Go Fish

It is the middle of the fluke fishing season and, even with this year's increased minimum size (19.5 inches) and the on/off windy weather, anglers are still catching a lot of fluke. The most successful rigging for fluke seems to be bucktails with strips of squid. Another good rig is a killie (baitfish) with a squid strip. Depending on tides and the depth of water being fished, just add an appropriate-weight sinker to catch these bottom-feeding summer flounders.

Brian of East End Bait and Tackle in Hampton Bays reports a strong fluke bite and some striped bass caught last weekend just outside Shinnecock Bay inlet despite last Saturday's windy conditions (winds came from the northwest). Striped bass were caught at the Ponquogue Bridge on clam bellies, and fluke were offshore at the one-mile buoy. The winning fluke pulled in at last weekend's Molnar's Landing (Hampton Bays) fluke shootout weighed in at more than nine pounds and was 28 inches long.

Charter and party boat captains report their customers have been catching fluke, striped bass and even some sea bass just offshore in 50 to 65 feet of water between the Shinnecock inlet and the radar tower off Montauk Point. Fluke were also caught north of Montauk Point on incoming tides, and striped bass were hitting on eels in the rips.

Back in the Peconic bays, bluefish are in and around Plum Gut and stripers are at the Race. Porgies were caught near Hog Neck and stripers were hitting on bucktails off Orient Point. Fluking was also good between Greenport and the Ruins north of Gardiner's Island. Some anglers even reported catching fluke with strips of sea robin. Scott K. out of Modern Yacht Marina, Hampton Bays, caught several fluke on squid and sand eels at the Ruins, and then boated a 28-inch striped bass on bucktail and pork rinds.

Harvey Bennett of Amagansett's Tackle Shop says Sam Lester and his wife Moira inaugurated their new boat with several keeper-sized fluke caught off Cartwright Shoals, and Merritt White Jr. got a good-sized striper near the Ruins. Stripers, bluefish, weakfish and even a few hickory shad were caught on squid by ocean surfcasters at Hither Hills State Park (Montauk). Ken Morse of Tight Lines Tackle, Sag Harbor, said fishing was spotty last week due to the winds but some striped bass and bluefish were caught near the South Ferry slip at North Haven.

For fishermen who like to get really close to their catch, there is a Kayak Fishing Association of New York info@KFA-NY.org, which schedules fishing trips for its members. Last weekend, the group fished in the bay off Mattituck and caught fluke, bluefish and porgies. (Ocean-going kayaks differ from the lighter-weight types used for exercise.)

Big ocean fish are on the move. Offshore fishermen are sighting blue, thresher and mako sharks. The next big shark tournament is this weekend at Montauk Marine Basin. Any fish tales or questions please contact me, Rich Firstenberg (YeOldeSalt@aol.com).

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