If you are thinking of getting into the bass-blitz action this fall, check local sources in the area you plan to fish (i.e. bait and tackle shops, commercial fishermen, and recreational surfcasters). For guides in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, visit www.pflga.org, the website of the Professional Fly and Light Tackle Guides Association. Over 40 guides dedicated to conservation, cooperation, and professionalism are found here.

New York. In September and October, Montauk is the best bass blitz spot on the East Coast. There is a public boat ramp on West Lake Drive as well as pay ramps in some of the larger marinas. The best wading areas are on the south and north sides of the lighthouse. You can reach them by parking by the light and taking a short walk to either side. A word of caution though: This is the surfcasting capital of America and can be crowded when the bass are active. Some common sense and courtesy can go a long way among fly casters jockeying for position on the beach. Go to the Montauk Chamber of Commerce's website at www.montaukchamber.com or call (631) 668-2428 for info on motels, restaurants, and marinas. Montauk has no fly shops, so stock up before you get there.

Blitz fishing is a good time to experiment with a variety of flies and lines. Just remember to use slow retrieves. Blitzing fish can pack together tightly and a fast retrieve can foul-hook a fish.

New Jersey. The famous North Jetty of Barnegat Inlet at Island Beach State Park is New Jersey's number one blitz spot. Come in November for the bass blitzes and bring patterns for larger anchovies and small peanut bunker in sizes #1/0 to 3/0. To drive on the beach to the North Jetty, you need a 4x4 vehicle and a pass that can be purchased at the guard house as you enter the park. Stop at Betty and Nick's Tackle Shop (732-793-2708) in Seaside Park or visit their website at www.bettyandnicks.com for fishing information and tackle. Also stop by fly-tying guru Bob Popovics's Shady Rest restaurant in nearby Bayville for a good meal.

Rhode Island/Connecticut. Watch Hill, Rhode Island, out to Napatree Point, just off the southeast edge of Connecticut, is a great spot for wade and boat blitz fishing. No driving is allowed on the beach out to Napatree Point, but you can fish both sides of this narrow beach as you work your way to the point. Westerly, Rhode Island, is a good place for accommodations and food. The Saltwater Edge Fly Fishing Co. (401-842-0062) in Newport, Rhode Island, is an excellent source for information and guides. Their website is www.saltwateredge.com/.

Massachusetts. Although the famous Cape Cod striper spots are less accustomed to bay anchovy action then the rest of southern New England, they have been starting to see some decent numbers of anchovies the last few seasons. East Beach on Martha's Vineyard gets strong fall blitz activity, and anglers should use sand eel patterns like Popovics's Surf Candies or patterns with Corsair. Though sand eels are traditionally spring and early summer baits, these fish make their way south after spending the summer in the north and growing to three inches. Schools are thick in the fall and the bass blitz on them. Coop's Bait and Tackle in Edgartown (508-627-3909) is the place for current conditions and guides. Go to www.mvol.com for accommodations on the Vineyard.

Tom Gilmore's new book False Albacore, A Comprehensive Guide to Fly Fishing's Hottest Fish has excellent information and details on how to access the spots mentioned above as well as others. Although the book is dedicated to false albacore, many of the areas covered host great bass blitzes.

Fly Rodding the Coast by Ed Mitchell covers the essentials of saltwater fly fishing including reading water, shore-fishing techniques, night fishing, and the behaviors of baitfish and the game fish that feed on them. The book also includes a gallery of 50 of the best saltwater flies.

Alan Caolo's Sight Fishing For Striped Bass focuses more on spot-and-stalk techniques than blitzes but has a lot of information on fishing from shore as well as an overview of different baits bass target and some patterns that represent them.

For a lesson in the origins, biology, distribution, and migration of striped bass, get a copy of The Striped Bass by Nick Karas. Aside from exploring the life cycle and patterns, Karas also devotes a chapter to fishing for striped bass in freshwater.