As Summer Breezes By
A persistent, hard northeast wind at the end of July is not all that common. Usually, we don’t see such blows until September as an early harbinger of the cooler weather of autumn. And while this past weekend would never have been classified by any meteorologist as a true northeaster, the gusty winds, especially on Saturday, did usher in some pronounced changes to our waterfront landscape.
Even without the promise of significant rainfall, bay temperatures took a tumble, even before the winds started to howl. Having nearly approached a toasty and most swimmable 80 degrees, temperatures quickly chilled back down to the low and mid-70s. Ocean shoreline waters cooled off as well. No reason to pack away the swim shorts, however. Water temps will rebound again soon, especially with the warmer weather this week.
“I love when the weather forecast keeps the weekend mob scene at the dock,” said Capt. Robert Aaronson of the charter boat Oh Brother out of Montauk. “We had easy striped bass limits and no weaving around boats and getting waked.” The bass are running large and plentiful, including a 56-pounder taken by Ken Bliss on the charter boat Grand Slam. The night bite for bass has not been nearly as productive, with sporadic fishing, depending on the tides. Action should perk up with the approaching full moon on Monday.
Those intent on fishing for summer flounder witnessed some impressive catches, especially before the weekend winds. Over at the Lazy Bones, Kathy Vegessi, dockside support arm for the Montauk half-day fishing operation, took a busman’s holiday last Thursday morning and bagged two flatties weighing in at six and eight pounds. What made the catch even more impressive was that she caught them both on the same drift. When you’re hot, you’re hot.
Over on the Ebb Tide II that same day, Ole Olsen thought he was stuck on the bottom until his rod started to bounce. The fight was on. It took two nets before a doormat of 14.52 pounds was wrestled aboard. A fatty flattie for sure. Over all, the fluke fishing was “pretty decent before the winds,” said Vegessi.
At the Tackle Shop in Amagansett, Harvey Bennett was enthused by the jolt in the weather, fishing, and some significant items of note in the world of sports. While Bennett is still looking for a catcher’s mitt or two to send to underprivileged children in the Dominican Republic, he was beaming broadly in the windy weather on Saturday that the New York Yankees were clinging close to first place in the baseball standings, and that pro football training camp opened up in the National Football League, including for his beloved Oakland Raiders.
“It’s a good time to be a sports fan and the fishing is good too,” said Bennett, who just secured his tickets for the Oct. 29 Raiders game against the hapless Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park, N.Y. “Snappers are showing well and there have been some big bass taken in the surf. Porgies are holding strong in the usual spots and some really nice, big fluke are still off Napeague. Plus, a mess of green bonito have showed up around Hicks Island.”
Bennett also noted that the action for football-size bluefin and yellowfin tuna was gaining strength farther offshore. For his road trip to western New York this fall, Bennett may wish to consider grilling some tuna steaks at the pregame tailgate party. Buffalo tuna, anyone?
Brown sharks, which are known to occasionally roam close to the ocean shore at night in their search for food, have duped a few shore casters of late.
“The other night, one of my customers thought he had the striped bass of a lifetime on the line,” relayed a smiling Sebastian Gorgone, proprietor of Mrs. Sam’s Bait and Tackle in East Hampton. “After a long, hard-fought battle, it turned out to be a six-foot brown shark. Major disappointment.” On more benign species, Gorgone said that snappers and blowfish can be had in Three Mile Harbor, and that the porgy bite continues in and around Gardiner’s Island.
“The Shinnecock reef and the other pieces and rock piles out front have had some nice-sized sea bass come over the rails along with a few porgies too,” said Scott Jeffrey of East End Bait and Tackle in Hampton Bays. “The Peconic Bay porgy bite has been pretty good too, with Rodgers Rock and Jessup’s Neck doing really well. Anchor up with some clam baits and plenty of clam chum and you’ll have a blast.”
Farther offshore in 140 to 180 feet of water, action for a variety of sharks, including mako, blue, hammerhead, and thresher, has been consistent. Jeffrey also said that bluefin and yellowfin tuna are coming up in increasing catches, and that trolled green machines and daisy chains have been the lures of choice for success.
On the offshore tournament front, lots of anglers are expected to participate in the 25th annual Star Island Mako, Thresher, and Tuna Tournament. The two-day event takes place tomorrow and Saturday. As a reminder, New York State law requires that all shark tournament participants use exclusively non-stainless steel, non-offset circle hooks.
We welcome your fishing tips, observations, and photographs at [email protected]. You can find the “On the Water” column on Twitter at @ehstarfishing.