“Take a Vet Fishing”
Recently I came upon a report that spoke about issues facing the veteran community. One issue of interest was that of “food insecurity.” Living on Long Island we have a bounty of fresh food at our door steps, including fish, crabs and clams . I believe that by taking advantage of this we can help combat these concerns by teaching veterans how to utilize these resources, with “rod & reel” loaner programs which will let veterans borrow the necessary equipment needed to go out on the water. Other options can include having lessons or bringing veterans out on party boats or charter boats. This is something that we can do as a community to help those who served.

New York State has thousands of miles of shoreline that provide abundant crabbing opportunities (including the Hudson River). Catching crabs can be accomplished by using baited crab pots that are set and checked frequently. Be sure to review the Crab Pot Regulations (link leaves DEC's website) before setting your crab pots. Another method of crabbing is to simply use a baited hand line to lure crabs to you and a dip net to capture the crabs. Please clear your lines and dispose of them properly at the end of your trip to prevent unnecessary pollution in our waterways.

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.

SEA BASS IS OFFICIALLY OPENS-JUNE 23RD
Sea bass- 3 fish at 16-1/2 inches
Sea bass are a fun game fish that provide a good fight and a even better meal. The best way to target these fish are bait Rig with clam. Diamond jigs with no rubber tail are another fun way to catch these fish. When targeting these fish be sure to fish near structure because these fish use it for cover and feeding,

When targeting these fish be sure to fish near structure or Artificial Reefs  because these fish use it for cover and feeding