Dan's Papers - September 21, 2007

New York State's Department of Environment Conservation cut off fluke fishing on September 17, ending one of the best fluking seasons ever. With the wind howling last Saturday, anglers lost the next to last day of fluking, but fluke in the 21-inch to 22-inch length were caught right up to last Sunday's closing. Let's hope the DEC opens the fluke fishery again next year.

The DEC is also proposing to expand the number of offshore reefs, using surplus ships, used concrete and other construction debris. They would like to build an 850-acre reef in the ocean about 14 miles off Westhampton. The reef would be located in about 150-deep water and would serve boats out of Shinnecock and Moriches. The DEC is finally paying attention to the needs of the salt-water angler as well as imposing severe regulations on the fisheries. It would be a good idea for readers to write to the DEC in support of new reef creation.

As the waters cool and the bait increases, there are still many good species of fish to catch: striped bass (28-40 inches; season closes December 15); bluefish (limit 15 fish per day; yearround); weakfish (16-inch minimum, limit to six fish per day, open season); black sea bass (12-inch minimum, daily limit 25, yearround); porgies (10.5-inch minimum, daily limit 25, season closes October 31); blackfish (season October 1 to May 31, 14-inch minimum size, daily limit 10).

Brian at East End Bait & Tackle in Hampton Bays reports striped bass are being caught on eels at night at the Ponquogue Bridge. Albacore are coming in and out of the Shinnecock inlet, and sea bass are in at the offshore wrecks. There are also plenty of bluefish chasing bait in Shinnecock Bay.

Linda at Jamesport Bait & Tackle says there are weakfish and lots of porgies at Roger's Rock and off Jessups Neck in the Peconic bays. A young customer named Zach brought in a 28-inch nine-pound fluke just before the season closed.

Ken Morse of Tight Lines Tackle, Sag Harbor, reports bay fishing has slowed a bit but the fall striped bass migration along the ocean beaches has started. Southampton Town Trustees opened Mecox Bay on the Water Mill/Bridgehampton line to the ocean earlier this week, so there should be good surf fishing from there all the way east to Montauk.

Harvey Bennett at Amagansett's Tackle Shop has been guiding fisherman to catch false albacore at Tobacco Lot on the east side of Gardiner's Island. He also says a large striped bass was caught at the cut from Napeague Harbor into Napeague Bay, and a large fluke was caught in Accabonac Harbor.

Steve at WeGo Fishing Station, Southold, reports porgies of two pounds and up in Plum Gut and plenty of bluefish and striped bass in the same location. Steve tells us there's an ebbtide in the next few days which should make fishing quite good, and suggests anglers use dark-colored bucktails and bunker (he stocks both).

Striped bass fishing in the surf at Montauk really picked up last weekend with anglers using pencil lures. The stripers chased bait right into the surf line, within ten feet of the beach. This is a real "bass blitz," and the fish caught averaged 30 to 33 inches long.

Paulie A. of Paulie's Tackle, Montauk, says the "bass blitz" ran Wednesday night through Sunday with fish weighing up to 30 pounds each.

Ed at Star Island Yacht Club & Marina, Montauk, reports the boat Lured Away caught and released a large blue marlin and the Dorado brought in six yellowfin tuna weighing up to 100 pounds and six albacore weighing up to 50 pounds. A huge blue marlin chased one of the albies right up to the boat.

Ed of Westlake Fishing Marina in Montauk tells us last Friday at the Fishtails, offshore, the Westlake caught a 123-pound big-eye tuna and Three Gs brought in two large yellowfin tuna (70-75 pounds) plus some longfin tuna (30 to 50 pounds).