Big Cod and Dicey Ice
The weekend warm up inspired anglers to get out fishing for a variety of species. From Upstate steelhead to East End codfish, anglers have been finding good fish during this January thaw.
In Montauk, codfishing is the talk of the town, and lately, it’s been pretty good. Courtney at the Montauk Marine Basin said the Elizabeth II was into cod pretty thick this week, boating fish up to 30 pounds. The best two days were Sunday and Monday, but the action held on until nasty weather kept the boat at the dock Wednesday. Courtney said the Bluefin was out Thursday and found cod and sea bass south east of Block Island. Mid-way through their trip, the customers on the Bluefin has tallied approximately 50 cod and a dozen sea bass.
Moving west along the South Shore, the best bite continues to be the offshore black sea bass according to a report at Causeway Bait and Tackle in Wantaugh. This fishing is fast and furious with some enormous sea bass. As an added bonus, when dropping a skimmer clam down 200-plus-feet to the bottom, you just never know what’s going to latch on. Ling, cod, pollack, white hake, and all manners of weird deep-sea denizens are caught on these trips, adding to the fun. A number of party boats make the run each weekend, and to ensure a spot, making a reservation is highly recommended.
Though much of the ice was deteriorated upstate, the folks at Fish 307 in Lake George said that the smaller bodies of water still have anglers ice fishing on them. The perch and crappie are biting well for most anglers. Brant Lake has been one of the hotspots, but Loon Lake and the South Bay of Champlain have been giving up fish as well. The larger waters had been producing pike, but that fishing has stalled until the ice rebuilds.
On the Lake Ontario tributaries, melting snow brought up water levels, which in turn brought in steelhead. Anglers throughout the Salmon River gave mixed reports. Some struggled while others found good numbers of fish.
Best Bets for the Weekend
High winds and big seas are going to dominate this weekend, so cod and sea bass may be off the menu. Freshwater will be the better bet. Be careful if you head upstate looking for ice. No fish is worth going through the ice for, especially not crappie or perch. Along the coast, open ponds are likely to give up pickerel or panfish. Use bait under a bobber for the best chance for success.