Sound bass fire on bunker schools as 68-degree water stacks bait from Throgs to Oyster Bay

The Western Sound is finally hitting its stride, and it's about time. Water temps climbed to 68 degrees this week — that magic number that gets the bait moving and the bass paying attention. I've been watching this setup build for two weeks, and now it's all coming together like a well-oiled machine.

The bunker schools are thick from Little Neck Bay all the way out to Matinecock Point. These aren't the massive adults we'll see in August — we're talking peanuts, maybe 3 to 4 inches, but they're everywhere. The outgoing tide has been the key, concentrating these baitfish in the channel mouths and against the structure where the bass can pin them down.

I worked the Execution Rocks area Tuesday morning on the last two hours of the ebb, and it was like a textbook lesson in striper behavior. The fish were stacked on the northwest side where the current breaks around the rocks. Live-lined peanuts on a simple fishfinder rig — 3/0 circle hook, 2-foot fluorocarbon leader, just enough weight to get down in the current. Had four bass between 28 and 34 inches in an hour and a half. All released, all fat and healthy.

The Stepping Stones light has been producing consistently on the same pattern. The key is positioning yourself upcurrent of the structure and letting the tide carry your bait into the strike zone. I've been using 20-pound braid with a 3-ounce bank sinker when the current's really ripping, switching to 2 ounces on the slack periods.

Fluke fishing has picked up considerably with the warmer water. The drift from Matinecock Point toward Centre Island has been the most consistent producer. White Gulp Swimming Mullets on 3/4-ounce bucktails are taking fish in 25 to 35 feet of water. The trick is keeping your jig just off the bottom — these fish are suspended about 2 feet up, following the bait schools.

Had a good session Sunday working the channel edge off Oyster Bay Harbor. The tide was just starting to flood, pushing clean water into the bay, and the fluke were lined up along the 30-foot contour. Chartreuse bucktails with white teasers 18 inches up the line produced three keepers to 22 inches. The bite shut off as soon as the tide went slack — classic fluke behavior when they're feeding on moving bait.

The porgies are thick around Hart Island and the Stepping Stones. High-low rigs with size 6 hooks and small pieces of clam or sandworm are producing steady action. Nothing huge — mostly 8 to 10 inches — but great for the kids and perfect for the table.

What's really got me excited is the bait concentration. The 6-degree temperature differential between the Sound and the ocean side is creating a natural bait trap. Warm bay water at 74 degrees is drawing everything inshore, while the cooler 68-degree Sound water is holding it there. This is the kind of setup that can produce for weeks if the weather cooperates.

The southwest wind pattern we've had this week has been perfect — just enough chop to break up the surface but not enough to make the fishing uncomfortable. The barometric pressure has been stable around 1003 millibars, which keeps the fish active and feeding predictably.

Looking ahead, we've got a new moon Friday, which means spring tides and stronger currents. That's going to flush even more bait out of the harbors and concentrate it along the channel edges. I'm planning to hit the Throgs Neck Bridge area on the big ebb Friday evening — that's where the East River current meets the Sound, and it should be a highway for migrating bait.

The only caution is the weekend boat traffic. With conditions this good and the weather forecast looking stable, it's going to be a zoo out there Saturday and Sunday. Get out early or fish the evening tides to avoid the circus. The fish don't care about your schedule, but they definitely notice when fifty boats are running over the same piece of water.

One more thing — keep an eye on the weed situation. The southwest winds have been pushing some loose grass around, especially in the shallower areas. If you're getting fouled every drift, move deeper or try the north side of the channels where the current keeps things cleaner.