Dan's Papers - June 6, 2008

Last weekend's weather was 50/50 - rain on Saturday, sunny on Sunday - but the fishing in most locations was good. Fluke, porgies, striped bass, bluefish and weakfish are being caught on boats and off ocean and bay beaches. We reported on this year's fishing regulations (go online to dec.ny.gov/regs/4026.html), which are enforced by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. DEC officials have been boarding boats to check that catches are in compliance with all regulations.

For those fishing from boats, with the cost of marine fuel very high, here are a few tips for conserving gas:

(1) Take all unneeded gear off the boat; (2) water weighs approximately 8.33 pounds per gallon, so don't top off your boat's water tank if just fishing locally; (3) make sure your engine has recently been tuned up and the propeller has no dings or bends; (4) keep the boat bottom clean and painted; (5) install a fuel-flow meter (about $300) which will pay for itself within a few months.

Now, on to the fishing reports. Linda at Jamesport Bait & Tackle reports good striped bass catches at the south Race off Plum Gut, bluefish off Long Island Sound beaches and porgies where the waters have a rocky bottom. Large fluke are also being caught in the Sound in the "Firing Range" area.

Harvey Bennett of Amagansett's Tackle Shop says nice fluke are being caught outside Napeague Harbor, and anglers at Hither Hills State Park have been catching striped bass and bluefish on plugs and bait off the ocean beaches.

Ken Morse at Tight Lines Tackle, Sag Harbor, tells us nice-sized stripers are biting on clams at the South Ferry slip in North Haven, and he weighed in weakfish up to eleven pounds caught off the Peconic Bay beaches. Ken also says small bluefish are biting at Long Beach near Sag Harbor, early in the morning and late in the afternoon.

At East End Bait & Tackle in Hampton Bays, Scott reports some fluke in Shinnecock Bay are biting on a combination of live killies and squid, and striped bass are going for clam bait near the Ponquogue Bridge. Bluefish are also chasing pods of bait in Shinnecock, so just look for the diving birds. In Peconic Bay, large porgies are being caught around Rogers Rock especially with clam chumming. There are also some weakfish in the Robin's Island vicinity.

Steve at Wego Fishing Station, Southold, said last weekend he weighed in several three-to-four pound porgies, fluke up to nine pounds, a 23-pound striped bass, and a seven-pound weakfish. He has good bait (spearing, killies, squid and clams) for these catches.

Montauk party boats report many large fluke, striper and bluefish catches. Capt. Mike of the Lazy Bones had fluke of 5.5 to 9 pounds. The EBBtide had loads of bluefish and fluke up to 5 pounds. The Marlin Princess had several large fluke, and the charter boat Lady Grace brought in stripers up to 32 pounds. Paulie A. of Paulie's Tackle Shop weighed in a 41.84-pound striper and says most of the action is at night.

There are several fishing tournaments next weekend. Paulie's Tackle Shop has a striped bass tournament, June 13 to 15 (631-668-5520). Moriches Anglers have a shark tournament June 14 ($300-per-boat entry fee; call 631-878-9280 or check online at morichesanglers.org). Montauk's Star Island shark tournament ($800 entry fee) is June 13-14 with prizes and trophies totaling $50,000 (631-668-5052).