SCHOOL is out just about everywhere in the Metro area and, with fishing just about as good as it gets right now, get out there and have some fun with the young ones.
In New York it won’t cost you a thing; it’s a free weekend for fishing, meaning you don’t need a license for salt or freshwater fishing.
If you are fishing for the first time make sure you go to New York’s Dept. of Environmental Conservation web site at http://www.dec.ny.gov and check out the fishing regulations which you still have to abide by.
For saltwater anglers, fluke fishing along all of Long Island’s South Shore has picked up with a healthy amount of keepers being taken from the New York Bight to Montauk Point — you’ll still have to go through a lot of shorts.
Offshore fishing took off this past week. Those heading to the Continental Shelf will find yellowfin and longfin tuna from Block to Hudson Canyons. Anglers are still finding bluefins along the 30 Fathom Curve.
Last weekend’s shark fishing tourneys saw threshers on top of most leader boards and there were also makos and lots blue sharks caught offshore.
Stripers are also a good bet for the weekend. Most of the harbors and inlets are producing striped bass for anglers using clams or cut bunker. Off the beaches in 30-40 feet of water trollers are taking bass to 35 pounds.
The surf action picked up along the New Jersey and Long Island beaches with a 55.82-pounder caught by Ben McCarron near Montauk Light last weekend.
Most wrecks and pieces in the New York Bight are giving up sea bass. If you want porgies, they’re catching 3-4 pounders off Montauk and scup almost as big along the North Fork and in the Peconics.
Fluke fishing got hot in Long Island Sound this past week along with the weather. Most of the bridges, as well as Sands and Prospect Points, had hot bites with fish to 7 pounds being caught.
The striper action is just as good along the North Shore as it is on the south side of the island. Anglers using fresh bunker are taking bass to 40 pounds. Porgies are also in the mix and fishing has been very good around most of the islands as well as at Execution Light and off Rye.