What has happened to the fluke fishing??

[Flukinit]

Since Sandy. I used to drop my boat in Mt. Sinai or Mattituck and had some unreal days. Had my best day of fluking ever out on the eastern side of the buoy 5 back on June 26th, 2010. Pete, Kenscot and myself put an absolute beating on the fluke with probably 125 fish or so. We had a period of about 2 hours where we were coming up the shoal with a east to west drift where it was one bounce fish on and probably had 10 times where all 3 if us were hooked up at once just lifting 5/6 lb fish over.
Had so many other solid trips by bouy 7 and off Cedar beach till Sandy hit. Since then there really hasnt been any consistent bite that i know of. Last few trips ive had with an excellent Capt. In Stony brook and we could only scratch together a few fish. And the last few years there has been lots of bait just no fluke no even shorts to keep you busy. What do you guys think happened? Im no expert so can only guess but seems the fish just arent settling in the area anymore. Im talking the area from Smithtown bay to buoy 5. Any thoughts??

 

[live bait]

We also spend more time east of Mattituck than I like to admit, & have had the same results. The fluke fishing has all but died out. Have tried to change it up, fishing from 20' out to 100' of water with the same disappointing results. I also see lots of bait. I wish I could explain the lack of fluke. They either aren't there or I forgot how to catch them. Have also had good days in the past fishing up the hill at bouy 5.
John

 

[george]

I'm not going to pretend to know why the fishery is in such tough shape, but if you know what you're doing the mid-sound area holds some good fishing. I keep my boat in the Nissequogue and I fluke fish between Pt. Jeff and Oyster Bay and I had what I'd consider a good year. Many fish over 4-pounds and limits on most trips. Yes I cherry-picked tides and wind - just as I always have - and the fish were exactly where I thought they'd be.

There was a ton of bait around all year but if you had a good gameplan and stuck to it, there were fish to be caught. With all of the bait coming out of the Nissey this year I concentrated on the edges both east and west - off of Short Beach and the first pavilion off of Sunken Meadow, on the tides I like, and while it wasn't a bail job, the fish I caught were always impressive in size. Late June I had a day where every fish I kept was between 3-4 pounds.

I fish what I call "Skinner Style" (after my good friend John Skinner, check out his videos for more), with bucktails and gulp. No meat, no squid, just 4-6 inch gulp. That's what works for me. It almost never fails.

The key phrase here is having a plan. If you don't have a game plan before you leave the dock, you will need to get lucky to put a catch together. And depending on luck isn't exactly what you want.

 

[wader]

what about inside the River George?

 

[BennyV]

Fluke crapped out earlier than expected on the CT side of the LIS around early August. Then we fished for the dreaded porgy which seemed like all eternity for me. Nothing like cleaning 1000+ porgies from 9am till we reached the dock. I had Porgy Claw damn near all season.

 

[crabby]

Scup fishing has been off the board for the last few years in the Sound. It's not my cup of tea and I've had to change my areas looking for a boat I like. Where I spent May through the middle of July fishing from PJ, now I make one or two trips there.

It looks like I'll be spending time in Montauk, but less trips. Just don't have it in me to make that run one or two times a week.. It's an extra hour there and an extra hour an a half home. I think I did more 1/2 day Captree trips then anything else this year.

I'd love to see the fluke come back to the sound. The conditions for bucktailing are usually great, and its's an easy ride from eastern Nassau.

 

[Flukinit]

Scup fishing has been off the board for the last few years in the Sound. It's not my cup of tea and I've had to change my areas looking for a boat I like. Where I spent May through the middle of July fishing from PJ, now I make one or two trips there.

It looks like I'll be spending time in Montauk, but less trips. Just don't have it in me to make that run one or two times a week.. It's an extra hour there and an extra hour an a half home. I think I did more 1/2 day Captree trips then anything else this year.

I'd love to see the fluke come back to the sound. The conditions for bucktailing are usually great, and its's an easy ride from eastern Nassau.

Crabby, Ive done the same as you on the fluke trips. Totally agree with you on fishing up there tte conditions are great. Usually fished a 1oz bucktail all day long many time going to a 1/2 or 3/4 oz fishing. Was really alot of fun fishing the area lets hope it rebounds.

 

[george]

what about inside the River George?

Ge were a decent amount of fluke in the back. There were less bass and more fluke i. The back then I can even recall

 

[Koz]

There was a ton of bait around all year but if you had a good gameplan and stuck to it, there were fish to be caught. With all of the bait coming out of the Nissey this year I concentrated on the edges both east and west - off of Short Beach and the first pavilion off of Sunken Meadow, on the tides I like, and while it wasn't a bail job, the fish I caught were always impressive in size. Late June I had a day where every fish I kept was between 3-4 pounds.

I agree George. There were fish to be caught out there. I caught seven fish that were a solid four pounds. The heaviest one came in at 4-1/4 pounds. While nice fish, I was disappointed that the largest one I caught was not even 4-1/2 pounds. The wave of 'big' fish was missed by myself and my fishing buddies this year. For the past 8-10 years a wave or two of very large fish passed through. We always managed quality fish when it did. Usually fish in the 6-9 pound class. Of course you had to be in the right place at the right time.

I also have several bag limit days this year too. Fishing was very good early, slowed down by mid-June, and (from what I heard) puttered out in July.

Personally I had a season ending injury on the first day of summer this year. Met a friend at the marina to go snag some bunker, then chunk them up for some bass. While loading the boat I felt a very painful 'SNAP' in my right arm. We went out fishing and I determined what happened. I texted my wife about 10PM that 'I think I tore by bicep'.

Well I was sort of correct. My bicep tore alright, tore so much that it completely detached. A few days later I had surgery to reattach the bicep. While the doctor was in there he repaired the torn rotator cuff, torn labrum, cleaned out the loose bone pieces, and removed several bone spurs while cleaning up the shoulder socket. That put a stamp on my 2018 season!!

 

[crabby]

I agree George. There were fish to be caught out there. I caught seven fish that were a solid four pounds. The heaviest one came in at 4-1/4 pounds. While nice fish, I was disappointed that the largest one I caught was not even 4-1/2 pounds. The wave of 'big' fish was missed by myself and my fishing buddies this year. For the past 8-10 years a wave or two of very large fish passed through. We always managed quality fish when it did. Usually fish in the 6-9 pound class. Of course you had to be in the right place at the right time.

I also have several bag limit days this year too. Fishing was very good early, slowed down by mid-June, and (from what I heard) puttered out in July.

Personally I had a season ending injury on the first day of summer this year. Met a friend at the marina to go snag some bunker, then chunk them up for some bass. While loading the boat I felt a very painful 'SNAP' in my right arm. We went out fishing and I determined what happened. I texted my wife about 10PM that 'I think I tore by bicep'.

Well I was sort of correct. My bicep tore alright, tore so much that it completely detached. A few days later I had surgery to reattach the bicep. While the doctor was in there he repaired the torn rotator cuff, torn labrum, cleaned out the loose bone pieces, and removed several bone spurs while cleaning up the shoulder socket. That put a stamp on my 2018 season!!

Mike, great to see you here, not so great to hear about your shoulder.

As you know it's different on a private boat. Two people fishing can work a spot a few drifts and catch three or four good fish. A PB goes over an area with twenty five people and three or four fish don't go that far.
We used to be able to limit plus catch twenty shorts. Now six fish period is a good day. Let's hope they come back in the numbers we were used to.

 

[george]

ly hurt li

I agree George. There were fish to be caught out there. I caught seven fish that were a solid four pounds. The heaviest one came in at 4-1/4 pounds. While nice fish, I was disappointed that the largest one I caught was not even 4-1/2 pounds. The wave of 'big' fish was missed by myself and my fishing buddies this year. For the past 8-10 years a wave or two of very large fish passed through. We always managed quality fish when it did. Usually fish in the 6-9 pound class. Of course you had to be in the right place at the right time.

I also have several bag limit days this year too. Fishing was very good early, slowed down by mid-June, and (from what I heard) puttered out in July.

Personally I had a season ending injury on the first day of summer this year. Met a friend at the marina to go snag some bunker, then chunk them up for some bass. While loading the boat I felt a very painful 'SNAP' in my right arm. We went out fishing and I determined what happened. I texted my wife about 10PM that 'I think I tore by bicep'.

Well I was sort of correct. My bicep tore alright, tore so much that it completely detached. A few days later I had surgery to reattach the bicep. While the doctor was in there he repaired the torn rotator cuff, torn labrum, cleaned out the loose bone pieces, and removed several bone spurs while cleaning up the shoulder socket. That put a stamp on my 2018 season!!

That sucks and it probably hurt like a bastard. Hopefully, you'll be back in shape for the 19 opener! The second wave never really showed up this year so you didn't miss much.

Thanks for joining and as I mentioned I have a boat in a slip at the Nissy and your always welcome to join me while your injury heals.

George

 

[buddha162]

Fluking was pretty spotty in the far western sound this year...had a few keepers while crankbaiting porgy lol, when I focused on targeting fluke they were hard to find. There did end up being a late season harbor bite that lasted about a week. And I had a blast chasing them from shore earlier in the season...some of the new JDM suzuki surf rods we played around with this year made shore jigging very, very fun...9'6 rods that weigh under 5oz.

I remember hitting the same spots on Jack's skiffs 10 years ago, and the fluking was phenomenal. Now I'm happy just to connect with a single keeper every trip...the fishery today is undoubtedly a shadow of its former self.

 

[wader]

Ge were a decent amount of fluke in the back. There were less bass and more fluke i. The back then I can even recall

how far back? Golf Course area?

Mike, great to see you here, not so great to hear about your shoulder.

As you know it's different on a private boat. Two people fishing can work a spot a few drifts and catch three or four good fish. A PB goes over an area with twenty five people and three or four fish don't go that far.
We used to be able to limit plus catch twenty shorts. Now six fish period is a good day. Let's hope they come back in the numbers we were used to.

Hey Joe - somebody hit you in the face with a cream pie for your avatar pic?

 

[crabby]

Hey Joe - somebody hit you in the face with a cream pie for your avatar pic?

Yup, it was at a Cub Scout event. I was teaching them about being aware of things if they witnessed a crime. Them my accomplice comes out from behind the building and hits me in the face with the pie. They then had to describe the crime they had just witnessed. I did that sixteen times that day.

 

[wader]

and each time you were the one that got hit with the pie??

 

[ag3]

Fluking was pretty spotty in the far western sound this year...had a few keepers while crankbaiting porgy lol, when I focused on targeting fluke they were hard to find. There did end up being a late season harbor bite that lasted about a week. And I had a blast chasing them from shore earlier in the season...some of the new JDM suzuki surf rods we played around with this year made shore jigging very, very fun...9'6 rods that weigh under 5oz.

I remember hitting the same spots on Jack's skiffs 10 years ago, and the fluking was phenomenal. Now I'm happy just to connect with a single keeper every trip...the fishery today is undoubtedly a shadow of its former self.

Fluking the west has been on a decline for years. Not sure why.

 

[Scupper]

You guys are all 'spoiled' , Not many Fluke around in the 80's , not many at all ..... Things come and go ....... Used to be able to catch 1/2 bucket of Flounder in late March , they would thin out by late April , May 1st the Macaroni's would show east side of Smithtown Bay and by June 1st you could catch mackeral by Ft Totten . Some early mornings the Macks would herd up and you would see acres of them on top with their mouths open , what a site ......
Porgy's have always been around though now the seem to be everywhere , sucking everything on the bottom .Lack of Bluefish lately is troubling , even though there is plenty of bait ............ Big monster blues on deep water reefs was fun ...........
Worm trolling for schoolie Bass was in vouge and these fall runs with acres of birds we see today was non existant back then ......
Always some Bass in the Spring , but never the fleets that fish them today ......
Nice spring fishery for Blackfish with the hope of catching a trophy fish , fall fishing was predictable , shallow early / deep late .. lots more pressure on them now , every boat now has a GPS with detials of every rockpile ............
Fluke is my current favorite , best eating fish around [ seabass too ] ...... I'll pass on Bass and Blackfish , Porgy fillet is decent , Snapper Blue is decent too .....
If it were up to me , I would outlaw treble hooks , they cause tremendous damage to any fish that might be returned ......

 

[buddha162]

Fluking the west has been on a decline for years. Not sure why.

Yeah, it's really a shame. Past couple of seasons Raritan Bay fluking took a nosedive as well.

The last survey showed poor recruitment for many years in a row. That combined with the population shifting north...not sure if we'll ever see a recovery in the west.

 

[crabby]

There are fish on the South Shore and at Montauk. For some reason the fish are not swimming into the Sound like they did years back.

 

[Capt13]

You guys are all 'spoiled' , Not many Fluke around in the 80's , not many at all ..... Things come and go ....... .

Excellent summation !! Things constantly change.