North Shore Long Island Fishing Report
As Long Island begins to thaw after the brutal polar vortex from earlier this week, we will start to see what effect it has had on the fishing.
John from Terminal Tackle in Kings Park said that most of the herring spots we talked about last week have iced over, and it may just be cold enough for the fish to move out of the area.
You can also give freshwater trout fishing a try, according to Mark from Cow Harbor Bait & Tackle in Northport, although you will probably have an ice problem as well at least up to the weekend once the weather starts to warm up.
South Shore Long Island Fishing Report
Joe at Causeway Bait and Tackle in Wantagh said that the fishing has been pretty slow over by them other than the herring bite in Long Beach at Magnolia Pier.
Mike from White Water Outfitters in Hampton Bays reported decent cod fishing on the South Shore when boats were able to actually get out. White Water is the official authorized service center for Van Staal, as well as many other major reel companies, and the shop will be happy to service your setup to get it in top shape for the upcoming fishing season.
Metro Long Island Fishing Report
Frank at Bernie’s Fishing Tackle in Brooklyn reported that the herring bite was really good at the 69th Street Pier, Coney Island Pier, Canarsie Pier, and the New York Bight area prior to the frigid temperature earlier this week. Joe at Stella Maris Bait and Tackle in Brooklyn added that herring fishing was also doing well in Sheepshead Bay.
Frank also said that, while boats sailing off Long Island looking for mackerel haven’t had much luck, New Jersey boats are doing a bit better and finding some schools of fish.
East End Long Island Fishing Report
Frank from Bernie’s also let us know that party and charter boats running out on the East End are doing well by their passengers with plenty of cod, with some fish reportedly up to 40 pounds. Boats fishing the grounds south of Block Island have been having consistently good catches.
Best Bets for the Weekend
It seems like we cannot catch a break with the weather. Arctic air swept across the country and froze the Island for the past couple of days, and the temperatures this weekend are likely to hit upwards of 50 degrees with a good chance of rain. Although the herring areas that were iced over will thaw by the weekend, we can only hope there are still fish around. The North Shore was holding a good amount of herring in many of the harbors, including Cold Spring, Centerport, Northport, and Huntington. Metro and South Shore piers are also good places to check for some life this weekend. Sabiki rigs should continue to work just fine. This weekend anglers will have to test the waters to see if the herring have stuck around or if we have to hang up the inshore gear and wait it out for spring.
Boats on the South Shore and East End should be able to sail for cod this weekend, which is probably your best bet at getting on some fish for the near future. Take a trip on a party boat and you can bring home some nice sized cod, Pollock, and ling. Also, get to your local shop to make sure your gear and tackle is in tip top shape so you can be ready for the upcoming season.