There’s nothing like controversy to kick off a new fishing season, and when it comes to fisheries management there’s generally plenty to go around. Black sea bass regulations are the sticking point of the moment, and they have nearly everyone shaking their head. At a meeting in Stony Brook, NY on Tuesday, March 27, the […]… Read more »

It was an interesting week on the inshore fishing front as snappers, blue claw crabs and triggerfish all increased their presence substantially while keeper fluke consolidated in a few areas but seemed to disperse in others. I had a chance to work the Middle Bay/Jones Beach area last Saturday, trying to turn on some friends […]… Read more »

Black sea bass were the primary topic of my Newsday outdoors column this week, but there was more news than I could fit into such a short piece. The Captree fleet, for example, had some very good action on the Fire Island artificial reef. “The morning tides have produced the most consistent action with sea […]… Read more »

In Friday’s Newsday column I touched on summer weakfishing. The action this year has been pretty good, as noted, but the pattern is different than in years past. Sure, there are a decent number of weakfish in the usual haunts and deep holes inside the bays and harobrs, but there also seem to be a […]… Read more »

With the wind and rain of Hurricane Arthur’s near miss now behind us, the next few days have a lot of potential on the fishing front. Catches picked up as the barometer dropped and the big low approached. Now, with the water freshly churned and full of oxygen, that uptick should continue for at least […]… Read more »

  What a fun trip I had sailing out of Port Jefferson aboard the open boat Celtic Quest with the Ward Melville High School Fishing Club last Sunday. The club has over 40 members and is growing more popular with students every year. “Growing up,” said club advisor, Bob Wilson, “I had the good fortune […]… Read more »

That West End summer flattie action I mentioned in today’s Newsday Column (6/27/14) is no fluke. The bite has been solid with quite a few fish in the 4- to 6-pound class, plus a surprising number of doormats pushing to 8 pounds according to Mark Keller at Bay Park Fishing Station. Best of the action […]… Read more »

  Governor Andrew Cuomo and the top brass at NYS DEC seem to be determined to make the licensing process easier for NY State’s anglers, hunters and State Park users. Last year, the state lowered prices and combined some facets of fishing and hunting licenses to streamline the process. Now they’ve introduced a “lifetime” Adventure […]… Read more »