Gone Fishin': Fire Island Reef Hot Sea Bass Spot

Opening day for sea bass arrived this past Monday. It’ll run through October 1, reopening again from November 1 to December 31, with a 13-inch minimum size limit and a 10-fish-per-day bag.

Pete, from Suffolk Bait and Tackle, reported that Dr. Joe Laoia, fishing aboard the Foot Fixer, fished the bunker pods west of the inlet and caught striped bass up to 34 pounds last weekend.

Jack Faccibene, on the Jackel, fished with his father Mike, and the angling duo also worked the bunker pods to pull a 35-pound keeper. Billy Sorrese and his friend Mark Petrocelli fished the inlet area using live bunker to take fish up to 33 pounds.

A shop regular, John Marley, worked the Captree pier along the boat side during the daytime to score three keeper fluke, including a 21- and a 23-incher.

Pete also reported that he and his wife Louise fished west of the bridge, on the incoming tide, and dealt with numerous shorts, but only two keeper fluke.

Another customer, Neil Berringer said he’d worked the pods of bunker in about 40 feet of water just south of Tobay Beach, and took bass up to 34 pounds.

Kort Panzner fished with his son Kort, Jr. at the inlet, using live bunker, and the youngster hooked a striper weighing close to 15 pounds, which was officially weighed in at Suffolk B and T.

Dan Naglieri, fishing on board his boat, the Shark Shooter, targeted stripers and came away with a monster 42.3-pound gorilla bass, using live bunker. Joe Winter, his son Michael and son-in-law Jason Ronayne, took their limit of striped bass last weekend, to 26 pounds, in an area just south of the bunker pods.

Tyler, from East End B and T, fished with Captain Tommy Boniberger on the night tide, southwest of Tobay, in approximately 20 feet of water, to take fish up to a whopping 40 pounds, the largest being caught by Tyler.

Aboard the Captree Princess, off Fire Island Inlet, opening-day sea-bass catches saw 25 anglers score well with about 200 keepers up to 4.5 pounds last weekend.

The party boat also reported giant porgies in the mix. On board the Laura Lee both trips this past Monday were excellent for anglers in search of sea bass. The afternoon trip produced limits for all anglers, as well as 20-jumbo scup and a 15-pound striped bass, which just happened to make a cameo appearance.

The reef of Fire Island Inlet appears to be presently loaded with fish, and it’s definitely one of the hot spots this week.

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