Weakfish return to Ponquogue as bay temps climb past 68 degrees

The new moon cycle that wrapped up last week brought some of the strongest tides I've seen this season, and the fishing responded exactly how it should when you get that kind of water movement through the inlet. Spring tides pushed bait hard on the outgoing, especially after midnight when the current really starts to rip. Water temps finally broke through that 68-degree barrier in the back bay — I'm seeing 69 to 70 degrees in the shallows near Hampton Bays, which is the magic number for weakfish to start their summer feeding pattern.

This week we're sliding into the waxing crescent phase, which means tides are backing off from those monster spring flows but still carrying enough push to keep bait moving. The forecast shows southwest winds dominating through the weekend, which should keep the bay relatively clean and fishable. More importantly, this wind pattern tends to stack warmer surface water against the north shore of the bay, creating those temperature breaks where fluke love to set up ambush points.

The night bite at the inlet has been the story this past week. I've been working the outgoing tide from 11 PM to 2 AM, focusing on the north jetty where the current creates that perfect eddy line. Keeper stripers to 32 inches on live peanut bunker, fished on a simple fishfinder rig with just enough weight to hold bottom in the current. The key is positioning yourself where the bait gets swept out of the bay and tumbles along that drop-off on the ocean side. I'm using 6/0 circle hooks on 50-pound fluorocarbon leaders — these fish are spooky in the clear water we've been getting.

The real surprise has been the weakfish showing up at the Ponquogue Bridge. Three trips this week, connected on two of them with fish in the 16 to 20-inch range. They're hitting small bucktails tipped with Gulp — chartreuse and pink have been the hot colors. Fish the bridge pilings on the incoming tide, especially the hour before slack high. The weakies are staging in 12 to 15 feet of water, right where the current breaks around the structure.

Fluke fishing in the bay has shifted into summer mode with the warmer water. The deeper holes between Hampton Bays and the canal are holding good numbers, especially the 25-foot depression about a mile east of the Ponquogue. I'm drifting white Gulp Swimming Mullets on 3/4-ounce bucktails, working them slow along the bottom. Doormat potential is there — saw a 6-pounder come over the rail yesterday, though most of the keepers are running 18 to 22 inches. The fluke are definitely feeding more aggressively now that the water's warmed up.

Bait situation is solid. Peanut bunker are thick in the bay, especially around the docks in Hampton Bays. Spearing are showing up in good numbers near the inlet, and I'm starting to see some adult bunker pods staging outside the inlet mouth. The bait is healthy and active, which always translates to better fishing.

Bluefish have been mixed — some days they're a welcome addition to the cooler, other days they're just chopping up your fluke rigs. The blues seem to be following the bunker schools, so if you're seeing bait getting pushed around on the surface, expect some choppers in the mix.

Looking ahead, the waxing crescent moon means moderate tides through the weekend, which should keep the inlet fishable for those night sessions. The southwest wind pattern looks to continue, which is perfect for bay fishing but might make the ocean side a bit snotty if you're thinking about running outside. Water temps should hold steady or climb slightly, which keeps the weakfish bite active and should bring more fluke into the shallows as we head into July. If I had one shot this weekend, I'd fish the Saturday night outgoing at the inlet — the tide timing looks perfect for that 11 PM to 1 AM window when the big bass move through.