Smithtown Bay to Callahans

@george , sure that the inlet didn't provide any joy either...

Never give up Sir

George, I’ll be out there tomorrow. Maybe I’ll see you out there. Would be nice to get a keeper for dinner.

I decided to go out at dead low and give the entire incomming a shot. I also wanted to see just how bad it is getting out at low tide. Both inside and outside of the Nissequogue River is a mess. It's unnavigable at low tide. The dredging done years ago changed everything and not for the better.

After finally getting out we worked various depths from Cranes Neck to Callahan's. We were three anglers and we fished for 6 hours. We totalled 12 fluke with two keepers. There were a number of birds mixed in but for the most part there was little action. It's like we caught every fish that bit.

I refuse to give up yet, but it is starting to look worse than last year.

Keep the faith..

I decided to go out at dead low and give the entire incomming a shot. I also wanted to see just how bad it is getting out at low tide. Both inside and outside of the Nissequogue River is a mess. It's unnavigable at low tide. The dredging done years ago changed everything and not for the better.

After finally getting out we worked various depths from Cranes Neck to Callahan's. We were three anglers and we fished for 6 hours. We totalled 12 fluke with two keepers. There were a number of birds mixed in but for the most part there was little action. It's like we caught every fish that bit.

I refuse to give up yet, but it is starting to look worse than last year.

I believe these draggers have completely destroyed the Fluke fishing in this area.Before I started seeing these guys dragging their nets the Fluke fishing was awesome in this area.2 years after I seen the 1st guy dragging his nets I noticed a difference. Now there's like 7 different guys dragging their nets 7days a week just mowing the lawn.Anything on the bottom has no chance they are completely raping the hell out of everything...I can't believe this is allowed in the sound...

I believe these draggers have completely destroyed the Fluke fishing in this area.Before I started seeing these guys dragging their nets the Fluke fishing was awesome in this area.2 years after I seen the 1st guy dragging his nets I noticed a difference. Now there's like 7 different guys dragging their nets 7days a week just mowing the lawn.Anything on the bottom has no chance they are completely raping the hell out of everything...I can't believe this is allowed in the sound...

I agree that certainly isn't helping, but their quota isn't that much. It's not like me to stick up for a dragger, but I don't think they're the problem. Remember this is something we are seeing not just in the sound but also inside the peconics. I believe what we're seeing, just as we've seen with every marine species on the Atlantic. More fish are headed north than ever before in history.

I agree that certainly isn't helping, but their quota isn't that much. It's not like me to stick up for a dragger, but I don't think they're the problem. Remember this is something we are seeing not just in the sound but also inside the peconics. I believe what we're seeing, just as we've seen with every marine species on the Atlantic. More fish are headed north than ever before in history.

Their quota means nothing because when it's reached whatever is left just floats away.I heard that pretty much nothing swims away from their deck.If I'm right next will be the Blackfish. The shallow water Blackfishing has been fantastic but every year I'm seeing more and more traps.Last year the North fork was paved with Blackfish pots in the rocks if I'm right the Blackfishing will take a hit in the next few seasons.

Again by no means am I here to stick up for commercial fishing, but if you look at the actual numbers you will find they aren't taking many fluke. As for blackfish, that has been an issue for years, but it's now finally being addressed. It will never be what it once was, and the current regs pretty much assure more abundant smaller fish. But I have hope for the new commercial regulations to save the blackfish. A new threat to tog is the invasion of black sea bass that are headed our way - again due to water temps. Not only do they eat baby sea bass but they love baby tog.

Fisheries management is a very complex and sometimes convoluted process, but it's all we have.

The draggers do damage but there’s a lot of other factors, south shore bay has no more eel grass I’m guessing do to the fact of pesticides and other lawn chemicals that run off into the water I’ve never seen so much sandy bottom and without habitat for young fish to hide there sitting ducks for all the predators and then there’s the poachers that take everything they catch so add everything together and our fish numbers drop every year, those winter seals alone can do a number on fish numbers

I decided to go out at dead low and give the entire incomming a shot. I also wanted to see just how bad it is getting out at low tide. Both inside and outside of the Nissequogue River is a mess. It's unnavigable at low tide. The dredging done years ago changed everything and not for the better.

After finally getting out we worked various depths from Cranes Neck to Callahan's. We were three anglers and we fished for 6 hours. We totalled 12 fluke with two keepers. There were a number of birds mixed in but for the most part there was little action. It's like we caught every fish that bit.

I refuse to give up yet, but it is starting to look worse than last year.

George, I went out today - early morning, Fished outside Porpoise channel. 12 fluke all shorts -15-17". Nice drifts with the wind. Tried Sunken Meadow drop off - nothing. Going to buoy 9 tomorrow, give that a try. Keep you posted.

I was going to give that a shot after I got fuel. Thanks for that and good luck.

My question is, if it's not the draggers, then why does the James Joseph out of Huntington bang fluke consistently but both boats out of Pt Jeff go right to scup because the fluking sucks?

My question is, if it's not the draggers, then why does the James Joseph out of Huntington bang fluke consistently but both boats out of Pt Jeff go right to scup because the fluking sucks?

I am wondering if the over seventy municipal sewer districts that treat waste with chemicals or other various methods, and release a range of chemicals, nutrients, bacteria, into the estuary has an affect. With limited flush points and currents that mostly move east and west without exiting, this has serious effects of change. BTW: I am sure everyone has read that OUR drinking water is also being affected.

George has mentioned climate change a few times. I think that may be a factor pushing fish in another direction.

I am with boatguy. I feel the bottom of the sound is why we have lost the fluke, flounder, and lobster. These species all live on the bottom. NYC and western Nassau are allowed to use large amounts of chlorine to clean their sewer system. Plus, when heavy rains occur they just open the flood gates and everything pours into the sound. After years and years of this pollution, the sound just cannot properly flush itself any longer. Our waters do look very clean but I believe the bottom of the sound is a mess.

regards Holty

I am with boatguy. I feel the bottom of the sound is why we have lost the fluke, flounder, and lobster. These species all live on the bottom. NYC and western Nassau are allowed to use large amounts of chlorine to clean their sewer system. Plus, when heavy rains occur they just open the flood gates and everything pours into the sound. After years and years of this pollution, the sound just cannot properly flush itself any longer. Our waters do look very clean but I believe the bottom of the sound is a mess.

regards Holty

Possibly. 🤔 Complex problem.

So as planned I went out yesterday with my cousin John and fished buoy 9 & 11 Miller Place area. Not A fluke to be found. not much of a drift. Power drifted, dead high water. Did catch 3 Sea Bass all nice size. Went back to live another day. Finished up the day around P.J. Cleaning up the porgies for my cousin and my rod in the holder bent like no tomorrow. a nice 21 1/2" fluke.
Hopefully they will be coming to this area soon, cant deal with the 50 robins we caught.
See you on the water!

So as planned I went out yesterday with my cousin John and fished buoy 9 & 11 Miller Place area. Not A fluke to be found. not much of a drift. Power drifted, dead high water. Did catch 3 Sea Bass all nice size. Went back to live another day. Finished up the day around P.J. Cleaning up the porgies for my cousin and my rod in the holder bent like no tomorrow. a nice 21 1/2" fluke.
Hopefully they will be coming to this area soon, cant deal with the 50 robins we caught.
See you on the water!

tommy nice fluke and seabass,,,,,,,,,catch them up,, keep your reports comming 👍><)))):>
><)))):>

Thank you Mojoe. Have a great day.

It's almost as if Long Island can't support both a vibrant marine environment and 7 million humans that love green lawns at the same time.