In heavy boating traffic, courtesy rules

A recent trip aboard a small boat on Moriches Bay found us bouncing across several shallow flats while separating a few fluke from their sandy lairs. The fishing was a bit picky in Hearts Cove but other crews probing the West Cut did considerably better with keepers to 7 pounds on rising water. Most noticeable on the day, however, was the intense boating traffic. Summer season is in full swing.

Fortunately, all of the skippers probing the Moriches Bay flats around buoys 26 and 28 seemed well-schooled in the particulars of fishing etiquette. That, however, is not always the case, as several anglers have expressed to me in recently. Thus, a quick review of a couple boating peace-keeping themes seems in order. It is, after all, courtesy guidelines that truly establish a sense of order to the fleet.

Consider the question of space between boats. There is no hard or fast rule, but it's important to be aware of the need for a little breathing room. Keep in mind that it is also a breach in decorum for boating anglers to crowd less mobile beach and bank fishermen.

Racing full-throttle into a school of surface feeding game fish is another violation of fishing etiquette. When bass, blues or false albacore are visibly busting on top, it is both wise and endearing to slowly ease ahead of the action and then quietly drift into casting range so as not to spook the quarry. Putting down the fish with an aggressive approach is a sure way to raise the ire of your fishing brethren.

What's hot?

Action with keeper fluke has picked up significantly in the ocean between Shinnecock and Moriches Inlets with fish to 8 pounds taking strip bait and spearing combos in 50-foot depths. The open boat Shinnecock Star has recently drilled several hefty doormats, plus some triggerfish and huge sea bass. Bay action with the summer flatties remains face-paced but keeper ratios are 20:1 in most areas along the South Shore.

On the North Shore, the top fluke prospects are in 30-foot depths inside Smithtown Bay, east of Eatons Neck and off Northville in eastern Long Island Sound.

If you really want to ice some fillets, target sea bass. Super action with plenty of keepers has been the rule over near-shore structure out of Point Lookout, Freeport, Captree and Shinnecock.

Striper scores remain best early and late in the day around bunker schools along the ocean beaches or up in the West End of Long Island Sound. Solid catches also continue on live eels fished after dark at Orient and Montauk points with fish to 40 pounds reported. The biggest cow of the year so far was taken back on Father's Day morning at Block Island, a mammoth 77.40-pounder that smashed the Rhode Island striper record.

Take the train

If getting to the fish from New York City is a hassle, try the new MTA/LIRR Captree Fishing Getaway plan. Take the train from Penn Station to Babylon, then take the S-47 Suffolk Bus to Captree. The total fare is $45 for adults and $28.50 for kids up to 11. The Captree Fleet provides free fishing tackle. Go to mta.info/lirr/getaways/Beach2011/CaptreeFishing.htm for more details.

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