With just a few hours left in the 2011 striped bass season, it’s worth taking a few seconds to reflect on another interesting year. The season spanned from end-to-end for many diehard New York anglers. They were there waiting in many locations on April 15, and there’s no doubt there will still be plenty of bass along the western south shore after midnight tonight. It was an overall tough year from the surf, although there were waves of great fishing, especially in the spring, but there were also long stretches of fish-less nights and a persistent shoulder injury from hours of over-casting to a lifeless stretch of ocean. The charter fleet in Montauk enjoyed another season where catching fish in the rips was like “taking candy from a baby” from the beginning of June all the way into December. Even though it was a tough summer, the season ended with a bang for those anglers fishing the western south shore. In fact, many surfcasters are having their best nights during the final days of the season. The blackfish season is the next to close, though it will reopen only a few weeks later on January 17. And, although it’s not really news anymore, there was that potential state-record tog caught off the south shore last week; I’d say it’s at least worth a mention. We’re definitely headed into the “lean time of year” fishing wise, but there’s still plenty of life out there for the year-round angler.
East End
Cod are becoming more prevalent southeast of Block Island, but it’s definitely still a true mixed-bag. The “hubcap” porgies are making up a good portion of the daily catch, but the black sea bass are still hanging around and there were even a few pollock caught on the most recent trip. Get out there and get them while you can, because there are only a few weeks left in the season for sea bass and porgies. On Tuesday’s trip, Captain Dave gave “an honorable mention to our own Mavros Bennis who, although he was not in the pool, caught a porgy that looked like it was 5 pounds.” I had always thought a 5-pound porgy was the product of an excited fisherman’s imagination until I worked for Captain Dave on the Viking Star and saw them for myself.
Things are looking up for the Viking Fleet’s upcoming local cod season. They have started sailing on weekends and Wednesdays weather permitting for the rest of December. Then, they will begin making daily trips in January and continue right until March. The recent Block Island mixed-bag trips have starting making some drops for cod, and all the early signs are pointing to another successful season.
South Shore
Well, the bass are still around and it looks like they will be for a while. It’s kind of sad the season ends at midnight. I talked to Ed from Jones Beach Fishing Station this morning to see how he fared during the final days of the bass season. Sticking to form, it was a great end to the season for Ed and his crew. First, they loaded up the livewell with herring inside. Ed also mentioned there’s been herring around the piers lately, especially at night, in case anybody out there is looking for some to pickle for the holidays. Then they headed outside, first stopping on the east side of Jones Inlet where they picked-up 5 bass. Ed marked a big ball of bait outside, and looking to restock the bait supplies, sent down the Sabiki rigs. To their surprise, it wasn’t a ball of herring but a big school of adult menhaden. They made a move to the west and found even more life. Bass and bluefish were crashing on the surface, and the crew rounded out their trip playing catch-and-release with bass into the 20-pound class. Ed mentioned that in his 30-year fishing career, this is the latest in the season he’s ever caught a bluefish.
North Shore
Tog fishing is still going strong on the Sound, although there’s a lot fewer anglers with their boats in the water. Richard from the Camp-Site Sports Shop in Huntington Station said he hadn’t heard a thing all week, and that just about all his regulars have “Put their covers on their boats and pulled them out of the water.” I guess it is that time of year. For those who nurse a year-round fishing addiction like myself, it shouldn’t be too much longer (if they’re not there already) before the herring start showing up in places on the north shore like Huntington and Mount Sinai Harbors.
Metro New York
There’s still a few blackfish being caught in 40 to 50 feet of water around the city, although there aren’t many reports or anglers to go around. The Island Current Fleet had a great season for tog, but with only a few days left in this part of the season, they’re now focused on their wintertime cod season out of Snug Harbor, Rhode Island. However, If you can’t make it out of the City this weekend, but are dead-set on a doing a little fishing, considered heading down to one of the local piers at night with a light spinning setup and some sabiki rigs. There’s a decent chance you’ll find some herring balled-up under the lights, especially if you’re willing to check out a few places. I’ve also heard some reports of mackerel in the area.
Upstate
It’s been one of the best fall seasons in years for anglers up on Lake Ontario, and it looks like it will stretch at least into the first part of the winter. “Fishing is still really good, at least that’s what they’re telling me,” Sharon from Narby’s Superette and Tackle joked when I talked to her over the phone today. The threat of lake-effect snow last week never materialized, and only a dusting fell outside the shop in Kent. “It’s raining, but it’s still pretty warm up here,” Sharon told me. The brown trout and steelhead fishing remains strong, and they’re still even catching some nice coho salmon. That’s a little unusual entering the third week of December, I guess the fish have also noticed overall lack of cold weather. Anglers are drawing strikes from all three species with a variety of natural and artificial offerings. Egg sacs are still the predominate bait for those fishing with spinning gear, although some are finding success with small jigs sweetened with wax worms. Those out there with the fly rod are also doing well, and landing fish with an extremely large variety of offerings. All varieties of wooly buggers, nymphs and egg sac patterns are working well right now, as well as stone fly patterns. The panfish bite has also improve over recent days. Sharon told me she “just had a guy in the shop with a few nice perch.” A good sign for the late-arrival of the hardwater season this year. If you haven’t yet, it’s a good idea to start digging out the ice fishing gear because a lot of the little ponds are already starting to make ice. It might only be a few short weeks before the first ponds have 4 inches of fishable ice. As always, immense caution is needed, especially when testing to see if the ice is ready. If there’s any doubt in your mind, give it a few more days. Regardless, we still need at least two weeks of cold nights before there’s even any ice even worth testing.
Best Bets
Getting out for the final few hours of the striped bass season is definitely a good option. There’s still plenty of bass around from Moriches all the way west to the Breezy Point, and the south wind should help get some fish into the wash before midnight. The bass have been willing to hit plugs lately, especially after dark, but consider jigging a few herring from the pier before heading to the beach. It’s going to be a downright balmy night for this time of year, so you might as well take advantage of it. Once the bass season wraps-up at midnight on December 15, consider making one more tog trip this weekend before this part of the season closes next week. The bite isn’t as savage as it was over the last month or so, but last week’s potential state record proves that there are still some slobs hanging off those obscure pieces.