Captain Morgan

• A little more than a trickle of fall seeped into our weather pattern, sparking intermittent feeding sprees in the Sound. Early morning temperatures sparred with the mid 50s while several fronts clashed bringing thunderstorms/high winds. However, predominant northwest winds did offer some protection within shore’s reach but farther out, seas became angry. Nevertheless, there was activity in the lower rivers as schools of peanut bunker ran in/out with tidal flows bringing with them schools of striped bass and bluefish. During breaks, anglers were able to cast to top water blues, fish for feeding stripers and light-line thick schools of snapper blues. As winds shifted to the southwest and temperatures climbed, there were more opportunities to search the waters for bait and predatorial sport fish.
  
• Good striped bass action has been encountered on most of the local reefs/shoals. Drifters/casters are connecting using eels while jerking wire is bringing up deep-water bass. Lazily trolling deep divers early morning is also producing on the edges of structure while ‘brellas are catching bass/blues in 60 to 70 feet when zig-zagging rip lines. Six Mile, Long Sand Shoal, and Faulkner’s North Rip had their moments as did shallow water in low-light conditions.
• Both snapper blue and porgy/scup fever continues as anglers fish the shoreline. Snappers are good size and have not been fussy as to their feeding habits. Nor have porgies, whether on the reefs or off the shoreline wharves. Both snapper fishermen and blue crabbers are sharing elbowroom on bridges and riverbanks–the fishing for both is that good!
  
• Flukers, the last day to fish for your ‘doormat’ is September 5th and that is drawing near. There is still plenty of good fluke fishing so take advantage before the 2007 season ends.
• No season on the ‘weakies’ though, and they’re being caught while drifting or trolling small baits by Kimberly Reef and Faulkner’s. Periodic schools of swift moving bonito continue to surface close to unsuspecting anglers who usually are not prepared to respond. Those within quick reach of a ten-pound class setup can often hookup if patient and wait for the school to resurface instead of mounting chase. (Captain Morgan)