On The Water, RI, 9/8/05

1. Steve McKenna of Quaker Lane Bait and Tackle, North Kingstown told us the bass fishing is still pretty good and that it held up consistently throughout the month of August. Bill Nolan, one of his buddies, caught a 43-pounder from the beach at Narragansett on a live eel one day late last week. Steve himself has been doing well and catching bass on Slug-Gos and eels after dark pretty much every night. It’s been consistent action from smaller fish up to about the midteens for him and for his customers who are fishing the Narragansett area.
2. Big seas have made things unfishable since early in the week due to the storms offshore in the south. Once this situation passes, Steve expects the fishing to get back to normal.
3. Bluefish made a major appearance up inside Narragansett Bay since the rainstorms last week. Surprisingly, there has not been much reported in the way of bluefish action outside the bay. But up in the bay, Steve said the only place the blues aren’t hitting is in swimming pools.
4. Fluke fishing is on the way out this time of year. It’s slowed down pretty much all over the area, with a few scattered catches being made along the south shore beaches.
5. Scup fishing is still red hot and will be for a month or so more, but blackfish are slow for the moment. There are loads of bait around, which bodes well for the remainder of the fall.
6. Earl at Saltwater Edge, Newport reported that not too much has changed since last week’s report. Bluefish are present in the Newport area, but there aren’t many of them. The bait situation is not very good at this time, even the peanut bunker seem to have moved out of the Newport area. Speculation is that all of those bluefin tuna that were ripping around the area may have had something to do with this situation.
7. Mrs. Dangelo of Maridee Bait and Tackle, Narragansett, R.I. said anglers have been catching keeper stripers on clam bellies off the Point Judith docks in the evenings. Bass and blues are in the harbor refuge.
8. Captain Andy Dangelo caught a wahoo over Labor Day weekend on one of his offshore charters that was 24 pounds. The captain has been catching bass over 30 pounds off Block Island during his local striper charters.
9. Loads of bait in along the shore and beaches do draw and hold the predatory species. Early and later in the day, the bass are hitting eels and plugs. In the daylight hours, bluefish are the dominant catch off the jetties and breachways when the tide is running.
10. Fluke have slowed down, with a few minor catches being reported from the waters in front of the “Cottages” in 50 to 70 feet, but it’s definitely slowing down. Porgies are still thick, easy to catch and big.
11. Kevin at Breachway Tackle, Charlestown said this week was slow, in general. The fish (bass) haven’t been cooperating very well. Ron, owner of the shop, who has been slaying them all summer long, has been going out and not catching, so something is wrong. Kevin noted that Ron said the bass are hard to find and not biting when you do find them.
12. There are still plenty of bluefish and snappers up inside the salt pond and running in and out of the breachway, but the bass are a disappointment.
13. The bonito have been reported in the area, but nothing specific as to exactly where. One sighting took place off the Pt. Judith walls. As we all know, all news is old news when it comes to reports on any member of the tuna family because they move around so darn fast.
14. Fluke fishing is pretty much over. There may be a week or two left before it’s completely finished, but even now no one is doing very well.
15. Porgies are the best bet for action and filleting material when it’s needed.
16. Rob at Wildwood Outfitters, Wakefield said there was an increase in bluefish that are following the peanut bunker and silversides up into the bay and in along the beaches. There is a ton of bait in the Point Judith Salt Pond. Schoolie bass catches have picked up in Narragansett around the Avenues and in both the Pt. Judith and Charlestown Salt Ponds. The numbers of bass are up lately, but overall the average size is down. Eben Horton caught a 36-pounder along the Narragansett shore with one of his custom-made needlefish plugs in copper color, but that was the only big fish they heard of this week. Dannys and needlefish plugs are popular this time of year, as well as any of the Storm and similar swim baits.
17. The Mud Hole is holding albacore, bluefins and mahi-mahi, but no yellowfins yet. Many of their offshore fishermen are coming in for supplies, which is an indication that things are heating up. The Dip has been red hot for all the different tunas. Steve Flood, captain of the Rum Runner did an overnighter at The Dip and caught yellowfins, albies and mahi-mahi under weed patches by trolling and chunking after dark, the usual routine for a canyon run.
18. We missed John Swienton’s report from Twin Maples at Block Island this week.
19. Captain Don of Captain Don’s Tackle, Charlestown, Rhode Island said that this week there were a few small bluefins back on the south side of Fishers Island again as of Wednesday. One customer who was back there tube-and-worming, or trying to in the dirty water, said there were loads of bait with some small bluefins chasing them. But they disappeared too quickly to get a hook into any of them. There have continued to be random hookups from schoolie bluefins in The Race even since the majority of these fish moved off to the east two or three weeks ago. At his end of the beaches, the Quonny Breachway is alive with bass and bluefish that are chasing peanut bunker.
20. Don told me that there are more needlefish up inside the pond than he’s ever seen. This is good news because it will surely draw big bass up inside the pond where the guys in kayaks and small boats can have a crack at them.
21. In front of Watch Hill, a couple of his old-timers have been doing well by casting Creek Chub Darters. Daybreak and dusk have been consistently productive out front at the Quonny Breachway, where there are some decent keepers being caught on the dropping tide. Generally, the bite dies out with the tide or after the sun rises up above the trees.
22. Fluke have been moving in and out from the drifts that many anglers fish off Misquamicut in waters ranging from 45 to 80 feet and are still being caught, but not in big numbers. There are still good numbers of small fluke to be caught up inside the salt pond on small jigs baited with mummichogs. Last year they were gone by now, so anglers are lucky they are still around in catchable numbers.
23. Remember, this time of year, when all the bait moves inshore, so do the fluke, so look for them in shallow water up inside salt ponds, bays and river mouths. They are not gone yet, they are just not where they were all summer long.
24. Porgies are all over the place and are a “give me” for anyone who seeks them.
25. Hearsay midweek indicated that there were some albies out off the Quonny Breachway, but it was only secondhand news and not verified by another source. Captain Don saw bonito in the breachway a week back but has not seen any since. However, with all the bait around, he believes that it’s only a matter of time before these tunoids move in to feed – providing they come into the region.
26. Don of King Cove Marina, Stonington told us the big waves have made a mess of things along the south side of Fishers Island and around the Watch Hill Reef complex. The fish seem to have moved off the reefs and inside over the past week, since things began kicking up. The best fishing is being found between Sandy Point and Napatree Point, as well as out on the Stonington Flats where there have been good numbers of schoolies ranging on up to keepers of nearly 20 pounds. Kevin from the shop caught fish to 38 inches the other day. Sandy Point has been producing fish from both boat and surf – same thing over at Napatree Point.
27. Some false albacore have shown up off Charlestown and Quonny breachways, as well as out along the south side of Fishers Island, starting last week and right up to Wednesday.
28. Fluke fishing has slowed drastically, but sea bass and blackfish have picked up. Salted clams have been the ticket, rather than crabs, for blackfish, but remember that the season closes in Connecticut waters from September 7 until September 22, when it reopens through December. This second split in the season will be the time to mobilize and do some serious “togging.”
29. There have been weakfish caught up to nine pounds off the Quonny Breachway and up the beaches as far as Misquamicut. The odd report was made by a regular who fishes the beaches every morning. He noted that there were 5 little 10-inch weakfish that were beached, evidently chased into the shallows and washed up on the beach by bluefish early Wednesday morning.
30. Only a few blue crabs are around, and no one is really talking about them.

New York Pike Fishing

SILVER LAKE
Without question, Silver Lake is one of the premier pike waters in western New York. The 761-acre fishing hole in Wyoming County has everything a growing northern pike could want, including a rich forage base of alewives and perch and thick weeds to serve as spawning and ambush cover.

CONESUS LAKE
There is no place in New York where an angler can count on hooking a 30-pound pike, but Conesus Lake is one of a handful of waters where northerns that size are known to swim. DEC biologists have actually handled such fish during local netting forays.

SODUS BAY
For consistent catches of 4- to 8-pound northerns -- and occasional tussles with larger specimens -- it's hard to imagine a spot better than Sodus Bay. Catches of 10 or more such pike are frequently reported in the bay, and wallhangers of 15 to 18 pounds are caught each year.

SENECA RIVER/CROSS LAKE
The Seneca River begins as a canal outlet at the north end of Seneca Lake and then flows in a generally northeasterly direction for about 35 miles through the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge and Cross Lake before meeting the Oneida River and forming the Oswego River near Phoenix.

OWASCO LAKE
While its south end is known for giving up big pike through the ice, Owasco Lake is overlooked by Esox lovers during the warm months of the year. I suspect that's mainly due to the abundance of other game fish in the lake, including brown trout, lake trout and smallmouth bass. Certainly the 8- to 15-pound northerns that enthrall Owasco's hard-water cadre do not disappear in the summer.

SANDY POND
A 2,400-acre bay on Lake Ontario's Oswego County shore, Sandy Pond has a mean depth of 8 feet and a maximum depth of just 13 feet. Weedy from end to end, it's perfect habitat for northern pike and the panfish they love to eat. A run-of-the mill pike in Sandy Pond is a 5-pounder, but 15-pounders are caught annually. In July, the biggest pike will be in the deepest part of the bay, or tucked under weed mats or deadfalls in areas where boat traffic is relatively light.

SIXTOWN POND
Here's a bit of a sleeper, but it won't interest readers whose primary interest is a trophy-class northern. Sixtown Pond in Jefferson County doesn't grow many whoppers, but if you're one of those anglers who enjoy hooking lots of medium-sized pike in relative solitude, it could be just the retreat you've been looking for.

1,000 ISLANDS
Old-timers claim the pike fishing in the 1,000 Islands region of the upper St. Lawrence River isn't what it used to be, yet a good ice-fisherman will have no problem catching several nice fish per outing in Eel Bay, Chippewa Bay and other areas where northerns stage prior to their spring spawning run.

SARANAC CHAIN OF LAKES
The Adirondack region is full of good pike lakes, but the Saranac Chain of Lakes stands out as a consistent producer. Seven interconnected bodies of water are within a few minutes of the village of Saranac Lake in eastern Franklin County. They are Upper, Middle and Lower Saranac lakes, Weller Pond, Oseetah Lake, Kiwassa Lake and Lake Flower. A map of the chain may be obtained from the Saranac Lake Chamber of Commerce, 30 Main St., Saranac Lake, NY 12983. Perhaps the best all-round pike water in the chain is Middle Saranac, which spans 1,393 acres. Its average depth is only about 9 feet and there are plenty of weedbeds to hide northerns that average 2 to 4 pounds but sometimes grow to 8 or 10 pounds.

LAKE CHAMPLAIN
Northern pike are so abundant in the bays and creek mouths along Lake Champlain's shore that generations of sportsmen on the Vermont side once enjoyed shooting big northerns in the spring -- with deer rifles!

While the statewide creel limit of five pike per day applies to Lake Champlain, the minimum keeper size is 20 inches. Most will run considerably larger than that. Virtually the entire 110-mile length of Lake Champlain is home to at least a few northerns, but the most consistent fishing for the species is from Plattsburgh north. Kings Bay, off the mouth of the Great Chazy River, is excellent, as is the water around the abandoned railroad bridge stretching eastward from the village of Rouse's Point.

These areas may be accessed by taking U.S. Route 11 east from Malone or by following Route 87 and Route 9 north from Albany to the northern sector of the lake. Public and private marinas are available at Rouse's Point and Plattsburgh. For advice on accommodations, try the Plattsburgh-North Country Chamber of Commerce at (518) 563-1000.

Rich Clients to Help Out Fishing Guide

PORTLAND, Maine— The case of a single 11-inch smallmouth bass has reverberated far beyond a Maine lake and the fishing lodges of Maine's Grand Lake Stream, echoing through the courts to the canyons of Wall Street. It involves an undercover sting operation aimed at a popular fishing guide with an unblemished record, New York area investment advisers who combine wine tastings with fishing vacations, and allegations of abuse of power by the Maine Warden Service.

Fishing guide Randy Spencer spent two days on trial on a criminal charge that he helped a client keep one fish more than the legal limit. The trial ended in a hung jury in June, but a civil charge is pending, and the 56-year-old guide's well-heeled clients have planned a Manhattan dinner and concert to raise money to help defray his legal bills. Along the way, the Wall Street Journal, CNBC and the Bloomberg financial network have reported on the case.

It all started last year, say Spencer and his supporters, when the new owner of the venerable Weatherby's lodge on Grand Lake Stream decided to get a liquor license. As a result, the lodge told investment adviser David Kotok that he and his fishing buddies would no longer be permitted to bring their own wines on their visits, so the group took their business and libations elsewhere. Spencer, who had been a guide for Kotok, helped with the switch, a move that they say stirred up hard feelings among Weatherby's guides. Weatherby's owner Jeff MacEvoy denied that there was any animosity and said he had nothing to do with any complaints against Spencer.

Two weeks later, according to Spencer, a man who identified himself as Al Begin of Waitsfield, Vt., called to hire him for two days. Over their two days together last summer, Spencer said the client caught and released about 50 fish each day. "It was a great two days," he recalled. Three weeks later, however, district warden Brad Richard and his supervisor delivered a summons to Spencer. At his arraignment, Spencer learned that he was accused of helping undercover officer Albert St. Saviour, who was posing as Begin, illegally take three smallmouth bass from Big Lake. Spencer admits that there were three fish on the stringer on their first day of fishing, and that he fileted and grilled them. But he maintains that he caught one of the bass himself and the client kept only his legal limit of two.

He could have pleaded guilty to the criminal charge and the companion civil charge of failing to report a violation, and paid $100 in fines. But he also would likely have lost his guide's license for a year. The jury deliberated for nearly four hours at the June trial but was unable to reach a verdict. Prosecutors and Col. Tom Santaguida, the head of the warden service, decided against retrying such a minor case. However, the state still plans to proceed with a Sept. 22 trial on the civil complaint.

Spencer's legal bills already have reached $15,000. The New York fundraising dinner for Spencer is set for Nov. 5. Spencer's supporters also want to learn why a guide they say has the ethics of a Boy Scout was singled out as a target.

"I see a young 20-something game warden trying to make a name for himself by taking down a community pillar, and some jealous competitors and a whisper campaign," said Kotok, the chairman of Cumberland Advisers of Vineland, N.J. "And now that they were caught in it, the game warden bureaucracy is trying to dig in its heels and protect its turf because it backfired on them and they're embarrassed." Santaguida said the vilification that the warden service has received from Kotok and others has been balanced by support from the public, and he has no regrets about launching the investigation. "We hold guides to a very high standard," Santaguida said. [org pub telegram.com by Jerry Harkavy]

Old Bridge, NJ Shore Fishing

OLD BRIDGE — Fabio Dos Santos sat on the sandy shoreline in the northern corner of Old Bridge Waterfront Park Monday, surrounded by family and friends. While two fishing poles sat propped up in front of the 31-year-old Perth Amboy resident and the crew, the only thing they were catching were some Labor Day rays. But Dos Santos didn't seem to mind. He said they were having a good time on Raritan Bay, where they had the freedom to spread out as much as they wanted — something they said they wouldn't have at more popular Shore destinations. "We live close to here," said Dos Santos, who comes to the beach every other week. "It's always like this, not too crowded."

While most people opted for points farther south, Old Bridge Waterfront Park yesterday attracted a loyal following of sun worshippers and swimmers seeking to escape long drives to crowded shorelines. "I actually used to go to Sandy Hook, but gas is so expensive," said Edison resident Nellie Kanjo, as she sat on the beach with a magazine in her hand. "If you want to come and get some quick rays, it does the job." The 24-year-old Rutgers University graduate student said she doesn't have to contend with traffic to get here and, generally, feels more at ease.

It's quiet, isolated, it's unknown, and it's free. Near Morgan Bridge, where Cheesequake Creek empties into the bay, fishermen dotted the water's edge. Kids kicked soccer balls in the sand while adults sunbathed and listened to the distant drone of personal watercraft . Juan Valentin, 52, of Elizabeth, said this strip of county waterfront has come a long way. "

This beach was dirty before, but they fixed it up," Valentin said. "They used to have flies as big as bees. The water is cleaner." said Valentin and his wife, Sonia, said coming to Old Bridge does save them money on gas, but that isn't the reason they usually spend time here. "If gas was cheaper, I'd come here anyway because they fixed it up," he said, fishing pole at his feet.[org pub Asbury Park Press BY JOHN MAJESKI]

Montaukm 8/30/05

During the week the offshore fishing was restricted a bit by the weather, but as the weekend approached, the winds moderated and the boats were able to get out to the vicinity of fifty fathoms, and they caught tuna. The tuna fishing is a bit frustrating though because of a lack of consistency. As one charter captain put it "one day a hero, and the next a zero" And, you can get back to the dock only to find out that you were only 6-7 miles away from a bonanza.

The shark fishing though is very consistent, if not spectacular. Big and medium bluesharks and small makos, with occasional nice sized ones. Just about every boat does the same, three or four sharks, and not very far out, fifteen to twenty miles max.

Inshore the fluke fishing continues to wind down. I remember years ago Labor Day weekend was the peak of the big fluke season. One trip stands out in my mind. We had spent the day slamming the Cartwright bluefish and on the way in made one drift for fluke. In that one drift we had four fluke of 10-1/2, 10, 9-1/2 and 7 pounds. Now most of the big fish are caught in the spring. You can still get occasional doormats now, but you have to have a lot of patience. The FLYING CLOUD is out of the fluke business for the rest of the year and now it’s all porgies all the time. LAZYBONES would probably like to switch over to diamond jigging except that it doesn’t seem like it would be very consistent yet.

Striped bass fishing seems to be slowly improving, plus there are good amounts of bluefish around at times, much to the dismay of those using the live porgies. [via email report]

Philadelphia & Suburbs

Conditions great for holiday fishing

By STEVE CARPENTER
Burlington County Times

This Labor Day weekend should prove to be ideal for saltwater anglers working anywhere along the coast. Fluke and croakers have been pretty plentiful for those fishing off the beaches, with impressive black bass coming from the wrecks.

Weakfish catches have been improving the last two weeks, but many continue to be throwbacks, with the north end of Long Beach Island a popular area.

Boats working Myers Hole, Marchelder Channel and B1 Buoy report better-than-average catches, with clam or the popular squid and minnow combo doing the trick. Much of the croaker catches are coming right off the beaches in about 40 feet of water, with clam and squid a top bait choice. Surf anglers are also scoring with croakers with clam baited on top and bottom rigs.

To the south at Delaware Bay, boats continue to pickup fair numbers of croakers, weaks and fluke. In addition, tautog have been reported from several areas. Anglers are reminded the tog season is closed until Sept. 28 in Delaware waters.

Those fishing for weakfish and striped bass are finding sporadic results, with the incoming most productive. Bottom action continues to be focused on croaker, spot, flounder, bluefish and weaks, with 14-Foot Light, Miah Maul and Crossledge getting most of the attention.

On The Water, 9/3/05 Cape Cod

1. The poor weather of the early part of this week and predictions of miserable weather over the weekend, combined with the end-of-summer, back-to-school lull in fishing activity, only put a temporary slowdown on what was apparently a pretty good bite over last weekend.
2. Jim at Quaker Lane Bait and Tackle, North Kingstown said the fluking was still pretty good in the Newport and Jamestown areas prior to the recent storms. Up inside the bay anglers were catching fluke, but on average they were smaller fish with many throw-backs. No doormats reported this week, but customers fishing the south shore were consistently taking fish up to five or six pounds.
3. Scup are thick in all the usual places. Ohio Ledge, Hope Island and other rock piles throughout the area are holding good numbers of these easy-to-catch fish for those looking for sure-fire fast fishing action and decent fillet material – should the fluke not cooperate.
4. Bluefish catches are improving lately up inside the bay, as well. Mostly small stuff, with those one- to three-pound “cocktail blues” dominating the fishery, but there are some 10-pounders ripping around. Jim believed that the late arrival of blues in the bay this year was due to the school bluefin tuna competing for food at the mouth of the bay, keeping them from entering on schedule a month ago.
5. Bass fishing is good if you put the time in after dark. We are in the summer doldrums and are lucky there are decent bass still around after all the miserable heat this summer. Jim feels that the bite is still a couple weeks away from breaking open for the fall. The striped bass normally leave the bay early in the fall. No big fish of any flavor to report this week, but the customers are happy with what is going on along the coast and in the bay in general.
6. Mike at Saltwater Edge, Newport told us that not much is going on other than some good fishing for bluefish up to about 10 pounds that are tearing up everyone’s expensive eels “out front” along the shore in Newport. The tuna are pretty much gone, with only one random report of a sighting on Sunday. But remember that was only a report and not a direct contact from any of the guys who work in the shop.
7. Bonito are showing up now in place of the bluefins, but no false albacore are mixed in quite yet. Normally, Mike noted, it’s the first or second week of September before they show up in catchable numbers. The bonito are ripping around from Lands End all the way down to Point Judith and east to Sakonnet Point. They (the guys who charter out of the shop) missed a few trips due to the bad weather midweek, so the information they could offer is at best three days old.
8. Captain Andy Dangelo of Maridee Bait and Tackle in Narragansett, R.I., said he didn’t even fish on Wednesday because it was so rough. He’s still doing well with striped bass out around Block Island during the ebbing tide when he can get away from the crowds of boats that have been fishing in tight around the island. A regular customer caught a 30-pounder on eels off the beach Tuesday evening in all the wind, rain and turmoil that blew in as a result of Hurricane Katrina’s remnants.
9. Shark fishing has been good on his offshore outings, with many throw-back makos in the mix. He caught a 180-pounder a week back, his best in a while. The blue sharking has been good south of the gully for those interested in some fun fishing action.
10. The bluefins that were around Block Island have moved east to Chatham on the Cape as of last week. It’s odd this year because the normal places that hold schoolies such as the Mud Hole were barren a few weeks back when the fish were in along the surf break. However, the captain said the bait is coming back into these deep-water areas, and so will the bluefins. A few boats are fishing down around the 600 to 500 line and taking occasional albacore or yellowfin. But they are spotty.
11. Deep Hole at Matunuck and Five Cottages have been pretty productive for striped bass from dusk through dawn on eels. To the east, Stinky Beach and the other spots to the light are also producing nighttime fish.
12. Kevin at Breachway Tackle, Charlestown said the weather has kept people home pretty much all week, but the fish are still out there to catch. The Walls at Point Judith are O.K. during big blows, but the Charlestown Breachway has been too rough to cast from lately with the strong winds. Bass, blues, scup and fluke were coming into the shop in good numbers prior to this stormy week.
13. The fluke fishing has been slacking off as fall approaches. The best fluke in a local tournament was 11.3 caught back in July, but the best fish in the past three weeks have been under 8 pounds.
14. People are going out after tuna running offshore; the bluefin blitzes along his stretch of beach are over. Bluefish and snapper blues are abundant off the breachway and up in the salt pond as a source of bait and fun action for the kids.
15. Kevin noted a report of a big great white shark spotted not too far off Block Island late last week, for what it’s worth. As long as there isn’t a whale carcass or something like that to draw it in closer to the beaches, all should be well, but under the oddball conditions this season and the strong winds blowing onshore this week, I know I wouldn’t go swimming in the ocean for a while.
16. Bob at Wildwood Outfitters, Wakefield was not around when we called this week.
17. John Swienton, owner of Twin Maples Tackle out on Block Island, told us that live eels have been hard to find this week, so his personal fishing has been hindered along with his eel-fishing customers.
18. The bonito are still abundant up the entrance to New Harbor and Charlestown Beach. Good bluefish and bass catches are being made from the beach and boats off the north end of the island at Sandy Point. Anglers are trolling successfully off Black Rock with tube and worms in water less than 15 feet deep. Parachutes are still doing well off the Southwest Reef area, as always. There are no monsters to report this week, but the overall angler participation has been slow due to the back-to-school thing. Payne’s Dock was half-empty as of midweek, but will fill up over this holiday weekend for sure.
19. Captain Don of Captain Don’s Tackle, Charlestown, Rhode Island said the fish had lockjaw for a while during the big high-pressure system that blew into the region last week, but that came to an end on Friday. He said that that night they turned on big time, with Watch Hill and the Weekapaug overlook producing nice catches of bluefish by day and bass after dark on eels, yellow Mega Baits and Hab’s Parrot Green Needlefish.
20. Lots of nice sea bass and fluke have been coming in from the waters of the state beach, from the shallows on out to as much as 80 feet of water.
21. Tube-and-worming has been very consistent in 13 to 15 feet of water over the rocky hard bottom found to the left of Quonny Breachway, as well as up inside the pond itself. It’s been this way since June so don’t expect much to change other than for the fishing to get better as the fall progresses, if history holds true again this season.
22. Don saw bonito rolling around and pushing bait up inside the breachway earlier in the week when he checked his boat after one of the heavy rains.
23. Don at King Cove Marina, Stonington said that prior to the big blow (jibing nicely with Captain Don’s report), there were bass all over the reefs from the hill to Fishers Island. Anglers were catching them on everything prior to the winds this week.
24. Fluke fishermen are now working harder for their few keepers on what has been a slow pick for fluke, but sea bass are picking up nicely off Latimer Light and in the deeper waters off Wilderness Point. These fish are being caught mostly by accident. Look for small rock humps and ledges, and you will probably find sea bass.
25. Anglers are catching a few blackfish, as well. Some are targeting them on clam bellies, but no one is asking for crabs yet. These are some of the folks who have been catching sea bass in the process of targeting blackfish with clams for bait.
26. Porgies are a give-me everywhere, with some real giants to be caught when the tides are slowing out around those same reefs that are producing all the bass and bluefish. I caught my personal best scup years ago on a whole squid intended for stripers out near Catumb Rock. That tiderunner scup was 2.75 pounds and around 18 inches and looked like a dinner plate with a tail. We’ve caught them up to 17 inches while tubing along the south side of Fishers Island, both last summer and the one prior.

Newsday.com: Fishing Forecast

1. Western Long Island Sound: The season slowed this week with blustery conditions, packing more than 30-mph winds, but the season's peak arrives when water conditions cool through September and October.

For now, the bigger bass and bluefish can be found outside of Manhasset Bay. Use fresh bunker for the bass, and bunker or poppers for the bluefish. Fluke have been sighted as big as 12 pounds. Another good spot for bluefish, Jack's Bait and Tackle on City Island reports, is between the Throgs Neck and Whitestone Bridges. Look off Sands Point for fluke.

Nancy LoCascio, who registered at R&G Bait and Tackle in Port Washington, won the WICC last weekend by catching a 15.67-pound bluefish right outside of the bay.

2. Huntington/Northport Bays: The fluke are still biting, particularly in the marsh field and Huntington Bay. Those who seek porgies should hang out in about 25-foot deep waters by the golf course of Smithtown Bay.

3. Smithtown Bay: John Lucas hooked a 36-inch, 20-pound bass using poppers. Chuck Bishop and Mike McCarrell teamed up to reel in an 18-pound bass off Stony Brook dock using warms. Jamie Bodie, 12, caught an 8-pound bluefish in the Nissequogue River using bunker chunks. Dave Ciotti picked up a 6 1/2-pound bluefish off Smithtown Bay's Long Beach using poppers. Bass, up to around 35 inches, can be found in the channel. The fluke are on the west side of Cranes Neck.

4. Port Jefferson to Mattituck Inlet: The big fluke have been caught off Wading River. The bigger porgies are coming back closer to the shore, perhaps an indication that the scene is improving. The striper action is still slow. Night fishing produces best.

5. Orient Point to Fishers Island: Peconic Star captain Dave Brennan has battled the fierce wind, but found action in off-the-beaten-path patches. "I had to go hide," Brennan said, "but it paid off." Passenger Nick Monteleone of Commack caught porgies weighing as much as 3.1 pounds using clams.

Prime Time III captain Mike Boccio said the season remains strong for porgies, which can run up to 3 pounds and 19 1/2 inches. The limit increased to 60 - from 25 - yesterday. "It's the bad weather that makes the fishing really good," Boccio said. "It can turn it upside down for one day. It's like oil and vinegar. It makes it better when you mix it up."

Nighttime seems to be the right time for bass fishing. Novices should stick to the porgies.

6. The Peconics and Gardiners Bay: Fluke action remains hot by Gardiners. The bay is loaded with blues, but the game has been small. Snappers by the docks are still the way to go.

7. Montauk Point: The best fluke fishing can be found between 60 and 70 feet deep. Porgies, most heavier than 2 pounds, remain abundant.

8. Shinnecock Bay: The wind gusts have created rough conditions. The fish are still there, but it requires a skilled angler to land them. The fall mixed bag should arrive soon.

9. Moriches Bay: The best time to land fluke will be three hours before and after high tide - especially from buoys 14 to 29 and into Harts Cove. The big snappers are around the bay and on the east side of buoy 31. Stay in the coves for crabbing. Some schools of striped bass have been sighted in the east and west cuts. Clams provide the best chance to reel them in. Bob Armbruster caught two 5-pound fluke in Harts Cove using squids and spearing.

10. Great South Bay/Fire Island Inlet: The bunker have made an entrance and bass should also soon arrive. The fluke action remains hot, particularly west of Fire Island Inlet in 70-foot depths. Those looking to conserve on gasoline, especially given its rising prices, can keep busy with snappers and crabs along the docks. Joey Pellegrino, 15, caught a 20-pounder on his first striper trip last week fishing with clam bellies and bunker chum between the Robert Moses Bridge and Fire Island Lighthouse.

11. Jones Inlet/Western Bays: Fluke, which range from 4 to 6 pounds, remains strong between the Hempstead reef and the steel rack south of Jones Inlet. Roam in waters between 55 and 70 feet deep. Some bluefish have been sighted at the middle grounds, between Cholera banks and the three sisters. Look off the dip of yellowfin and longfin tuna. Baldwin and Oceanside Bays are full of up to 6- to 8-inch snappers and blue claws around the docks. Larry Festa, aboard the Alphis, hooked a 118-pound swordfish in Hudson Canyon using squid at night.

12. East Rockaway Inlet: The deeper holes in Reynolds Channel have produced a few reports of weakfish, but they are on the small side. Up to 4-pounders can be found in the Long Beach bridge area. Reynolds Channel has also yielded a mix of bass and blues. No Time captain Nick Savene caught a mix of nine yellowfins and longfins that weighed up to 95 pounds using sardines in the canyon.

13. New York Bight: There should be plenty of action in Jamaica Bay. Flukes, blues and porgies are all there for the taking. [org pub NY Newsday, by Chris Antonacci]

Copyright 2005 Newsday Inc.

Rhode Island, 9/2/05

1. BAY: Unusually good fishing along the Warwick shore, north of Conimicut Point. "Big bass have also made a return in recent weeks. I believe it is due to favorable water temperatures and the amount of bait in the water."
2. Large bluefish are also biting off Goddard Park in Greenwich bay, Potter's Cove on Prudence Island and Ohio Ledge. Recommended Brenton Reef and Beavertail Point for large blues. Smaller, 5- to 6-pound fish are biting near Halfway Rock, Hope Island, and Conanicut Point. On the Sakonnet River, Joe Latinville of Riverside Marine, said, "Catching bluefish on topwater plugs is almost a given at Fogland and Sandy points. The fish are up and down all day long. Tide doesn't matter."
3. Fluke as large as 9 pounds have been biting in the waters off Sakonnet Point, said Latinville.
4. BEACHES AND SALT PONDS:Fishing off South Kingstown has slowed some. Bass have been taking eels at Watch Hill, plugs at the Weekapaug overlook at night, and ube-and-worm rigs inside Quonochontaug Pond.
5. Inside the Narrow River and Ninigret and Quonochontaug Ponds, fly fishing & catching stripers and hickory shad on the flood tide. "Peanut bunker and silversides are really abundant, and this can become a big problem," he writes. "With all of that bait around, your fly gets lost. Most of the bass are schoolies, anywhere from 15 to 20 inches, but there are occasional keepers. I'm fishing a No. 1 white Deceiver on a 12-foot leader with a 6-weight floating line. Another good fly is a black-and-white Clouser Minnow. Worm patterns also work, and for larger fish, I like to use a 4- to 5-inch-long squid pattern, all white with a little pink in the body."
6. Fluke remain at the Center Wall and also around the Charlestown Breachway in 40 feet of water, according to Neilson. To the west, the fluke have moved into much deeper water, said Cameron.
7. Scup are biting on the slack tides inside Quonochontaug Breachway and Stonington Harbor at high tide.
8. Sea-bass fishing is improving off Misquamicut, Cameron said.
9. Bonito appeared in Quonochontaug Breachway yesterday morning.
10. OFFSHORE:Swells and high winds have kept most boats at the dock this week, but before the blow, offshore anglers were catching a lot of mako sharks.
11. BLOCK ISLAND:"With the small bluefin tuna gone, we have focused our efforts on stripers," "The past few days have been slow, but fish have been around. Those of us who did have success were fishing the early morning hours coinciding with a good tide. Bubblegum, rainbow, and chartreuse Slug-Gos have worked. Black Rock, Dories Cove, and North Light produced.
12. "There is plenty of bait around -- loads of it. Great sea bass action on the wrecks."
13. FRESHWATER:Twin Rivers Reservoir in North Providence is the best spot to fish for bass and hornpout, says Rudy D'Agostino of the R&Y Shop. Largemouths as large as 4.5 pounds have been taking shiners, and hornpout have been biting nightcrawlers between 6 and 10 p.m.
14. BEST BITES: South side of Block Island:Striped bass, sea bass
15. Sakonnet River:Bluefish
16. Twin Rivers Reservoir:Largemouth bass, hornpout

NJ: With summer fading, September makes for better fishing

Here we are into September after a summer that went all too fast. There are some interesting events that will take place plus the fact that the fishing during September has to be rated among the best of the year. The weather is great, with warm days and cool nights taking the place of the blistering heat of the past summer. We got off easy as Hurricane Katrina visited the United States. It only caused some days to be lost for fishermen as the brunt of Katrina's remains stayed well to the west of us.

This weekend looks great and there should be no damage done to the fishing prospects. If a major storm hits sometime when the fish are thinking about leaving, it will hasten their departure. For instance, as the weakfish school up in mid-October, prior to heading out, a major disturbance will see them get out in a hurry. At this time of year this scenario does not take place.

One upcoming event is the 2005 Kid's Fishing Contest, sponsored by the Gloucester County Parks and Recreation and the Sportsman's Outpost. The date is Saturday, Sept. 10, and the location is the Scotland Run Park/Wilson Lake. The fishing gets underway at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 11:30 a.m. This contest is for kids 18-years-of-age and younger and big trophies and prizes will be awarded to the winners. There will be two divisions, boating and non-boating, with three age categories in each division. Keep in mind that all anglers 16 and older must have a New Jersey Fishing License. According to Lou at the Outpost, previous registration is not needed, as you sign up the morning of the contest right at the lake.

As usual, the event will be of interest to all members of the sportsman's family, as all of the events of past years will be duplicated, including the fishing contest, black powder demonstrations, hunting dog demonstrations, plus a host of exhibits by sportsman's organizations and sport shops. And, all is free and will be held rain or shine, with shine preferred.

If you applied for your bonus tags in the lottery section of the New Jersey Striped Bass Trophy Program, you should have received yours by now. According to Karen Hershey, spokesperson for the DEP, the tags were mailed out last Friday and she predicts that if you have not received yours as yet, your chances of getting one are just about zero. These bonus cards are non-transferable, as each one has the persons name and number on it. These cards are good through the end of the year and what kind of a program, if any, in 2006 has not yet been determined, according to Hershey.

Talk about the luck of the draw, my wife, Rachel, and I both applied for permits in the lottery. She received hers but I lost out. That means that in order to get a bonus bass, Rachel must be on the trip.

Before Tuesday and Wednesday, when no boats were out in Delaware Bay, the croaker action was about the same as in past weeks but there was a definite upsurge on the weakfish action. Many of the marinas reported weakfish limits for small boaters and some of the charterboats did likewise.

The areas around the white stakes off Fortescue saw a lot of weakfish being hooked. In addition, the waters in the vicinity of the 6 buoy produced as did the locations near Bug Light and the Twenty-Foot-Slough.

Getting shedder crab has been a problem on occasion, so a call ahead, especially on weekends, is advisable. A fine substitute is spot. There are lots of spot throughout the bay and they can be caught by using a small (No. 8) hook with a tiny portion of bloodworms or squid. They are filleted and strips used either on a plain hook or on a floater. Many anglers report the use of a green floater not only gets more weakfish, but keeps it away from the horde of small smooth dogfish that are all over the bay.

Along the coast those visiting the Old Grounds are doing well on fluke, when the weather allows. Weaks and croakers are all along the beachfront from the surf to one mile out. Some seabass are on tap and their numbers should improve as the water cools.

Surf fishermen are still hitting lots of kingfish plus some croakers. Meanwhile, striped bass are hitting plugs and clams in the back waters. Blues are offshore as well and up north they are on tap both day and night, seven days a week for the party boat crowd. [org pub nj.com by Ralph Knisell]