The South Shore Press Man on the Beach was on Fire Island during an Indian Summer morning to find out what drives local anglers to the surf.
“My grandfather came out here to fish, my father brought me, and now I’m here with my kids. It’s wonderful to be out here in the salt air.” —Paul Hannigan, Mastic Beach
“Fall just wouldn’t be the same without some excellent fishing. The ocean is alive with bait and gamefish. We saw porpoises in the waves this morning.” —Frank Mancurio, Shirley
“Fall fishing is the best, in my opinion. The water is still warm, the summer crowds are gone, and the fish always cooperate. We’ve been coming down here for years and it never fails to be a great day.” —Parker Hough, Stony Brook
“Being at the water is why we live on Long Island. The beaches are beautiful, the sand is soft, and there are plenty of fish. Throw in an Indian Summer like the one we’ve been having and it’s marvelous.” —Janis Latham, East Moriches
“The bluefish are here and we’re waiting for the striped bass run. It’s amazing how you can pull 30- or 40-pound fish right up onto the beach. We’ve also pulled in some sharks on the Outer Beach.” —Robert Halsey, Coram
“Where else can you pull up to the ocean, throw a lure out, and catch a big fish? When a school of bunker goes by chased by bluefish and bass, it’s crazy. Birds are flying everywhere. It doesn’t get any better than this.” —Mike Bedford, Brookhaven
“It’s October and it feels like summer. The weather has been great—no rain. We were lucky that Erin and Humberto stayed out to sea. The surf was rough, but we were still catching cocktail blues in the whitewater.”—Mark Riordan, Patchogue