North Shore Long Island Fishing Report
Tough conditions, gusty winds, and frigid temperatures kept folks off the docks and boats tied up for much of this past week making for a very thin report. Good thing I do not get paid by the word. North Shore harbors and bays have iced up, according to John at Terminal Tackle in Kings Park, essentially pushing the herring out of the areas accessible from shore almost entirely. The only likely spot to still find herring on the North Shore is in the Nissequogue, or other areas like it, where the water is flowing and has not frozen over yet. However, being that not many were out to brave the cold, we do not know for sure how true that really is. Being that February is a relatively dead month for the fishing scene, John wanted to let everyone know that the shop will be holding week-long rod building classes going over the entire process from start to finish. At the end of the session, participants will go home with their newly completed rod that they built themselves. More information will be up on the Terminal Tackle website, or feel free to give the shop a call with any questions.
South Shore Long Island Fishing Report
It was slow going on the South Shore as well with sailing being extremely difficult this past week. When boats were able to get out, things proved to be on the slower side, according to Joe at Trophy Tackle in West Babylon. Several drops oftentimes resulted in only a few fish, so captains had to keep making the rounds in order to put together a somewhat respectable trip. While many of the Captree charters headed to the Virginia wreck for less bottom action than they have seen in recent weeks, those who journeyed east past Montauk saw a better pick of fish. Rich from White Water Outfitters in Hampton Bays said the reports were very slim on the eastern South Shore as well so the guys at the shop are keeping busy by building rods and working on reel repairs. It is easy to get discouraged enough to hang up your gear, especially with what is forecasted for the weekend, but boats are eager to get out and are promising to sail on any day that is fishable.
Metro Long Island Fishing Report
Surprisingly, some positive reports did manage to come from the west in spite of how poorly the rest of the Island is doing. Ralph at Bernie’s Fishing Tackle in Brooklyn said fishing from shore is producing herring just about everywhere with full-sized mackerel and tinker mackerel mixing in heavily. As was the case in recent reports, Jamaica Bay and Canarsie, Coney Island, and Magnolia Piers saw some great action this week for the anglers that toughed out the cold. Party boats are also getting in on the action, according to Richie from Stella Maris Bait & Tackle in Brooklyn, hitting the schools hard for a lot of fun on board. The mackerel cooperated pretty well, although some difficult tides or nonexistent drifts encountered at times limited how many fish stayed by the boat even though the radar was picking up fish everywhere. There was no lack of herring on the other hand. Other boats chose to hit the cod grounds instead and ended up finding a mediocre showing. On a good day, buckets were not full, but as many as 20 keepers came over the rails for the fares to split.
East End/North Fork Long Island Fishing Report
The East End did see some cod action over the last week, but several days’ worth of cancellations really put a damper on the morale. Courtney at Montauk Marine Basin in Montauk said some cod were biting south of Block Island when boats were actually able to sail. However, Saturday was cancelled for many boats due to inclement weather, and Sunday can be described as picky at best. Daybreak got the cod moving, but things soon trailed off and boats had to continue to move in order to find fish hungry enough to bite. Each drop resulted in a few hitting the decks, and even though the coolers were not full, anglers did go home with dinner. High hook was as few as 8 cod, and other fares had many less. Gusty winds cancelled the trips scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, and I have not heard yet if anyone managed to get out after that.
Best Bets for the Weekend
I do not think I even need to mention that fishing is not in the cards for this weekend. While the forecast is continually changing, it remains clear that we will get hit with what looks to be a good amount snow and winds upwards of 50 knots on Saturday. Adding in the 17-foot seas and we are looking at a real doozy. My suggestion is to stay in and make some hot cocoa until it is time to take care of the snow. This is a great time to break down your equipment and service your reels. Things look like they will begin to get back to normal toward Monday, so there is a chance boats will be back on the water early next week. Some warmer temperatures forecasted may also start melting some of the snow as well as free up the harbors and bays making it a bit easier to see if the herring are still around or gone for good. Until then, however, check to make sure you have the salt and good shovels for the weekend.