Fishing Report

Aboard the Captain Bob V on Monday out of Mattituck, Capt. Bob Ceglowski said fishing was picking up (following four slower days last week) now that a new body of large summer flounder has moved in. Ceglowski’s best was a 10-pound, six-ounce doormat. Many of the keepers are fish in the seven-to-eight-pound class. Although fluke are the principal targets, big sea bass are also available. Ceglowski is surprised at the small number of scup in the areas he’s fishing but surmises that will change soon.

At WeGo Fishing in Southold, Steven told us things were a bit quieter in Peconic Bay, but small fluke and scup were still around. Long Island Sound beaches were worth trying during daytime hours for fluke and scup. The Soundview area has been producing fluke of late. Live eels have taken large stripers off Horton’s Point with some linesiders in the 40s. For “gorilla” blues to 15 pounds, Plum Gut and Fishers Island Race are worth the trip. Fluke fans are concentrating on Gardiners Island. Those who sail by night will find the ebb excellent this week with tides after 8 p.m.

Bob Haase at Orient by the Sea told us bass fishing was even good in broad daylight, but really large stripers were taken at night. Locals have noted several 50-pounders. Most daytime blues are choppers in the three-to-seven-pound range, but there are some 10-to-12-pound slammers available. The uptick in fluke action is noteworthy with a half-dozen keepers per boat for sharpies. The marina is having its annual tournament this weekend, and prospects are indeed promising.

Christine Loria at Captain Marty’s Fishing Station in New Suffolk said porgy fishing was quite good around Buoy 22 in the South Race as well as off Buoy 20. As expected, best results obtain with clams and worms for those who chum. A pleasant surprise for gourmets is the large number of blowfish on some days, but there have been no weakfish taken recently. Fluke tend to be shorts.

Ed Kopack at Warren’s Tackle Center in Aquebogue preferred quiet nights with evening tides for best South Shore results. Some small bass are on local Long Island Sound beaches early and late. Stan Hentschel at the Rocky Point Fishing Stop explained that porgies are everywhere with stripers in the 20s on the Middle Grounds. Roughly one fluke in 20 is keeper-sized, and bass on the beach tend to be small.