Long Island - New York Fishing Report - March 22, 2018

While winter storm Toby put a damper on the fishing for the last couple of days, that does not mean there was not anything going on right before the storm.  With local lakes and ponds being stocked with the first trout of the year, many anglers found success with these freshly stocked fish.  I even gave it a shot last Thursday and caught my first trout ever.  If I am catching trout, it should be easy for any experienced angler to get into the action. Also in the local freshwater areas, anglers have started to catch large mouth bass and pickerel.

In Manhattan at Capitol Tackle, Eric said that before the storm came through, the Central Park lakes were really beginning to take off.   He heard of some really nice largemouth bass being caught and released.  He also sent me a picture of his regular anglers that comes into the shop that caught a beautiful smallmouth bass before the storm. Fishing should continue to improve after the snow melts.

At River Bay Outfitters, Paul told me the Long Island Flyrodders were out at the Connetquot earlier in the week and got into some nice trout.  He said that the water was high and that the afternoon session produced better than the morning session. Locally closer to the shop he has had some good reports of anglers hooking up with carp.  Stop in the shop or give him a call if you want to learn how to catch these carp on the fly.

At the Camp-Site Sport Shop, Carmine said the saltwater scene has been pretty quiet in his neck of the woods.  Many anglers have not really tried to target any saltwater species as of late. He said anglers are gearing up though for winter flounder which opens in little over a week.  On the freshwater scene, many of his customers have been targeting trout with all of the local lakes and ponds being stocked.  He said anglers are having success as well pickerel on a variety of lures and also flies.

Bryce at White Water Outfitters, said things have been slow lately, but anglers were still catching some schoolie hold over striped bass before the storm.  He said he has still be hearing of anglers catching white perch as well.

Long Island Fishing Forecast

Even though it feels like spring might not ever come, next week’s forecast looks like the temperature will finally break the 50 degree mark. Fishing might be a little slow the next couple of days with the snow melting into the waterways, but after that things should hopefully return to where they were before the storm.  I sound like a broken record, but hopefully this will be our last major storm for the season and things will start to get on track.  If you have not done so already get your trout and freshwater gear together and go head out on a local lake.  That is your best shot at bending a rod right now.