Hamptons Fishing Report: Bass, Blues and Fluke Are in the Bays

All the bays and inlets have been producing scores of fish, especially bass, blues and fluke this past week.

Scott Jeffrey of in Hampton Bays reported that the Shinnecock Inlet has been the place for bluefish blitzes just about every evening and that the striped bass are biting at night and at dawn.

“Drifting with live baits have produced the quality fish, while the clam baits have produced the quantities. Bass and fluke are west of the Ponquogue Bridge although most of the fluke are throwbacks, but there’s plenty of action,” he said and added, “There’s fluke at the inlet and outside of it, but there are many shorts.”

Last weekend, a few anglers also had success in the inlet, fishing with live bait. They reeled in fluke up to nine-pounds while drifting. Sea bass have been fairly easy to come by, as well, as long as you fish the areas of the local wrecks and at the reef. Jeffrey said huge porgies are being reeled in at the reef at the moment.

In the East End’s Peconic Bay, the presence of bluefish and porgies have been reported in their usual spots, including Roger’s Rock and Robins Island. Jeffrey pointed out that anglers should use plenty of clam chum, clam bait and worms.

“Blowfish are holding in the area off Long Beach in Sag Harbor and out in Gardiners Bay and there have been spotty reports of fluke action near Jessup’s," said Jeffrey.

The Shinnecock canal has been producing fluke, stripers, blues and porgies, with the bluefish blitzing each week at the north end, according to Jeffrey.

Red tube 007’s have been the lure of choice, said Jeffrey, noting that fluke up to 4.5 pounds were weighed in last week.

All of the catches were made by anglers using rubber baits and the inlet’s jetty has been a super-popular spot for catches these days, said Jeffrey.

“Bass have preferred clam baits, but some quality fish have been taken on live baits as well,” Jeffrey said. "A 20-pound striper was weighed in a few days ago, which was caught by an angler using the popular live spots while fishing the jetty in the morning."

For bass, he said, hit up the Ponquogue bridge — just stick to the night tides.

Private boat reports included one angler, fishing on Father’s Day, landing a 32-pound striper, as well as a large doormat fluke. The job was helped by squid and spearing combo, with the addition of a pink fluke rig.

This is also the time of year when the blue claw crabs are attracted to a trap, so for crab fishermen, consider using any leftover bluefish parts as a prime choice of bait, as well as raw chicken parts. Incidentally, it looks like the south shore bays will provide a good crop of blue claws this season based on what has already been seen in the area.

This past Monday aboard the Shinnecock Star, a number of quality sea bass and fluke came over the rails and the largest flatties were weighed in at over 11 pounds.

Aboard the Hampton Lady, both sea bass and jumbo porgies were in profusion.

And out in Orient, the Black Rock, owned and operated by Capt. Sloan, continued to see his trips limit out on stripers, with plenty of blues in the mix as well as sea bass.