Smithtown Bay

[george]

Hard to believe, but today was my first time out here in Smithtown Bay. I saw maybe two or three other boats. I marked no bait saw no birds and didn’t have a bite in three hours.

I tried for fluke on the incoming, but it was basically a dead sea.

I found water between 62 and 65° didn’t matter not a bite not a mark of bait anywhere. Hard to believe it’s the first week of June.

Wasn’t that long ago when we would be limiting on flute at this time. What is going on?

 

[Snapprhead27]

I think it's a late start all around. The cold weather hasn't helped.

 

[george]

Yeah, you guys got to face the reality of what's happening here. The fluke traditionally arrived here the first week of May. Now, every year it's getting pushed back, and they're scarcer. If there's no bait, there will be no fluke.

 

[Snapprhead27]

We had them spitting up sand eels and some had whole squid.

 

[longcast]

Yeah, you guys got to face the reality of what's happening here. The fluke traditionally arrived here the first week of May. Now, every year it's getting pushed back, and they're scarcer. If there's no bait, there will be no fluke.

A bit dated, but these feeds come up on Facebook all the time. Weather maybe forced them into a staging area and they got pounded.

 

[Double Trouble]

View attachment 116253

A bit dated, but these feeds come up on Facebook all the time. Weather maybe forced them into a staging area and they got pounded.

Ya but the rod and reel guys are killing the fishing.

 

[longcast]

Ya but the rod and reel guys are killing the fishing.

How so?

 

[Snapprhead27]

How so?

Thinking he maybe using sarcasm, being the rec guys are always getting blamed when it comes to regulations.

 

[Double Trouble]

Thinking he maybe using sarcasm, being the rec guys are always getting blamed when it comes to regulations.

YEP

 

[longcast]

Thinking he maybe using sarcasm, being the rec guys are always getting blamed when it comes to regulations.

Never seen a rec cooler look like that.

 

[Snapprhead27]

Agreed

 

[OVERBORED]

Draggers hammered the fluke and scup all winter. Lack of fish is no coincidence...............

 

[pequa1]

Worst early season I have ever had. Paddling and drifting backbay I see no bait. Cormorants look sad. In 5 paddles I have one 18" fluke and yesterday what was probably a bite off by a blue. No cocktail blitz. Although I leave the hearing aids home, most guys I have conversed with, if they put up with me, have said much the same, and in motorboats they are hitting spots that I only used to fish. If this continues I will probably just paddle weekdays and work on pool and yard weekends.