Noreast.com, Western Sound 7/22

• The western Sound continues to produce a variety of fish of all shapes and sizes! The snappers have made their way into the Sound and are the perfect size for a fluke to inhale. There are also a few stray bass cruising the edges of the bunker schools that can be found in just about every harbor of the western Sound.
• The big story is the bluefish, which are now keyed in on these massive schools and starting their early morning blitzes on a daily basis! John from Hudson Park B&T weighed in a beefy 15-pound bluefish caught by Jerry Gatto. Jerry also landed a few keepers while fishing working schools. There has also been an upswing in the porgy activity on the local rock piles and points. Some surf fishermen have been scoring keeper scup right from the beaches.
  
• The really good news from John was about the early morning and evening activity on plugs and poppers. “Hit the rocks early with some plugs, poppers and bucktails for some awesome light tackle action,” John said. John carries a full line of tidal tails bucktails and lures, so stop in and see John for all the tackle you need to get in on the awesome bite we have going on in the western Sound right now.
• Captain Joe from Moontide Charters did very well with the bluefish while drifting with the bunker schools off City Island. “The bluefish are on the hunt off City Island, Hart’s Island and Hewlett’s looking for an easy meal,” Joe said. Joe also did some fluking before switching over to blues with mixed results. “We had plenty of action, but the short to keeper ratio wasn’t very good,” Joe said. Joe also didn’t score any bass this week, but there were a few reports on some keepers. Give Captain Joe a call to get in on some great western sound fishing.
• John from Glen Cove Sports reported on plenty of fun to be had with a variety of fish in the western Sound right now. “We have cocktail blues, schoolie bass, porgies and fluke spread all over the western Sound,” John said. Bill Mueller limited out on scup to 3.2 pounds while fishing clams off the local points. Gerald Vitale and his son Robert limited out on fluke over two consecutive days. The first day was constant action on bucktails with fish to 26 inches, while the second day produced fish to 26.5 inches, all taken on squid and spearing. Joanne Davis drifted up her limit of fluke to 3.5 pounds off Prospect Point. Jimmy V. tossed plugs at the edges of the bunker schools in Hempstead Harbor and landed 8 bluefish to 12.8 pounds. Anthony D. landed over 28 keeper bass over a three day stretch (keeping only his limit) while fishing between Cooper’s Bluff and Oyster Bay.
• Captain Steve from the Molly Roze reported that there are monster humpback porgies holding off Rye, Larchmont and the local points. “We saw some really big porgies this past week off Prospect, Matinecock and Playland,” Steve said. There are also some very big bluefish holding under the massive schools of bunker that can be found all over the western Sound. There are also a few keepers still holding underneath the working schools, despite the warm water temperatures. There is also some very good skinny water action in and around the local rock piles in the early morning and evening. The snappers have started their trek into the Sound, and they are just the right size for a monster fluke to inhale! Give Captain Steve a call to get in on some of this great mid-summer action in the western Sound.
• Blaise at Duffy’s B&T reported some very good fluke fishing in and around the Glen Cove area. Jerry Greenwald landed seven fluke, with three keepers in the mix, to 4.10 pounds, along with a 2-pound porgy. Brian Swiezbin (age 8) was out fishing off Prospect Point and landed a 4.5-pound fluke and a 6.5-pound bluefish. Al P. fished the same area and landed a 4.7-pound fluke while drifting a squid/spearing combo. John Laiosa (7 years old) landing a 5.8-pound bluefish and a 3-pound fluke while fishing right inside Manhasset Bay. Marty Hill also did well fluking by landed his limit with fish to 5.2 pounds. Stop in and see Blaise and Diane for all of your western Sound fishing needs.
• Captain Chris from the Island Current Fleet also reported an upswing in the bottom fishing this past week. Dorsey Futrell got in on some of this awesome fishing with Captain Dan right outside Oyster Bay. Captain Brendan was out on Sunday with Jesus Cancel and hammered the bluefish in the morning and wrapped up the day with a few keeper fluke coming over the rails. Friday, Dono Electric booked the Island Current II and had an absolute ball pounding away at the bluefish while drifting with the bunker schools. Thursday, Perry Pietsanas did well with the bluefish in the morning and fluke in the afternoon. Pat Lyons and his group headed out that same night and landed a mess of bluefish while fishing the bunker schools right outside the City Island Bridge.
• John from Jack’s B&T was happy to report that the bluefish have set up camp right behind his shop! “The blues are pushing the bunker schools all around City Island,” John said. There are also a few bass still holding in the area with most keepers feeding the early mornings and evenings. The porgy bite has been very good off Rye and Mamaroneck, along with any other place where there are no bluefish! The fluke bite was a little picky this week, but John expects the bite to really pick up going into the full moon at the end of the month.
• With all the bait holding in the western Sound and the cool nights we are experiencing, John is optimistic that the bass will stick around for another few weeks before moving through the area. With the beautiful weather and red-hot fishing there is no excuse not to get out and go fishing! (Craig Koproski)