Dan's Papers - August 15, 2008

We are approaching the finale of what has been a sensational fluke season. Legal fluke fishing ends September 1 and there are still plenty of keeper-size (20.5 inches or longer) fluke out there. The current quota is four fluke per angler, per day. The National Marine Fisheries Service just issued a report stating fluke are not being overfished and fluke quotas for both commercial and recreational fisherman might be increased for next year. The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council met last week and the 2009 coastal fluke quota was on their agenda.

The Health section of the August 5 New York Times had a story about the Gulf Stream moving up close to the south shore of Long Island every July through October. This strong current brings tuna and marlin closer to shore, and also tropical fish small enough for most home aquariums. Riverhead's Atlantis Marine World and Boston's New England Aquarium have been catching these tropical fish "orphaned" by the Gulf Stream and adding them to their stock for decades. Two of the species "adopted" here are the spot fin butterfly fish and blue angelfish, caught in dragnets along the shore or by scuba-divers with handheld nets. The tropical fish can be spotted around rock piles and jetties in local waters. If not caught, they would die when the waters cooled.

Debbie Tuma, a reporter for Dan's Papers and The Montauk Pioneer, recently produced a documentary "Montauk Fishing Legends." The film features well-known Montauk fishing captains such as Vinnie Grimes, Fred E. Bird, Wally Grobecker, Bill Holzman and Bob Tuma. These are familiar names to any sportfisherman who has fished on a charter boat out of Montauk in the last fifty years, including me.

Now the local fishing reports. Scott at East End Bait & Tackle, Hampton Bays, says there are plenty of "snappers" (baby bluefish) in the Shinnecock Canal biting on spearing, poppers and sidewinders. Fluke fishing in the ocean outside Shinnecock inlet continues to yield five-to-six pound fluke in the area from the "cheese" house to the "castle" in 60- to 80-foot depths. The larger the bait (small snappers, large killies), the better the fluke bite. Captain Don Kaye reports bluefish chasing baitfish in Shinnecock Bay and flats. One of his clients also caught a 33-inch striped bass.

Harvey Bennett of The Tackle Shop, Amagansett, tells us three customers fishing outside Napeague Harbor at the offshore red buoys last Saturday caught nine keeper-sized fluke and T. J. Cosmos and Sam Lester ran into a school of Bonita in Cherry Harbor. Ken of Tight Lines Tackle, Sag Harbor, reports clients catching fluke on boats in the ocean. Linda at Jamesport Bait & Tackle says there are fluke in Long Island Sound and the Peconic bays, and striped bass being caught on eels off Horton Point. There are also still porgies around Robins Island.

Five-year-old Ryan Stump, fishing on the Montauk party boat Lazy Bones, caught an 11-pound fluke. Clients on the Marlin Princess had fluke weighing up to eight pounds, and anglers on Miss Montauk caught fluke in the seven-to-ten pound range. With the fluke season ending soon, it's probably a good idea to make reservations for fluke trips on the party boats out of Shinnecock, Greenport, Orient Point and Montauk.

Offshore action is on for tuna, mahi mahi (dolphin fish), white and blue marlin. The winners in last weekend's Star Island Yacht Club's mako/thresher shark tournament are: heaviest mako, 256 pounds, caught on The Great Escape ($2500 prize); heaviest thresher shark, 348 pounds, caught on The Kid ($3000). Shinnecock Marlin and Tuna Club's 8th Offshore Invitational Tournament runs from Aug.15- Aug 24 out of Oakland's Marina, Hampton Bays (631-744-1200 ext. 12). Please email any fishing questions or comments to YeOldeSalt@aol.com.