Gone Fishin': Catches Are ‘Reel’ Good, Report Anglers

The three “Rs” of education have been replaced by the three “Ws” of local fishing: wind, waves and water.

The wind has been quite cooperative, allowing most local anglers to access all of the available fish without much distress; the waves flattened appropriately, according to the , and the water’s been so clear that one can often look into its depth.

Conditions for fishing the past week were truly excellent on most occasions, with striped bass, sea bass, bluefish, porgies and fluke among the best catches, but other surprises like shark have been passing through the Atlantic.

It was a banner week as one private boater out of Fire Island inlet found himself in the flattest ocean conditions he said he's ever seen, while observing the bunker pods in the water. Suddenly, the water was inundated with stripers, and the angler quickly had two keepers to 35 pounds.

Pete, Suffolk Bait and Tackle, in Babylon Village reported Chris Keneke fishing the Fire Island reef last Wednesday with fresh skimmer clams to take home porgies and sea bass for the table.

The following day, Joe Colosa, fishing with Pete on Our Dream, had a good day reeling in both sea bass and porgies while using fresh clams. There were also reports on Thursday of thresher sharks feeding on the bunker just off Gilgo Beach.

Last Friday Nicky from the shop weighed in a 4.6-pound fluke he caught on a live spot, and last Saturday Suffolk Bait and Tackle weighed in bass which were taken off the bunker pods east of the inlet. Some of the most notable striper catches were by Joe Tramontana (39.30 pounds), Captain Tom Boniberger (33.40- pounds) and SMA member Josh (30 pounds).

Pete also mentioned the crew of the 4 Ds, Donald Lasala, Sr., Donald, Jr., John Pascale and Chris Enders had four bass, and all four fish were weighed more than 40 pounds, with Donald, Sr. catching a 44.30-pound gorilla bass.

This past weekend Jacob Kim fished the bunker pods outside the inlet and caught three bass to 30 pounds.

“Jacob also told us he had a 40- to-50-pound thresher on that he lost,” said Pete, who added that the shop has plenty of live spots and local spearing, which are currently two of the premier baits being used to catch big fish these days.

He also mentioned the crabbing at the Babylon Dock has been improving steadily.

On Sunday Matt Luchi from and his son Tommy fished the inlet area with live spots to reel in some nice keeper fluke, one of which was 10 pounds and two more were six-plus pounds.

On the sharking scene Jellyfish Charters, out of Fire Island inlet, put an angler on a 125-pound mako this past weekend while fishing the ocean reef, which was filled with bunker being chased by sea bass and jumbo porgies.

Not far from Ocean Beach another private boater spotted bunker flipping in around 50 feet of water just southwest of the head buoy. One fisherman caught a 34-pound striper which was weighed in at .

Should you choose to venture to the reefs off Fire Island inlet, they’re reportedly loaded with sea bass and porgies, but anglers must remember to use the mathematical mix of wind, weather and tide, plus water depth if they hope to take home successful catches for the dinner table.

Editor's Note: Patch would love to include your fishing tales in the next fishing report. E-mail Richard Smidt here.