Montauk Sportfishing Report 7/19/04

7/19/04



The main body of bluefins that were hanging around locally have apparently
moved east out to the DUMP, and very few stragglers were left behind. Shark
fishing is excellent, with lots of bluesharks still hanging around as are
threshers (a 500 pounder was brought in this week), although you would have
expected them to also have been moving eastward. I guess the waters aren't
as warm as they are supposed to be, although there have been a few blue
marlin sightings in very close, which would seem to argue the opposite.

Inshore fluke fishing is excellent, with most of the action still
concentrated around Midway. When conditions are right a single drift can
result in a limit of fish. When conditions are wrong you'll still get the
limit, but you'll have to cull through a mess of shorts to do it. Bass
fishing is till off, although it seemed to improve a little over the
weekend. There were some fish taken on the chunks, and that led to a little
testiness on the radio when a couple of charter boats anchored on a spot
that others considered a trolling only spot.

Maybe the stress is getting to the captains because the business seems to be
in a recession this year. I can't figure out what the problem is. Supposedly
the economy is in better shape than the last couple of years, which should
mean that clients are more willing to spend now than before. But it isn't
happening. Some blame it on the new fluke regs, but that doesn't explain why
shark fishing trips are off. Maybe some of you out there have an idea of
what the problem is. If you do, let me know.

Speaking of fluke regs, a new twist has been added to an already screwed up
situation. In New York we are allowed three fish at seventeen inches.
Because of the DEC's bad data, even that plan does not fit into what the
"federales" think our regs should be, so New York is in non-compliance. This
past week holders of a "multi-species permit" were sent a letter stating
that in federal waters the limit on fluke is one fish at eighteen inches.
The multi-species permit is required in order to fish for various bottom
species, including fluke, in federal waters. (Betcha a bunch of you didn't
know that.) There are two interpretations to the letter. One is that you
cannot have more than one fluke of at least eighteen inches per person on
the boat if you are in federal waters. The second and more ominous version
is that as a holder of a multi-species permit, you can never have more than
one eighteen inch fluke. The bottom line is that in the first instance
enforcement can only be on the water. In the second case, you can be
ticketed at the dock. For those of you who don't know where state waters
end, it is at the western end of what is known locally as the main Midway
Rip, which means that currently virtually all our fluke fishing is being
done in federal waters.

If you would like to have these reports sent to you directly, just drop me a
note at . And for more information about
fishing in Montauk, you can give me a call at 800 280 5565 or check out
ht.//www.montauksportfishing.com.


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Capt Gene Kelly
Tropical Fishing Adventures
Montauk Sportfishing
800 280 5565
631 668 2019