Montauk Pioneer - September 5, 2008 -

Well, it's after Labor Day, the "end of summer" and also the end of fluke season. In my eyes summer is still in full swing, and now finally the bays will be less crowded for us locals to get out there on the weekends and do some fishing.

The Fluke season this year was one of the best years in a long time. Yes people were upset with the regulations, but there wasn't that much complaining going on because people were catching doormat fish more frequently. It seemed like for every 10 fish caught one was over 5lbs and some were over 7 lbs. It was a normal trip to come in with big fish.

It's all over and it really was a great one, but the future may not be as bright as we all thought it would be. There have been rumors of the regulations changing, and the last one that I heard was that you are going to be able to keep smaller fish, but then there would be a size maximum. The maximum limit of course would be lifted for tournaments so bigger fish could be brought in then. This is all rumor, so don't hold me to it.

I went out on Saturday Tuna fishing aboard the "Julianna II." We trolled around the Dip all day long with nothing to show for it until we found a pot at around 40 fathoms. The pot was actually not a pot at all! It looked like a captains Mahi trap, a large red buoy put out to attract them. We worked up a few Mahi, so we weren't completely skunked. It was not a bad day out there. There were actually fish being caught, not as many as there should be, but there was action all around us. There were yellows, big eyes, even albys caught all around the dip this weekend.

Albacore! Finally! I'm seeing good signs for the next few weeks. As for the sharking, there are still some Mako being taken, and in the next few weeks, the sharking should be great. This is especially true towards the end of the month and into October. That's when the big makos are going to be back in the area.

I am actually looking forward to October 1 when the Blackfish season opens up. After that spearfishing dive in the east cut of Moriches Inlet I can't wait to get in the water once its blackfish season. There were fish that looked to be 5-10 lbs all over around the rocks. The striped bass in the fall is also very exciting. Last year I spent the day before Thanksgiving off the Lighthouse. On that very day one of the biggest Striper blitz hit. They were everywhere, we limited out on nice big Bass.

I know what you are thinking. You're thinking the Bass bite over the summer never really winded down. It didn't. There are still big Bass being taken all over the East End. In the next few months though, the bigger Bass will be more plentiful.

Don't be upset about the end of summer, it's still around the middle of the fishing season on Long Island. I've come to realize my view on the end of summer has changed since I graduated college.

My whole childhood and early adult life has thought of summer as being from early June when school got out, and lasted until Labor Day when school started again. Now however, the summer lasts from April until October. It gives me so much more time to enjoy the fishing, and extend the summer as long as possible until the winter comes.