North Shore Long Island Fishing Report
I did not think a fishing report could get anymore lackluster than the past few, but I was unfortunately proven wrong. Winter Storm Jonas reared his ugly head on Saturday, grounding all boats and shore anglers for the weekend as well as several days before and after. Once the dust settled, icy harbors and mountainous piles of snow remained making fishing at the piers or getting to the docks near impossible. John at Terminal Tackle in Kings Park said that although the water at the back of Huntington is clear, no one has been able to trek to the bulkheads to see if there are any herring still around. Even if you could get down to the water, iced up areas like Centerport are adding to the challenge. The same situation goes for the guys who were having some fun with the trout earlier in the year; getting to the water is just too difficult. With warmer, sunny days forecasted for the next week, snow is melting fast and the false sense of spring might just bring the herring back around to play.
South Shore Long Island Fishing Report
Rich from White Water Outfitters in Hampton Bays did not have any reports to relay as most people were still busy shoveling out the docks and cleaning up their boats. Thankfully, it does not seem like there was much damage on the South Shore, just a big mess to deal with. The Friday before the storm hit was a bit rough, but Thursday saw decent enough conditions to get out. Steady, strong winds and a 4-5 foot chop made the ride a little uncomfortable, but fishing overall was respectable as fares each went home with about a half a dozen cod each. There has not been much good luck with the weather these past few days, but I do believe we will see some boats get out there before the weekend rolls around.
Metro Long Island Fishing Report
Despite the dismal fishing conditions around the Island, the herring are in full swing to the west. Ralph at Bernie’s Fishing Tackle in Brooklyn said anglers at Coney Island Pier killed them in the days after the storm with literally buckets full of herring. Other areas, including Magnolia Pier, Canarsie Pier, the Marine Parkway Bridge, and Sheepshead Bay, are chock full of fish for the taking, according to Stretch from Stella Maris Bait & Tackle in Brooklyn . Herring are the most common commodity, but mackerel are also making a decent showing. As for the cod boats, Stretch added that is was tough going with the weather so no one has sailed recently. However, before the storm the Atlantic Beach Reef was still showing signs of promising fishing so we just need the conditions to cooperate in order to get back out there.
East End/North Fork Long Island Fishing Report
Unsurprisingly, the East End did not have much activity to offer over the last several days as the winds and seas made the circumstances inhospitable. A few cod boats made it to the grounds during the middle to end of last week, but many trips started to be canceled as of Friday with the incoming weather system. Haul numbers averages about half a dozen for each fare with a high hook of around ten or so. The bite was not spectacular, but I guess it could always be worse. There were trips scheduled for earlier this week, but many were called off at the last minute because of conditions that were worse than originally expected.
Best Bets for the Weekend
The weather is looking a lot more reasonable for this weekend compared to what we have been seeing. Seas will have a decent chop, but I do not think that is going to deter most captains, especially since they have not been able to hit the water very much lately. I am a bit more concerned about the wind on Saturday. Gusts will be a little stronger than I would like, but I guess we need to work with what we are given. Marinas should be well cleared of snow by the end of this week which makes one less challenge we have to deal with. Boats may not have much open availability with so few trips, so call in advance to book your spot before it’s too late.
Daytime temperatures for the next several days will peak well above freezing making it feel quite pleasant. Snow is melting fast and the harbors should be clear of any ice or remaining slush. This will be a good weekend to see if the herring are still around. Action toward western Long Island never seemed to slow down, but the North Shore had a rough go at it with the consistent cold and fish never showed up on the South Shore. We will at least get a chance to gauge what the situation will look like for the remainder of the winter.