THIS week’s sweltering heat made the saltwater action in New York and New Jersey’s waters even hotter, with no letup in the fluke fishing and a comeback of the hot bluefishing in the New York Bight.
Striped bass fishing was red hot off Montauk last weekend and the porgy fishing off the north and south shores of Long Island is at a record pace. Weakfish are very much in the picture with a number of south shore areas offering up this great gamefish.
The offshore scene has also offered up some exciting action. There seems to be a fair amount of makos that are still being taken south of Jones and Fire Island Inlets at the 20-Fathom Curve. The west wall of the Hudson Canyon has seen bigeye, yellowfin and albacore tuna, as well as a few blue marlin and some wahoo being caught by the chunkers at night. Off Montauk and Shinnecock, the Block Canyon area of both the Dip and the Fishtails has also seen some action on yellowfin and longfin tuna. There was also a late report of giant bluefins showing up east of Block Island.
Locally, the guys from the Stella Maris Fishing Station tell me that the bottom fishing is terrific right now at the Rockaway Reef, offering up both porgies and sea bass. Good fluking aboard the Sheepshead Bay party boats with action at any one of a number of spots from Sandy Hook to Ambrose Channel. Big blues made a comeback at the Mud Hole early in the week, with the choppers getting up to 15 pounds. Bluefish boats have also found 4-7 pounders from the Breezy Jetty to the north Jersey shore with a number of weakfish mixed in.
From Jack’s Bait and Tackle Shop on City Island, we get word of good porgy fishing at Matinecock and Prospect Points as well as at Execution Light. Large blues chasing bait in Little Neck Bay, Manhasset Bay and Hempstead Harbor. The fluking has fallen off somewhat in the western end of the Sound, and it could be due to all the bluefish. Snapper blues seem to be everywhere you look, and are being taken at many of the local docks and piers.
The Freeport Fleet continues to do a bang up job on the fluke, with many of the boats working an area south of Jones Inlet in 40-60 feet of water. Weakfish are responding to the last of the incoming tide near the Meadowbrook with some keeper fluke also responding in the same area. Snapper blues have moved into the back bays, along with the blue claw crabs.
Captree Boats are also having a terrific year of fluke fishing with most of the action taking place south of the inlet in 70 feet of water. Fish to seven pounds are not uncommon on the party boats. There is also lots of fluke in Moriches Bay, with many of the rental boats from the Silly Lilly Fishing Stating taking fish to six pounds on bucktails.
Shinnecock Bay is loaded with fluke, bass and small bluefish. They’re taking fluke in the Basket area and off the Coast Guard Station, while the bass are at the inlet. In the Peconics, your best bet is porgy fishing at the South Race and Buoy 26, while the weakfish are being caught at Roses Grove.
For those heading to Montauk, fluke and bass are both hot items. The bass fishing has been tremendous with almost everyone limiting out – no matter if you’re on a party boat or charter boat. The fluke fishing is at all the usual spots, along the south side and in the rips. Good bottom action can be had for sea bass and porgies.
