Fluke season on Long Island opens Saturday
Fluke season opens Saturday and despite a 21-inch minimum size and two fish creel limit, local anglers are geared up and ready to go. Based on reports from those party and charter boats already targeting the summer flatfish with their research set aside (RSA) permits, which allow some fluke to be taken before the "official'' opening day, the initial bite should be fairly strong in most quadrants of Long Island.
''You shouldn't have to paddle far to win the fluke category in tomorrow's seventh annual Jamaica Bay Kayak Fishing Tournament,'' said Kevin Ulrich at Cross Bay Bait and Tackle in Howard Beach. ''Opening day generally finds a few big fish right out in front of Floyd Bennett Field, or across at the Ruffle Bar. Real bait - spearing and squid combos - is what interests these big-shouldered flatfish.''
At Woodcleft Fishing Station in Freeport, Richie Rosenkranz noted that ocean waters are still cool outside of Jones and Debs Inlets, so fluking inside Reynolds Channel might be a good idea. ''Work between the Town of Hempstead Marina and the Long Beach Bridge,'' he said. ''Use green bucktails tipped with small spearing.''
''Fluke fans fishing on Great South Bay should do well with spearing-tipped bucktails between Ocean Beach and Fire Island Inlet,'' said Frank Falco at Chasing Tails Bait and Tackle in Oakdale. ''Work the channel edges. If you limit out, slide back to buoy 29, tie on a pink Fin-S-Fish, and try for weakfish.''
Over on Moriches Bay, Chet Wilcox at B & B Bait and Tackle in Center Moriches advised those looking for quality fluke to drift between the Smiths Point Bridge and Floyd Point. ''One angler fishing for bluefish in that area earlier this week caught and released a 26-inch fluke on a bunker chunk,'' he said.
Across the Island, Richard Siberry at The Camp-Site in Huntington Station suggested fluke anglers have fun using bucktail and teaser combos on 15-pound test braided line. ''It's the perfect outfit for fluking at the confluence of Northport and Huntington bays,'' he said. ''You might also try near the causeway at Cold Spring Harbor. Spray your lures with a shot of Bio-Edge potion and you might not even need to tip them with real bait.''
A few miles to the east, Tim Caraftis, at Caraftis Fishing Station in Port Jefferson, expected a strong fluke bite around buoys 9 and 11. ''Most anglers work bucktails tipped with squid in this area,'' he said, ''but large Peruvian spearing accounted for many of the biggest fluke caught here last year.''
Greenport and the North Fork are known as big-fish heaven when it comes to early season doormats. No doubt the fleet will be thick off the Greenlawns west of Shelter Island, and there should be solid action both east and west of Mattituck Inlet. Fish large strip baits or whole squid, and work the deepest slopes you can find on the charts.
Also, consider the potential of 50-foot depths under the lighthouse and radar tower at Montauk, and don't overlook your chances in the ocean waters off Shinnecock.
''As long as the ground swells outside of Shinnecock Inlet are less than three feet high,'' said Bryce Poyer at White Water Outfitters in Hampton Bays, ''that's where I would start the search.''
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