I have nine brothers and sisters. When we were young, if our father took us bottom fishing in Coecles Harbor, or anywhere else, he made it a game. There would be a prize of 50 cents for the first fish, 50 cents for the biggest fish, 50 cents for the most fish and 50 cents for a new species.
I remember one trip when we caught 60 blowfish, a couple of hackleheads and not much else. We threw them all back. These days, you don’t catch as many blowfish (puffers) as in the early 1960s and I haven’t seen a hacklehead in decades. But our dad would have been paying through the nose for all the varied species that we regularly catch now.
On three recent trips into Little Peconic Bay, just west of Jessup Neck, my crew of inexperienced anglers spent hours enjoying calm waters, beautiful sunshine and great bottom fishing.
Bottom fishing is easy
We caught, porgies, fluke, sea robins, kingfish croaker, weakfish, snappers, one sand shark and some black sea bass. And all by bottom fishing on the same hi-lo black sea bass rigs!
We drifted on the outgoing tide in about 45 feet of water, crossing the same spot over and over. The action was nearly constant but, of course, our prey made off with a decent meal of spearing and squid as often as we were able to land them.
Only a couple of the fluke and none of the black sea bass or weakfish were keepers. But it really didn’t matter. A 6-year-old angler is happier to catch and release after experiencing the thrill of boating a fish. Seeing so many different species is an education. Watching them swim back to the deep water is a pleasure all its own.
How many times have you been asked to take guests fishing? For me, it’s several times every summer and the answer depends upon who’s asking. Experienced anglers might be talking about a striped bass trip to Plum Gut, the Race or Montauk.
But often as not, in my case, people just want to get out on the water, feel a tug on the line and pull in a fish. Fortunately, that is as easy as can be around our Island with some bottom fishing.
Don’t have access to a boat? No problem. Another fun family activity is surf casting. Read about it in this Gazette post.
And, mark your calendars for the Shelter Island Lions Club annual Snapper Derby on Saturday, September 1. Kids can fish anywhere west of Gardiners Island — or contribute artwork to a logo contest — in this Shelter Island rite of passage. The tournament is free and includes a fun cookout at the American Legion Hall. Find details at shelterislandsnapperderby.org.
