It’s hard to believe we’re in the homestretch of summer and it’s been a great fishing season so far with more amazing fishing ahead. August is full of opportunities inshore, mid offshore, the canyons and the back bay shallows with a wide array of species to target. From a lazy afternoon on a half-day fluke trip drifting calm ocean water to the intensity of running 100 miles or more to the edge for pelagic beasts, there’s something for everyone from newbie to salty.
When the fishing bug bit me hard some 16 years ago, it’s the last 9 or so that have been the most rewarding. It’s those 9 years since my son got his first fish at 3 years old. Sporting his favorite floaties and snapper rod in hand at the Shinnecock Canal I got to experience for the first time the joy of being part of his first catch. That same scene takes place all around Long Island throughout August. Maybe it’s the surfcaster mindset I have or the dad experience of knowing the attention span of a toddler that’s typically less than a minute. My son and I prefer casting snapper poppers with no real preference for ones with a small plastic tube or mini Kastmaster. They both work and with cutting out the waiting time for a silverside on the hook to be taken and pull a bobber under I’m convinced the memory is etched much deeper. Snappers are bluefish and a two-fish limit applies to them. They make phenomenal fluke baits.
Armed with snappers, spearing or artificials like Gulp and Fishbites, the odds are never better than in August for a doormat fluke. The best fishing is in the ocean but there are plenty of keepers in the bays as well. Much like snapper fishing, fluke fishing is user-friendly for anglers of all experience levels and ages. My first boat fishing memories were formed on several different half-day fluke trips aboard the party boats of Freeport. My son’s first boat trips were on party boats as well but further east on the Hampton Lady, Montauk Star and Lazy Bones. These trips are the perfect entry point for new anglers of any age or just a vacation checklist for families. The consistent action not just with fluke but by catch in the ways of sea robins and dogfish is a great way to spend a morning or afternoon on the water. Then there’s the fluke fishing that isn’t for tourists or the annual Little League outing.
The convenience of a functioning boat rod doesn’t apply when targeting double-digit weight fluke in 60 to 70 feet of water where many doormats take residence in August. These deeper depths and honey hole drifts in some shallower water with sloping edges consistently test the patience and skill of flatty sharpies. A high-low setup with appropriately sized bucktails tipped with larger Fishbites and Gulp is the norm and most effective. While chunky spearing or Peruvian smelts are solid baits, they rarely out fish the artificials that hold a solid scent. Recharging your artificials between drifts is going to lead to more catches. For anyone who’s made the mistake of not double or triple bagging a container of gulp, you know how to handle “the juice” with care. A few summers back I had to air out my truck for ten minutes before getting in after the rookie mistake of assuming the top to a tub of gulp was on tight. NY State limit on fluke is 19 inches and only a 3 fish per person bag limit. On August 2nd the size goes to 19.5 this year.
Inshore bottom fishing in August is almost a guarantee to come back home with filets of porgies, black sea bass, and at times ling, hake and even cod. The south and north shores of Long Island are littered with wrecks and reefs that these species call home. Some of the reefs are natural yet several artificial reefs created and replenished in past years provide for some amazing fishing. Retired and stripped-down NYC subway cars, demolition debris from the Tappan Zee Bridge renovation, and other large-scale environmentally friendly materials have developed ecosystems that are teaming with fish. Black seabass, arguably one of the most delicious inshore fish, also like fluke have a not-so-generous bag limit of 3 fish at 16.5 that run through the end of August when anglers can then keep 6 fish per day.
Other August fishing opportunities provide a nice day at the beach for the kids and newbies, and the anticipation of an epic return to the dock to hang a monster in the form of tuna, or thresher sharks. As of the writing of this piece, long and short-fin mako sharks must be released. There are a lot of regs both local and federal that apply both to tuna (highly migratory species federal permit), and sharks (prohibited possession of mako sharks in NY) so do your homework before a trip.
Going offshore to target tuna from 10 miles to 180 miles is a rush. Losing sight of land, cutting through blue water, realizing how big and majestic the ocean is… and that’s before even putting lines in. Common sense and logic must prevail before heading out that the boat, captain and crew have the skills, gear and ability not just to fish safely but to fish effectively. Intel is of utmost importance for warm water pockets favored by tuna and just where they’ve been biting. That’s no guarantee but the tuna game is all about fishing waters that have had recent bites. The first sign of whales, porpoises, and birds signal game on. Using beefed-up spinning setups with jigs from a variety of makers or poppers with appropriate hardware to handle 50–200-pound fish has gained a lot of popularity in recent years. Tuna chicks flying just above the water are one of the best indicators to start jigging and popping. When those red arc marks appear on the screen, the suspense is like nothing else.
Enjoy the rest of the summer and catch ‘em up!