Western Sound, Nor'east Magazine

• Just like the clockwork, the big bluefish have arrived in the western Sound right before the WICC tournament! There are reports of fish to 18 pounds being taken from the working bunker schools that can be found all over the western Sound. Diane from Duffy’s B&T reported that Buddy Cook boated a 16-pound chopper while chunking off Coopers Bluff! Diane also reported a very good fluke bite off the local points this past week. Louie Spiegel landed a 5.2-pound fluke while drifting squid and spearing off Barker’s Point. Ed Gerard also limited out on fluke to 5.2 pounds using a standard fluke rig near Pryibil Beach. Austin (age 8) landed a beautiful 3.13-pounder while drifting squid and spearing off Matinecock. Marco Giorgi landed a beefy 4.12-pound sea bass which took a clam meant for scup.
• Captain Joe from Moontide Charters also reported on some monster bluefish harassing the enormous bunker schools outside Manhasset Bay. There has also been a very steady bite right outside City Island in both the early morning and evening. The fluke bite has been very good this week from the local points, Rye and The Blousers. Captain Joe will be out fishing the WICC tournament, so give him a call to book your spot aboard Moontide Charters.
• John at Jack’s B&T was happy to report that we have the western Sound buffet available to anglers. John is referring to the bluefish, bass, porgies and fluke that are feeding like crazy and willing to take any bait anglers drop in front of them! Ernie and John DeLuca have been doing a number on some monster bluefish right off David’s Island. John also weighed in fluke to 6 pounds being taken off the local points and The Blousers. Spearing and squid are doing the job, but some sharpies have opted for bunker strips, snappers, live killies and sand eels. The striper action has all come on bunker heads being sunk under the working bunker schools. These bass aren’t huge by any means, but they are there. The porgies have paved the bottom off Matinecock, Rye and the local points. One of John’s regulars “The Tire Man” has been stopping in for two flats of worms daily and returning with his limit of monster scup! John has everything you need to catch that winning bluefish for the WICC tournament, so don’t forget to stop in and see the boys!
• Captain Chris from the Island Current Fleet covered quite a bit of water this week in search for big bluefish. His travels brought him to Norwalk where he found some hungry bluefish, which absolutely annihilated his jigs! There was also a good bluefish bite off buoy 38 off Rye. Monday, Jim Perira and his group had one of the best fluke trips of the year while drifting squid and spearing off The Blousers. Tuesday, John Ferrigno and his group chunked up a “mess” of bluefish while drifting with the working schools off Manhasset. Wednesday, the New Era Vets found the blues blitzing the bunker off Belden Point. Thursday, Andy Vallandares and his party fished deep inside Manhasset Bay where the blues were once again pounding the bunker. Friday, rough weather made for a very tough day bite, but once the sun started to drop the bite turned on and the blues were crashing the bunker schools inside Manhasset. Give Captain Chris a call to book your spot at the rail during the WICC bluefish tournament.
• John Knight at Hudson Park B&T also reported that big bluefish are blitzing the bunker from Rye down to Manhasset Bay. “The early morning bite has been very good while working the schools, while some anglers are still scoring bass at night in the rocks,” John said. There are also a few small bass holding under the working schools waiting for an easy meal. The fluke bite really picked up this week off the local points; anglers have been scoring bigger fish by using bunker strips, snappers and Peruvian smelt! The porgies seemed to ball up on the local points and rock piles, with sandworms out producing clams. Stop in and see John to sign up for the WICC bluefish tourney and stock up on all the bait and tackle you need to catch that alligator blue!
• Captain Steve from the Molly Roze reported that there are bluefish, bluefish and more bluefish! Steve was referring to the blues working the bunker schools from Captain’s Island, Mamaroneck, Rye and Manhasset. The fluke have been holding off the local points, The Blousers and the Scotch Caps. Snappers have been yielding bigger fish!
• Captain Tim from the Northstar II reported on a very good porgy bite this past week. “We found some nice schools of big porgies while fishing worms on the CT side of the Sound,” Tim said. There were also a handful of sea bass in the mix, which was a very nice surprise for the lucky anglers that caught them. The bluefish bite at night is still red hot, with plenty of fish holding on the bunker schools right outside City Island. Don’t forget to call Captain Tim to book your spot aboard the Northstar II for the WICC tournament.
• Victor at Fisherman Depot reported that anglers are scoring nice bluefish while fishing right from shore around College Point. “The blues have pushed a few pods of bunker right up to the beaches giving surf fishermen easy access to these fish,” Victor said. Anglers on boats have been doing well by drifting with these working schools. The fluke bite was very good this week with sharpies limiting out daily. The bigger fish have been taking snappers, bunker strips and Peruvian spearing. Stop in and see Victor for everything you need to take the top spot in the WICC tournament.
• Captain John Marino from American Sportfishing Charters was happy to report that he has started running his light tackle fluke trips this past week. “The bite is finally where I wanted it to be to start running these trips,” Captain John said. Jason and Jamie Sharp had a ball fishing with Captain John this week. The trio started out hammering the blues by snagging bunker and holding them in the schools where they were quickly devoured by hungry choppers. The group then switched to some light tackle fluking where they filtered through a bunch of fluke and culled 4 keepers to 25 inches. These trips are a must for any die hard fluke fisherman looking for new techniques to catch that doormat!
• Captain Pat from the Shamrock IV had a very productive week of fluke fishing. “It seems like a new body of fish has moved into the area,” Pat said. Drifting the local points with squid and spearing has yielded keeper fluke to 26 inches along with a few sea bass. Pat has also been doing a number on the bluefish by drifting chunks through the working schools. “The weather has been great and the fishing has been even better,” Pat said. Give Pat a call to book your spot aboard the Shamrock IV for either his sunset fluke trip or the WICC tournament. (Craig Koproski)