With daytime temperatures now consistently reaching into the mid-60s across the state, we’re getting a big jumpstart on the upcoming transition into the spring fishing and all the possibilities that come along with it. The striped bass season north of the George Washington Bridge starts at midnight on the 15th, which has definitely served as my “unofficial” start to spring for the last few years. The good thing is, unlike past few years, there’s definitely some bass already holding in the staging areas of the lower Hudson, getting ready to make their move upriver.
The cod continue to chew pretty heavy on the grounds south of Block Island, and the marine forecast looks downright prefect for the rest of the week right and into the upcoming weekend. Upstate, the ice fishing season came to an abrupt and dramatic end this year, with daytime temperatures suddenly reaching the low 60s on an almost daily basis. And apparently this weather pattern is here to stay, as temperatures will reach the mid- to upper-70s in the western part of the state by the early next week. Even though we’ve entered a traditional “slow” period for the New York’s fisheries, this season’s mild weather has opened-up some unique opportunities to keep the state’s anglers busy until mid-April.
East End Long Island Fishing Report
Cod fishing continues to impress anglers fishing on the headboats south of Block Island, and Captain Carl from the Viking Fleet reported that “many people were in T-shirts” by midmorning on yesterday’s trip. Several of the Viking’s cod trips last week saw great fishing, and many anglers had no problem reaching their recommended limit of 10 cod. Even on the days when the cod aren’t cooperating completely, the captains on the Viking have been able to find plenty of jumbo ling to round out each day’s catch. The Viking Fleet also began their 2012 tilefish season, and to no one’s surprise, the 24-hour trip was amazing — with lots of big hake and barrelfish and to mention plenty of huge tilefish up to 48.9 pounds. Not a bad start to the season. Keep an eye on the Viking website because they mentioned they might be sneaking another tile/hake trip into the schedule soon.
South Shore Long Island Fishing Report
The creeks and harbors are heating up quickly along the south shore of Long Island, especially toward the city. Sea-surface temperature readings from yesterday show water temperatures creeping into the low 50s in parts of the New York Bight.
North Shore Long Island Fishing Report
Water temperatures are still lagging behind significantly in the Long Island Sound compared to the south shore, but with another week of 60-degree temperatures in the forecast it won’t be long before the sound catches up.
Metro New York Fishing Report
Ling fishing on the Marilyn Jean IV is still going strong half-way through March. The report from Wednesday’s trip was great, with high-hook bucketing 40 big ling on the trip. Even on the slow days, all anglers are still going home with plenty of filets for dinner. The weather looks great for the upcoming week, and it looks like the fishing will hold out for at least a few more weeks. If you can get north of the George Washington Bridge after midnight tonight, soaking bloodworms for your first 2012 linesider is definitely a good idea. I know that there’s already some bass in the staging areas in the lower Hudson. If you’re not prepared to pay a dollar-per-worm, working a small weighted swim shad slowly across the bottom on the outgoing tide would be my backup option.
Upstate New York Fishing Report
The ice-fishing season disappeared in a matter of days this year, as bright sun and warm days quickly compromised even the thickest ice-sheets in the northern Adirondacks. Several shop owners mentioned to me last week this was the fastest they could remember seeing fishable ice disappear. It’s not worth losing much sleep about anymore, as the season for walleye, northern pike, and pickerel closes at midnight tonight. We’re now in a little bit of a lull in the freshwater season until April 1 when trout season opens up. If you feel compelled to wet a line before April Fool’s Day, my preferred fix this time of year is kayak fishing for suspended black crappies on iced-out ponds. The season’s open year-round, at 25 fish over 9 inches. Just have a plan in place in case you take a quick, unintentional late-winter swim.
One place in the state where diehard fly fishermen enjoy a year-round, catch-and-release fishery is on the Delaware River System near Pennsylvania. The catch-and-release sections of the Beaverkill and Willowemoc are open year-round to fly fishermen, as are the sections of the Lower West Branch and Delaware bordering Pennsylvania. The local regulations can be a little confusing for visiting anglers — especially at this time of year when the state-wide season is still closed — so it’s a good idea to stop by a local fly shop before heading out for the day. This recent stretch of warm weather has definitely stirred up the local insect-life as well as the activity in the local fly shops, so it’s already a good time for an early-season trip. In Roscoe, I talked to Matt at Beaverkill Anglers who let me know stoneflies and midges were coming off the water in the area this week. The stoneflies have generally been in the 10- to 12-size range, but have occasionally been running as small as size 18. Streams and nymphs have also been producing strikes in recent days despite the water levels rising slightly. Water conditions can change rapidly this time of year, but things look pretty good for this upcoming week. If you’re heading to the Roscoe area, the crew at Beaverkill Angler are top-notch fly fishermen, and always have their finger on the pulse of the local fisheries. It’s a definite must-stop on the way to any Catskills’ fly fishing trip this month, or anytime of year for that matter.
Best Bets
Well, it seems like the first time in months I’ve looked at a NOAA forecast for south of Block Island and not seen “small craft advisory” in red letters at the top of the page. So, that fact alone bodes well for booking an east end cod fishing trip this weekend. The fishing remains steady-to-good overall, and some recent trips have had lock-and-load cod fishing for hours on end. If you can’t get out to the east end this weekend, a mid-March striper trip on the lower Hudson River is definitely a good backup plan. Just make sure you set up north of the George Washington Bridge and keep in mind this a 1-fish-per-day fishery at 18 inches instead of the normal one at 28 and one over 40 inches. Like I’ve mentioned before, bloodworms are the closest thing to striper candy that exists at this time of year — but you’re going to pay top-dollar for them. If you don’t feel like going the live-bait route, consider busting out the 9-weight fly rod and a handful of small chartreuse Clousers. This is by-far my favorite fly to throw to stripers this time of year, especially near the entrance of small tidal creeks and skinny estuaries on the outgoing tide. Although it won’t be official until next week, spring has definitely already begun on the 2012 angling calendar — and it’s now just a matter of days before the migratory fish start showing up in our coastal waters by the thousands. Tight lines everyone.