Hot weather is heating up the fishing action

It's amazing what a difference a few warm days can make on the fishing front. With unusually high temperatures baking the region through midweek, many anglers ventured forth for their first serious trips of the 2010 season. Although results were mixed, enthusiasm ran high and a few lucky fishermen actually found enough action with winter flounder, cod and ling to bring home dinner.

"It's not fast fishing," said Nick Manzari, captain of the Captree open boat, Island Princess, "But our winter flounder season is off to a stronger start than the past few years."

Manzari, along with other Captree vessels, has concentrated his efforts in the 7- to 10-foot depths of West Channel while decking 15 to 25 flounder per trip. Worms and mussels have produced, but mussel chum is a must to get the action started.

Winter flounder fishing is off to a decent start in other areas along the South Shore with a pick of flatties under way around buoy 30 in Moriches Bay, from the banks of Quogue Canal, and around the North Channel Bridge in Jamaica Bay.

For those anglers looking to put a little more meat in the cooler, codfish and ling are still an option.

"Codfishing has slowed compared to the hot action we saw back in February," said captain Jamie Quaresimo of the open boat, Miss Montauk, "but anglers are still averaging four to six keepers per day, along with plenty of shorts." That, said the skipper, has been enough to send most patrons home with a nice pack of fillets. The Montauk fleet is still working south of Block Island, probing humps and ridges in 120- to 140-foot depths. Some cod, ling and blackfish are also being culled from South Shore ocean wrecks 18 to 20 miles offshore of Fire Island, Jones and Debs Inlets.

Striper season opens on Thursday and the outlook is bright. Schoolies have already invaded the west end with catches made on plastic shads in Jamaica Bay. Small stripers are being caught inside the westernmost harbors of Long Island Sound.

Around the Island

The outdoors show season continues with a Sportfishing, Hunting and Outdoors Expo at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn Friday through Sunday. The show features fishing and hunting gear, sportfishing boats, kayaks, guide services and seminars. For information, call 516-625-5021.

If you've been wanting to try a little freshwater fishing but don't have a license or simply aren't sure how to get started, the Spring Family Freshwater Fishing Festival at Belmont Lake State Park Saturday should be worth checking out. Fishing at the park is free for the day - no fishing license required - and the lake has been stocked with more than 2,600 trout. Stop down, take a few casts and meet representatives from local fishing clubs. Loaner rods and free bait will be available throughout the day. The big event begins at 10:00 a.m. Contact 631-444-0283 for more information.

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