As the late fishing season continues to wind down, the efforts of some anglers have had a definite drop. However, there are still some fish around across Long Island and the ones that continue to put the time in can reap the benefits. Schoolie bass and blackfish have been the most common catches for the post-Thanksgiving weekend but there are also reports of shad, herring and squid spread throughout.
Jason from Camp-site Sports Shop is one person who has seen the fishing effort slow but he is still seeing some bluefish around and schoolie bass in the harbors. These bass around generally up to about 20 inches at the most but it is still a tight line and plenty of fun to run into. Along with them have been sightings of shad, herring and even a few squid. These fish should keep the bass and few blues around for a little longer and may produce a big keeper in the mix.
Over at Terminal Tackle, John Sr. reports that the best action has been on the bottom with blackfish, as many would imagine. When the weather permits, the fishing has been very good. There aren’t a ton of whoppers around but most keepers are hitting the scales at around 4 pounds. The tog have continued to move to deep water so anyone looking to target these fish should start in at least 50-feet and work their way deeper to find a piece of structure that produces a bite. It’s been said that scattered schools of herring and shad have been showing up in the local river, though John has not had time to get out and check. If true however, this is another situation that could produce a monster bass, as a few 30-pound fish have already been taken chasing the shad this week. Squid are popping up across the Huntington, Centerport, Mt. Saini and Port Jeff waters this week so keep an eye on the docks and bring a bright light.
At Miller Place Bait & Tackle, Jim also has schoolie stripers around in the back of Mt. Saini Harbor. Anglers have been using 4-inch Storm Shad to target these fish and have been catching bass up to 20 inches with regularity. In the shops blackfish race, the leader, Bob, is still leading the charge with a 9.6 pounder and will be hard to top as the local fish have only been reaching about 5 pounds as of late. As in other waters across the Island, the fishing has been good when anglers can get out but the big fish have been hard to come by.
In Jamesport, at Warrens Tackle, Ed hasn’t had as much success with blackfish on the East End. He is still seeing schoolie bass every now and again on the sound side but the action has been slow this week. Some tog are still being picked off of Hortan’s Point and Rocky Point but the bite is beginning to slow down.
Out in Hampton Bays, at White Water Outfitters, Bryce reports that the local schoolies are still holding their ground but have become less active. The local blackfish bite is still going on here as well as in Montauk, where the action has been even better. Green crabs continue to be the favorite and although the lunkers are not overrunning, you never know what the next line drop will produce.
Paul from River Bay Outfitters has some stripers around but verifies other reports that the bite has decreased. The bottom fish action here has become slow enough that most anglers have turned their attention elsewhere. One thing that will help to fill this void is the fly-tying classes that will begin at the shop soon.
On the West End of the Island, Joe from Staten Island Tuna Club reports that this week in Raritan Bay, the bass have been easing off and the bluefish are chasing pods of bunker that are still roaming the waters. The tog still are producing well with keepers as the season winds down.
Fishing Forecast Fishing Forecast
As the saltwater season slows down, look to target the remaining local fish and possibly some squid to fill your freezers with both bait for next year and food. Blackfish are still hitting well in most waters and although not many big fish seem to be around, it only takes one to make a day so keep hitting them while you can. On the freshwater side, now is still a good time to look for trout and even attract a couple largemouth bass and pickerel with a golden spinner. Soon the ice will be upon us and that opens a whole new opportunity for ice fishing. So get the gear ready and keep an eye on the thermometer.