Close Call From Lee

We had a warm spell last week, but the temps cooled off by the past weekend. Some mornings temps were in the 50s.

Let’s not forget how lucky we were to avoid contact with Hurricane Lee as it rushed to the Canadian Maritimes and northern Maine. We did get heavy surf and dangerous rip currents that prompted some towns to close their beaches totally, even for walking.

September is usually a great month, and there are beach days ahead.

Prior to the blow, Southampton Town opened Mecox Bay. It produced a nice striped bass run with a good number of slot size striped bass being caught.

Locally, the fishing continues to be good. Bottom fishermen have been finding porgies, blowfish and kingfish in the bays. Fish are biting from the shore and in boats. Clams and squid are the bait of choice.

Cocktail blues can pop up anywhere in the bays. There are cocktail blues at Jessups and Robins Island. There were some larger bluefish taken at South Ferry, along with a handful of striped bass.

I was out a couple of times last week and the weakfish were in the biting mood. There was plenty of action on jigs and teasers, but I’m sure they will take squid on the bottom rigs.

There are already seal sightings in the bay. Obviously, the fishing was interrupted in the ocean as Hurricane Lee passed by. Prior to the blow, there were plenty of porgies and sea bass being taken. Large sea bass were at Block Island, but the porgies are pretty much everywhere in Montauk.

Some boats are still working on the ocean fluke, but it has varied from day to day. The fluke season remains open till October 9. Tuna were also biting last week.

We’ll have to see as the ocean calms down, but it should put the fish on the move. There were large bluefish in the Race and Plum Gut, taking jigs. We should see those albacore show up soon.

We are less than a month away before blackfish season begins.