As Sunday was the kick-off to recreational fluke fishing season, Queens resident Timmy Cassella and his two buddies made the early morning trek to Hampton Bays with hopes of snagging their first summer flounder.
“I’ve been fishing with the Shinnecock Star since it started,” said Cassella, a lifelong fisherman. “And Captain John is the best.”
Judging from the crowd gathered on the dock in the late-morning sun, Casella and his friends weren’t the only fisherman wanting to start fluke season with Captain John. With the day's warm temps and a cloudless sky, the 24 passengers aboard the 47-foot vessel were set for a great day of fishing.
Find out what's happening in Westhampton-Hampton Bayswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Whether hauling in the record catch-of-the-day or just taking in sea spray and sunshine off the stern, you can't go wrong with spending a day boating with one of the Bays’ best captains.
“In the spring, we are catching fluke and soon stripped bass,” said the 20-year sailing veteran, Captain John Capuano. “But in the warmer weather, we also offer family charters, which just cruise around the bay. If you’re not into fishing, it’s a relaxing way for families to enjoy boating too.”
Find out what's happening in Westhampton-Hampton Bayswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
As a student at Southampton College, Capuano initially majored in marine biology, only to soon realize he wanted to be on the water, not study it. He later graduated with a business degree, but stayed true to his love of all things nautical, eventually finding work at the now defunct Good Ground Bait and Tackle during the 1980s. It was during his time his career as a fishing boat captain took root.
“Customers would ask me where to go fishing and I started taking them out,” said the Yonkers native. “And it just evolved into a business. “
Category: Activity
Price: Shinnecock Star offers four-hour fishing excursions every Saturday and Sunday, full-day fishing adventures during the week, as well as private charters. Weekend day-trips are $55 for adults and $35 for kids.
For more information visit www.shinecockstar.com
Season: Year-round
Stay tuned for #85 next week, same time same place. And click here if you missed , #98, , , , , , , , , , or .
