State of the Park

[trouty mouth]

Has anyone been through Montauk since we got all the rain the last couple weeks?

I'm wondering what kind of damage the park took and what the upcoming season is going to look like. 

[JimDog]

You can't go to the park now - it is closed.  Deputy posted up by Happy Pappy's keeping people out.  Tons of photos on Facebook from workers.  It got absolutely shellacked.  Sand is EVERYWHERE... Hatchery was under 10' of water.  The big flood in April 2017 crested around 14'.  This one crested at about 19.5.  Gunna be a while before it reopens.

[trouty mouth]

Thanks for the info. Having a deputy posted up to keep people out speaks volumes to how it is down there. 

[WestCentralFisher]

I don't have any answers for you, but I just spent a long, deeply relaxing and enjoyable weekend fishing there this fall, before the flood, obviously. While it's no longer what I'd consider my home river, the Upper Current was that for me for many years. Seeing some of the photos of the park hurts my soul a little.

I know it'll bounce back in time, but so many good memories in that place. Last place I ever fished with my grandpa, for one. We stayed down at the cabins there with him, realistically about 5 years after he had any business being out fishing. But he really wanted to go.

Being a lifelong saltwater fisherman who set the hook violently, he yanked the hook out of every fish he hooked, but finally on about his last opportunity before we needed to leave, I saw his line twitching, and just waited to tell him until I was pretty sure the fish had swallowed the powerbait. Even then it was touch and go, but we were able to get it onto shore finally and he got just about as excited as I've ever seen the man. You would have thought he caught a tarpon. Good memories.

I know the river will bounce back, and I hope to have more good memories down there, but I expect it'll be different. That's ok, but it's hard not to feel some kind of way about it. 

[oneshot 1]

I live next to Bennett Springs but visited Montauk one time and decided if I wanted to fish a park this is the one. 

oneshot 

[trouty mouth]

Does anybody have any updates or new info on the progress down at Montauk? 

I saw a few posts where people are hitting Baptist Camp and Tan Vat, so I assume some of you guys might be hanging around down there. 

[awhuber]

3 hours ago, trouty mouth said:

Does anybody have any updates or new info on the progress down at Montauk? 

I saw a few posts where people are hitting Baptist Camp and Tan Vat, so I assume some of you guys might be hanging around down there. 

The road through the park is closed. Ranger Rick is posted at reeds cabins. The other three entrances are barricaded. They have finished removing sand and debris from the campground and are getting the electric up and running. The goal is still to be open on 03/01/2025. The fishing below the park has been very good.

[trouty mouth]

Thanks for the info. I'm glad to hear there's a push to get open for the season. I wonder where MDC is planning on getting fish from for this year. 

[jdmidwest]

3 hours ago, awhuber said:

The road through the park is closed. Ranger Rick is posted at reeds cabins. The other three entrances are barricaded. They have finished removing sand and debris from the campground and are getting the electric up and running. The goal is still to be open on 03/01/2025. The fishing below the park has been very good.

That would be boring as hell,  sitting there all day.