Hopefully none of you were caught in the hail storm Monday that suddenly dropped baseball-sized chunks of ice through Queens and parts of Long Island. We’re four days into August, and just about everything, including the water temperature, is feeling pretty tropical. The bulk of the Island is surrounded by water in the 76-degree range, with one major exception – the east end. The relatively cooler water running off Montauk and Orient is also running heavy with quality keeper bass. The fluke bite outside of Shinnecock continues to impress, and snapper-blues are a great live-bait option that can be found off just about any dock on the Island. Even those in the western sound, where water temperatures are flirting with 80 degrees, can still find plenty of action in their local fisheries.
East End
If you have the means, this is where you want to be right now. Captain Steven of the Viking Fleet reports, “the best striped bass fishing” he’s seen “in two years.” The bite on their night bass trip last Saturday was also reported as “phenomenal,” and with 20 fish over 20 pounds and another 10 tipping the scales over 30, I think that describes the fishing pretty well. But the linesiders aren’t the only species on the chew out east right now. Southside fluking also continues to impress, with a season-best 11.1-pound doormat hitting the deck of the Viking Starship this week. Captain Dave also reported an “excellent” day of bottom fishing yesterday, with most anglers limiting-out on big porgies in the 2- to 3-pound range.
South Shore
As could be expected, bass fishing is getting spotty as you move west along the south shore. No surprise, getting out there in the early morning is still the biggest key to hooking into a bass. Life out on the reefs, however, is a little more abundant and less dependent on getting off the dock before 5am. Between triggerfish, sea bass, ling and porgies, there’s still enough on the artificial reefs for bottom fishermen to put together a quality catch. Although the keeper-to-short ratio has tempered most anglers’ expectations, there still are some nice flatfish coming from the sands around the reefs in the 60- to 80-foot range, including the occasional doormat flirting with double digits. Cocktail and snapper bluefish are swarming the clouds of spearing around Fire Island, providing ready action throwing small topwater and swimming plugs to the working fish. The cocktails are in the 2- to 3-pound range, and when bled and iced immediately make excellent table fare.
North Shore
It’s a similar story of geography and water temperature, like what’s going on down on the south shore. Fishing improves the further east you move, with Orient being the highlight. There are, however, bass being caught in the western sound and plenty of “gorilla” bluefish to go around. Fishing the deep water, 70- to 90-feet, and bringing plenty of extra bunker to chum with is essential for attracting some keeper bass to the boat, bluefish should be less of a problem. “Porgies, porgies, porgies” was the memorable quote from Richard at Camp-Site Sports Shop in Huntington Station, and there’s some real jumbos coming into the shop. The snappers are starting to show in the north shore harbors, and as Richard noted, the “big fluke won’t be far behind.” Rich also threw in a tip, now that the snappers are in place try fishing the Berkley Gulp 7-inch Jerk Shads as there a good match for the profile of the juvenile bluefish.
Upstate
On the freshwater front, Richard has heard some good trout reports from upstate recently. This time of year, the name of the game is finding some cool water where the leftover stockies and wild brook trout collect. Small nymphs and bead-heads will draw strikes, but will also chase small wooly buggers and Mickey Finns. Fishing for the warm-water species upstate has settled into its midsummer doldrums. Low oxygen levels and water temperatures as high as the mid-80s has had its usual sluggish effect on the fish. Fishing the deeper holes in the body of water with nightcrawlers is your best chance at finding some largemouth, crappy or my personal favorite yellow perch willing to bite. If you’re shore-bound, a little recon and selectivity with the areas you fish, and you’ll be within casting distance of some deepwater and feeding fish.
Best Bets
Looking at a surface temperature satellite image makes it pretty clear that Montauk and Orient are by far the best two options for bass fishing this weekend. Recent reports corroborate that idea. If you can’t make it out east, the fluke bite has been improving for the bulk of the Island. The increasing presence of snappers inside the inlets and harbors should continue to draw the larger ocean fluke inside. The porgy fishing on the north shore is as hot as it’s been all summer, with some really big “filet-able” specimens in the mix. The wind is going to be east tonight in Montauk, which will likely bring some quality bass within casting range of the surfcasters under the Light – you could always call in sick on Friday. Tight lines.
Coming Events
Aug 4-6, 19TH ANNUAL STAR ISLAND YACHT CLUB MAKO-THRESHER TOURNAMENT. STAR ISLAND YACHT CLUB, MONTAUK $10,000 PLUS CUSTOM TROPHIES AND OTHER PRIZES. WWW.STARISLANDYC.COM, E-MAIL: MARINA@STARISLANDYC.COM. 631-668-5052
Aug 5-Molnars Landing 21st Annual Fluke Shootout Captains’ Meeting: Friday, August 5, 7:30pm at 31 Alanson Lane (off Penny Lane), Hampton Bays, NY. Junior and Senior Divisions Fee includes a special barbeque and awards party after fishing weigh-in. Call Lanny for details at (631) 728-1860
Aug 6-Lighthouse Marina 11th Annual Fluke Tournament and fundraiser to benefit the Gregory Children Trust Fund. Contact Regina at 631-722-3400, Aquebogue, NY
Aug 6th 2011 7am-SheepsheadBay Yacht Club
$35.00 per person on boat. Entry Includes T-Shirt & BBQ after Weigh In
Captain Meeting Thursday August 4th 7pm at SBYC 3076 Emmons Ave in Brooklyn
Contact Paul (917)887-0085 or Shaun(917)846-5226
Aug 12-21st-Hamptons Offshore Invitational to benefit the Big Brothers Big Sisters. Guest Tred Barta, recently critically paralyzed, will film an episode for his show during the event. Big festivities, Captains meeting and weigh in at Oaklands Marina, Shinnecock. Marlin, tuna, mako, mahi, bluefish. Info goto www.hamptonoffshore.com- Hosted by Shinnecock Marlin and Tuna Club.
Aug 20-Smith Point Fluke Tournament,START TIME 5 AM ENDS AUGUST 21ST 5 PM WITH THE WEIGH IN AT DICKS BAIT AND TACKLE ON NEIGHBORHOOD RD IN MASTIC BEACH. FOR APPLICATION OR INFO CALL Eric 631-484-6010
Aug 21-21st-Jones Beach Fishing Station Kids Snapper and Blue Claw Tournament. Field 10 West of JB Theater. Call Ed at 631-559-5938 or goto www.jonesbeachfishingstation.com
Aug 22-26 Mid-Atlantic $500,000 Tournament, Cape May, NJ
Part of WORLD BILLFISH SERIES
Prize: Total – $500,000 ($500,000 prize money based on an entry of 125 boats)
http://www.midatlantic500000.com Contact Phone: (609) 8842400