Lake Montauk facts for kids
Lake Montauk is a large, man-made bay in Montauk, New York. It covers about 900 acres (360 hectares). This lake is a very important place for fishing boats. It is home to the biggest groups of fishing and sport boats in New York State.
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The Story of Lake Montauk
Long ago, this lake was called Lake Wyandanch. People also knew it as the "Great Lake." It was the biggest freshwater lake on Long Island. It was even more than twice the size of Lake Ronkonkoma.
How the Lake Changed
In 1927, a real estate developer named Carl Fisher had a big idea. He wanted to connect the lake to the ocean. So, he used explosives to blast open a path on the northern shore. This connected the lake to Block Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean.
Fisher dreamed of turning Montauk into a famous resort. He called it the "Miami Beach of the North." He built many important places around the lake. On Star Island, a small island in the lake, he built the Montauk Yacht Club. He also built the Star Island Casino.
Other big projects by Fisher included the Montauk Manor hotel. He also built the Montauk Playhouse and the Montauk Downs golf course. Fisher then decided to rename the lake Lake Montauk.
After Fisher opened and deepened the lake, it became Montauk's main port. Before this, Fort Pond Bay was the main port. But Fort Pond Bay was too shallow and had many rocks. For example, a British ship called HMS Culloden got stuck there during the American Revolution.
The Lake During World War II
Carl Fisher's businesses faced problems after the Wall Street Crash of 1929. This was a time when the economy struggled. During World War II, the United States Navy took control of Lake Montauk. They also used some of Fisher's other properties, like Montauk Manor.
Fishing at Lake Montauk
Montauk is known as one of the best places for sport fishing. Many people come here to catch fish for fun. By 1986, 39 world-record fish had been caught off Montauk. This included a very large striped bass that weighed 76 pounds (34 kg).
Shark Fishing Fun
Montauk also holds several shark fishing events each year. Shark fishing became very popular in the 1970s. This was partly thanks to a local boat captain named Frank Mundus. Many stories say he was the inspiration for the character Quint in the famous movie Jaws.
Frank Mundus caught some amazing sharks. He once caught a 4,500-pound (2,041 kg) great white shark using a harpoon. He also caught a 3,427-pound (1,554 kg) great white shark with a fishing rod and reel.
Images for kids
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Lake Montauk inlet, NY
