Long Island - New York Fishing Report for 3-26-2015

North Shore Long Island Fishing Report

It was yet another rough week to try and get out on the water. The temperatures dropped again, and it seems we lost any headway we may have gained on our guest toward spring fishing. On a good note, John at Terminal Tackle in Kings Park told us that the ice is almost completely gone from the harbors now. The bad side is that there really is not anything to fish for in the Sound. He said that a few guys have tried for trout in freshwater, but no one is really doing a lot of that and fish don’t seem to be feeding. Unfortunately, that is the only news to report on the North Shore, but there will be something biting soon enough.

South Shore Long Island Fishing Report

Rich at White Water Outfitters in Hampton Bays said the only real game in town on the South Shore is cod fishing. It seems to be that one day on the water will be excellent and the following day falls short of expectations, but that’s why it’s called fishing. The boats are dealing with tough conditions from time to time making things tricky, but the good news is that more boats are starting to sail every week giving anglers a number of options. The King Cod continues to hold steady with roughly 25 to 30 keepers per trip, but the Captree Princess has been less consistent with 55 keeper cod to 15 pounds one day and only 18 making it to the cooler the following day. The Superhawk had a nice trip this week catching a good haul of cod, Pollock, and jumbo ling. The pool fish ended up weighing in at a whopping 38 pounds, which is the largest I have heard about so far this season.

Rich also mentioned that he knew of some guys doing a little catch and release pickerel and bass fishing to keep them busy while we wait for the inshore saltwater to heat up. He said that despite nothing crazy happening yet, the sun has been out lately and the snow is melting so we are heading in the right direction.

Metro Long Island Fishing Report

Vinny at Bernie’s Fishing Tackle in Brooklyn did not hear about any good fishing happening, but he said the shop will be stocking up on fresh bait toward the end of this week so they will be ready for the April 1^st opener of flounder. The real test is for the guys who get out there to see if the fish have shown up yet. It looks like the herring made an appearance back in local waters as Joe from Stella Maris Bait & Tackle in Brooklyn heard of a few fish caught at Coney Island Pier this week.

I spoke to the guys at Jack’s Bait & Tackle in the Bronx, and they had nothing new to report this week as the Hudson River striper season officially got pushed back to April 1^st. Before the change, a few bass were caught, but nothing substantial as the water is still very cold. Hopefully the opener next week will bring a little bit better luck. As a reminder, the new regulations are 1 fish between 18-28 inches OR 1 fish larger than 40 inches for the Hudson area.

East End/North Fork Long Island Fishing Report

I hate having to say it again, but the East End shops just do not have any new information to pass on to me. Ben at Star Island Marina in Montauk said that between the lack of fish action and the rough conditions no boats have been out. The Viking does have local cod trips scheduled for Saturday and Sunday this weekend so I am crossing my fingers for some decent information to report on next week.

Best Bets for the Weekend

I am hoping that this past week was the last really cold one that we will see for a while, although there is some more white stuff (ugh!) in the forecast for Saturday. However, the temperatures look like they will rise after that and stay that way. Next week also marks the opening of flounder season and the Hudson River striper season. Before you know it, bass will be open across the Island, and schoolies will start showing up in the back bays. Until then though, cod is the most action that you are likely to see. The East End boats are sailing, but the South Shore has been more consistent. With nicer days ahead, book your trip now before you miss out on cod for the season.

Believe it or not the spring fishing is just around the corner so this is the last chance to get your gear in tip-top shape if you want to be ready in time. If all of your gear is already serviced and sitting by the door in anticipation of your first outing, you might instead want to check out the Jamaica Bay & NY Bight Fishing Seminar, Flea Market, & Swap Meet on Sunday, March 29^th. The seminar will cover local hot spots, rigging techniques, and fishing secrets so it might be a good place to check out if you want to brush up on a little knowledge.