Dan's Papers - June 27, 2008

The U. S. Department of Homeland Security sent out a notification requesting all boaters to watch for suspicious activity on the waters. Secretary Michael Chertoff wants a waterways version of "Neighborhood Watch." If anything looks suspicious, please call 911 or the U.S. Coast Guard (station 16 on your boat radio).

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is constantly checking fish catches on boats coming in to the docks, launching ramps and even on the water. I saw DEC inspectors checking catches as boats returned to the Ponquogue Bridge ramp in Shinnecock Bay last Saturday. Please make sure the fish your bring in are of legal size. This column reported on 2008 sizes and limits for catches and the list is on the DEC website.

Last weekend, reports of good fluke, bluefish, striped bass, porgies and sea bass catches came in from Shinnecock Bay, throughout the Peconic bays and out to Montauk. Scott at East End Bait and Tackle, Hampton Bays, says fluking was good in Shinnecock as well as in the inlet. Many shorts were caught but, with patience, anglers finally got keeper-sized fluke (20.5 inch minimum length). One customer, fishing in the ocean off Mecox Bay, brought in a 6.5-pound fluke caught on sand eels in 45 feet of water, and a 9.8-pound fluke was caught in the ocean off the Castle last week.

While fishing in the Peconic bays, Scott reports one angler boated in a 12.14-pound weakfish caught on squid drifting at the south Race off Robins Island. There are also porgies around Rogers Rock and plenty of bluefish at Jessups Neck. The Shinnecock Star said fluke and sea bass are in the ocean outside the inlet.

Capt. Don Kaye, a Shinnecock Bay guide, observed schools of bluefish on the surface attacking sand eels and small bunker. He and his client spotted a young buck deer swimming in the bay toward Shinnecock Hills, a few hundred yards away. The buck looked pretty tired and they were concerned he would never make it, so they used the boat to try and herd him back to shore. Kaye continues, "It was a slow go, but we were successful." The buck glanced back at them from shore and then bounded away. Capt. Kaye is a good fishing guide and a wildlife rescuer!

George Pharaoh of Tight Lines Tackle, Sag Harbor, sees many fluke in the Harbor and bluefish around Jessups Neck with a few sea bass mixed in. There are also porgies in the Peconics west of Jessups and around Robins Island, and striped bass are biting at Plum Gut and in the Race.

There are fishing reports throughout the Peconics of live squid that are attracting all types of predators, especially bluefish and striped bass. Live squid are great bait and there are special squid jigs sold at all the local tackle shops.

Harvey Bennett of Amagansett's Tackle Shop weighed in a 28-inch striped bass caught by a fly fisherman off Gerard Drive on Accabonac Harbor. Boat anglers are catching fluke on bucktails and squid/smelt sandwiches on the east side of Gardiners Island, and Terry McTeague, fishing on the Orient Star, landed an 8-pound fluke and a live squid near the Ruins.

In Montauk, Jack Yee reports a 36.36-pound striper caught at the north bar at night. There was also an 8-pound weakfish caught at a town beach in the surf, and a 58-pound striper caught at Shagwong Point surfcasting with a live eel. Viking fleet clients had good fluke catches on the morning trips last weekend, and a Montauk charter boat caught blue sharks offshore. Montauk Marine Basin's shark tag tournament this Fri.&Sat. (668-5900).