Post your 2019-2024 Fluke Pix & Trip Reports Here!

[captmike28]

This was one of those special trips for me. To fish with this great group of anglers that are a huge part of this community was a great feeling. So was the bass, bluefish and fluke we caught. Great captain, great crew, great weather and great fishing. What more can you ask?

It is always my pleasure to have a group of skilled anglers like yesterday's crew aboard. As I often say, your expertise makes me look pretty good!
I hope you enjoyed the day and the fresh fish dinners.

 

[Litugboat]

Fluking picked up in the bay Freeport area. Must be a new body of decent fish. Last 2 trips had keepers both to lines and 20 shorts released. All fish still in shallow water with light jigs and gulp

 

[Leprechaun]

Fishing today - First trip of the season

Season's maiden voyage for the Lep today- FINALLY. Headed out with our humble NYAngler host George and his long-time buddy "Westchester Steve" for a solid day of ocean fluking. I like Steve very much, btw - a really nice guy and good fisherman.

Anyway, we waited out the nasty ocean forecast over the past two days, in order to get to the reported much better day, meaning today. Yeah, well the NWS and several other forecasting sites were wrong yet again.

Still, we bounced around here and there and found a consistent bite fairly locally - not to mention that we were pretty much the only boat out there. No small wonder as the unanticipated SSE 15mph steady breeze built early, causing an uncomfortable 2-4' close together wave action. This, on top of the incoming New Moon tide had us really flying along on the drift. The sock saved us today, as there was no way to fish w/o it. Even with it, we were using bucktails in the 5-6oz. range.

However, all the rocking and rolling paid off with a near limit of 11 fat and sassy keepers, with eight of them in the 3.5-5lb range - really a quality average size. I dropped at least two other very decent sure-keepers on the last drift - soooo close to a full boat limit, I could taste it. But - it was not to be. Still, based on the time of the season and the poor drifting conditions, I was honestly surprised at how well today's trip turned out. Talk about lemonade out of lemons! I do believe that it would have been a 5-Star day, had the conditions cooperated even a little.

Here's a few boated today. No sea monsters, but solid fish nonetheless -

Here's Steve with one of his fishies -

A nice batch of fresh fillets - well worth today's beating, I would say -

 

[Snapprhead27]

Nice job on the maiden voyage!! How was 'George's Corner'? ??

 

[Leprechaun]

I noted a slight regression in his corner’s appearance, but will give him a pass for our first trip, due to the crummy conditions of the day.

 

[george]

Nice job on the maiden voyage!! How was 'George's Corner'? ??

My corner was spotless ?

 

[longcast]

My corner was spotless ?

No GULP juice on the floor causing hazardous conditions??

 

[Leprechaun]

Huh! Funny you should mention that.
Perhaps we should ask Westchester Steve about it.

 

[longcast]

You could also ask my back and left knee.

 

[MakoMatt]

Nice 1st trip!!

 

[Steve]

Huh! Funny you should mention that.
Perhaps we should ask Westchester Steve about it.

 

[george]

Huh! Funny you should mention that.
Perhaps we should ask Westchester Steve about it.

I get no respect. But I love it!

 

[Steve]

No GULP juice on the floor causing hazardous conditions??

Conditions were perfect! Well-maintained!

 

[captmike28]

I noted a slight regression in his corner’s appearance, but will give him a pass for our first trip, due to the crummy conditions of the day. ?

You should have seen George's corner on my boat last Friday. It's a miracle water was still draining from that scupper!!

Just kidding, George, You can pile on the Gulp containers on my boat any time you like.

 

[Leprechaun]

george said:

My corner was spotless ?

Steve said:

Conditions were perfect! Well-maintained!

Mamma Mia! One lies and the other swears to it!

Still, two of the best people I know!

 

[Snapprhead27]

You should have seen George's corner on my boat last Friday. It's a miracle water was still draining from that scupper!!

Just kidding, George, You can pile on the Gulp containers on my boat any time you like.

Kevin might have a different view on that!!

 

[longcast]

I did not see a thing............................................until I slipped on it and bounced around the back of Captain's Mike's boat.

 

[captmike28]

Good thing my Liability Insurance is paid up!

 

[Matts]

What's worse? Spilling the beer or spilling the Gulp juice.
For sure, the juice costs more!

 

[Leprechaun]

Sorry, no pix today. But here's how it went - made a very late 2.5hr delayed sailing due to dense fog - from my Freeport canal, down the Bay, out JI and all the way to the offshore grounds. And in some spots I mean like 50-100' of viz, at best. I'm never comfortable running in such conditions.

Not doubting my own skills, rather some of the others out there not properly respecting the conditions. A few seasons back we were almost cut in two by a 35' Tiara barrelling thru the offshore fleet at 20kts - in a pea soup fog. Passed no more than 40' off my stern, throwing a huge wake.. Scared the crap out of me.

Anyway, it was a very tough bite today, unlike last Monday when we had a solid catch. Today lots of the "Hit and Run” and "Hanger On" type of nonsense bites. Once in a while a big thump that almost took the rod out of our hands, but those never seem to make it to the net. We finished with 6 keeps to 4.5lbs for the three of us - not the type of fishing I had hoped for, but we'll take it. Like John Sterling says: "That's Baseball, Susan."

Onward to the Holiday weekend!