COD Fishing Regs Update • Sea Bass Opens • Summer Fishing Update • It's Tuna Time • Take Care Of Your Catch.• Sharks!!!

With July 4th approaching -check out “Ron‘s Seafood Recipes” to add some fishing  flavor to your holiday events. View RECIPES

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Porgy fishing has remained steady. Porgies on the north shore and in the Peconic Bay region have not disappointed anglers the entire season. Sandworms, fresh clam or squid on a #2 or #4 porgy rig using the lightest sinker possible are all you need to bring home dinner. Weakfish in the peconic bays remains good. Frequently caught while porgy fishing.   On the north shore there’s still plenty of porgies to catch at places like stony brook harbor, ceader beach and rocky point.

Reglamento y tabla de identificación de peces '2024 actualizar (PDF)  Descargar e imprReglamento y tabla de identificación de peces '2024imir 

The inlets are still holding slot bass and good sized bluefish. Most of these fish have been caught on both bunker chunks and diamond jigs.
Trolling, jigging, with a tin or simply looking for the “birds chasing bait” and casting an assortment of plugs will do the trick.

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Recently smaller bluefish have moved back in to our local inlets including moriches and Shinecock. These blues have been caught up to 5lbs. The best way to catch these fish would be lures like poppers or darters if they are seen near the top of the water, if there is no activity on the surface of the water a buck-tail on the bottom will work great. When fishing a buck-tail it’s best to let it drift along the bottom. Adding a jig strip to your buck tail is a great way to get more fish.

Striped Bass fishing has slowed down with higher water temps but fish are still being caught at the local South Shore Inlets. Fresh Clam has been effective during the day while the Live Eels are the choice bait at night  The cooler cleaner water at the start of the incoming tide has produced fish in the teens with an occasional larger fish mixed in. Stripers are still being caught on the east end in Montauk although the action has slowed a little.

Patchogue locals reported schoolie sized bass in the moriches bay feeding on spearing. Lures like small bass assassins or soft plastics are great for this style of fishing.

Outside Moriches and  Fire island inlets, look for bunker schools.   Fishing live bunker,  if snagging a bunker, then hooking the bunker with an 7/0 in-line circle hook, and send it back out.

Quality keeper Fluke can still be caught in the bays but you have to be patient getting through the shorts. Fishing seems to have picked up outside the inlets in the Moriches, Fire Island and Shinnecock areas. Try mixing up the baits and different color combinations on your bucktails and Berkley gulp bait. In the Ocean use larger presentations like whole squid or smelts. 

  Breaking News • Vinny from Gino’s Pizzeria in Patchogue fished Captree state park and scored a pair of 21” fluke

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Updates: Fluke fishing has still been great all along the island with in particular moriches Fire island and  Shinecock inlets producing the most fish. In moriches the east and west cut on the incoming tide. If the rip current is present that’s another great place for fluke because the moving water is generally cooler and is a favorite of fluke. Good sized fluke have an also been caught drifting inside the inlet. In the Shinecock bay the best spots for fluke would be around the ponquage bridge as well as the inlet itself. The back side of the east side of Shinnecock inlet is another great spot for fluke.

In Shinecock Inlet , fluke fishing is doing well with fish over 5lbs being caught. Porgies have been caught at the inlet with good size fish being reported. To target these fish a high-low rig with clam or sandworm will work great.

The Local Docks are starting the summer mode with Blowfish, Kingfish and Crabs keeping everybody busy.

 Crab traps baited with bunker or mackerel are a proven method for catching blue claws. walking the dock with a net has produced a good amount of crabs too with the quality and quantity getting better in recent days.

Sea Bass Even though the weather did not cooperate, indications are that fishing is off to a good start.  Sea bass can be found at local wrecks and reefs. Sea Bass rigs with small rubber squid skirts tipped with either fresh clam, squid or spearing will get these aggressive fish to bite.

Our local wrecks and Artificial Reefs along the south shore have been holding plenty of keeper sized sea bass with plenty of porgy and ling too in the mix. The best way to catch fish off the wrecks would be bait rigs with clam or squid. Jigging is another great way to catch sea bass. See more info NYSDEC Artificial Reef Guide (PDF)

Ling or Red Hake may not be the most attractive fish in the sea but - as a member of the cod family - it can be made to be absolutely delicious! Caught off local wrecks. 1/0 Hook and clam bait will "do the trick"

Artificial Reef of the week, this week’s featured wreck is the moriches reef. This reef is located just outside of the moriches inlet and provides some excellent fishing opportunities including porgy, sea bass, fluke and triggerfish. The best way to fish this reef would be bait like clam, squid or gulp. Drifting along this reef is a great idea so you can cover move ground and fish the whole thing.  See more info NYSDEC Artificial Reef Guide (PDF)

Read more "Stories and Reports" from J&J Sports Blog Posts: Click Here

Tip of the week: Take care of you and your catch.
With the hot humid weather of summer upon us its important to take care of yourself as well as your catch. Be sure to bring plenty of water with you to stay hydrated, use sun screen, and to wear proper clothing: hat and sunglasses. If you intend on harvesting your catch bring a cooler with plenty of ice to keep your fish out of the sun and keep cold. Its also a good idea to bleed your fish, this will also help preserve your catch and make for a better eating experience. Crabs while hardy, should be kept in a bucket without water out of the sun and covered with a wet (saltwater) rag. While fishing or crabbing bait should also be kept out of the sun and either covered with a wet rag or in a cooler with ice.

Surf Report
This week saw decent action on the surf fishing front. All of it was schoolie bass and small bluefish but this is nothing to complain about. The back bays hosted the majority of the fish with smaller sized swimming plugs being the lures of choice. The addition of a teaser can increase your chances of "hooking up." The last two hours of the incoming and first few of the outgoing are the most productive tides.

Sharks In The Surf 

South shore beach  fishermen are continuing to catch Sharks! Check out the new regulations. Some of these animals need to be released quickly and unharmed.

 

An alternative to surf fishing for Striped Bass and bluefish is to target porgies and triggerfish. A simple high-low bottom fishing rig with the proper sized sinker (2-6oz) is perfect. For bait you can use clam, sandworms or squid. The jetties at both Shinnecock Inlet or Moriches inlets host a nice population of these fish this time of the year. Be sure to bring extra rigs though; Rocky structure makes snags more common.

Tuna Fishing? A Permit is Required: 

Click here for: Atlantic Bigeye, Albacore, Yellowfin and Skipjack Tuna Recreational Minimum Sizes

Click here for: Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Recreational Bag Limits

 Shark Identification Chart (PDF)    

 Tuna Guide (PDF)   

Permit Descriptions: All owners/operators of vessels in the U.S. Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean must obtain a federal permit to recreationally or commercially fish for regulated Atlantic HMS (sharks, swordfish, tunas (bluefin, bigeye, albacore, yellowfin, and skipjack), and billfishes (recreational only; white and blue marlins, sailfish, and roundscale spearfish)

 Click Here To Register 

Fun fish: This weeks fun fish is the Atlantic Mackerel. Mackerel are very common in our waters this time of year and can be caught at our local offshore wrecks and Long Island Sound . Mackerel are in the tuna family, while they don’t share the same eating quality as there relatives they can provide both a fun fight and a great source bait for species like striped bass, black sea bass , bluefish and fluke. Mackerel can be caught on most common baits and lures but sibiki rigs work great when targeting them specifically.  Possession Limit : Federal Regulations 20 fish per person.

Attached is a list of some "Fun Fish Facts-1 Around Long Island." Most are edible and plentiful too. So enjoy the summer and tight lines. (PDF)

Attached is an additional list of more "Fun Fish Facts-2 Around Long Island." Most are edible and plentiful too. So enjoy the summer and tight lines. (PDF) Updated

NYS ATLANTIC COD REGULATIONS UPDATED

The NYS Regulations for Atlantic cod, effective Immediately, are: 23” minimum size, 5 fish possession limit and an open season September 1 through May 31. The recreational season  is closed June 1 through August 31.

UPDATED: Fish id Chart and Regulations '2024 (PDF) Download and print  

Freshwater
With all the heat we have had over the last week, a more pleasurable time to fish would be after sunset. the local lakes seem to come alive after dark, with topwater plugs like jitterbugs,frogs, buzz-baits and swim jigs. anything that vibrates or pops will improve your chances of catching in the heat. color choices; a simple rule is “dark colors on dark nights light colors on light nights.”

The mid day fishing is somewhat slower but can also be productive. Daytime fishing on hot summer days try targeting species like pickerel, bluegills, pumpkinseeds, and yellow perch. Baits like live shiners and nightcrawler’s will prove productive. A “simple lure”  is also a fun way to target lake panfish. Tip: The summer perch will be found in the deeper parts of the lakes and ponds so if targeting them use a longer leader so it sits just above the weed beds.

This weeks featured lake is Swan Lake Info. Swan lake is located in east patchouge along montauk highway and has great fusing for bass, trout, and panfish like yellow perch and sunfish. This lake is also stocked twice a year with both brown and rainbow trout in both the spring and fall. Access at this lake is good with many fishermen choosing to use waders because many spots are overgrown and waders greatly increase your chances of catching fish.

Send your reports, photos or your favorite fish recipe to: REPORTS@JJSPORTSFISHING.COM 

Don't forget to include, names, location and details (when possible: lures or bait used, tides, etc….) comments or questions are welcome. Call (631) 654-2311

Oven Ginger Sea Bass

I saw this. Looked good going to try it.
Preheat oven to 500
Mix the following ingredients in a bowl.

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh chopped. cilantro
1 tablespoon ginger
1 tablespoon minced shallot or onion

Lightly coat a glass baking dish with olive oil. Place the skinless SeaBass fillets, after seasoning with salt and pepper, in the dish. Make sure all bones have been removed. Spoon sauce from bowl over the fish covering evenly. Cook for about 12 minutes or until fish is opaque and cooked through. Drizzle on remaining sauce and serve.