Pictured above: Matt Baxter and his friends on his boat Fish Foreva with their 2nd Place 77lb yellowfin tuna in the overnight division, in the Hampton’s Offshore Invitational this past weekend.
Many anglers stayed in this week due to the weather not cooperating. It went from summer, to what feels like fall already a few days this week. The good news is, from what reports we did get things are still doing well for most of the island. Most, if not all, of the waters inshore around the island are fishing well for porgies, seabass, and fluke. Things should improve on all fronts this weekend with the moon and better weather coming.
Long Island Fishing Report
Hudson Park Bait and Tackle reports, the porgies are still the name of the game in the area this past week. There are some striped bass bass closer to home close to the rocks. Surf anglers have been using top water and bucktails a to catch them. John got a report from a customer that fished on one of the party boats in Captree and caught a cobia. The snappers are all close to shore along the docks and piers.
Stella Maris Bait and Tackle reports, porgies are still all over the place locally and on the structures inshore. The fluke are still being taken in the local channels. Cocktail blues and even some albies were taken yesterday. This is the first report of albies the year, which means the fall run is right around the corner. Offshore anglers are catching tuna in the chicken and Hudson canyons.
Captree Bait and Tackle report, the party boats in Captree that are heading out in the ocean have been doing very good as of late. Fluke weighing 8 and 9 pounds have been hitting the decks regularly. In side in the bay there are also fluke, but a lot of shorts. With this warm water they have heard of two cobia caught this week. Anglers along the shore have been catching a variety of species this week. Triggerfish, snappers, and small blowfish have all been reported.
River Bay Outfitters reports, a customer in the shop fished Artist Lake this week in his kayak and caught bluegills and large mouth bass. The Long Island Fly Rodders fished the Connetquot earlier in the week and said fishing was tough. Some anglers did catch fish, but they said you really have to know what you are doing. In the saltwater, Paul has not heard much besides short fluke and searobins from the surf.
Bay Park Fishing Station reports, Lloyd Malsin on the boat Nansea II, fished last week in tough conditions with west wind honking against incoming tide making for some unsettled drifting. They did however manage 2 jumbo fluke with 50 or more very close to keeper shorts. Canadian spearing and squid strips were the best. Nice size porgies as a by catch with 6 seabass kept all over 2 lbs.
Captain Stu of Northport Charters said, nice porgies & cocktails blues in bay. Peanut bunker showed up this week all over bay and harbor & adult bunker still here. A lot of bait! High winds kept them in the bay most of the week.
Rick of Harbor Marina of East Hampton reports, snappers and harbor blues have arrived on the Three Mile Harbor fishing scene in force. They are making for some great light tackle action. There is also an abundance of baitfish in the area including peanut bunker, spearing and bay anchovies. Rick witnessed one family on their center console skiff with 4 junior anglers hooked up simultaneously all on light tackle outfits. Overall, local fishing has cooled off a little bit for striped bass and fluke, even if the humid air temperatures have not. Rick said we need a tropical depression or change in our weather pattern in order for us to hit the re-start button and move some quality fish back into the Gardiners and Peconic Bay area. Porgies and Sea Bass are still around on some of the deeper sections of local structure and rocky bottom. He said we should see Montauk and the Fishers Island chain turn back on with the up-coming full moon. This is probably a good time of year to catch up on any pending service work or maintenance on the boat and tackle as we turn the corner into the fall run.
Montauk Marine Basin reports, this past week it was tough, with many anglers staying at the dock. They did however hear of striped bass off of block island. With the weather getting better things should turn right back on.
Westlake Marina reports, big striped bass have been taken off of block island this past week. Mike at the marina, with some friends, charted the boat the Bloodline and had a great night with the striped bass each angler caught a 45 pounds bass. They were fishing at night and drifting live eels. The seabass action is still going strong with a lot of bigger fishing showing up lately. Shark fishing is still good all within ten miles of the shoreline.
Miller Place Bait and Tackle reports, earlier in the week customers headed out to the middle grounds and caught bass weighing up to 28lbs on the troll. Most boats were using mojo rigs or tube & worm. Fluke fishing has been good in the deeper water from the 60-65 foot range. Porgies and seabass have been taken in the Cranes Neck and Old Field area.
Terminal Tackle reports, there are still plenty of porgies still around, with an occasional seabass mixed in. Snappers are still over the local harbors and there have been some striped bass feeding on them. Harbors such as Huntington and Northport are doing the best with these snappers.
Fishing Forecast for Long Island
With the weather and moon in the favor for anglers this weekend it would be a good time to get out. Look for the east end and waters around block island to hold your best shot as big striped bass. Inshore the fluke, seabass, and porgies are all a great option this weekend. In the surf you can still take a shot at some keeper fluke, with an occasional schoolie bass or cocktail bluefish. On the local piers and docks there seems to be a variety of species to target right now. From the normal fluke and snappers to trigger fish and blowfish. This is also the time to get all your gear ready for what hopefully be a great fall run. I would not be surprised if in the next couple of reports to be hearing a lot more about the albies which everyone loves to catch. Have a great weekend everyone and good luck!
I did a lot so surf fishing along Fire Island beaches during the 50’s and 60’s, using top water plugs and block tin jigs we made in molds , with pork rind tails. Went up and down the beach in Model A fords , looking for birds over schools of bait. Bass and Blues were churning the surf. we used 8ft fiberglass rods with penn reels, then switched to spinning rods with garica and shakespeer spinning tackle, sure made a difference. The best fishing seemed to be
sept. and Oct, when the mullet started moving . Action was great along rocks and beach by Fire Island inlet. I am in Florida now . Will be trying to get up north this fall. Would like to know if surf fishing has picked up . Thank you Tommy Koller.