Long Island New York Fishing - August 16, 2018

Pictured above: Customers aboard Northport Charters reports got into some nice seabass & porgies this week.

Things over the past week, seem to be much of the same as last week. Porgy fishing around the entire island is still great, while out in Montauk big fluke and striped bass fishing is still going strong. Offshore the tuna and sharks are keeping anglers busy. Here is what the local shops had to say for this week.

Long Island Fishing Report

Hudson Park Bait and Tackle reports, the porgy fishing is still red hot in the area and doesn’t show any sign of slowing down. Anglers are still picking away a keeper-sized striped bass at night on chunked bait. The fluke action has been okay, with the biggest fish weighed this week being 6 pounds. The area is loaded with bunker schools, which will hopefully stay around until fall when the bass start making their move down south.

Stella Maris Bait and Tackle reports, the offshore tuna bite has slowed down a little bit this past week. The good news is the shark fishing offshore has improved over the last week. Porgy fishing remains hot and your best bet from the boat and from the piers. Fluke fishing has been good with bigger fish coming in the deeper channels. Snapper fishing has been good and there seems to be a good amount of cocktail blues around as well.

Northfork Light Tackle Charters reports, the topwater and fly fishing has been hot the last week or so, but says it’s time to start looking ahead to the fall run and the arrival of albies in mid-September. He will be fishing weekends throughout the fall. Last year’s albie fishing was off the charts in mid-September and all through October, and we had plenty of days with bass and blues mixed in as well, so hoping for more of the same this year.

Harbor Marine of East Hampton is reporting that cocktail blues blitzing on sand eels all over the Gardiners Bay area, providing great light tackle action. Local sharpies have reported finding keeper fluke from Cedar point out to Montauk Point over the past few days. Porgy and Sea Bassing remains solid on rocky structure or rocky open bottom. Schoolie sized striped bass have re-entered some of the local harbors for catch and release action. Lastly, serious anglers fishing low light hours of the day and at night are catching keeper sized stripers with some trophies sized fish in the mix along the Fisher Island chain and out in Montauk.

Bay Park Fishing Station reports, last Friday Michael & Marcin of “Angler” went out in the morning behind AB reef in about 60-feet of water and caught a 2.8lb Fluke using spearing and squid. Last Thursday, fishing the AB Reef, Will and Kyle on the boat No Time, angled a 8.20-pound Fluke. Along with 8 other keepers, they caught the doormat using Bay Park spearing and cut squid.

Captree Bait and Tackle reported many anglers are stopping in the shop and heading to the piers for blue crabs. They said some of the blue crabs are the biggest they have seen in years! Also down at the piers, the snapper fishing is still doing well. On the boats from the inlet to the lighthouse on the south side, a lot of keeper fluke are being caught. The bait and rigs of choice this past week, has been a high low rig either with spearing and squid or 4-inch Gulp minnows.

River Bay Outfitters reports, that a chapter of trout unlimited has installed a wing dam in the Carman’s River. Many anglers are very excited about this Paul said because it will improve the fishing. Locally in the saltwater anglers are still catching schoolie bass on the fly rods. Also on the fly down by the inlet fly rodders have been having a lot of fun with the searobins and fluke.

White Water Outfitters reports, the fluke fishing in Shinnecock Bay has improved over the past week. They said in Montauk the fluke fishing has been very good. Also in Montauk, there is still a great striped bass bite at night on live bait. Offshore there are lots of big eye tuna in the canyons from the 100-125lb range. In the canyons there has started to be a yellowfin tuna bite on the chunk.

Miller Place Bait and Tackle reports, yesterday they received their first report of the season of big blues in the area. A customer was fishing the middle grounds and doing well with bass when the big bluefish started destroying his mojo rigs. The fluke fishing has been decent along with the porgies. Seabass fishing is good, you have to get through a bunch of small fish but there are some bigger keepers out there as well.

Terminal Tackle reports, your best bet is still the porgies. Though the bite might not be as good as it was, there are still a ton of fish out there. It seems they have moved into the harbors and anglers are catching them while trading for snappers. Fluke fishing has been best is the deeper water with some big fish in the 5-10lb range hitting the deck. Striped bass fishing at night with live eels in the triangle has been OK. They report the anglers that really know where to be on the tide are catching the most fish.

Capt. Stu of Northport Charters reports that they are still whacking nice seabass & porgies. There are bunker schools all over bay & Sound with blues showing up.

Fishing Forecast for Long Island

With not many weeks left in this summer and a nice weekend coming up, make sure to get out on the water this weekend. Both north and south shore wrecks are holding seabass, fluke, and porgys. Out east seems to be your best for bigger fish though. Big fluke and striped bass seem to be holding strong out in Montauk. Locally around any pier or dock, the snapper fishing will be your best bet. While down there throw in a crab trap or a weighted line with some bait for some blue crabs to bring home to the dinner table. Offshore the fishing grounds might be crowded this weekend, but that is because there seems to be a good tuna bite both on the troll and the chunk. I hope everyone has a great weekend and tight lines!