The sea-bass season started on a high note and gave a lift to party — and charter-boat captains struggling with the fluke regulations.
Ocean reefs and wrecks along Long Island South Shore offered good sea bass action this past week, and, with many anglers unhappy with the two-fish limit for fluke they’re now able to take more fish home for the table.
The porgy season also started off well with most anglers fishing the bottom taking a number of sea bass and porgies and even a few cod from the deeper wrecks. The best porgy action right now is off the North Fork, both in the Sound and the Peconics, where scup to 3 pounds have been caught.
The best fluke fishing continues to be along both North and South forks. Summer flatties to 10 pounds were taken from Mattituck to Orient Point and fish to nine pounds were taken along Montauk’s south side as far west as the village. There also was some nice-sized fluke taken just outside of Sag Harbor.
Boats out of Captree report good sea bass fishing and lots of action on fluke with lots of shorts as well. The South Shore Spring Rodeo takes place today through Sunday with cash prizes going to the top three fluke and sea bass. Sign up at the Captree Bait and Tackle Shop or call (631) 321-3510.
The best striper fishing has been in the New York Bight from the waters off Jones Inlet west to Sandy Hook. Striped bass to 35 pounds were taken in 40 feet of water from Atlantic Beach to the Rockaways. There were fish to 40 pounds taken near the Breezy Jetty to the Coney Island Flats. Nice action on fluke for Freeport and Sheepshead Bay open boats with a high ratio of shorts to keepers. A good bet is bottom fishing for sea bass and porgies at the local reefs. For Jamaica Bay you will find a mix of blues and bass on top and the fluke being caught by the bridges.
A good bass bite can be found in the Sound from the Throgs Neck Bridge out to Execution Light. Also try Hempstead Harbor and Manhasset Harbor for stripers.
The porgy fishing is also on the upswing in the western Sound and at all their usual haunts — try Matinecock Point, Execution Light and the waters off Rye.
