Striped Bass are running scared these days! All along the east coast the “Tax Man” (sharks) are taking chunks out of angler’s catches! Thankfully, they’re not tealing fish around Montauk yet, but since the water warmed up and the Bass have moved east to Southwest Ledge, it’s apparent the sharks have found them there, and are having a field day! It has actually gotten so bad that the Bass have fled the area for deeper water and the rest headed east.
Sharks really have no predators feeding on them, with the exception of other sharks and Orca’s (which eat the shark’s liver for what seems to be medicinal purposes). National Marine Fisheries Service shut down commercial fishing for sharks a number of years ago. So now after many years of being left to feed and breed unmolested, we now have a serious issue. Hammerheads, Bull sharks, and Sandbar shark numbers have exploded and anglers are not happy!
The Mako sharks are still under moratorium, but due to all the Tuna action and the tons of bait that has been offshore, the shark action up here is off the charts!
School Bluefin Tuna have been providing great action for anglers for two months now. Just west of and a touch offshore of CIA, has been the hotspot. These schoolies average 25-40 lbs. and are great fun on light tackle. Whales, Porpoise, Birds, all great stuff that makes for a great day!
Back inshore the Fluke fishing has picked up a little and even at 19.5 inches keepers are coming over the rail finally!! South side has come alive with action, granted you have to weed through the shorts, but you can’t beat the action! Thrown in the mix is some nice sized Black Sea Bass. The Black Sea Bass are just about anywhere there’s rocks and structure for them to hide in. The trick is to find spots that haven’t been pounded by other boats already, and you will catch some nice fish!
We got a nice stretch of weather headed our way, so get out there and enjoy this great season we’re having!
As always, be safe and be courteous to your fellow anglers.
~ Tight Lines, Captain Skip
