really great place for surf fishing - but this year, I didn't get the chance to witness any "Blitz"... and the action has been very very slow...

My New SUV allowing to fish from the Shore!

Anyway, at a personal level, my season has been really great! I now have a SUV and a Kayak that allows me to fish, anywhere I want. No more headaches trying to figure out a way to access a spot, no more waiting in vain for a potential fish to swim by... in one word: FREEDOM.

The First Bass on the Kayak!

Jamaica Bay and its surroundings is the perfect place to pursue fishing opportunities from a kayak... The diversity of species, birds and spots accessible form a kayak are truly ENDLESS.

A very healthy 35 inch bass caught in Jamaica Bay, NY

If your thing is exploring go inside the bay and follow the marches, if you're like me and you like to fish waves and currents, go fish the mouth of the bay where the Atlantic Ocean meets the bay!

A typical size fish caught this year

Exploring new grounds and territory is something I enjoyed since my early age and if I can coupled this with a fishing rod in my hand then it is even better.

Breezy Point, Waves are forming, creating hot spots 

Jamaica Bay at low tide, in the maze...

Penfield Reef Lighthouse, Connecticut

The End of Summer - Good good times on and of the water

Hi there!

Summers is now over, it went too fast as always, we had a awesome summer this year but it was a little too rainy overall... Anyway, as far as I am concerned weather should not stops a real fisherman to fish...

Writing blog is not an easy task... I realized that I am rusty... so I will just post some pictures of this summer - Enjoy!

Best,
Pierre

Esopus, NY

East Branch of Delaware

Wilemock, NY

The "Big D", West Branch of Delaware, NY

The "Big D", Rainy Sunday

West Branch of Delaware

August 2011 – Report Black Bass Sea Bass Factory




C est deja 10 heures du Matin, mon pote Long est pile a l’heure, comme d’habitude… et nous prenons la voiture direction: “Bear Mountain”, un ensemble de lacs a une 40aines de miles de New York.

Le voyage se fait bien tranquille, avec une pause sur le trajet histoire de faire le plein de matos dans le New Jersey.

C’est donc en debut d’apres midi qu’on arrive a Silver Mine Lake, un petit lac super sympa perdu dans les montagnes des Catskills. Beaucoup de Small et Large Mouth Bass… Apres un casse-croute tres dietetique a base de gros sandwiches huileux, de bacon et de fromage fondu, c est d’un pas tres decide que nous lancons nos leurres sur un lac absolument inconnu.

Premieres surprises: Les algues ici, c’est pas de la blague, c est du solide… Je regrette un moment d’etre monte si leger… l’ideal pour pecher dans ces herbiers c’est d’etre directement monte en tresse… Perso, je suis pas un adepte du mode bourrin donc je continue mon approche “finesse” c-a-d en mode Senko, weightless, une technique que j’ai decouvert il y a quelques temps et qui marche toujours assez bien.

Je m’installe au millieux de la vegetation et j’entend un gros “plouf” sur la droite, loin de la berge, a la junction des herbiers et de la pleine eau. J’envoie, pas le temps de ramener, “BLAM” je prend une belle sacoche et je ramene après un combat un peu trop long a mon gout dans les herbiers, un beau LM bass.

Le reste de la journee est dedie a la decouverte de nouveaux spots et de nouveaux lacs – en tout, nous avons pecher 6 lacs diferents, et nous avons du prendre 3 jolies fishs et un bon nombre de petits bass sans pour autant nous tuer a la tache…



Sur le dernier spot, j essaie les jolis leurres que Sylvain, FX et Steven m’ont envoye via le Concours du SBF! Un swim bait Molix, qui me semble bien.

Je le met sur la ligne et j’envoie dans un spot TRES heavy cover…et la, BLAM, un gros black sort de dessous les nenuphars et “tape” leurre… Bon… Je suis assez surprise car le poisson est gros pour etre dans un spot si peu profound…Je renvois le leurre, le poisson se jette a nouveau dessus mais le rate… RAHHHH! Apres cela, trop confidant, je prend mon temps, place le swim bait sur un nenuphar et le poisson le gobe litteralement… J ‘attend…. Et je met un ferrage a la Japonaise… et le poisson part dans le cover aussi sec et mon fil casse…

Heureusement mon pote Long, touchera un beau bass sur le meme poste avec un Bass Assassin… Perso, je m’en fout un peu d’avoir louper le bass, l’essentiel c est d’avoir pu voir ces attaques de surface!

Pour finir, encore merci pour les leurres, d’autres reports viendront prochainement! Cette fois en peche mer!

All the Best,

Pierre

http://ifishnewyork.blogspot.com/

Striped Bass Fishing with Rigged Eels

John Skinner - The Striped Bass Master

I have never used rigged eels yet, not sure if I ever will, but this video is just very good! the scene is taking place in the North Shore of Long Island - a VERY tough place to fish since it is super hard to locate fish from shore...

Watch the master now:

Small World

Three years ago I met a dude who was fishing with a light SAGE spinning rod in the East River... I was like - DUDE, you got to be crazy to use a Sage rod, that light in the East River, during prime season of Bluefish...

After a small talk, I have found out that this dude was from France, and that he was working for Urban Anglers in NYC! Well, a small talk turned into a long conversation and, Nicolas told me about a spot where he just missed a real big one...

Needless to say that I came to the spot and we landed a nice Bluefish, on a SPRO bucktail, the fish was caught by my buddy Charles-Henri and it was a memorable experience since I had to jump in the water to land this fish :)

Long story short, Nicolas and I stayed in touch and he is now publishing a great article on Predators, a french fishing magazine! He is describing his fishing adventure in NYC but on the Fresh Water side! A great Large mouth fisherman!

His great article is below! so enjoy, the article is in FRENCH!

Summer Times

Hi there!

Long time no see, long time no see...

Well, I have been REALLY busy hustling for a new job, a new place and didn't have much time to really fish until recently.

The good news is that I have never been happier and healthier, the bad news is that I have found a lot of reasons for not blogging...

Since last March, I have attended the "Fly Fishing Tour", where I met a new fishing friend, as known as Peter Laurelly, who is also the main subject of my last post! Small world huh! Peter is BY FAR the most dedicated fly fisherman I know and fishing along with him has been, so far a great advendture.

2011 is not a typical season for Shore Fishing, everyone is freaking out about "Spot Burning" so no one is posting on the web, the fish have showed in mass but outside casting range and I personally have been really UNLUCKY since I have missed nearly all the biggest fish that I hooked on...

But the season is NOT over yet, there will be times of glory, fishing in the rips of Long Island South Shore and the Striped Bass will be there!

When they will show up I will have a real ARSENAL of new lures, news techniques along with good friends ready to brave the winds and the waves!

My friends from SEA BASS FACTORY have been really kind and sent me some awesome lures from France, Italy and Japan and I have tried them on the North Fork of Long Island. THEY WORK! This tiny soft baits works beautifully on every species, and got my skunked off my shoulders as early as the first cast!

Keep lurking on this blog, things are moving very fast over here...

TIGHT LINES!
PIERRE

In French Now...


Salut a Tous et a Toutes!


Ca faisait LONGTEMPS...


Ces derniers temps j'ai ete vraiment occupe entre changement de boulot et d'appartement les journees ont ete TRES chargees.


Pas trop le temps de pecher mais je n ai jamais ete aussi en forme que ces derniers temps donc c est la bonne nouvelle! La mauvaise c est que j ai pas trop "blogger" ces derniers temps...


De mon cote j ai eu la chance de faire la connaissance de Peter Laurelly, pecheur a lamouche d'exception et realisateur de films de peche magnifique! C est par le biais de l'organisation du "Fly Fishing Tour" qui est un festival qui reunis les meilleures videos de PALM a travers tous les U.S. que j ai fait ca connaissance et vu qu on est quasiment voisins on est alle peche ensemble! Peter est un veritable pecheur a la mouche en mer, dedie a cette peche qui peut etre tres difficile et ingrate... Pecher a ces cotes est un vrai plaisir! 


La saison 2011 est une saison decevante pour le shore fishing, avec des poissons sporadiques et un veritable phenomene de paranoia "spot burning" ou personne ne poste plus ses photos sur Internet de peur de trouver son coin de peche envahi! De mon cote j'ai rate deux tres gros poissons qui se sont decroches et j'y pense encore :)


La saison n'est pas finie! L'Automne approche et j ai un veritable arsenal de nouveaux leurres a essayer et une bonne equipe de potes prets a braver les vagues et le vent!


Mes potes de l'equipe Sea Bass factory m'ont envoyer des leurres et je dois dire que ces leurres venus d'Europe marchent tres bien sur les poissons locaux... Je compte faire un sujet la dessus dans mon prochain post! Ces leurres ont reussi l'exploit considerable de m'eviter de grosses bredouilles sur des conditions pas evidentes :)


Bonne peche a tous et a toutes et gardez un oeil ouvert sur le blog ca bouge tres vite de ce cote et il va y avoir du changement!


Pierre

Season's warm up! Three or four more weeks to go!

2010 will not in my mind as a great season but this dude definitely had a great season. Peter and I fish the same spots. He is a dedicated fly fisherman that knows his stuff and definitely knows how to put a great video together AND to land some very nice bass from shore.

See bellow a great video of him fly fishing around New York city:

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Surf Fishing 2010 - NYC Edition from Peter Laurelli on Vimeo.

Striped Bass Fishing - Feeding Frenzy Blitz (FISH PORN)

> Only at few times in a life time of a fisherman we get to witness an incredible action, summarizing our wildest dreams, where litterally the ocean opens in half to provide more fish than you can even think about... this is what some fishermen refer as "Fish Porn"


> Rares sont les moments dans une vie de pecheur nous avons l'occasion d'etre témoin d'une vison de fou, un condensé de nos reves les plus fous, où litéralement l'océan s'ouvre en deux et apporte plus de poissons que l'on ne peut imaginer... C'est que certains pecheurs appellent le "Fish Porn"

ENJOY but don't watch it too often...

Fly Tying Experiments

Since I first tied my dry fly when I was a child, I have tied a lot of random flies, based on the season, on my constant evolving approach of fly fishing and of course a lot of trials and errors.


The whole approach of tying "pretty" flies doesn't sound right to me. In my opinion, fly-fishing is not the time to wonder about how "pretty" flies but fishing with flies that works and that land fish.

Also, I think that the abundance of tying materials is mind numbling but it is also a great opportunity for us tyers to mix natural and artificial.

Feel free to let me know of my latest creation, inspired by the excellent flies of Steve Farar, Bob Popovics and all the tyers that contribute to the sport of fly fishing in saltwaters.

All the best,

Pierre-Antoine

Good imitation of Sand Eels

Clousers, Half & Half and my Ugly Beast

Memories of Urban Fishing

The winter is always a great time to look back to the best memories of past seasons.

As we say here in America, "talk is cheap" so I am just going to post some of the best "fishy" memories I have. Note that ALL these fish have been caught in the East River, on Manhattan island.

Enjoy!

Fly Fishing Show

This weekend was the Fly Fishing Show Tour in Somerset, New Jersey.

It was a first time for me and I would say that it was quite an experience... This show is just SICK, you can basically find all the best gear, try it, meet the leaders of the industry and talk to them.

I have been lucky enough to go there with my wife and to meet friends there.

I have tried the new G Loomis NRX rods and the new TFO BVK aka Bernard Victor Kreh series. I have tried them on a 8 Weight 9 feet... Both rods are amazing, they are fast, but smooth. They are precise and forgiving. Special mention to the NRX that delivers a good cast even if you screw your backcast...

Check the pic people, it was just AWESOME to meet one of the most legendary angler ever... He even cracked a joke when I approach him:

Him: "Wanna a picture son?"
Pierre-Antoine: "Yeah, I would love that. I am from France!"
Him: "Are you LOST?"

Good times for sure...

On the Water Article - January / February 2011 (In English)

What a great way to start off the year!

I feel privileged to have been published in the "On the Water" magazine for their 2011 special edition.

I think that I could be one the most regular fisherman on the island of Manhattan to catch stripers using lures and flies.

But beyond personal satisfaction, this article is a great way to shed some light on a fantastic way to discover the city with a new angle. Moreover, I strongly believe that this article will motivates some fellow New Yorker to try their chance on Striped within the city limits.

If you need more information or detail about urban fishing in New York feel free to contact me.

All the best,
Pierre-Antoine

My first article about Urban Fishing (in French)

New York City Urban Fishing

This article was the first I have eber published and I was thrilled that it was in the "Predators" a fishing magazine dedicated to lure fishing.

The link bellow will give you access to the full article.

Feel free to give some feed back on it:

>>Article May-June 2010

Best,
Pierre

New Beginnings

2010 has been a great year!

2010 is the year where my article about urban fishing has been published in two fishing magazines, one in France called "Predators", the #1 lure fishing magazine and one in the U.S. called "On the Water" which is the #1 magazine on the East Coast (New Jersey and New York).

2011 will be the year where I am going to be published in Japan, and in the U.K.

A lot of work needs to be done but I believe that more and more our passion of fishing and the sport in general is really moving in the right direction.

I encourage every reader of this blog to just do one thing this year: Take someone fishing with you this year. Show him (or her) the respect of the fish, the beautiful gear we use and just tell him or her why you do it.

Personally I go fishing to feel alive, to feel connected to this planet, to the life that was here before us and that will be there long after us...

You could be fishing like me in the shade of the skyscrapers in New York City or in the maze of the Everglades we share one thing in common: the love of the sport that make us feel human.

Have great 2011 year, may this year full of joy, health and big fish...

Best,
Pierre-Antoine