North Shore Long Island Fishing Report

Despite another windy week on the water, a few more stripers showed up on the North Shore and they are spreading out. Phil at Cow Harbor Bait and Tackle in Northport said bunker chunks are working on 5- to 10-pound fish off Asharoken Beach, and anyone playing with light tackle or flies have had some luck with schoolies in the shallow backwater reeds. John from Terminal Tackle in Kings Park also reported stripers caught off Stony Brook, Crab Meadow Beach, and in the Nissequogue on plugs and eels, with a quarter of the catch being keeper sized.

There are still blues of 7 to 9 pounds in the area being caught on diamond jigs.

Robert at Hi Hook Bait and Tackle in Huntington said that because of the wind, a lot of boats weren’t able to get out, but the few that made it and targeted blackfish said there is bite at Marshall Fields and Buoy 11B with fish from 3 to 11 pounds. John at Terminal Tackle reported that the tog fishing at the wrecks and rocks off Smithtown Bay in 10 to 50 feet of water is very good and the porgy mixing in have been feeding ferociously. Phil at Cow Harbor said that anglers have been catching tog off the beaches on blackfish jigs and green crabs. He said the fish are small, but a few keepers are mixing in.

South Shore Long Island Fishing Report

The striper bite lit up on the South Shore last week with fish feeding on large schools of sand eels. On the western end, Bay Park Fishing Station in Oceanside reported that anglers have been hooking up with stripers up to 35 pounds in Reynold’s Channel and around area bridges on eels, soft plastics, and bucktails. John at Trophy Tackle in West Babylon said the boats using diamond jigs have been catching bass by the hundreds outside of Fire Island Inlet, and Joe at Causeway Bait and Tackle in Wantagh reported that the fish caught were over 30 pounds in 40 to 60 feet of water. Further to the east, Bryce from White Water Outfitters in Hamptons Bays said the stripers are hitting on live eels at night in Shinnecock Inlet and off the beaches in the early morning and at dusk on diamond jigs and bucktails. The boats have also been using diamond jigs during the day to land stripers in the ocean.

There are some blues of 12 to 13 pounds wreaking havoc on the AB Reef shutting off the bottom fishing bite when they show up, and some fish also mixing in with the bass in the eastern and western inlets.

The bottom fishing on the western Reefs is doing excellent with 6 pound blackfish caught on the AB Reef using green crabs, and plenty of porgy and sea bass mixing in, according to Bay Park. Bryce at White Water said there are a few tog at the jetties, but the deeper reefs haven’t heated up yet.

Metro Long Island Fishing Report

The striper bite isn’t quite as hot in the Metro area, but Louie at Island Bait and Tackle in the Bronx reported bass up to 34 inches around the Pelham Bay Bridge on chunks early and late in the day. A lot of the fish are shorts, but the keepers are mixing in. Vinny at Bernie’s Fishing Tackle in Brooklyn also reported stripers caught on bucktails and diamond jigs at Breezy Point.

Jack at Jack’s Bait and Tackle in the Bronx reported that anglers using fresh bunker and mackerel have been catching some nice blues behind Execution Lighthouse and Hempstead Harbor. Louie at Island also said fish over 20 pounds can be found south of City Island.

The porgy fishing is still red hot with anglers filling buckets around Huckleberry, Pea, and Heart Island and off Orchard Beach section 1. Worms and clams are still the best bait. John at Hudson Park Bait and Tackle in New Rochelle said it has been “Tog Haven” with fish commonly caught in the 5- to 7-pound range, but blackfish over 12 pounds haven’t been scarce. Jack at Jack’s Bait also said the blackfish bite is insane with 12-pounders around Pea and Huckleberry Islands on fiddler and green crabs. Louie at Island said the fishing picked up now since the New Moon has passed and the tides have slowed down a bit, but it seems like the constant northeast winds we have been moving the blackfish to deeper water sooner than normal. However, Stretch at Stella Maris Bait and Tackle in Brooklyn said guys don’t even have to untie their boats as the blackfish are packed around the docks.

East End Long Island Fishing Report

The wind kept a lot of boats tied to the dock on the East End this week, so reports were hard to come by, but Captain Lou from Star Island Marina in Montauk said the fishing was consistent for boats that ventured out. Diamond jigging and trolling on the south side produced fish and the fly guys were able to tangle with some bass as well. Paulie at Paulie’s Bait and Tackle in Montauk said the south side bite was good for the surf anglers as well. Fisherman using bucktails, needlefish, and darters made for a good night bite. Bill from Jamesport Bait and Tackle in Mattituck said the bass on the Sound have been scattered, but they are around. You can find blues mixed in with the stripers all around the East End.

Although most guys are going out for stripers, the ones that hit the tog grounds at Fisher’s Island got lucky with some nice fish, according to Captain Lou at Star Island. Bill at Jamesport also reported a good bite at Rocky Point off Truman Beach in 25 to 35 feet of water on green crabs. There are plenty of tog north of Plum Island as well. Bill also said that although Peconic Bay is starting to slow down, the porgy are still biting around Robin’s Island and Buoy 30. In the Sound, scup fishing is good off Mattituck and at Horton’s.

There are also some reports of albies along the Montauk beaches.

Best Bets for the Weekend

Stripers and blackfish seem to be the way to go this weekend. The winds ought to be a bit more favorable than they have lately, so boats shouldn’t have as much of a problem getting out. The bass fed heavy before the storm that came up the coast, and then the bite died down a bit as of Sunday, but the cooler temperatures should keep things interesting. Montauk fishing is great right now with boats catching huge fish and the night surf bite picking up. The South Shore beaches, inlets, and bridges all have fish right now, and bunker, live eels, bucktails, and diamond jigs are accounting for many of the catches.

The tog fishing is excellent, especially on the western reefs and the North Shore wrecks. Most of the fish are in shallow water so it is a great time to pick up some crabs and get out there before they start heading off to deep structure.

Porgy are still biting like crazy as well, but the water temperatures are quickly cooling so they will be gone before you know it.