Bass flood Peconic on new moon tides as bay water hits prime temps

The new moon worked its magic this week, pulling bass into Peconic Bay like a magnet draws iron filings. Water temps finally hit that sweet spot — 66 degrees in the shallows, a solid four degrees warmer than the Sound side — and the stripers responded exactly like they should.

The action peaked during the last 90 minutes of the flood tide, right around sunrise. That's when the current really starts moving, flushing bait out of the back creeks and stacking it against the drop-offs. I watched one angler nail a 31-inch slot bass on her first cast at 6 AM sharp, working a white bucktail in 15 feet of water off the north side of Shelter Island. The key was getting the jig down fast in that ripping current, then letting it swing with the flow.

Bucktails in white and chartreuse are absolutely crushing it right now. Three-quarter ounce heads seem to be the sweet spot — heavy enough to get down in the current but light enough to maintain that fluttering action the bass want. I'm seeing fish from 28 to 34 inches, all healthy slot fish that fight like freight trains in this warm water.

The porgy bite around Shelter Island continues to be world-class, though you need to work for the big ones. The 16 to 17-inch fish are everywhere, but the real jumbos — those 18 to 19-inch bruisers pushing three pounds — require patience and the right chum line. Clam chum is still king, and you want to establish that slick on the flood tide when the current carries the scent down to where the big scup are holding.

I'm finding the best porgy action in 25 to 30 feet of water, particularly around the structured bottom near Jessup's Neck. The fish are feeding aggressively in this warm water, but they're also spookier than usual. Keep your sinkers light — just enough to hold bottom — and use fresh clam on small hooks. Size 4 baitholder hooks are perfect.

Weakfish are finally showing up in decent numbers after a slow start to the season. The first keeper of the year came off the Middle Grounds last week — a solid 19-incher that hit a piece of clam meant for porgies. Since then, I've been hearing about fish in the 3 to 4-pound class scattered throughout the bay. They're relating to the same structure as the porgies, but they seem to prefer the deeper edges, around 35 to 40 feet.

The water clarity has been excellent despite all the recent rain. That northwest wind we had earlier in the week cleaned things up nicely, and the visibility is running 8 to 10 feet in most of the bay. That's perfect for sight fishing the shallow flats, where I've been spotting good numbers of cruising bass during the midday slack periods.

Bait is everywhere right now. Peanut bunker are thick in the back bays, and the adult bunker are starting to show up in the deeper channels. I watched a massive school work the surface near Greenport Harbor yesterday evening, with bass and blues crashing through them. If you can get out there with live bunker on a fishfinder rig, you're going to connect with some serious fish.

Looking ahead, this weekend's full moon is going to create some serious tidal movement. Those spring tides will really get the water moving, which should fire up the bass bite even more. I'm planning to be on the water at first light Saturday, working the rips with bucktails and live bait. The outgoing tide around sunset should be particularly productive — that's when all that warm bay water drains out through the cuts, carrying bait and drawing in hungry stripers from the Sound.

The porgy bite should remain strong through the weekend, but I'd focus on the slack periods when the fish can settle down and feed properly. With these big tides, the current might be too strong during the peak flow periods.

Water temps are holding steady in the mid-60s, which is exactly where we want them for this time of year. Any warmer and the fish start getting sluggish in the heat. Any cooler and they're still thinking about spring patterns. Right now, we're in that perfect window where everything is feeding aggressively and the fishing is as good as it gets in Peconic Bay.