The action is starting to pick up all around Long Island. The options are almost endless on the saltwater side of things. To add, bluefish have finally started to show along the South Shore. Things should only get better from here on out.
At Hudson Park Bait and Tackle, they report much of the same from last week. Anglers have been catching schoolie striped bass from both boat and shore. On the boat it seems the mojos have still been the ticket. John said it should be any day now before everything busts wide open in his area.
In Brooklyn at Stella Maris Bait and Tackle, they said that this has been probably the best start of fluke season they have seen in decades. Reports of fish being caught already up to 10 pounds. They said the striped bass action has been great with customers live-lining or chunking bunker. They also have anglers fishing the Raritan Bay and catching most of their striped bass on mojo rigs.
At Causeway Bait and Tackle in Wantagh, they have finally seen the first push of bluefish the last two to three days in the bay and local inlets. They said anglers are still doing well in the back bays with bass also. Fluke fishing has been improving by the day with the warmer temperatures.
River Bay Outfitters reports of hearing good action on the fly rod up on the north shore with anglers targeting striped bass. Paul heard of reports of keeper striped bass coming from Jamaica Bay. Locally the freshwater has remained decent and should remain so.
At Bay Park Fishing Station, the fluke bite seems to be on. Many anglers bringing back a good amount of keeper sized fluke for the dinner table. The biggest fluke this week weighed in at 6.5 pounds. This fluke came on the classic squid-and-spearing combo. They had some anglers head out to the Raritan Bay and found success catching striped bass on mojos weighing up to 31 pounds.
Captree Bait and Tackle reported the party boats found the bluefish last night. They said the anglers fishing from the surf have been doing great as well. Catching both bass and blues from the beach. Fluke fishing has also been off to a great start to the season. From bucktails to bait, anglers have been finding success with a variety of tactics for these flat fish.
At White Water Outfitters Rick said, weakfish have started to show locally in the canal. While there have not been many huge fish, some really nice ones have been caught so far weighing up to 5lbs. Jeff from the shop was out last night in the bay and got into some bluefish on the fly rod. If you have never experienced that before, its a must. Fluke fishing in the area is ok, but reports have come in that the porgy fishing is on fire.
At Harbor Marina of East Hampton, Rick said, The Central and Eastern Peconics have filled in nicely with Schoolie Stripers, I have gotten two confirmed reports of keeper Striped Bass this week. A nice shot of smaller butterfish seem to be keeping them interested. In addition, a few squid have started to show in Greenport and here on Three Mile Harbor. The Fluke and Porgy Bite is heating up from Robins Island out to Montauk. I have yet to hear of any weakfish being taken yet, but it should be just a matter of time. With so many options on the table, it is definitely time to plan a great outing on the Peconic Bay Estuary.
In Montauk, at Westlake Marina, things have been kind of quiet with the lack of anglers heading out. They do have one regular who has been going out everyday targeting fluke. Each day he has been coming back with keepers. In the next few weeks, Montauk should really start to see a lot more participation and action.
Jim at Miller Place Bait and Tackle said, the night striped bass fishing the last few days has been amazing. Though the fish have not been big; the numbers of fish is what has really kept anglers happy. They have also heard of reports of good fluke and porgy fishing from the rocky point area.
On the Celtic Quest, porgy fishing has been unreal. Anglers have been catching their limits with ease. Make sure to check out their website to see the videos of the action this past week and also to book a trip while the action is this great.
Fishing Forecast for New York
While Saturday and Sunday do not look like the best days to fish, Friday and the start of next week look pretty good to get out there. There are a ton of options to go after. You can start off targeting one species and still be able to target two to three other in the same trip. From the surf, the action really looks like it is starting to come together. With the invasion of bluefish looking to be on its way, these are the times as a surf angler can be a ton of fun. Catching big blues from the surf is some of the best action all season. All of the shops around the island are fully stocked with what you need, so make sure to stop in grab what you need and get the latest info. Have a great weekend everyone and catch em up!
First Stripers of the Spring this afternoon…..couple of shorts……one of 24 inches…….Dropped three more……
Nothing like the feeling of topwater bluefish on an awkward jetty
Thank God for all the warm weather, everyday after work I go out and get a chance to get some good action and the spring stripers do not disappoint , I in the Bronx the stripes are all over city island area , if you know how to fish