With the fluke season behind us, did you do better or worse than last year.
- Thread starter george
- Start date
poorrichard
Angler
Fluke fishing in the sound was very slow all season. Only had one keeper the first trip of the season. It got worse from that point.
The Port Jeff Fleet did not bother fluke fishing. They started the season porgy fishing and never looked back.
Hoping next year is better
The Port Jeff Fleet did not bother fluke fishing. They started the season porgy fishing and never looked back.
Hoping next year is better
Chinacat
Well-Known Angler
Personally, my fluke season was the worst I've had in years.
However, a big part of that is because we spent so much time targeting sea bass this year.
Most trips involved hitting the seabass grounds early before the wind came up and then switching over to fluke rather than focusing solely on fluke. Fluke in the ocean outside of Shinnecock were few and far between for us....
However, a big part of that is because we spent so much time targeting sea bass this year.
Most trips involved hitting the seabass grounds early before the wind came up and then switching over to fluke rather than focusing solely on fluke. Fluke in the ocean outside of Shinnecock were few and far between for us....
BennyV
Well-Known Angler
Sound was abysmal.
BoatGuy
Angler
Some fisherman hinted at this. It depended on WHERE I fished. I went with a friend on the south shore and we caught fluke with keepers thrown in. When I fished the Port Jeff area, IMHO, it was worse than last year. Worst year I remember.
As Poorrichard mentioned, when the entire Port Jeff fleet doesn't bother fluke fishing, that says something.
The rhetorical question is WHY the fluke seem to be diverting from the LI Sound. I'm not sure anyone knows.
As Poorrichard mentioned, when the entire Port Jeff fleet doesn't bother fluke fishing, that says something.
The rhetorical question is WHY the fluke seem to be diverting from the LI Sound. I'm not sure anyone knows.
BennyV
Well-Known Angler
I think it’s largely cyclical. When I was a kid we never saw a sea bass in the western LIS. Now they’re plentiful. I also never saw a weakfish either. They were like an urban legend, but they’ve been around quite a bit over the last few years. Some guys may chalk it up to a robust fleet of draggers, I’m not in the mood for that either, yawn. We could just be in a slump of sorts. I’d like to see some scientific research on the issue but I doubt we will see any.
This season on the South Shore deeper drops the fishing was down significantly, especially in terms of average fish size caught, relative to past seasons. In fact, I feel there's been a overall drop-off in the deep fluking over the past three seasons.
Also, the entire first part of the season, meaning from the week before Memorial Day right thru the July 4th weekend has been terrible for the past four seasons. I have no idea what has happened to our early ocean fishing, which was always excellent over the open bottom clean sand drop-offs. But its been awful for those aforementioned four seasons.
I strongly suspect there has a been a drop in the overall fluke biomass - particularly in the 6-9lb size range, though that observation is strictly from a personal catch results perspective. Maybe its time to go to a slot limit? I don't really know. What I do know is that fluke are incredibly fecund, and can therefore breed themselves right back to super-abundance, if given a chance.
Also, the entire first part of the season, meaning from the week before Memorial Day right thru the July 4th weekend has been terrible for the past four seasons. I have no idea what has happened to our early ocean fishing, which was always excellent over the open bottom clean sand drop-offs. But its been awful for those aforementioned four seasons.
I strongly suspect there has a been a drop in the overall fluke biomass - particularly in the 6-9lb size range, though that observation is strictly from a personal catch results perspective. Maybe its time to go to a slot limit? I don't really know. What I do know is that fluke are incredibly fecund, and can therefore breed themselves right back to super-abundance, if given a chance.
I kayaked for a couple of hours on 45 occasions and came back with 7 keepers total, three more than 2019. However I also caught 13 keeper weaks during those trips, some bluefish and kingfish as well so by and large a much better result for me than 2019 when I only kept four fluke. Oddly enough, almost all the keeper fluke came in the backbay in June, and almost all the keeper weaks came in the backbay in August. (We did watch our friend's dog in much of late June and through mid July and I failed to keep a fish in two quick boat trips in the last four weeks, the only time I ventured as far as the bridges and my only use of the boat to date.)
mrbrklyn
New Angler
Brooklyn Living: Brooklyn Fishing - That is pretty much my fluke season, 5 shorts. I did pick up a number of Fluke while fishing other species including a double header keeper on the McAllister Reef on a stormy afternoon.
hartattack
Angler
I hit it harder than usual this year and it was definitely off. I fluked pre-season from shore alot and did very well in the skinny stuff b4 being disappointed in the deep. Massachusetts fluking restored my faith in early August when I had one dream trip to Nantucket Shoals, then came crashing back to reality when the same trip in September was slow. One thing is for sure - I've never seen so many shorts as I did in 2020. This is evidenced by the numerous double-headers we got early in season in back-bays. One trip I actually had seven double-header shorts! Hopefully this bodes well for the near future. . . . bring on the Tog 
hartattack
Angler
recap from the BEST fluker in NJ, some useful stuff mentioned:
2020 Fluke Season Recap - Well its official now as we sit tied to the dock with weather on the Last Day Fluke. Cant complain tho it was another fish filled fluke season with an awesome bite for most of it. Looked back through our reports like i do every year. Athough u wont read about it anywhere else thanks to social media i can tell u that our great customers enjoyed over 2100 Keeper fluke that made it to deck this year up to over 11lbs. It was one of the more consistent seasons in recent years... way more limits than not on some of better days a few lucky anglers who were high hook landed up to 15k themselves (orl) although there still always is a few lulls and slow days, the dry spells didnt last long and even on those days we put together some respectable catches. Seen less fish over 10lbs than we have other years but by far the most 4-8lb fish we have ever seen. So they were some nice quality boxes!!! It def pays to learn / know the local bottom as most of the fishing 3-6 miles from our dock for 95% of the season. Luck of the draw on that tho. Lots of other years we traveled alot for daily to get on a good bite. Goes to show ya how great the reef programs are n how good they work.
As i say often almost all our fish were caught with jigs n gulp and all kind of strips. Chicken rigs when the drift was fast. Almost all on 6 inch grubs n mullets on the big hooks several people made fun of in the winter. In our area there are too many chicken robins n pin bass to waste productive fishing time using smaller stuff. Same goes for dragging bait ...What used to b great on sand hills sucks around the structure unless u wanna b high hook on 10 inch seabass. Bc of size limits and different areas we fish Fluke fishing and how we fish for em has changed over the years...No spearing killies on my boat!!!!!! I know some will still disagree but we perfected a tech that works well for us year after year n were sticking with it. Anything can catch one nice fish for a picture on the internet but what consistently does it day in and day out is what i want my entire charter using.
Thanks to all our great customers who fluke fished with us this year, many who have been doing there fluke trips Season after Season with us. It always one of my fav parts lf the year. We appreciate everyones continued support. And a big thanks to my crew
2020 Fluke Season Recap - Well its official now as we sit tied to the dock with weather on the Last Day Fluke. Cant complain tho it was another fish filled fluke season with an awesome bite for most of it. Looked back through our reports like i do every year. Athough u wont read about it anywhere else thanks to social media i can tell u that our great customers enjoyed over 2100 Keeper fluke that made it to deck this year up to over 11lbs. It was one of the more consistent seasons in recent years... way more limits than not on some of better days a few lucky anglers who were high hook landed up to 15k themselves (orl) although there still always is a few lulls and slow days, the dry spells didnt last long and even on those days we put together some respectable catches. Seen less fish over 10lbs than we have other years but by far the most 4-8lb fish we have ever seen. So they were some nice quality boxes!!! It def pays to learn / know the local bottom as most of the fishing 3-6 miles from our dock for 95% of the season. Luck of the draw on that tho. Lots of other years we traveled alot for daily to get on a good bite. Goes to show ya how great the reef programs are n how good they work.
As i say often almost all our fish were caught with jigs n gulp and all kind of strips. Chicken rigs when the drift was fast. Almost all on 6 inch grubs n mullets on the big hooks several people made fun of in the winter. In our area there are too many chicken robins n pin bass to waste productive fishing time using smaller stuff. Same goes for dragging bait ...What used to b great on sand hills sucks around the structure unless u wanna b high hook on 10 inch seabass. Bc of size limits and different areas we fish Fluke fishing and how we fish for em has changed over the years...No spearing killies on my boat!!!!!! I know some will still disagree but we perfected a tech that works well for us year after year n were sticking with it. Anything can catch one nice fish for a picture on the internet but what consistently does it day in and day out is what i want my entire charter using.
Thanks to all our great customers who fluke fished with us this year, many who have been doing there fluke trips Season after Season with us. It always one of my fav parts lf the year. We appreciate everyones continued support. And a big thanks to my crew
The fluking out of Huntington has been degrading for many years now. It is very disappointing as fluking is my passion. I culled my share of keepers from mostly very short fish. The burst of action early on has become shorter season after season. Only one limit trip and no fish over 4 lbs for me this year. I will be tuning up my gear over the winter. I will make up some bucktails and look forward to the Ward Melville show in anticipation of a good season.............but I know better.
regards Holty
regards Holty
This is the exact assessment I would give Smithtown Bay. A quick shot of fish and no second body of fish. You can't believe the difference fishing deep water on the South shore. It's like the old days in the sound.
None of the above.
About the same as last year.
I really don’t target them. I catch them out of dumb luck.
Fluke on tin targeting schooly's and cocktails.
I’ll catch them with a bit of clam while targeting porgies.
Fishing a bunker chunk and I’ll accidentally catch one.
Usually the ones caught on chunks are rather big.
I’m strictly catch and release unless fishing off of a head boat.
About the same as last year.
I really don’t target them. I catch them out of dumb luck.
Fluke on tin targeting schooly's and cocktails.
I’ll catch them with a bit of clam while targeting porgies.
Fishing a bunker chunk and I’ll accidentally catch one.
Usually the ones caught on chunks are rather big.
I’m strictly catch and release unless fishing off of a head boat.
Crabman
Angler
I had a better season bay fishing than in my previous years. All of my fish were caught in the Great South Bay fishing small channels and depressions in the skinny water where most boats don't go. The addition of an electric trolling motor has changed my fluke fishing forever. Also, I have a Carolina Skiff that allows me to get into those areas most would never be able to get to and drift in. Instead of wind against the tide in one of your favorite spots, the trolling motor kept my baits natural looking with the current. I would keep my speed at 1.2 knots over the bottom when I had to go into a wind against the current. Allowed me to fish every day I wanted to by using the trolling motor. It was interesting in areas that had more boats fishing near me. I power drifted exactly where I wanted to go and everyone else, for the most part, was under the mercy of the wind and current. Just watching other boats in the area, I caught more fish. Most of my fish however were caught while fishing alone in quiet spots over shoal areas with depressions or small channels.
Double Trouble
Angler
Had a good early season May into early June in Jamaica bay caught a lot of shorts 18" and 2 to 3 keepers mixed in every trip.Slowed down going into July mostly shorts.Lost an engine half way thru july that ended my season until late sept.
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