Fluke fire at Jones Inlet as bay water hits 74 degrees

The thermometer tells the whole story this week — Great South Bay hit 74 degrees while the ocean side is holding at 68. That 6-degree gradient is like a magnet for bait, and where the bait goes, the fluke follow. I've been watching this pattern build for two weeks, and it finally clicked this past weekend.

The sweet spot is right at the inlet mouth on the start of the outgoing tide. I'm talking about that first hour when the bay water starts to drain and concentrates everything in the choke point. Green bucktails are the ticket — specifically a green teaser bucktail rigged a foot above your sinker with a white Gulp Swimming Mullet on the bottom hook. The guys at Combs B&T have been pushing green all month, and they're dead right.

Smelt is outfishing squid three to one right now. Hook them behind the head, let them flutter on the drift. The fluke are keyed in on the natural baitfish that are getting flushed out of the bay system. I'm seeing keeper fluke in the 19 to 21-inch range, with plenty of shorts mixed in. The action dies when the tide goes slack, then picks up again on the last two hours of incoming.

Weeds are the wild card. The inlet has been loaded with grass this week, especially on the west side. If you're getting fouled every drop, slide over to the Sloop Channel or work the Point Lookout side where the current runs cleaner. The party boats have been dealing with the same issue — I watched the Captree fleet move east when the weed load got too thick.

Birds have been working overtime on massive bait pods west of the third Wantagh bridge. Looks like sand eels from what I could see, thick enough to darken the water. The fluke are underneath them, but you need to get your rig down fast before the current pushes you off the school. Diamond jigs aren't cutting it — the fish want that slow, natural presentation of the bucktail and bait combo.

The southwest wind pattern we've had all week is actually helping. It's extending the incoming tide and keeping bait concentrated in the back bay longer. When that tide turns and starts to ebb, everything gets funneled through the inlet at once. That's your window.

DEC has been active on the water — they boarded boats at Captree and were checking licenses at the Wantagh Park ramp. Keep your paperwork clean and know your regs. The sea bass bite has been solid on the inlet structure, but they're checking sizes hard.

Looking ahead, we've got a full moon Friday which means spring tides and stronger current flow. That should flush even more bait out of the bay system and concentrate the fluke bite. The weather pattern looks stable — southwest winds in the 10 to 15 knot range, which is perfect for inlet fishing.

Water temps are climbing steadily. That 74-degree bay water is prime fluke habitat, and as long as we keep this gradient between bay and ocean, the fishing should stay hot. The key is timing your trip with the tide change and having the right bait presentation ready when you get there.