You'd have thought the world was ending the last time the regs changed for fluke. That change wasn't all that long ago and look at the positive effects the fishery is already starting to show! What a crazy bite!
The problem is that many areas are not seeing this type of action. The grounds that I usually fish in Long Island Sound in the spring were not very good this year.
I caught a 21 inch fluke last week by the Thumb and I was so excited I almost fell out of my boat. If I landed a 9 pounder I'd probably shoot off some flares.
Mike , I just recently found your channel , and I just have to say thank. Thanks for the videos , and all the info. Definitely deserved my new sub here tonight. Really enjoy your channel.
Awesome video! I went fluke fishing in Ocean City, MD a week ago! We caught 3 fish, 2 were keepers! Fluke fishing sure is a lot of fun! Keep up the great work!
I'm always smiling when you post a video! I watch so many of your videos and pass information on to my boyfriend. He said it's time to upgrate the rigs and get out of the 80's-style lol Thanks John
Also I’m planing on gettin a boga scale after going through a bunch of junk ones. Would you recommend the 30lb or the 50lb? Would use it for weigh all northeast fish
John, Ive been watching your fluke fishing videos for years now, and up until this summer Ive never caught a fluke. The first one was on a party boat, so I was happy, but still not happy enough. I started watching your beach fishing videos, and decided to get out on the beach. I caught 1 keeper and 3 shorts in a couple hours. I was going by everything you said, and everything you said was 100% accurate. There was a school of baitfish jumping because of my line, so i pitched it right behind the school and caught a decent sized fluke.
Yeah, was that some kind of Korean fermenting soup you left in there for us? I could smell that stuff for days afterwards. Actually I blame Halkias. He just doesn't bother with boat cleanliness as I do.
Epic! I'll take mine baked with buttered bread crumb crusted crab meat. Wash it all down with a fine white wine. And for dessert? I'll be having pear halves with whipped cream cheese, layered with sliced almonds and a single bright red cherry on top to finish. Next?? I'll be laying down for a while to recover, dreaming all the while of the next exciting fishing adventure.
John, after a season of not getting even 1 keeper last week my buddy and I bit the bullet at headed to Montauk ( out of New Haven harbor). we limited out in about an hour. All I can say is what a magnificent fishery you have out there. we are both totally addicted now. There are many trips planned out your way. the biggest problem we have to deal with is the $300 gas bill every week. but hey,,,,junkies have their drug I have mine.
Wow!.. I myself haven't seen action like that, since fishing with my Dad and brother on our small vessel along the ambrose channel. we owned at the time. This was back in 1997.
Great video John a lot of good tips from you like always. I did notice when you net you put the Net in the water A head of The fish. There was a old video out by some big guy from montauke ny in it he had tips on catching fluke and also a part about netting fluke he said you. Put the net in the water the fish see it and he will thrash and swim away from it getting away he said at the last min from behind to net the fish I enjoy all your videos take care
FISHBITES SQUID !!! Hi John, We drifted for fluke with Gulp and Fishbites Squid in Ocean City, NJ. We used rigs like you do and had Gulp on one hook and Fishbites Squid on the other hook. We changed the baits from the Hi to the Lo and back again, just to make sure the hook drift height didn't make a difference. We caught 80% of the fluke on Fishbites Squid. Used a 1 inch piece of Fishbites on the hook, not a long piece, and it held up for hours. I have been using Gulp for many years with success but I'm using Fishbites from now on. Thought you may be interested in my experience. Thanks, Mickey
The fish are out of the Peconics. I'm having a hard time getting over to the South Shore bays when the Montauk trips are more convenient and productive. I need a stretch of big seas to force me inside.
Great day's fishing for all of you. Can you estimate how much difference it would make to your catches if you fished without the Gulp baits attached? Knowing your style, you will have experimented to find out at some time. Well done, from a jealous Limey.
I've tried other things, always when I had someone to compare to, and I've always ended up going back. I'd use something else if I thought it would up my catch.
Amazing day on the water way to go! John question I have for you in regards to cutting the rod tips. I was looking at a Tsunami TSCC 701XH 7ft rod rated for 1-4oz lures. By removing a few inches from the top, ideally what could I expect to see the min or max lure weight change to, if at all?
I'm using 15# on both. There's a link to the dark matter in the video description. Sweet spot is 1.5-4 ounces. The rod weighs only 6 ounces, so it's very lightweight yet with enough backbone to bury the hook.
If the fish gets slack, there's an excellent chance of losing it. My objective is to keep a heavy bend in the rod, and reel at whatever speed accomplishes that. Clearly some of the guys I fish with reel much slower!
Thanks John yeah it's like "get it in the boat" haha. I'm used to kayaking and using smaller reels and having to crank faster. The ratio on those reels your using are pretty good for the setup on fluke. Amazing rods also.
woww amazing guys this yr coming ill have to start as a newbie into fluke fishing , please if you (pros) can answer a few quick questions, 1- approx what depth were yous at ? 2- bucktails size 4-5-or 6oz ? and what color grub mostly..thanks...im still so so amazed...thanks for sharing, and john those dark matter rods look super good and light in weight ill have to get one myself... again thanks guys..please keep them videos coming...blessings to all..i watched this one video 3 times..to learn from you pros..
Thank you for the videos. You made me a better fisherman. I think I read in your book that you get a better hookset with a fixed shank hook rather than a swing hook and you prefer fixed shank versus swing hooks. It seems like you are fishing more now with swing hooks rather than fixed hooks. Do you have a preference for one over the other? Are there certain times you would use one over the other? What are some of the advantages and disadvantages that you noticed between the two? Thanks.
Excellent questions. I believe I made that comment with respect to casting for stripers. In the deep water with heavy fluke bucktails, I definitely prefer the swing hooks. Getting good action on the jig makes all of the difference, and it's hard to do that with a 2- to 6-ounce jig. The swing hook gives more of an undulating action. If you have access to a pool or a dock with clear water, try jigging a fixed hook 4-ounce verses a 4-ounce swing hook, and you'll see what I mean.
Great video as always John. Thanks for posting. What was your drift speed when you needed 5 ounces? When the drift changed did the drift speed change? if so did you change the ounce of the buck tail? I have also noticed you don’t get an “at dawn” start like you do for bass. Have you noticed better fishing after a certain time? Thanks, Scott
Smart questions. I've rarely seen a good sunrise bite. They often seem to take time to get going. We have an hour+ run to the grounds, so even if we leave just before sunrise, we're not getting there very early. As for the weight/current question. It's a strange place current-wise. Sometimes the bottom and top currents differ and you scope with no wind and a moderate drift. We were .5-1.0 the entire trip, with weights ranging 2 to 6 ounces.
Forgive me if this sounds like a stupid question. If there is very little wind and you are an hour out from dock (I think that minimizes the tidal impact) what causes the shift in current speed throughout the day? Moon phase is the same. Temperature swings aren’t too dramatic but may have an impact. I would appreciate if you can help me better understand. Thanks.
Thanks. The question was more of a general question about what conditions impact the deeper ocean currents throughout a day or from day to day. I have a good understanding of what impacts current speed in a bay or inlet (stage of tide, moon phase, wind speed, wind direction, etc...) and that allows me to pick the best potential times and days to fish. I’m very green to ocean currents and it would be nice to be able to pick the best potential days just like I can do in a bay or inlet. Thanks again
That particular area we're fishing is, at least for us, not as predictable as fishing in other places. It's the intersection of the ocean and Block Island Sound and we're finding it hard to look at tide charts and winds and know exactly what to expect, as we usually can everywhere else.
This video is several years old, but I'm still surprised I did that. FWIW, the stuff isn't plastic, it's biodegradable, and studies show that fish do pass it through their digestive systems. Still, we routinely throw the stubs in the garbage and it would have been better if I didn't drop that one in the water. Good catch on your part.
The nexus is a little beefier with a longer butt. Good 2-6 ounces. The dark matter is lighter in weight and handles up to 4 ounces well, although we went to 6 with it last weekend and it was OK.
You know it's a big fish when Skinner drops an S bomb.
Love your videos.I would like to see more close up of the rigs n colors in 2023.keep on fishing. We will be in montock this summer.
You'd have thought the world was ending the last time the regs changed for fluke. That change wasn't all that long ago and look at the positive effects the fishery is already starting to show! What a crazy bite!
The problem is that many areas are not seeing this type of action. The grounds that I usually fish in Long Island Sound in the spring were not very good this year.
I'd drink the water in the bleed bucket for that much action lol. Nice job John!
Adam Costa I’d have to agree with you in that unfortunately lol
Amazing. I fished the other day for 11 hours and couldn't hit water if I fell off the boat. Thanks for sharing. It gives people like me hope!
Great video John. Loved watching it even though it was only three days ago. Never going to forget this one. Thx for preserving the memories.
I'm your biggest fan Sweeney. You catch the biggest fluke and lose the biggest fluke and seem unfazed from it.
Thanks Marc. I appreciate it. Learned it all from Skinner and Halkias.
love when sweeny wears those cold weather sorel deer hunting boots for fluking in the summer...hes just an animal!!
termite122 and he’s always cold - even in 90 degree weather!!!!
Great fishing, love that boat
Video was truly a pleasure to watch. Thank you!
I caught a 21 inch fluke last week by the Thumb and I was so excited I almost fell out of my boat. If I landed a 9 pounder I'd probably shoot off some flares.
Kenny Cannon dude same thing around here if we get 2 fish over 5,6 pounds in a single day we are excited. That’s an insane day right there.
I caught 22 today and I was hyped
Dude that's a keeper here where do u live
Dude, my family moved there to shelter island over 60 years ago. I miss fishing those waters i grew up on.
Just when I thought it couldn't possibly get better. If it wasn't on video no one would believe it!
Great action again,glad to see Sweeney killing it today, he's making up for the Hali absence again !!
Mike , I just recently found your channel , and I just have to say thank. Thanks for the videos , and all the info. Definitely deserved my new sub here tonight. Really enjoy your channel.
That is a ridiculous trip. Way to go. Always enjoy your videos.
Seriously, there are no words......ok, I’ll say amazing. Congrats guys!
Awesome video! I went fluke fishing in Ocean City, MD a week ago! We caught 3 fish, 2 were keepers! Fluke fishing sure is a lot of fun! Keep up the great work!
Always getting it done. Unreal lol good job John! 🐟💪🏽
One more nice video, thanks for sharing!!
Great video. Enjoyed the fishing.
Awesome John love to see your style of fishing can’t wait to be on the boat with you Johnnie boy from the jigging jerks awesome 👏🏼
Sweeney shoved that bucktail down the flukes throat to slow you down. Lol, great video.
Ahhh, that explains it!
Really amazing. Don’t let those days spoil you!
Too late for that. A couple of grind days will snap us back to reality.
I'm always smiling when you post a video! I watch so many of your videos and pass information on to my boyfriend. He said it's time to upgrate the rigs and get out of the 80's-style lol Thanks John
Mr. skinner your ocean fluke videos will never ever get old.. love every minute of them just incredible
Also I’m planing on gettin a boga scale after going through a bunch of junk ones. Would you recommend the 30lb or the 50lb? Would use it for weigh all northeast fish
For fluke I'd suggest the 15#, the 60# for stripers.
John Skinner Fishing oh dang the cheaper one only goes to 15# I thought it was 30#
John, Ive been watching your fluke fishing videos for years now, and up until this summer Ive never caught a fluke. The first one was on a party boat, so I was happy, but still not happy enough. I started watching your beach fishing videos, and decided to get out on the beach. I caught 1 keeper and 3 shorts in a couple hours. I was going by everything you said, and everything you said was 100% accurate. There was a school of baitfish jumping because of my line, so i pitched it right behind the school and caught a decent sized fluke.
Thanks for sharing that! Glad the vids helped.
Beautiful this place Congratulations, good video
Have a great week.
Hugs and Good *Fish.* 👍🎣😊
Ancient Korean proverb #2 - smelly box of good fortune will linger-on to the next fluke trip 🙏
Yeah, was that some kind of Korean fermenting soup you left in there for us? I could smell that stuff for days afterwards. Actually I blame Halkias. He just doesn't bother with boat cleanliness as I do.
Hahahahhahahahaha - now I don’t feel bad about the video I’m gonna make on the boats :)
Epic great video tight lines🎣
Epic! I'll take mine baked with buttered bread crumb crusted crab meat. Wash it all down with a fine white wine. And for dessert? I'll be having pear halves with whipped cream cheese, layered with sliced almonds and a single bright red cherry on top to finish. Next?? I'll be laying down for a while to recover, dreaming all the while of the next exciting fishing adventure.
The info on the dragger was cool I didn't know that.
its a scalloper out of CT
Amazing my best day last year was closing day of fluke season I cant wait for opening day nothing get me more excited
Fast and furious fun! Love it!
John, after a season of not getting even 1 keeper last week my buddy and I bit the bullet at headed to Montauk ( out of New Haven harbor). we limited out in about an hour.
All I can say is what a magnificent fishery you have out there. we are both totally addicted now. There are many trips planned out your way. the biggest problem we have to deal with is the $300 gas bill every week. but hey,,,,junkies have their drug I have mine.
Wow. Long haul for sure! Do you guys usually run across to can 7 in June?
yes,,,got all shorts. we went to a ledge after trying near shore and got a little striper action
watching your fluke video only to be interrupted by the dallas cheerleader commercials what could be better on a sunday afternoon
Envious of the quality of you flounders John.. good fishing....Regards Ian uk 🇬🇧
John you the man!!
I have had some good days fishing. I have had some great days fishing. But what you guys had needs a new definition. Wowzers
That was the best fishing trip I have ever seen just wow that was phenomenal fishing
It was one I'll never forget
John Sweeney hey plus there was a double rainbow 🌈
Yes ! Want a dark matter rod !
wow, thanks for the video
You know it excellent when you can't do the things you need to do because the bite is hot!!
Wow!.. I myself haven't seen action like that, since fishing with my Dad and brother on our small vessel along the ambrose channel. we owned at the time. This was back in 1997.
Nice day....epic bite.
Great video John a lot of good tips from you like always. I did notice when you net you put the Net in the water A head of The fish. There was a old video out by some big guy from montauke ny in it he had tips on catching fluke and also a part about netting fluke he said you. Put the net in the water the fish see it and he will thrash and swim away from it getting away he said at the last min from behind to net the fish I enjoy all your videos take care
Really amazing
Amazing
Whoever gives this video a thumbs down is just plain ignorant!
John you should come do the three Belle's trifecta tournament next year and show us how to catch some door mats like that in our CT waters!
I would like to call you Fluke John. Nice catch
I was just getting ready to start cleaning blue claw crabs and start making my sauce...but, it can wait. :o)
you guys know the spot!
Amazing guys! Sweeney is a fluke sharpie
Thanks Jim. Learned it all from these guys!
One of, if not the best you tube channels out there! Love that John gives such great detail! Don’t change a thing guys!
Last Chance Corral. No more summer flounder for ~6 months in CT.
FISHBITES SQUID !!! Hi John, We drifted for fluke with Gulp and Fishbites Squid in Ocean City, NJ. We used rigs like you do and had Gulp on one hook and Fishbites Squid on the other hook. We changed the baits from the Hi to the Lo and back again, just to make sure the hook drift height didn't make a difference. We caught 80% of the fluke on Fishbites Squid. Used a 1 inch piece of Fishbites on the hook, not a long piece, and it held up for hours. I have been using Gulp for many years with success but I'm using Fishbites from now on. Thought you may be interested in my experience. Thanks, Mickey
Thanks for sharing that!
Hi John, I've learned a lot from your videos. Thanks for helping all of us. Thanks, Mickey
Hey John - Great video as usual but just wondering if you're ever going to do anymore bay video's?
The fish are out of the Peconics. I'm having a hard time getting over to the South Shore bays when the Montauk trips are more convenient and productive. I need a stretch of big seas to force me inside.
Damn...why did i goto work today..😥...🎣🎣🎣
John where you on the Cartwright ? Last year same week we did the same , a 12.85 and 10.56 where the biggest thanks
Epic 👍
Great day's fishing for all of you. Can you estimate how much difference it would make to your catches if you fished without the Gulp baits attached? Knowing your style, you will have experimented to find out at some time. Well done, from a jealous Limey.
I've tried other things, always when I had someone to compare to, and I've always ended up going back. I'd use something else if I thought it would up my catch.
Thanks, John.
black sea bass are the good bonus fish, they taste good and have a fight
Holy shit!
Amazing day on the water way to go! John question I have for you in regards to cutting the rod tips. I was looking at a Tsunami TSCC 701XH 7ft rod rated for 1-4oz lures. By removing a few inches from the top, ideally what could I expect to see the min or max lure weight change to, if at all?
Do not cut the XH! That thing is very stiff to start. Sweet spot 4-6 ounces.
Wow. Great trip! One question for you...why do you thumb the line when you’re fighting a fish? Drag not strong enough to hold?
Old habit. I don't have a good reason. I don't even know I'm doing it.
Wow what a great day!!
John, are you using 15lb braid on the nexus rod and also a little info on the Dark matter rod please.
I'm using 15# on both. There's a link to the dark matter in the video description. Sweet spot is 1.5-4 ounces. The rod weighs only 6 ounces, so it's very lightweight yet with enough backbone to bury the hook.
Great video! How do you like the dark matter rod compared to the tsunami slow pitch rod? Which do you prefer or is it for different applications?
The Dark Matter is like a slightly stiffer, higher quality, Tsunami Classic 7' H.
great vid, any more kayak videos comming. any intrest in selling the good old trident?
Sell my trident?? Ha! I didn't stop kayak fishing. These trips are just the best ones for me to do right now. The plastic boat will get wet soon.
WOW !
Do you use the recommended lure weight on the rod your using to catch the flounder?
What would be a good inshore setup for flounder as well as blues or spanish mack?
John does the hook seem to not pull out when reeling slow or does that technique work best in the deeper water? Great show with those fluke.
If the fish gets slack, there's an excellent chance of losing it. My objective is to keep a heavy bend in the rod, and reel at whatever speed accomplishes that. Clearly some of the guys I fish with reel much slower!
Thanks John yeah it's like "get it in the boat" haha. I'm used to kayaking and using smaller reels and having to crank faster. The ratio on those reels your using are pretty good for the setup on fluke. Amazing rods also.
Good point - those are 7:1 gear ratio reels, so even reeling slowly we're picking up line.
woww amazing guys this yr coming ill have to start as a newbie into fluke fishing , please if you (pros) can answer a few quick questions, 1- approx what depth were yous at ? 2- bucktails size 4-5-or 6oz ? and what color grub mostly..thanks...im still so so amazed...thanks for sharing, and john those dark matter rods look super good and light in weight ill have to get one myself... again thanks guys..please keep them videos coming...blessings to all..i watched this one video 3 times..to learn from you pros..
The current affects the weight you'll need more than the depth. Sometimes we can fish 1.5 ounces in 85-feet. Other times we need 6 ounces in 40 feet.
@@JohnSkinnerFishing got it john, ...oh I see. .i see what you mean. ..ill go with the flow..
Probably need to inspect the net after the workout it got!!!
What kind of rod & reel do you use to catch fluke, John?
Thank you for the videos. You made me a better fisherman. I think I read in your book that you get a better hookset with a fixed shank hook rather than a swing hook and you prefer fixed shank versus swing hooks. It seems like you are fishing more now with swing hooks rather than fixed hooks. Do you have a preference for one over the other? Are there certain times you would use one over the other? What are some of the advantages and disadvantages that you noticed between the two? Thanks.
Excellent questions. I believe I made that comment with respect to casting for stripers. In the deep water with heavy fluke bucktails, I definitely prefer the swing hooks. Getting good action on the jig makes all of the difference, and it's hard to do that with a 2- to 6-ounce jig. The swing hook gives more of an undulating action. If you have access to a pool or a dock with clear water, try jigging a fixed hook 4-ounce verses a 4-ounce swing hook, and you'll see what I mean.
Thank you for clarifying
My God
Those tiny fluke are all I catch in Port Washington however I fish for fun so it doesn’t bother me
In my area (Chesapeake bay) we have a decent amount of flounder but they aren’t huge like that. My biggest is 21 inches
WOW
Great video as always John. Thanks for posting.
What was your drift speed when you needed 5 ounces? When the drift changed did the drift speed change? if so did you change the ounce of the buck tail?
I have also noticed you don’t get an “at dawn” start like you do for bass. Have you noticed better fishing after a certain time?
Thanks,
Scott
Smart questions. I've rarely seen a good sunrise bite. They often seem to take time to get going. We have an hour+ run to the grounds, so even if we leave just before sunrise, we're not getting there very early. As for the weight/current question. It's a strange place current-wise. Sometimes the bottom and top currents differ and you scope with no wind and a moderate drift. We were .5-1.0 the entire trip, with weights ranging 2 to 6 ounces.
Forgive me if this sounds like a stupid question. If there is very little wind and you are an hour out from dock (I think that minimizes the tidal impact) what causes the shift in current speed throughout the day? Moon phase is the same. Temperature swings aren’t too dramatic but may have an impact. I would appreciate if you can help me better understand. Thanks.
We are 5 miles off the tip of Long Island, where there is quite a bit of varied current.
Thanks. The question was more of a general question about what conditions impact the deeper ocean currents throughout a day or from day to day. I have a good understanding of what impacts current speed in a bay or inlet (stage of tide, moon phase, wind speed, wind direction, etc...) and that allows me to pick the best potential times and days to fish. I’m very green to ocean currents and it would be nice to be able to pick the best potential days just like I can do in a bay or inlet. Thanks again
That particular area we're fishing is, at least for us, not as predictable as fishing in other places. It's the intersection of the ocean and Block Island Sound and we're finding it hard to look at tide charts and winds and know exactly what to expect, as we usually can everywhere else.
Hey John, “who put you on the fish?” Lol
@27:29 why do you litter the broken gulp directly into the water? Some other fish definitely ate that and isn't going to be able to pass it.
This video is several years old, but I'm still surprised I did that. FWIW, the stuff isn't plastic, it's biodegradable, and studies show that fish do pass it through their digestive systems. Still, we routinely throw the stubs in the garbage and it would have been better if I didn't drop that one in the water. Good catch on your part.
If you could only have one rod which would you get the nexus or the dark matter?
nexus
John what pound test are you making your rigs from? is it flouro? thanks
Usually 25# fluoro, but 30# here because of the rough bottom.
Does the nexus rod come acid wrapped or was that a custom built rod? The link in the description doesn’t specify
Comes acid wrapped.
The type of day most people dream of
John, what kind of whale was it that you saw?
I'm no expert, but I believe one was a small pilot whale. The other was really large, maybe a humpback.
john what color teaser were you using? Looked like tsunami but I saw some green in the skirt.
White or green or some combo.
thanks was that a tsunami teaser with the silicone skirt haven't seen that color.
how far offshore were you fishing during this trip?
5 miles
What’s the difference between the dark matter rod and the nexus?
The nexus is a little beefier with a longer butt. Good 2-6 ounces. The dark matter is lighter in weight and handles up to 4 ounces well, although we went to 6 with it last weekend and it was OK.
Hi John,
Is there video support for the book A season on the edge?
No. That book came out before I was making video.
John Skinner Fishing Thanks for the reply.
John Skinner Fishing Last question - would recommend reading season on the edge before striper pursuit? Or does order not matter?
You’re catching the same limit as a dragger 😂
Do you still use a jigging world nexus?
I use this now. No cutting required: bit.ly/3QsR6ch
UNREAL 😂😂😂
🖐🏾👋🏾 🖐🏾👋🏾 🖐🏾👋🏾
You need to do a sea money collaboration
What is the strongest fish pound for pound in your opinion?
Of the ones I've caught, I think false albacore, AKA little tunny.
And here I was killing myself for 6 days in a kayak trying to get a single keeper. Insane.
Hi Sweeney! lol
:-)
Is he wearing winter boots?
Yep.
Does Rick say "Who put you on the fish." every trip???