East End Fishing Report: The Fall Run Remains an Angler's Delight

Yes, the end is near, but it's too early to close the final curtain. Fishing our local waters is still a very successful adventure when the weather and water cooperate. This past week has had more ups than downs.

Shinnecock

While winds were the biggest problem, the Shinnecock Star used every available opportunity to get out, allowing customers to often fill their buckets with great blackfish, porgies, bluefish, triggerfish and striped bass. One private boater, working the water near the Ponquogue Bridge, caught a 29-inch striper on a fresh clam belly while drifting in the channel. The tide was reversing and beginning its return which equaled dinner for the enthusiastic angler.

Scott Jeffrey of in Hampton Bays said, “The Shinnecock Inlet has had a pick of bass on live baits including eels for those drifting, while the Ponquogue Bridge area has had a pick of bass as well but mostly at the schoolie sizes. The blackfish are holding strong out on the wrecks and reef and the reopening of the sea bass [season] should be good,with most anglers having reported tossing back their fair share."

Scott also indicated that the porgy bite in the Peconics has begun to slow a bit and for those anglers looking to score a fish or two on the shore, the local jetties are the best bets these days. Just be sure to fish the morning tide and use bucktails.

Moriches Bay

Out at Moriches, one private boater on Sunday drifted the inlet for a 30-inch striped bass, which he hooked and landed on his first drift. He returned the next day and got his limit of stripers to 37-inches on three consecutive drifts. There
were many complaints about disrespectful anglers who were anchored up
in the middle of the inlet, making it truly hard to reach spots where fish were stacking up. It did not deter the kayaker who went out on Saturday with a friend and they had their limits to 34-inches by late morning.

Montauk

Montauk is still as hot as ever for fishing. This past Monday had anglers aboard the Blue Fin IV bottom fishing for strong blackfish action, some tog fatter than one would expect. Scup were part of the mix, as well as numerous stripers off the Point.

The Miss Montauk worked the local waters for tog and anglers went home with a sweet catch and full coolers on the daily open boat trip. They paused occasionally to hunt for large porgies and great stripers.

On the Elizabeth II charter, two anglers who had reserved the private excursion diligently used only two rods, fishing non-stop for about two straight hours. Keith had the huge cow and Robby also hooked and fought giants, sending both home with a day well-spent off our shores.

A commercial fishing trip by the Viking Fleet this week took numerous early cod southeast of Block Island. The bottom fishing on the return trip was productive.

Orient

Capt. Sloan Gurney of The Black Rock, reported another stellar fishing season with the majority of his private charters limiting out. The fall blitz has been in full effect in Orient, with huge bass as well as large blackfish playing a big part of the daily catch.

While our season is slowly nearing its end, conservation and our greening world suggests that anglers release the biggest spawners and I know that many reading this report already do this on a regular basis, thus I tip my hat to you and yours. Smart fishermen and women want a guarantee that their grandkids will have fish to catch in their future. Stay dry anglers and enjoy the remaining days of the fall run.