Fishing Report: Monster-Sized Fish Showing Up in Local Waters

The three “R’s” of education have been replaced by the three “W’s” of local fishing: wind, waves and water. The wind has been quite cooperative recently, allowing most local anglers to access all of the available fish without much distress; the waves flattened appropriately according to the tides and the water has been so clear that one can often look into its depth.

Conditions for fishing over the past week were truly excellent on most occasions, with striped bass, sea bass, bluefish, porgies and fluke among the best catches, but other surprises like shark have been passing through the Atlantic as well.

On-board the Hampton Lady, a party boat out of Shinnecock, the morning half-day trip last weekend provided sea bass up to four pounds along with large jumbo porgies. And a private boater fishing the early morning tide last Saturday connected with a keeper fluke just after sunrise. The great combination of the three “W’s” kept him on the fish.

That same afternoon, another private boat angler stayed within Shinnecock Bay for a strong fluke bite, producing a 24-inch doormat and another angler took his young sons Chris and Rob for a sharking trip in search of smaller blue sharks. To their surprise Rob’s line was jolted by a soon-to-be-reeled-in 385-pound mako, which took more than four hours to get into the boat. His dad thanked for their help in winching the huge creature and for taking such amazing photos.

Capt. Scott Jeffrey of in Hampton Bays indicated in his Shinnecock bay/ocean/inlet report that the striped bass have more of a preference for live bait such as Live Spots this past week, especially in the inlet.

“Clam chummers are still catching at the bridge as well and the fluke bite is still good, but again you’ll have to be patient if you want to take one home for the dinner table as the short-to-keeper ratio is still very high,” he said.

Jeffrey also reported that “some kayakers have found some quality fluke in the skinny water with fish to 24-inches."

"The bay remains the best place to target a keeper," he said and added, "The reef and wrecks are definitely being picked over pretty heavily, the sea bass bite is still good and there have been a few decent fluke caught on clams while wreck fishing too." 

Jeffrey said blues have also been cruising the bay and ocean at any given time and there have been some showings of bunker pods off of Shinnecock with large bass to 40-pounds in tow.

"No birds are showing so you will have to put in some time searching, but you will be rewarded if you find them,” he said.

Capt. Scott’s shore and surf report was very encouraging as well, as he pointed out a few of the top fishing spots last week included the jetties of Shinnecock Inlet, which have seen anglers reeling in triggerfish during the daytime and bass and bluefish in the early mornings as well as the evenings.

“The triggers are falling to clam baits on porgy rigs,” he said. “The blues are on baits and tins and the bass are on the clam, live bait and bucktails. The Ponquogue Bridge is holding some bass under its structure and they are falling for bunker chunks, clams and sandworms."

As for snappers, he said they are in the boat basins and the Shinnecock Canal, but you should give them a few more weeks to grow a bit before targeting them; however, they are the perfect live fluke bait size right now.

For porgies, he said they can be found at the north end of the canal and those catching are doing well with sandworms.

"The ocean beaches have produced some bass and blues on baits,” he said.

Out at Orient Point, the striped bass fishing has been red-hot as a 42-pound fish was reported last Friday night. The following day, a fluke trip allowed Jordan to catch his limit, including his first 10-pound-plus doormat. Last Sunday aboard the Sundowner II, Capt. John Sinning helped guests to find large fish, including a mammoth 54-pound striper caught by Butch. The Black Rock, with Capt. Sloan at the wheel, put customers on the fish once again last week, with a notable trip that saw one group catch so many stripers during one drift that first mate Joe had to deal with three fish in separate nets. The party, which included 9-year-old Ryan, his dad and his grandpa, were all smiles after a day that saw 30 stripers hit their lines.