Keeper striped bass are still being caught from Montauk to Long Beach as we push into the final month of the year. There’s even a few decent-size bass still working through the Long Island Sound. All signs are pointing to a 2011 “fall run” that will remain productive right until the last day of the bass season on December 15, just two weeks from today. Anglers on the streams up near Lake Ontario are still fishing in shirt-sleeves, and landing big browns and steelhead. You couldn’t ask for better weather this time of year, and in the back of my mind I know we’ll pay for this come January, but it’s definitely worth getting out there to enjoy these conditions while they last.
East End
The Viking Fleet sets the standard for headboats on the east coast, and anyone who reads this forecast understand why – they consistently put anglers on the fish. This week has been no exception. Block Island bottom fishing continues to be stellar. Captain Dave reports that this week included, “one of the best days of the year” and also mentioned that “the mates Ray, Bobby and Sam cut fish for over 6 hours.” Keeper cod into the mid-teens are becoming increasingly common, and have been winning the “largest edible” pool on most trips. The Viking has also been sailing on blackfish/cod/sea bass combo trips that have been cashing-in on the diversity in the Block Island Sound fishery this time of year. The blackfishing has been a little tough at times, but big tog are still being landed through less-than-ideal conditions on just about every trip. The bonus is that if the blackfish bite shuts down for a tide, the crew can pull anchor, make a quick move and begin keeper cod and big 5- to 6-pound black sea bass. The other big news from the Viking Dock this week is the return of good fishing on the half-day trips out in the rips. Captain Anthony reported that the start to Sunday morning’s AM jigging trip was excellent, and added that “we had bass on the first 4 drifts.” The fish aren’t huge, but it’s pretty hard to complain this time of year. The average pool fish has been in the low- to mid-teens. There’s also a fair amount of bluefish still hanging out in the rips to keep everyone’s drag honest.
South Shore
Bass fishing is still going pretty strong in-and-around Fire Island Inlet, and a few bass are making their way into the south-shore wash. There’s also big schools of bass pushing through the area just offshore, these fish should be willing to hit diamond jigs and it’s a good change of pace if you’re getting sick of clam chumming with the fleet on the West Bar. Tog fishing remains good in a variety of areas along the south shore. Many people took advantage of the weather window this week to get out to the deeper structure, but as recent as late last week Ed from Jones Beach Fishing Station was still landing big keeper tog inside the Great South Bay. If you’ll be heading outside for tog this week, consider steaming out a little further and bringing along some clams because the ling and cod are being caught in a lot of surprising places.
North Shore
The tog fishing took a turn for the better this week, after a bit a lull in the season. “Blackfishing is still good in the Sound,” says Richard from Camp-Site Sports Shop in Huntington Station. There were some nice tog taken off the mid-depth pieces this week. A freshly split green crab on a traditional blackfish rig should work just fine. Conditions on the Sound will be favorable this weekend, and it looks like the extended fall season will push into the 12th month. Over the last few weeks, bass fishing has been just about non-existent throughout the bulk of the Sound. But this week Richard told me, “there’s been some bass caught” in the Sound this week. Apparently, the new moon last week ushered in batch of keeper-size striped bass. Anglers are connecting with diamond jigs in a variety of locations. “It does seem like you gotta be on the moon,” Richard said, as the bite did coincide with the new moon tides. Regardless, it is nice to know there’s still some linesiders moving through the Sound. Especially for those still out there working on the blackfish pieces, don’t pack away the bass gear just yet.
Metro New York
Tog fishing remains the focus for most anglers spending time in the waterways around the city, but there’s no doubt that the bass being caught in the Sound right now will make there way through the City over the next two weeks. Small diamond jigs should do the trick if you’re out in the boat, and metals and other small offerings like the 4-inch Storm Shad in pearl are good options if you’ll fishing from the beach or jetty. If you can find some, setting up some chunking rods with fresh bunker is a good way to increase your odds this time of year.
Upstate New York
Steelhead fishing really improved this week, as we move into a homestretch of the late-fall season. “I’m looking across the river right now,” Sharon from Narby’s Superette and Tackle told me when I got a hold of her of her cell phone this morning. The weather up north has continued its amazing run. Sharon reports that conditions remain extremely fishable, especially for this time of the season. It’s been a banner year overall for the Ontario fishery. One of Sharon regulars brought a picture into the shop this week of a chinook salmon he caught and released earlier in the season. The angler didn’t get a weight on the fish, but Sharon told me it look remarkably similar to another chinook taken this season which tipped-the-scales at a massive 42.15 pounds. Although the salmon have largely vacated the skinny water for the year, there are still good opportunities to tangle with trophy-class brown trout and steelhead. Sharon also mentioned that, “some anglers are doing very well right now, others are just doing okay.” It’s definitely the time of the year to bring your A-game, whether your drifting egg sacs on spinning gear or working stone flies and black nymphs with the fly rod. Sharon also mentioned that the perch fishing in the area has started to fall-off as the fish begin to move into their early-winter patterns. Although the persistent mild weather has cooled-down the ice fishing talk, we are heading toward the hardwater season and it’s a good idea to start digging out the ice sled.
Best Bets
Sailing on a headboat out of Captree for striped bass is still a good option, so is surfcasting along the south-shore beaches, especially for anglers who live at the western end of the Island. It’s been a long wait for a decent “local bite” and now that it’s finally here, there’s no reason not to take advantage of it, especially with only 14 days left in the season. Wreck fishing is heating up out east, but that bite will wait, and should get even better as we get into mid-December. A good plan-B for this week if the south-shore inlets are a little too nautical on the day you can get off work, would be heading up to the north shore for some tog fishing, especially with reports of bass in the area as well – just don’t forget to pack the diamond jigs. I’ll also mention the same “hail mary” option I mentioned last week. There’s a good northeast wind in the forecast again for Montauk on Saturday, and the southeast wind Saturday night should also get some fish close to the Lighthouse. The fish in the area aren’t huge, and there’s a chance nothing will materialize, but it’s always nice to fish the Point with only a handful of other anglers.