It has been a cold spring if you can call it that. I think we will go directly from winter to summer overnight. The chilly, wet and windy weather has not put a damper on the fish. They don’t seem to care that we humans are suffering while trying to catch them.
The cool weather has put things a couple of weeks behind schedule but there are plenty of fish around for all to enjoy. The water is crystal clear and the growth of “slip-gutî”weed is only a problem around the back-bay areas.
Fluke fishing is pretty solid right now in the inlet area and in the ocean. There is a load of squid around and that should hold the fluke and attract larger fish to our area. The Captree fleet has had a number of flukes in the five to 10 pound range during the last week. Some quality fish have also been taken in the bay area from the Moses Bridge to Kismet. The fluke limits for this season are five fish per person at 17.5 inches or greater.
Striped bass fishing is excellent at this time. There are lots of 10 to 20 pound fish smashing plugs on just about all the shallow edges in the back-bay area. The South Beach, Snake Hill Channel, Steamboat Channel and West Channel have all produced some nice stripers on popping and swimming plugs.
Live bait fishing for stripers is also producing fish and the big fish just appeared in numbers this past week. On 5/19 I had a charter with Boyd and Lou Riedell and we scored with fish up to 37 pounds. I know of fish up to 40 pounds taken this past week so this fishing is excellent and should remain that way through June. Bait is kind of scarce however but hopefully the bunker and shad will start to show soon.
Bluefish are present in good numbers. Most fish are two to four pounds and chasing bait from the inlet to Point OíWoods. Look for the terns working above the schools of fish. On 5/23 in the early morning there was a huge school of blues chopping up the bait schools all through Snake Hill Channel.
Weakfishing is real spotty. I think we are in for a slow season just as happened last year. These magnificent fish are definitely in a population decline once again. There have been fish caught and most are large. Early morning and evening seem to produce the best. West Channel and the Ocean Beach areas have been the best bet for catching these “tiderunners” and the flats off of Heckscher Park has also produced some fish.
Flounder fishing is pretty solid in the Sore Thumb pocket. Lots of clam chum and fresh worms for hook bait is a must. I have had fish up to 3.3 pounds this season. The limit is the same as last year with 15 fish per person and an 11-inch or greater size limit.
My Web site has been totally revised for the new year. It has a new format with options for the public to post fishing reports. Also my latest fishing DVD “Fishing for Trophy Striped Bass” has just gone on sale. Be sure to check things out at Skimmeroutdoors.com.

FISHING TIP OF THE WEEK

I use fluke bullets (chrome balls) as my sinker when fishing for fluke in the ocean. They usually have a hook attached directly to the ball. I find that removing that hook and attaching a drop-back hook about six inches behind the ball will catch more fish. I use 80-pound test monofilament to tie the hook to the ball.

FISHING FACTS OF THE WEEK

Amount of sewage effluents discharged into U.S. coastal waters annually is 2.3 trillion gallons.
Amount of industrial waste discharged in the ocean every day ñ 2.8 billion gallons.

Good Luck and Good Fishing!
Captail Al Lorenzetti
Skimmer Fishing Charters
(631) 661-2112
www.skimmeroutdoors.com