Wind, wind and more wind has been plaguing Long Island fishermen this week, but there has been some good fishing nonetheless.
North Shore
The Sound is warming up quickly, which has made the bass bite a little spotty. They are still around however. Fish into the mid-30-inch range have been feeding on sand eels all along the North Shore, but anglers looking for something bigger can head to Eatons Neck and fish cut bunker, reported John from Terminal Tackle in King’s Park. Shore anglers can find the bass at Long Beach.
Small bluefish are all over the beaches , also chowing down on sand eels. Small metals are working best with the blues at Shore Beach.
The first report of snapper blues came from Cow Harbor Bait and Tackle. Schools of the small blues signal fun light-tackle fishing for some and the arrival of a deadly fluke bait for others.
Fluke fishing is the best John at Terminal Tackle has seen in years in the Nissequogue River. Boat and shore anglers alike are catching the flatfish in impressive numbers.
The folks at Cow Harbor reported good fluke fishing in shallow water. Fish to 25 inches have been taken by fishing skinny water.
Even though the warming water is slowing down the striper fishing, it is kicking the fishing for big bluefish into gear. This is the best time of year to tangle with ferocious gator blues. Bunker is a sure thing, but flies and topwater poppers will also get the job done.
South Shore
The fishing on the South Shore is a little on the slow side, at least compared to the North Shore. There are some fluke in the inlets at the end of the ebbing tide and the beginning of the flood according to a report from Trophy Tackle.
Striper fishing has been best at the new breach in Moriches. Fire Island has been pretty slow, however.
Jones Inlet and Beach has been holding some bass and fluke as well.
Bluefish are more abundant, and anglers are catching them at most of the South Shore Inlets.
Bryce at Causeway said the bass bite has been pretty good in Shinnecock Bay, especially toward inlet. Bait has been best, with live spot and live eels taking plenty of fish to 40 inches, and clam chumming working as well. Bucktails are also catching some fish. A larger number of schoolie stripers, between 20 and 24 inches recently moved in, making for fun light-tackle fishing.
Fluke fishing out of Shinnecock was consistent, but dirty water has stifled the bite a little bit. Anglers are still finding keepers however.
East End
Big stripers and blues are biting well off the North Fork. The Prime Time III has been limiting out on big bass to 40-plus pounds on live eels.
Off Montauk, the striper fishing is as good as it gets reports Star Island Marina. Live bait is fooling stripers to 50 pounds, but jigging and trolling is also working well on big bass. Surfcasters working the North Side are catching fish, some up to 40 pounds.
Bluefish of 5 to 6 pounds are hitting off Montauk, but there are more blues farther west on the island.
There are lots of fluke off the East End, but most have been shorts. Anglers are a little frustrated with the short to keeper ratio, but there have been some 6- to 7-pound fluke in the mix.
Offshore
While no one has been able to do much tuna fishing in the recent conditions, a few anglers have gotten out for sharks. Sharkin’ has been as good as it gets, with big numbers of makos and good numbers of threshers around. The makos are ranging from 125 to 175 pounds, and for every six makos, anglers seem to find one thresher. Bryce at WhiteWater Outfitters said the shark fishing out of Shinnecock Inlet is the best he’s seen in years.
Best Bets for the Weekend
If you want big stripers, the East End is the place to be and live bait is the way to go. For fluke, the North Shore has the best bite going at the moment. If you can get a ride to the shark grounds, do not pass up that opportunity. The mako fishing is excellent right now.