North Shore Long Island Fishing Report
The North Shore fluke bite continues to be outstanding, according to Captain Mark of the Celtic Quest out of Port Jefferson who reported great numbers caught at all of the sand shoals from Buoy 11 to Buoy 5. They have not had to go deep yet as most of the summer flounder are coming from shallow water of only 10 to 20 feet. One angler had an awesome high-hook this week of 40 fish, 11 of which were keeper size. John from Terminal Tackle in Kings Park added that guys were finding a mix of shorts and keepers to 5 pounds all over Smithtown Bay, and more good fishing can be found in the Sound from Eatons Neck to the Nissequogue. Bucktails seem to be dominating the action, but other days the squid/spearing combination will outfish the lures. Anglers are going out prepared with whatever the fluke might prefer on that particular day. The porgy bite on the other hand is way behind schedule and definitely not what we are used to seeing this time of year. Mark at Cow Harbor Bait & Tackle in Northport said the main body of fish is still to the east, but there are definitely some around his area. Anglers fishing off boats, as opposed to those casting from shore, are having a better go of it since they can get out a little deeper on top of the mussel beds and rock piles where more of the scup are hiding. Sea bass of 2 to 4 pounds are mixing in heavily as bycatch for those doing any bottom fishing, but unfortunately the season is closed for another month.
Bass fishing right now is just good, not great. The fish are most active in the early morning and late evening, but they have not been following much of a set pattern. Mark at Cow Harbor says a recent cinder worm hatch, hordes of sand eels, bunker in the Sound, and the New Moon are keeping the bass moving. Many anglers are trolling umbrella rigs and parachutes at the Triangle, Cranes Neck, and Buoy 15, while others are finding that the stripers are hot for fresh chunks. John from Terminal Tackle also said that there are some good sized fish hitting the bunker schools in Cold Spring Harbor and Huntington Bay. Not every bait pod has bass on them so you may have to try a few before you find them. Bluefish are still scarce on the North Shore, but pods with 3 to 5 pounders are moving in and out if you are looking to find a quick blitz.
South Shore Long Island Fishing Report
Mike at White Water Outfitters in Hampton Bays reported a good amount of fluke action in Shinnecock Bay, but you have to put in some work to bring home dinner. A keeper hits the deck for every eight or ten shorts, but nice fat fish of 6 to 7 pounds are in the mix. Captain Joe of the Jib VI out of Captree did well with summer flounder this week, especially on the flood tide and the first hour of the ebb tide. He is sticking mostly to fishing inside the bay, but will venture out into the ocean for a similar pick of fish if the conditions allow. On a good day, the boat averaged anywhere between 120 to 200 fish with 12 to 20 being keepers up to 6.5 pounds. Bay Park Fishing Station in Oceanside also reported a lot of short action further west in Reynold’s Channel with a handful of 19 to 20 inch fish in the mix for those drifting with squid.
Although it is a very broad area, the bunker pods in the ocean from Fire Island Inlet to Shinnecock Inlet are the most productive places to look for bass at the moment. In and around the inlets are good points to begin your search of marking bait pods. Live-lined bunker and trolling are the most popular catching methods. Mike at White Water also said there is a decent activity inside the Bay and around the Ponquogue Bridge, and guys are catching them on live bait, chunks, and plugs.
Joe from Trophy Tackle in West Babylon told us that the offshore fishing for bigeye and yellowtail is starting to heat up out at Spencer and Toms Canyons, and blue and mako shark catches a few miles offshore are getting more regular.
Metro Long Island Fishing Report
The bottom fishing in western Long Island is so-so, but there are a few places where you can manage to find some action. Both porgy and fluke are biting at Prospect, Sands, and Matinecock Points, according to John at Jack’s Bait & Tackle in the Bronx. Stretch from Stella Maris Bait & Tackle in Brooklyn said that fluke are biting around the Verrazano Bridge, the Marine Parkway Bridge, and inside Jamaica Bay, but you need to work hard for a keeper. He also added that the night bass trips are actually catching porgy as bycatch.
John from Hudson Park Bait & Tackle in New Rochelle told us of a good night of fishing where a massive 62 pound striper was caught in the waters around Buoy 32A. Other big fish of 40 and 48 pounds were also boated, but as quick as that bite started, the next day those fish were gone. He also said there are plenty of teen sized fish accessible from both the shore and by boat from the open water and estuaries of City Island through Larchmont and up to Rye hitting bucktails and plugs. John at Jack’s Bait said that other prolific spots included the Stepping Stone Lighthouse and Execution Lighthouse, and night fishing was productive this week off Floyd Bennett Field and Fort Tilden, according to Vinny from Bernie’s Fishing Tackle in Brooklyn.
With shark season heating up, Stretch at Stella Maris wanted to let everyone know that they will be holding their annual shark tournament on Saturday, June 27th with the captain’s meeting being held on Friday, June 26th.
East End/North Fork Long Island Fishing Report
The Peconic is slowing up a bit on the bottom fishing front, according to Bill at Jamesport Bait & Tackle in Mattituck, but anglers are still finding quality catches further east in Gardiners Bay and Cherry Harbor. He also said the Sound is showing some nice activity of fluke and porgy from Buoy 5 to Horton’s Point. David from Westlake Marina in Montauk said that anglers fishing on the south side continue to see a mix of good days and bad days, but at least the quantity of fish was up this week. There were a lot of shorts reported along the Radar Tower, off the Point, and into the Rips, but a few keepers did make it on board.
The stripers have yet to really make their way into the Peconic this year. However, Bill at Jamesport said huge blues are cruising around especially at Nassau Point and up into Riverhead, which is likely a contributing factor to another round of bunker die-offs that started over the weekend. Steve from Wego Bait & Tackle in Southold reported better luck with the stripers out at the Gut and Race, and there were even a handful of big fish in the 50 pound range out off Montauk recently. Other than a few small guys caught off the beach by the surfcasters, this was a slow week on the bass front.
Dan at Montauk Marine Basin in Montauk wanted to let everyone know that their 45th Annual Shark Tournament is being held from June 25th through June 27th, and you can check out their website for more information.
Best Bets for the Weekend
Conditions this weekend are looking relatively favorable until things start to get snotty on Sunday. However, you should have plenty of time before then to wet a line. If you want to hit some nice fluke, the North Shore is the place to be. Hit the shallow shoals and drop-offs with bucktails or bait for plenty of action. Western, eastern, and southern Long Island are also seeing good numbers of fish, but you will have to pick through for a few keepers. Porgy are still congregating around the East End, but it looks like they might finally be heading out and spreading across the North Shore. 30 feet of water, hard structure such as rock piles and mussel beds, and some clam bait are probably all you need to find the hungry scup.
I have not heard of any outstanding areas for bass fishing, but the South Shore has the largest concentration of fish on the bunker pods. They are just off the beaches stretching most of the Island so you can try from boat or surf depending if the schools get pushed in close. Trolling and live-lining will give you the best chance further out while bucktails and plugs are doing the trick from the beaches and jetties. There is plenty of bait all around the Island, the key is just finding which ones the fish are preying on. If offshore fishing is more your pace, shark and tuna is really starting to hammer if you can manage a trip out.