Local Fishing Report Is HotšŸ”„šŸ”„šŸ”„ā€¢ Snappers Start ā€¢ Blue Crabs "Special Edition" ā€¢ "Fun Fish" Recipes

Posted by Joe Wolf on

Ā J & J SportsĀ is located at 265 W. Main St., Patchogue NY 11772

In this week of fishing we're happy to report that the Local Docks have been active with kingfish and blowfish. Clam and sandworms have been the most effective baits. No need to cast far, the fish are right off the dock. Using a little bit of chum helps too. Also, we have improved reports of small snappers this week too.Ā They areĀ still small but, people have been spotting them....

This weeks fun fish is the kingfish. Kingfish are summer visitor to our waters and are most commonly found at our local docks like mascot, bluepoint and sayville. The best wya to catch king fish would be a long shank hook with clam. King fish are a small fish and rarely get larger then 2 pounds but they still make excellent table fare and are a favorite of anglers.

Snappers have been seen at our local docks with mascot dock in patchouge being the best. Right now the snappers are still small but can be caught on lures such as snapper poppers and spinners. Be sure to remember even though these fish are small the bluefish regulation of 3 fish per day still applies to snapper.

Crabs Are In!!!Ā Try any of the Local DocksĀ andĀ here are multiple ways to catch them and all can be very successful. Ā Using a flashlight and crab net at night while walking the dock is a tried and true method. The crabs will cling to the dock and pilings and can be scooped up when you see them with the light. Walking the shallows or drifting in a small boat with a light and net will also work well. Having an extendable net can be very beneficial. Sometimes having one will make those far out of reach crabs easier to reach.

Local areas to crab are: Ā Patchogue's Mascot Dock....Pine Neck Dock...Corey Beach

Trapping Crabs in a commercial style trap baited with either Bunker or Mackerel is a great way to get a bunch of Crabs. Check your local regulations before using one of these traps. Commercial style traps (Ā set in creeks, coves, rivers, tributaries, and near-shore harbors) of the Marine and Coastal DistrictĀ must be fitted with a Turtle restricter. These traps have a bait compartment, after going in the crabs can't get out.

crab trapsĀ baited with Bunker or Mackerel are always good to use especially when snapper fishing. Throw them out and pull up and check every few minutes while fishing. These traps allow the crabs to come and go freely so they must be pulled up repeatedly. This type of trap usually has a bait compartment, if it doesn't the bait must be attached with a wire or zip tie in the center of the trap.

Weighted throw lines are lines with a small lead weight and a ring that you can attach Bunker, Squid, Mackerel or even chicken to. Toss out the line leaving some slack in it. When the crab starts eating the bait the line will start to get tight. Slowly retrieve the line hand over hand and scoop the crab as it gets to the surface.

The size limit on hardshell Blue claw Crabs is 4 1/2 inches point to point on the shell (not the claws) with a limit of 50 crabs per person per day. The size limit on soft shell Blue Claw Crabs is 3 1/2 inches point to point. If you are fortunate enough to catch a few soft shell crabs do not put them in your bucket with the other crabs, they will eat them.

The way to tell the difference between a male and a female crab is to look at the underside of the crab. A female crab will have a V shape or christmas tree shape and the underside of a male crab will have the shape or a Y. Female crabs also have red tips on their claws. All females with egg sacks must be released. The underside of a female crab will have a brown or purple sponge on it if it has eggs.

Blue Claw Crab Dip Recipe:
After steaming, clean 8-10 large Blue Claw Crabs putting the meat in a glass bowl, be careful to remove any small pieces of shell. Add 1 package soft cream cheese, 1 tablespoon of Old Bay, 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon of crushed garlic (wet), and 1/2 0f a white onion finely chopped. Mix thoroughly, cover and refrigerate for 45 minutes. serve with Ritz crackers. ...More Recipes

Summer fun continues, try clamming in the local bays and waterways:Ā clams can be found all across the bays in flat sandy areas on the low tide. The most effective way to dig clams up would be the use of aĀ clam rakeĀ and simply just rake the bottom. Clams are a very good source of food and come in variety of species and sizes. Be aware when clamming be sure to check your local regulations because they vary across the different townships and counties on the island.

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One thing about triggerfish (besides an excellent fight) they are a fine meal. In my opinion they are one of the tastiest fish you can catch. Just remember to have a good knife when filleting them. They have tough skin that can be compared to leather.

RecipeĀ For cooking triggerfish:Ā My favorite method is the grill. Lay the filets in tin foil with lemon, lime, salt and pepper. Enclose them so the juices remain inside. Cook on low heat until cooked throughout. They will grill up quickly but this method will almost insure that you wont dry out the fish. Serve on a bed of rice with your favorite beverage

The inlets are holdingĀ a nice amountĀ of striped bass. They are more active during the night but can also be caught during the day. Bucktails and rubber shads are the ideal lures to use. The best spots to fish have beenĀ Shinecock InletĀ  and Moriches inlet. The sand beaches along the south shore are good places to cast some baitĀ (Circle hooks are required) .Ā My preference would beĀ either fresh bunker or clam. My favorite rig to use, in combination with these baits, is a fish finder rig.

Bass fishing continues to produce on both the north and south shores. On the south shore places like Shinecock and moriches inlets are still holding plenty of fish keeper size and above. Most fishermen have done the best while fishing the bottom with buck tails and jig strips. Red and white colored tails are a favorite of bass and are the most popular colors. If you are in the market of catching trophy size bass montauk has shown an excellent pick of large fish over 40 pounds. Many fishermen have reported good luck on sand eel patterned lures like poppers and darters, this is due to the influx of sand eels in our waters which are a favorite food of bass. The north shore has also shown plenty of keeper fish in places likeĀ Shoreham and port Jefferson harbor. If you have access to a boat the light houses in the middle grounds of the Long Island sound have been showing plenty of slot sized fish.

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Blues can still be found all around the island including our local docks. Mascot, bluepoint and sayville docks are all still producing blues though the bite is much slower than in the previous months these fish can still be caught. At the smiths point bridge anglers are reporting plenty of good sized blues on the incoming tide, on lures like diamond jigs and poppers. In the moriches and Shinecock inlets many bluefish have been caught on bait like bunker and mackerel. Most fishermen have reported these fish are 6-8 pounds in size with not to many larger fish in the mix. Though these fish arenā€™t as fun as the 10-12 pound gators they are much better eating then there larger counterparts.

Fluke fishing has also been good around Shinnecock and Moriches inlet. High water would be the ideal tide for better results. Squid and spearing baits seem to have a slight edge over the gulps this week. Fish this combination on the back of a bucktail or a fluke rig.

Fluke fishing has picked up significantly in the recent weeks with keeper sized fish being caught all over the south shore. One of the hot spots for these fish has been theĀ Forge River with both boat and shore anglers having great success.Most if not all fishermen at this bridge have reported catching fish on buck tails with with bait such like squid and spearing. Artificial bait like gulp or fish bites have also been very effective. Fluke fishing at night has also been very productive with places like moriches and Shinecock showing plenty of fish over 18.5 inches.

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

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

Sea bass was consistent this week. The south shore wrecks provided good action and gave anglers a good shot at limiting out. The North shoreĀ held some sea bass but, you have to weed through the porgies to get to them. Clam and gulpĀ are the best baits for sea bass.

Fishing at localĀ Artificial Reefs on both the north and south shores has been excellent with plenty of keeper porgy and sea bass in the mix. The best way to fish the wrecks and reefs would be simple hi lo beautiful rigs with clam or squid as bait. For extra flare adding squid skirts to the rig would be a great option.

AnotherĀ great week for porgy fishing on the north shore and the south shore. The local wrecks outside of Moriches and Shinnecock Canal held plenty of porgies. You can use either clam or sandworms for bait. If you want to try from the beach,Ā try Wildwood State Park,Ā Rocky Point or Mt Sinai Beaches.

This weeks fun fish is kingfish. Kingfish are summer visitor to our waters and are most commonly found at our local docks like mascot, bluepoint and sayville. The best wya to catch king fish would be a long shank hook with clam. King fish are a small fish and rarely get larger then 2 pounds but they still make excellent table fare and are a favorite of anglers.

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

Attached is anĀ additionalĀ list of moreĀ "Fun Fish Facts-2 Around Long Island." Most are edible and plentiful too. So enjoy the summer andĀ tight lines. (PDF)Ā Updated

Freshwater Report: Ā This weeks report was on the quiet side. The midday temperatures have made the fishing quite difficult.Ā BassĀ anglers are trying to beat the heat by fishing either early morning or in the evening.Ā ShinersĀ are still catching very well and weedless soft baits are also getting bites.Ā Senkos, frogs and Ā ribion wormsĀ (Ā Texas Rigged WormĀ Ā styleĀ )Ā are all great for catching so summer "bucket-mouths."Ā 
Night fishing is another great way of getting on some nice fish and the same lures and bait used for day time fishing will suit well after dark. Just bring extra bug spray and wear long pants.
TheĀ panfishĀ seam not to be bothered by the heat and are good target during the day. they will hit bait are artificial. put near them and are great for the kids. Another good summer species to target in ourĀ long island lakes and ponds are the commonĀ carp. they can be caught with pieces ofĀ corn, bread ball Or spearing!Ā on a small numberĀ 4 hook.Ā Chumming the area to increase your chances of a hook up.

The lake of the week is cannan lake. Cannan lake is located in north patchouge and is one of the best lakes in the area. Cannan lake has great fishing for species like largemouth bass, chain pickerel, perch and trout. This lake is stocked with brown and rainbow trout in the spring and fall making it a great choice for any trout fishermen.This lake also has great bass and pickerel fishing. The best way to catch these fish would be lures like small swim shads and senko worms. Bait like live shiners and night crawlers are great options for this lake because you can catch almost all of the present species with these baits. Access at this lake is good with 2 different spots available to the public.

Ā Read more "Stories and Reports"Ā from Ā J & J SportsĀ Blog Posts: Click HereĀ 

New York's Marine Recreational Angler Records Program

From deep, offshore ocean waters to surfcasting on sandy beaches,Ā New York's marine waters offer exciting world-class saltwater fishingĀ opportunities. The DEC Marine Recreational Angler Records ProgramĀ recognizes exceptional saltwater fish and blue crab caught in New York, including long-standing state records for the heaviest fish and annual awards for the longest fish of a qualifying species.Ā 

Think you caught record-breaking fish?Review the rules of entry, current records, and qualifying lengths on DEC's website:Ā New York Marine Recreational Angler Records Rules (PDF).Ā To submit your catch information to DEC, use theĀ online entry form!

Be sure to check DEC's Recreational Saltwater Fishing Regulations for the current limits in effect.Ā For helpful tips and best practices for handling saltwater fish, visit DECā€™s website.

Anglers must enroll in the annual no-fee Recreational Marine Fishing Registry before fishing New York's Marine and Coastal District waters or when fishing in the Hudson River and its tributaries for "migratory fish of the sea." Anglers can enroll for the registry online, by phone (1-866-933-2257, option 2), or by visiting a license-issuing agent location.

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Surf fishing around Long Island has been on fire with many fishermen still reporting fish from both the bays and open ocean. Fishing on the open ocean has been excellent in recent weeks with both bass and blue fish being reported. The most common way to catch fish from the surf would be bait like bunker, mackerel and squid. To fish bait all you need is a circle hook and a pyramidĀ  sinker around 3 to 5 ounces in weight. These style of sinkers are better for the ocean because they will bury themselves in the sand opposed to a bank sinker that will bounce along the surface. If you prefer to use lures, diamond jigs, poppers and darters are all great choices.

The beaches from east to west have all been reporting fish including smiths point, sore thumb andĀ Robert Moses State Park.

Our inlets are also still holding plenty of good sized bass and bluefish with blues up to 15 pounds still being caught, as well as plenty of keeper sized striped bass. Moriches and Shinecock inlets have been very productive in particular with most fishermen having the best luck at night. Species like


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