It seems there is a steady supply of a variety of fish across most of Long Island up to this week. Although the on and off rain has made things difficult, the bite has remained decently strong. The early run for big bluefish is in full swing as there has been wide spread success. This has made it more difficult for targeting stripers, but replaces it with just as much of a fight. Porgies have also continued to hit well with the soon to be in season fluke mixing in as well.
Ashley from Bay Park Fishing Station reports that the best bite has been in the morning in the Oceanside area. It’s been tough fishing bass with the big blues out-competing for bait and cutting lines, still, there was a 35-pounder weighed in by the charter boat No Time skippered by Capt. Nick Savene. Chunking has been the most active type of fishing.
Mike from Stella Maris also has seen bigger bass, these moving into the Brooklyn waters, though the early season frenzy that had been taking place in the area has slowed down a bit. There have been strong reports out of Jamaica Bay for bluefish with good-sized fish hitting poppers. The fish are not shredding up the surface like oftentimes in the fall run, but the surface poppers seem to be brining good results so far.
Mark from Cow Harbor has seen signs of improved bass fishing both in quantity and size of the fish in and around Northport. Trolling inside the harbors has been a productive tactic as well as soaking some bunker chunks since there is still plenty of bait around.
Jason form The Campsite said that there have been more keeper stripers around although it is still mostly schoolies in the Huntington Station area. The rain last week slowed things down but the warm, dry weather over the past few days have reignited the bite.
Ed from Warrens Bait and Tackle tells of hot action in Jessups Bay for blues and bass on diamond jigs. There has also been solid porgy fishing throughout most of the Island. Ed also has heard of decent fishing for scup around Shelter Island and off buoy 17. There have also been reports of big and plentiful catches stretching across the North Shore as well as both the North and South forks. Mixed in with these have been some keeper-sized fluke. The summer flatties have all been released so far as the season doesn’t open until Tuesday, May 17. It is a good sign though that the early fluke season will be off to a hot start. The best time to get on these fish is right off the bat at the start of the season as the doormats tend to move off in the following weeks.
Steve from Wego Fishing noted that there has been a mixed bag of fish in North Fork waters with everything from blues and bass to porgies and the always elusive squid out of Greenport. Squid are another species that you want to get on immediately as they can disappear at a moment’s notice and nothing is better than catching your own bait or calamari.
On the South Shore, Bryce from White Water Outfitters has been seeing a lot of action with smaller fish in Shinnecock and Peconic Bays. The Inlet and ocean waters have been slow but there have been some fluke, blues and weakfish mixed in the bay. The bluefish, he added, are all giants. It’s not at the point that they are tearing up anything that touches the water just yet but there are a decent number of big-headed runners around.
On the freshwater side, Paul at River Bay Outfitters spoke of solid trout fishing on the Carmans River with a mix of dry and wet flies now tempting both rainbow and brook trout. Pickerel are back in season now and hitting well on both spinners and Rapala Floating Minnows. Carp are an option, too, especially in Nassau County waters.
Fishing around Staten Island has been good according to a report from the Staten Island Tuna Club. Boat have caught fish up to 30 pounds trolling with Manns Stretch 25s and 30s. Stretches from the Outerbridge to Ship Graveyard, also caught some nice blue fish. Right now New York Harbor by the Statue of Liberty is a hotspot from Striped Bass chunking and live-lining Bunker.
On the surf fishermen have been doing well catching keeper Stripers from the Conference House in Tottenville to the wall separating South Beach and Fort Wadsworth. The Midland Beach fishing pier has been hot for both bass and bluefish with chunking bunker and throwing out various colored plugs. On the surf at Oakwood/Fox Beach the bite has been plentiful. The SI Tuna Club Members have been doing very well,
Fishing Forecast for Long Island – New York
Stripers are spreading out along the island, and big bluefish are making things even more interesting. More keeper-sized bass are moving in, so get out there and get in on the action.