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Things have popped up that has sidelined fishing for a bit. Today I had some time early and my son is counting down the days before going back to college. We were able to sneak out for a few hours as my wife and I had some things to do.

By six this morning we were on the water for a quick father / son outing. We were met with some confused weather with the wind coming from the SW and then W and then back again.

I had some intel from my BIL regarding a good catch the day before with fish of 5.25 and 5.0 landed and a couple other solid keepers mixed in. They were fishing in 5-7 feet of water.

We followed the lead and after my son popped a 5.30 it went quiet. What a tussle that fish gave him! With the shallow water I see the line go from starboard side to off the back of the boat. I really thought he had a blue until that beautiful round brown shape came up! We moved slightly changing our line and once we found how to present, it was game on.

We put 30+ fish in the boat in short order.

I saw some lamenting over the new regulations so this will be my "cry baby" moment!

6 of those fish were some of the thickest fluke we have caught all season and went 19 - 19.25 inches!! Painfully they all went back. UGH!

We did end the day with 3 other keeps (for a total of 4) and they were 20 inches or better. Sick little bite.

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longcast said:
Things have popped up that has sidelined fishing for a bit. Today I had some time early and my son is counting down the days before going back to college. We were able to sneak out for a few hours as my wife and I had some things to do.

By six this morning we were on the water for a quick father / son outing. We were met with some confused weather with the wind coming from the SW and then W and then back again.

I had some intel from my BIL regarding a good catch the day before with fish of 5.25 and 5.0 landed and a couple other solid keepers mixed in. They were fishing in 5-7 feet of water.

We followed the lead and after my son popped a 5.30 it went quiet. What a tussle that fish gave him! With the shallow water I see the line go from starboard side to off the back of the boat. I really thought he had a blue until that beautiful round brown shape came up! We moved slightly changing our line and once we found how to present, it was game on.

We put 30+ fish in the boat in short order.

I saw some lamenting over the new regulations so this will be my "cry baby" moment!

6 of those fish were some of the thickest fluke we have caught all season and went 19 - 19.25 inches!! Painfully they all went back. UGH!

We did end the day with 3 other keeps (for a total of 4) and they were 20 inches or better. Sick little bite.

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longcast and son,,,,,,,,,,so thats how its done8-)(y),,,,,,,,,,, very nice fat fluke,,,,,,,,,,,, stay well guys,,,,,,,,,,,,ps,,, maureen said holy chit :LOL:,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,longcast she also said are they kidding,, about you throwing back 19and a quarter" fluke,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, she said that really sucks😵‍💫,,,,,,,,remember back some years ago it was 21inch keeper fluke:rolleyes:,,,,,,, ><)))):>
><)))):>
 
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W
longcast said:
Things have popped up that has sidelined fishing for a bit. Today I had some time early and my son is counting down the days before going back to college. We were able to sneak out for a few hours as my wife and I had some things to do.

By six this morning we were on the water for a quick father / son outing. We were met with some confused weather with the wind coming from the SW and then W and then back again.

I had some intel from my BIL regarding a good catch the day before with fish of 5.25 and 5.0 landed and a couple other solid keepers mixed in. They were fishing in 5-7 feet of water.

We followed the lead and after my son popped a 5.30 it went quiet. What a tussle that fish gave him! With the shallow water I see the line go from starboard side to off the back of the boat. I really thought he had a blue until that beautiful round brown shape came up! We moved slightly changing our line and once we found how to present, it was game on.

We put 30+ fish in the boat in short order.

I saw some lamenting over the new regulations so this will be my "cry baby" moment!

6 of those fish were some of the thickest fluke we have caught all season and went 19 - 19.25 inches!! Painfully they all went back. UGH!

We did end the day with 3 other keeps (for a total of 4) and they were 20 inches or better. Sick little bite.

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Way to go, Kevin and son!!!
 
Last few trips have seen numerous shorts and anywhere from 6-12 keepers a trip.

Tons of bait in the moriches bay.

*Highlights have been a nice 3 man limit with Tom Buckley of the Orient star nailing a 6.6 lber.

*A five year old first time fluker with an impressive 7 1/2 pounder in 5 feet of water.

* Capt Tom Buckleys daughters showing their dad up with keepers and totaling over 50 plus fluke by themselves. *

* the wardmelivvle fishing club co presidents and vice presidents plucking a few nice ones to 5 + lbs*
 

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Took a short trip with the family earlier today. We find it harder and harder to be in the same place anymore so today was a treat. Fished by “memory” from a week ago as “good” reports have been scarce since the storms. Popped a real nice fish and some shorts. Picked another keeper and a bunch of shorts and then it was over. We counted close to 35 fish all in so the lines were tight pretty often. Great day for the family.

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This is getting Monotonous

Different day (and week), same result. Sailed solo yday to my "office" for a glorious weather day on the water. Had them coming fast and furious, but not 19.5". The majority were really fat 17.5-19" fish, had to have caught 40+ pcs. Did get one real nice 24" fish, which tonight will be turned into Fluke Marsala by wifey.

They really effed us here in NY this season - I know for a fact that had they kept the limit at 19" I would have at least four other candidates for the fillet table, more than filling my limit. But nope. What a disappointing season this has been. Was speaking with a couple of very senior local charter Capts. this week, guys that know their sh*t - and they agree, worst ocean fluke fishing in their memory - and both are as old or older than me.

The killer yesterday was that I had a Jersey triple-engine go-fast shadowing me for most of the day, and he had no problem filling his limit. Netting 18" fish, jeez. What, the AB Reef (North Jersey's new favorite fishing grounds) fished out?

Also of interest - the "Atlantic Surveyor" was slowly pulling his sonar gear back and forth between the MGs and Cholera, for most of the morning. From what I recall, the actual windmills, (should that project ever get off the ground), will be in the Three Sisters to A-Wreck area and points to the West, so well south of the big three JI offshore fluke grounds. So, probably he's taking soundings for the power cables linking them to the shore. At least that's what I think, anyways.

Some pix of my lonely iced fluke and the survey vessel.

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Had the Craig party of 3 aboard yesterday for a Montauk Fluke trip in what has been a very challenging Fluke season for most.

Despite a forecast of light east winds less than 10 all day we were greeted to a steady 12-15 kt. easterly breeze before we even reached the point. Set up on the first drift, south side, and between the sideways roll and steady wind we quickly transitioned from 3oz. bucktails to 6 oz. bait rigs along with the wind sock to control our drift speed.

The 65’ drops that actually produced well for me last month held only a few keeper Sea Bass and some short Fluke. Moved a little deeper to a favorite spot in 75’ and finally found a small body of Fluke. A few shorts to start but slowly the keepers started to mix in. Also, there was a very steady Sea Bass bite throughout the rest of our trip on this spot. Ultimately, we finished the day with 7 keeper Fluke to 4# out of about 40 total and 11 keeper Sea Bass with a similar number of shorts mixed in. Near the end of the trip Bob hooked what seemed to be a really nice Fluke, lots of weight and some very serious head shakes but ultimately the fish gained its freedom about 2/3 of the way to the boat. So, at least the rods were bending all day and the guys went home with plenty of meat for the table!

Looks like the offshore passage of Ernesto will shut us down in the ocean through at least Tuesday. May try Montauk once more on Wednesday if conditions allow. BTW, there are still 2 spots open for that trip if anyone is interested. Then I have a string of local charters with mainly Sea Bass on the menu, which has been picking up steam in the Sound of late.

Be safe out there and “catch em up”!

Capt. Mike

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Hey guys, sorry no fish to post. I'm curious about the offshore bite. Did it ever really turn on?

Also, I saw the sonar ship. Do you think it's possible that the recent surveying could be scarring off the fish or the bite? I'm not one to ever believe in coincidence.
 
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I went out Friday onboard HammerTime with Chef Nader. Saw Capt Mike out there, and was dealing with the same problems. Had to use 6-8 oz just told bottom at times. Nice mix of sea bass and fluke keepers. The wind slowed down a little and the bite turned on really good. I had a bunch of shorts, lost a nice one due to him shaking the hook out before I could see him. As usual Nader got his limit, I had nothing. About 18 fares, had about 20 something keepers. Pool fish was 6.9 and was split between two people.
 
George - Depends on what you consider "turn on." I've had multiple 40+ fish trips fishing solo - all of those trips coming home with just a single fish in the cooler. Last two trips I would have easily limited, had they left the size at 19". But they didn't - and as you well know, I don't cheat. Once the fish gestapo have your number, you'll be getting regular "visits." Don't need that.

I do hear that the nearer-shore rough bottom grounds have some fish on them (you know the area - your PB came from there). But even so, it's been very spotty. One friend fishing there limited out to 23" in a decent morning's solo effort, early this past week. Three days later a pair of my buddies fished the exact same sets of numbers for a full day, with GULP! and live peanootz - ZERO keepers. Day-to-day good/bad fishing isn't my idea of a solid season. Decent fishing early on, and total crapola when it should be red hot. What a giant disappointment this has been on the South Shore ocean grounds.
 
Leprechaun said:
George - Depends on what you consider "turn on." I've had multiple 40+ fish trips fishing solo - all of those trips coming home with just a single fish in the cooler. Last two trips I would have easily limited, had they left the size at 19". But they didn't - and as you well know, I don't cheat. Once the fish gestapo have your number, you'll be getting regular "visits." Don't need that.

I do hear that the nearer-shore rough bottom grounds have some fish on them (you know the area - your PB came from there). But even so, it's been very spotty. One friend limited out to 23" in a decent morning's solo fishing early this past week. Three days later a pair of my buddies fished the exact same sets of numbers, with GULP! and live peanootz - ZERO keepers. Day-to-day good/bad fishing isn't my idea of a solid season. What a giant disappointment this has been on the South Shore ocean grounds.
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Nothing worse than losing a chereshed fishery. Especially in these days when there are so few. We can only hope that it's an anomaly.
 
One more season like this and my title will be "former boat owner." True fact. I have a dozen friends with boats. I can go catch the same nothing with them, most anytime. . . and no two months of hard work every Spring.🤕
 
We lost a healthy bluefish fishery (remember all the boats that fished the Patchogue grounds), a once thriving weakfish and flounder fishery not to mention local cod & whiting.

Being alarmed at an off-season is understandable. Right now should be "Go-time" for fluke!
 
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