Scales and Tales

Fishing in the Shinnecock area full hit stride over the past few days. According to Scott Jeffrey at East End Bait and Tackle, Hampton Bays, a new body of striped bass moved into Shinnecock Inlet and around Ponquogue Bridge. Incoming water has seen the best catches made with surface plugs, clam and live bait. Most fish are in the 22" to 25" range, but a few keepers are mixed in as well. There are also plenty of cocktail blues both at the inlet and inside the bay. Look for diving terns to give away the choppers. Toss small, slender tins to score.

If bay fluke are your desire, Jeffery recommends hitting the flats and channel edges around Rampasture Point, or in the East Cut. For ocean fluke, try in 40' to 50' of water off The Cheese House. Bucktails and fluke bullets are both working well with the summer flatties.