Due to Covid in 2020, I did not charter. However, that did not stop me from fishing by myself or with my friends. The report below represents what I experienced.
2020 RECAP
Striper fishing
Plugging for Schoolie bass I break out from chunking (bait fishing) for larger bass over 20lbs in that it is really is a different type of fishing. My logs show that my first bass for 2020 was landed March 29th. Plugging was excellent for school bass and some slot fish up to 28” to 36” through mid to late August last year. There were some slow days in the mix, however most trips provided pretty good action. The bass never seems to let up in the shallows due to the abundance of small bait. Early early mornings, evenings and night are the best time to experience the best fishing. However, we do catch bass mid day.
Blue fishing was good on bait and plugs from late May forward. June and July found great surface plugging for gator blues on to water plugs in mid sound. Mid August onward we started to have steady plugging in shallower water. There was a steady supply of 6lb to 14lbs fish. Some days were much better than others, but overall pretty good. There was at times a mix of bass with the blues on plugs.
Porgies - wow, what a year. We had very steady porgy fishing with a lot of jumbo’s pushing or exceeding 2lbs. Catches were by the cooler full. Rods were bending and the fish were thumping. Great action for children and a tasty fish to boot.
Fluke was good from mid May through early August. The action was pretty steady. Mid August the fishing started to fade.
Sea bass fishing was pretty good. Most times a by- catch of porgies or fluke fishing with some days producing as much as six or so fish. However fishing exclusively for the sea bass on the wrecks provided a better catch ratio. Given that eight years or so ago the sea bass fishing was not existent, for this part of the sound, each passing year gets better.
Black fishing was good. Some days were slower then others, but majority of trips we had a lot of shorts and a nice mix of keeper blackfish. The largest in 2018 was over 11lbs.
Albies showed up in force in 2017 around the islands the last week in September and fishing was good through October. These speedsters provided great action, screaming drags and lots of fun on light tackle.
Winter Flounder – Fishing for flounders in the spring was poor.
Striper fishing
Plugging for Schoolie bass I break out from chunking (bait fishing) for larger bass over 20lbs in that it is really is a different type of fishing. My logs show that my first bass for 2020 was landed March 29th. Plugging was excellent for school bass and some slot fish up to 28” to 36” through mid to late August last year. There were some slow days in the mix, however most trips provided pretty good action. The bass never seems to let up in the shallows due to the abundance of small bait. Early early mornings, evenings and night are the best time to experience the best fishing. However, we do catch bass mid day.
Blue fishing was good on bait and plugs from late May forward. June and July found great surface plugging for gator blues on to water plugs in mid sound. Mid August onward we started to have steady plugging in shallower water. There was a steady supply of 6lb to 14lbs fish. Some days were much better than others, but overall pretty good. There was at times a mix of bass with the blues on plugs.
Porgies - wow, what a year. We had very steady porgy fishing with a lot of jumbo’s pushing or exceeding 2lbs. Catches were by the cooler full. Rods were bending and the fish were thumping. Great action for children and a tasty fish to boot.
Fluke was good from mid May through early August. The action was pretty steady. Mid August the fishing started to fade.
Sea bass fishing was pretty good. Most times a by- catch of porgies or fluke fishing with some days producing as much as six or so fish. However fishing exclusively for the sea bass on the wrecks provided a better catch ratio. Given that eight years or so ago the sea bass fishing was not existent, for this part of the sound, each passing year gets better.
Black fishing was good. Some days were slower then others, but majority of trips we had a lot of shorts and a nice mix of keeper blackfish. The largest in 2018 was over 11lbs.
Albies showed up in force in 2017 around the islands the last week in September and fishing was good through October. These speedsters provided great action, screaming drags and lots of fun on light tackle.
Winter Flounder – Fishing for flounders in the spring was poor.