Tog Offshore, Waiting for Ice Upstate
The tog are still cooperating across much of the state’s coastal waters, and a good number of double-digit whitechins are still coming up off the wrecks and artificial reefs along the western south shore. There are some decent blackfish still being taken on the deeper drops in Long the Island Sound, although the best bite seems to be taking place to the south. As we head toward the final week of the 2012 striped bass season, there’s still some linesiders hanging around although many of the remaining fish are schoolies. However, if you are looking for one last keeper this season there is still a few out there to be found. Upstate, most anglers are digging out the tip-ups and waiting for the ice to setup, but there’s still some open water options to be found. Here’s the breakdown.
East End
The herring are still out in Montauk, although the bass are definitely on the move. Water temperatures are falling into 40s immediately around the Point, chasing a lot of the bass to the west or outside the three-mile limit. Scott from Star Island Yacht Club confirmed that the herring are still plentiful but the bass fishing has dropped off significantly. Scott has talked to one commercial guy who had found a big pile of stripers along the stretch, signaling that final body of keeper fish was moving west. Tog fishing is still good out in Montauk, although the best action is now on the Southwest Ledge off of Block Island. Charter captains now fishing off Block Island are also landing decent amounts of keeper cod along with limits of tog, making that the most productive option in the area.
Shinnecock and Peconic Bay
Fishing on the near- to mid-shore wrecks has been good-to-great option outside Shinnecock inlet, and there’s already some keeper cod and pollock showing up on the local pieces. Big porgies and ling are also making appearance. Striper fishing has just about dried up in the area, with the exception of a few straggler schoolies. Although, there’s a decent chance the bite could pick up a little this weekend, as the final batch of fish leaving Montauk move through the area. There’s a decent chance a good bite might materialize outside the inlet as the fish stop off for a quick snack.
South Shore
The stripers are still hanging around the western South Shore and will definitely stick around through the end of the bass season a week from this Saturday. Tog fishing has also been good, though the best fishing is toward Jones and Debs inlets right now. Get on a headboat out of Captree if your rig is already winterized for the year.
North Shore
There’s still a few tog around for anglers to chase up on the Long Island Sound, although the bite has dropped off significantly from where it was a few weeks ago due to the falling water temperatures. Mark from Cow Harbor Bait & Tackle in Northport has been hearing from his regulars that the blackfish are on the move. With water temperatures now falling into the low to mid 40s in the sound, it’s not a big surprise. There are a few other options for north shore anglers to chase as we work into the winter months. The squid are running right now pretty thick in both Northport and Huntington harbors. Mark mentioned that the best bet for jigging up some squid is hitting the piers at night during high tide and fishing around some lights.
Metro New York
There’s still a few bass moving through the city, although the rapidly dropping water temperatures has made the stripers significantly more sluggish and hard to find. Finesse tactics and bait options are definitely the way to go right now. A more consistent option recently has been tog fishing on the headboats out of Brooklyn. Boats like the Marilyn Jean IV out of Sheepshead Bay have been doing well with the tog, and any slow trips have more to do with poor anchoring conditions than a lack of fish. Even on the tough days, however, the local sharpies are still putting together limits of quality tog. Friday looks like a decent day as far as sea conditions go, but it will be downhill from there through the end of the weekend. Considering calling out of work on Friday if you’ve got some extra vacation days you need to use before the end of the year.
Upstate
Most anglers upstate are now waiting for the hardwater to setup, but there’s still some decent sweetwater options to enjoy before we start making ice. Jim from Jim’s Bait & Tackle in up in Mayfield reports that Lake Sacandaga was making ice last week, and getting close to being fishable, but a few days of 50 degree weather quickly melted the sheet that was setting up. The lake’s back to open water for now, but Jim told me the water temperature of the lake is ready to start making some serious ice, “It shouldn’t take much more than a week of cold nights to get some good ice on the lake.” Jim’s been busy getting the shop ready for the fast approaching hardwater season, and just about all of his regular customers are chomping at the bit to get on some ice. “There’s a few guys casting from the shore, but most of the guys are waiting for the ice.” Up on Lake Ontario, Despite the low waters steelhead and browns are still coming in all the streams. It is harder to get them at times because they are easily spooked. So tread lightly. They have been fishing from boats with the wonderful weather and doing quite well. Some perch are being reported but it is spotty. They are using all egg patterns, egg sucking leeches, Wooly Buggers in blacks, purples, and whites.
Best Bets
Tog fishing off the western south shore is still a good bet, and the bite should definitely hold out until the final day of the season a week from this Friday. There’s good numbers of keeper blackfish holding on the structure, and each piece seems to be holding at least a few fish pushing into the double digits. Especially now that it’s late in the season, it’s a good idea to switch to rigs tied with fluorocarbon if you haven’t already. Most of the big togs out there have already seen and refused some sinkers bouncing monofilament rigs through their area, and are more likely to bite a streamlined rig that’s harder to see. Using bait like hermits crabs, which the bigger tog tend to prefer, is also a good idea this time of year. Most of all, make sure that drag’s buttoned down tight. The biggest whitechins have usually been hooked once or twice before and have a solid game plan for getting back to the stickiest parts of the wreck. If you’re plan is to chase linesiders this weekend, the western south shore is also a good option. The bass are there and hitting diamond jigs aggressively, the key right now is finding some structure where they’re congregated. Upstate, it’s still a waiting game but it shouldn’t be too long before there’s some fishable ice. Tight lines.