Washed by waters from Long Island Sound, Block Island Sound and thea Atlantic Ocean, Montauk, New York, has been a fishermen’s mecca since before recorded history. Striped bass congregate in deep water just off this eastern tip of Long Island throughout the summer, long after they’ve left hot spots farther west. But fishing Montauk’s 60-foot-deep waters and strong currents requires heavy lead and stout tackle — or so we’ve been told.Not so, says Scott Leonard, an avid Montauk fisherman who manages the tackle store at Star Island Yacht Club (starislandyc.com). In fact, Leonard catches more fish because he lightens up his rig. “If you’re using 40- or 50-pound-test, some days you need 8 or 10 ounces of lead just to get that line down,” he says. With 20-pound Ande monofilament on a Daiwa Saltiga 30: “I need only 1½ ...![underwater striper]()
