NY Fishing Reports for July 2008

[pinhead44]

RM area yesterday for a few hours incoming, 2 small bass on clams.

[pinhead44]

Haven't been posting too many reports because the fishing has really sucked, lot different that last year. Finally got a 27" bass on clams this morning fishing a Fire Island inlet in the back side, bass hit at 5am. After sun came up, there was nothing else, not even bluefish.

[stormchaser]

I haven't had much luck in the past few days either. Rough surf, lots of weeds, bad tides. Did manage one shad on my teaser rig near an inlet the other night before dark, but that was it. On the plus side, many of the places I scout have snappers, like joe says. Good time to take the kids to the commercial docks for some snapper action.

[pinhead44]

Fishing near the Rockaways, rough surf figured I would try clams, 2 bass to 25" on clams and 8 oz sinker, bass were pretty fat. Skies looked bad, and I took off.

[bunkerjoe4]

NJ WIR 7-29-08

Folks, we are still continuing with the lazy hazy days of summer. It's hot and humid, punctuated by some severe thunderstorms and fantastic lightning displays.

Fishing has slowed down, and less people are fishing as a result. You can still pick through short fluke, and more keepers are being reported, but it's still a pick. Although the bluefish are done spawning, they have not turned on to the degree they had by this time last year, either for the surfcaster or the nearshore boaters.

I had wrongly predicted that they would have by now, based on notes in my log. We can't always be right, and conditions change from year to year.

There is an interesting trend to the water temperatures this year. The water from the Shark River area to the North has heated up, while the water to the South, particularly South of Absecon Inlet, is slightly colder at times. The South wind has helped to keep temperatures down, and sometimes this puts the fluke bite off. Nonetheless, some dedicated and experienced captains are still pulling in some nice fluke, one or 2 at a time.

Offshore, tuna are still a good bet, but the action there is spotty. One day is a bonanza, while another is a bust. Bigger tuna in the 250 lb class are finally being caught. The end of August and beginning of September should continue to bring in hotter tuna action. I remember the days when giant 500 lbers were caught in the Mud Hole, and look forward to hearing reports of at least a few larger ones each year.

Weakfish are still being caught in the back bays, but the action is spotty. Croakers are also continuing to put on a good show in our surf, with the hotter winds and water bringing in a few more tropical fish to the jetties.

On the plus side, the bait - peanuts, snappers, spearing is getting bigger, which should draw hungry predators into feed. Speaking of predators, there are a lot of sharks around, including a small great white caught off Monmouth County last week.

And -- There is encouraging news about small schoolies, which have been conspicuously absent from the MoCo and OcCo surf areas. A sprinkling are beng caught here and there at night, and in low-light.

NY WIR 7-29-08

NY is also in a slower summer fishing pattern, with much the same as I described above. The main body of bass has moved beyond NY. They are now catching them in New Hampshire and Maine, and the action in those areas should only get better.

Meanwhile there are some smaller bass around if you are out in the dark, and can find large schools of bait with few other people coming in to spook them. Many of the NY bay areas have been plagued with weeds during certain tides. This can be irritating, and aggravating because of the randomness.

Note for fishermen in all states:
Due in part to the hurricane season, and some of our summer weather patterns, we have had a greater degree of rip currents near area beaches, and quite a few people have lost their lives. This is common for his time of year, but seems more tragic than usual.

If you know anyone who is a new swimmer, or are near anyone like this, it's important not to show panic. Exercise care to stay away from areas with rip currents, just as you should try to stay inside during severe thunderstorms. Several people have been struck by lightning.

Please folks, be careful. If you know someone who is not sophisticated or savvy about the water, please try to educate them as to the dangers, if possible.

[pinhead44]

Late afternoon bite at Breezy, threw bass assassin with gulp shrimp teaser, trying for bass, but was inundated with sea robins and short fluke.

[pescador29]

Cuaght 22 fluke yesterday south beach staten island killy and squid. not one keeper!! Many many jellyfish, no good for swimming.