Long Island Fishing Report - June 11, 2015

North Shore Long Island Fishing Report

Captain Stu of Northport Charters out of Northport Harbor reported a great weekend on the fluke front east of Eatons Neck with a ton of short action to keep everyone busy and a good number of keepers to 6 lbs in the mix. Captain Mark of the Celtic Quest sailing out of Port Jefferson told us a similar story saying it is the best summer flounder fishing they have seen in 4 years. They switch up their location by the day depending on conditions, but the boat is hitting any of the shallow shoals where they are marking sand eels. Captain Mark said they are having the more productive action on bucktails, but bait is working just fine also. John at Terminal Tackle in Kings Park added that fluke invaded Smithtown Bay from one end to the other, and anglers that pick through the shorts have been rewarded with 7-8 lb fish and even a few double digits. He said that you only need to drift in shallow water of 10-25 feet, and finding drop-offs and bait is key. Everyone that I spoke to on the North Shore agrees that the porgy are still scarce, but there are more and more coming in every day. As of now, guys are finding them tight to the beaches on rock piles and mussel beds, and there are a few areas, such as Eatons Neck, starting to get heavy with scup.

Mark from Cow Harbor Bait & Tackle in Northport said that the bass fishing is really nice when you can actually get into a school, but they can be elusive if you do not know which pile of bait they are chasing. The sand eels seem to be coming in close to the beaches during the early morning and late afternoon, which is also driving the stripers closer. Rubber shads and topwater lures if it is not too choppy have been successful in catching some for the surfcasters, according to Carmine at Campsite Sports Shop in Huntington Station. For those on the boats, John at Terminal Tackle said trolling wire with parachutes and bunker spoons at the Triangle have landed fish in the 30-35 lb range, although more often they are smaller. A few blues are starting to mix in, but they are not on the North Shore in great numbers yet.

South Shore Long Island Fishing Report

Chasing Tails Bait & Tackle in Oakdale reported limits of fluke to 4 lbs caught in the Great South Bay and inside the Fire Island Inlet over the weekend, and even larger fish of 6 lbs 9 oz were reported just west of the Robert Moses Bridge. Shinnecock Bay also has a really good showing of summer flounder right now, according to Bryce at White Water Outfitters in Hampton Bays. John Jr. from Trophy Tackle in West Babylon said the fishing is improving across the South Shore overall, and bucktails, Gulp, or a squid/spearing combination is the way to go.

Bay Park Fishing Station in Oceanside reported big bass from 38-46 lbs hitting the decks outside of Debs Inlet. Anglers are mainly trolling large green and white bunker spoons in 45 feet of water to get a shot at one of those big girls. For those that want to stay inside, Chasing Tails reported clams doing the trick for sizable fish at the Robert Moses Bridge, in the Lighthouse rips, and in front of the Coast Guard Station. Bryce from White Water also said there are plenty of bass over by him, and most techniques are catching fish from bucktailing the Inlet to trolling in the Bay.

Boats sailing from the South Shore are bringing back the first reports of solid shark action with tons of blues and a few makos being caught. Offshore tuna fishing is also starting to heat up as yellowfin and bluefin are making it back to the docks.

Metro Long Island Fishing Report

John at Hudson Park Bait & Tackle in New Rochelle said there are a lot of sea robins to pick through in the western Sound, but the fluke are getting bigger at all of the Points, including Prospect, Sands, and Matinecock. There is also a good bite further south from Kingsborough Community College to the Coney Island Pier, according to Stretch from Stella Maris Bait & Tackle in Brooklyn. Vinny at Bernie’s Fishing Tackle in Brooklyn said that overall the fluke fishing is spotty, but when conditions are right, the action can be really good.

John from Jack’s Bait & Tackle in the Bronx reported bass and blues biting around the Execution Lighthouse, and Vinny at Bernie’s said the early morning and late afternoon activity has been good at the Marine Parkway Bridge and in the Ambrose Channel. Stretch from Stella Maris said guys have had some luck drifting worms at night around the bridge stanchions for stripers just over keeper size, but John at Hudson Park said larger 30 lb fish began moving into the western Sound by the shop.

East End/North Fork Long Island Fishing Report

Bottom fishing in the eastern Sound is starting to really pick up, according to Bill from Jamesport Bait & Tackle in Mattituck. The waters between the Mattituck Inlet and Duck Pond Point were productive for both fluke and scup this week, but those heading further east to Horton Point also landed some nice summer flounder. Inside the Peconic, fishing for both species continues to be productive. The porgy are a bit more scattered this week instead of all piled up together, but boats are not having a hard time filling buckets. Good fluke fishing is holding steady from the Greenlawns out to Bug Light. Further to the east, Cherry Harbor is loaded with scup, according to Courtney at Montauk Marine Basin in Montauk. She also said some fluke were caught off of Frisbees over the weekend, but the fishing has not been as good as it should be for this time of year. I took a ride out to Montauk on Monday to fish with Captain Tom Mikoleski of Grand Slam Charters. With steady 20 knot south winds and temperatures in the low 60’s, it felt much more like a chilly day in November rather than June. Conditions were rough, and despite the captain’s every effort, the fish were not cooperating. However, I did manage one nice fluke for the dinner table after a day of shorts, sundials, and sea robins.

The bass have not been super prevalent on the East End, but there are a few places you could snag one. Glen from Paulie’s Bait & Tackle in Montauk reported a few surf guys have had some luck on the south side rocks, and blues made an appearance off the town beaches. For those on the boat, Courtney at Montauk Marine said a few stripers were trolled at the Elbow. In the Sound, the bass are starting to make an appearance off the beaches from Mattituck Inlet to Horton Point, according to Bill from Jamesport, and the Gut has seen steady action, especially on an outgoing tide. Big blues to 16 lbs were also caught inside the Peconic on chunks, tins, and plugs.

Best Bets for the Weekend

The winds are not looking too terrible for the weekend, and we actually have some June temperatures in the forecast; however, we could be looking at 4 foot seas in the ocean, which might turn some anglers away. If you prefer glass flat water, there are still plenty of fishing opportunities for you to take advantage of. The North Shore is hammering fluke right now, and that should continue without a hitch as long as the hordes of sand eels continue to stick around. Check for signs of bait in the water and drop a line. While this holds true for all areas of the Island, schools are not always as easy to come by as they have been up north. The East End, namely the Peconic and Cherry Harbor, is the best destination for porgy at the moment, although western Long Island is starting to see a good showing and the North Shore should bust open very soon. Find some structure or mussel beds to drift over and you will likely find one or more hungry scup.

While there are bass on bunker or other bait schools all around the Island, the South Shore looks to have the most consistent action. Trolling bunker spoons or parachutes should account for a few fish as long as you are in the correct general area. Early morning and late in the evening are your most productive times to go, especially if you are surfcasting. Bucktails and plugs can also get the job done for those that like to forgo the bait.