Herring Time

A friend and I stopped by a harbor in western Long Island Sound today and secured a healthy amount of Atlantic herring for the upcoming hardwater season. A light-tackle rod and reel with a Sabiki rig is all that's needed to catch this forage fish, which venture each winter from the Atlantic Ocean to several river mouths along the Sound. The long, slender baits were vacuum-sealed and packed in the freezer for targeting targeting northern pike through the ice. The herring were perfect size, mostly 10-12 inches, and should be hard to resist while dangling under a tip-up in a trophy pike lake. For now, think cold!