Making right choices key to finding the action

The local fishing scene has seen its share of ups and downs lately. Although it is normal to expect some fluctuation in catches at this time of the year, the heavy rains of April that dramatically raised water levels in local lakes, along with recent windy weather that has made it difficult for small boat anglers to get out on the ocean, have added to the volatility.

Still, there have been some hot prospects and fast action rewarding anglers who perform due diligence before undertaking their piscatorial pursuits. Making the right play can have huge ramifications on your results.

Consider the trend in striped bass options. The safe bet is to work the western Long Island Sound, especially Little Neck Bay, Manhasset Bay, Hempstead Bay, Glen Cove and Cold Spring Harbor. These are traditional early season hot spots where school bass mix with keepers. Past performance strongly suggests these fish are well established by mid-May and the action should build steadily for the next few weeks. Dunk a chunk of cut bunker on the bottom, or toss soft plastic swimming shads on a rising tide.

Anglers with higher risk tolerance in search of a trophy fish might want to ply the waters of the open Atlantic between Debs and Fire Island inlets. In recent years, mid-May through early June have witnessed some explosive action on this front, with some bass topping 50 pounds. This year the bunker schools have been scattered along the coastline in 20- to 50-foot depths, but the sector seems underplayed considering the strong potential for explosive returns.

Nick Savene of the Oceanside charter boat No Time is a highly experienced skipper with a great feel for the bassing prospects in this area. His fares have been limiting out consistently while live-lining bunker, although the crafty skipper has had to move around quite a bit to keep up with the variable bite. Overall, the action has been decent, reported Savene, but it still needs time to percolate. Hedge your bet with a back-up plan to cast for schoolies inside the State Channel and around Robert Moses Bridge, or invest in clam bellies and prospect around the Loop Parkway, Meadowbrook and Wantagh bridges.

On the fluke front, open and charter boats possessing Research Set Aside (RSA) allotments have enjoyed fairly decent action in the bay waters around Captree, Freeport, Greenport and Orient, as well as in ocean waters off Montauk and Shinnecock. The Captain Lou Fishing Fleet in Freeport has probed mostly shallow depths inside Reynolds Channel while Captree's Island Princess has focused around Robert Moses Bridge. Both boats have seen a steady pick of RSA keepers from 17 to 20 inches, along with a few bigger fish and plenty of shorts.

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