This year may go down as “The Year of the Bluefish” according to Captain Craig Cantelmo from Van Staal Reels. The fishing has been “outrageous” of late. Shinnecock Bay and Peconic Bays are inundated with large bluefish and stripers feeding on schools of bunker that have pushed into all the area creeks. Surface lures like Pencil Poppers and Saltwater Super Spooks have been very effective. If you get a few follows without a take, increase your retrieve. The New Moon tide this week should result in some great action in the late afternoon working the back bay points.
Ken Morse at Tight Lines Tackle in Sag Harbor echoes Cantelmo’s report, saying the fishing is phenomenal. He only marvels at how few fishermen there are out there taking advantage of this time of year. The creeks around Southampton are giving up 30-inch stripers, and Morse has heard reports of the first fluke being caught, along with some big porgies in the 3-4 pound range. The seasons will open on flukes and porgies in the coming weeks.
To the west, Captain John McMurray of One More Cast Charters also reports great fishing in Jamaica Bay. Excellent grass shrimp hatches, some of the best he has ever seen, have led to great surface action for stripers in the mid 30-inch range. There are still plenty of bunker around with some bigger bass underneath, but most schools of bunker are dominated by bluefish. The grass shrimp hatch provides a great opportunity for fly fishermen. Hope it lasts!
Check back every Wednesday for a new report.
-Tee Clarkson
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