North Shore Long Island Fishing Report

The tog season closed strong this weekend on the North Shore; however herring seems to be the only game in town now, according to Robert from Hi Hook Bait & Tackle in Huntington. He said sabiki rigs are catching fish in Centerport, Cold Spring, and Huntington Harbors. John from Terminal Tackle in Kings Park added that herring have been found further to the east in Mt. Sinai and Port Jefferson Harbors as well. John also reported that squid are present in Huntington Harbor.

South Shore Long Island Fishing Report

Joe at Causeway Bait and Tackle in Wantagh reported herring catches at many of the local piers across the South Shore. Bryce from White Water Outfitters in Hampton Bays also said mixed bag fishing has been great at the intermediate wrecks as anglers are tangling with sea bass, cod, Pollock, and porgy. The weather has made getting out to Hudson Canyon for tuna nearly impossible, but Bryce said if there is a break in the weather, the fish are sure to be biting.

Metro Long Island Fishing Report

Frank from Bernie’s Fishing Tackle in Brooklyn reported that the blackfish season ended strong with consistent limits of fish in the 5- to 6-pound range. The striper action was decent at the end of the season as well, although keepers were pretty elusive. Anglers wishing to do some catch and release bass fishing should try the area between Norton’s Point and the Verrazano.

Herring fishing is consistent in the Metro area with Stretch from Stella Maris Bait and Tackle in Brooklyn reporting nice catches at Pier 10, the Blue Foot Bridge, and Magnolia Pier, with high tide being the most productive. Frank at Bernie’s added that NY Harbor, Jamaica Bay, the Coney Island Pier, and Canarsie Pier are all very good herring spots right now as well. The party boats are starting to catch some ling, and surprisingly, a few small mackerel were caught by anglers while herring fishing off the beaches in the Far Rockaway area.

East End Long Island Fishing Report

Mike from Star Island Marina in Montauk reported that the tog fishing was good around Fishers Island and Block Island until the end, but a lot of anglers haven’t been able to get out this week. The 30 mile wrecks have been holding cod and sea bass in 120 feet of water, according to Captain Mike from the Prime Time 3 North Fork Charter.

Best Bets for the Weekend

As you can imagine, the closing of the blackfish and striper seasons have left the fishing on the Island a little on the slow side. However, there are still some good opportunities for bent poles. Herring is a pretty good bet on all fronts in many of the harbors and around piers on sabiki rigs, and the cod and sea bass fishing is hot right now, especially on the South Shore and East End. There are also catch and release opportunities for bass in the Metro area, and anywhere that may have some left over stripers. Although it’s hard to pinpoint, I have heard rumors of schools of stripers chasing herring around the Island. You’ll just have to do some research as they keep moving since everyone is pretty tight-lipped about it. Although it looks like the wind will be whipping on Sunday, Saturday is looking like a decent enough day to maybe entice some people to get out.

This has been one of the tougher reports to put together as many shops have either closed for the season or majorly reduced their hours. If you are heading out and need bait, it is a good idea to call ahead to make sure your shop is open and has what you need. This is a good time of year to support your local shops when thinking of gifts, and many are having good sales for the holidays. It is also a good time to think about having full service done to your gear to keep it in top-notch condition for next season.

Whether you get out on the water this week or finish up your shopping, I hope everyone stays safe and has a very, Merry Christmas!