If you want to catch a big bass or breeder weakfish, this is the week to do it says Captain Craig Cantelmo of Van Staal reels. All the bunker are moving out of the creeks exiting the bays and the big fish will be with them. Look for the dark purple color in the water and toss large Storm Shads or big flies around the schools.
Weakfish will be very active in the next two weeks, eating just about anything you get in front of them. Concentrate on the points with good running water and look for the first drop off to cast jigs. Remember, if you don’t feel the bottom, you’re not fishing!
Ken Morse at Tight Lines Tackle in Sag Harbor says he has landed the four best weakfish of his life the last several evenings, with the highlight being two eleven-pounders he caught at the same time. Bluefish are all over the Peconics until dark and then the bite seems to switch to bass and weakfish.
The story with the flukes remains the same—there are a lot of throwbacks and not a lot of keepers. The Porgies are big and plentiful and are averaging 2-4 pounds just west of Jessup’s.
Captain John McMurray of One More Cast Charters reports that hose livelining bunker in Jamaica Bay are still catching lots of big stripers. The water temp is pretty high and it’s difficult feeding stripers plugs, soft plastics and flies. There are still some monster bluefish to be had though, mostly on poppers. On the ocean side, there has been an abundance of silversides (spearing) and consistent bass blitzes for the last three days. Most fish are in the low 30-inch range. The sand-eels should show soon, and when that happens the fish will be on the white sand flats in the back of Breezy Point.
Get out there and good luck!
Check back every Wednesday for a new report.
–Tee Clarkson
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