Long Island and NYC Fishing Report
- Herring action continues to be a grind, but those who put the time in are finding them from the piers.
- Pickerel continue to provide a consistent bite in freshwater.
- Good holdover fishing in the East River.
Brandon Weitz from Causeway Bait and Tackle in Wantagh said:
“We’re doing okay thankfully after the storm, but a lot of people got flooded around here. Best bet for action this week is the back bays on the North shore for holdovers, or any of the freshwater ponds. The pickerel will bite all winter and so will yellow perch, bluegill, crappie, and largemouth bass!”
Bill Falco of Chasing Tails Bait and Tackle in Oakdale reports:
“No fishing for me this week, but I had to don the waders and make sure my car would still start after Tuesday night’s storm. Hope everyone made it out alright! Needless to say, your best bet is probably freshwater this week in areas not impacted by flooding and the crazy wind. That means the North shore, or middle of the island.”
-
Want to get in on the bite? Find an OTW-approved Charter Fishing Captain around Long Island and NYC!
Paul McCain of River Bay Outfitters in Baldwin told me:
“Everything was settling up good until this storm, and now we got another one on the horizon. The beaches are completely torn up and it’s a moon tide this weekend…Stay safe everyone. But in the freshwater there’s been a strong pickerel bite. They spawn in about a month or so, usually in March. If you want consistent fishing, one of Long Island’s pickerel ponds is a good bet for a fishing trip. Herring continues to be spotty, as are white perch this week. It’s been quiet. I’ve settled into fly-tying for the winter and March 16th is the fly fishing expo, make sure to mark your calendar!”
Raul Andres of the NY Hooksets told me:
“There’s been a consistent holdover bite in the East River, but it’s very time and tide dependent. If you put in the effort, you can hook one on a bucktail jig or soft plastic.”
- This Sunday stop by the On The Water booth at Striper Day, hosted by Surfcaster’s Journal and the Ward Melville High School Fishing Club!
View this post on Instagram
Here’s what anglers have been posting on social media this week:
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
If you have a catch you’d like to share, DM me on Instagram @nick_onthewater.
First, I hope that everyone across the island is doing OK after the storm this week. I’ve seen some wild images of flooding, and more light-hearted ones of people fishing off their porches and kayaking through their neighborhoods on social media. Looks like we’re in for round two this weekend…
Truthfully, I haven’t been fishing much other than the odd stop at my local pond for a dink bass or two on the ned rig. Still, I’ve been doing more winter bass fishing so far this year than in previous years, where I’d mostly take a handful of trips to the Connetquot to play with the trout on fly tackle.
I’d hoped the coming snowstorm would fire the bass up and make for a productive day. On Saturday, I experienced the curse of the first-cast-fish where I immediately hooked a small bass on the ned rig, only to skunk out the rest of the day throwing jerkbaits, ned rigs, and the wacky rig all around the pond to no fish. Not the outing I’d hoped for, but I’m still happy to hook any number of fish this time of year.
While I’ve been faithful to the ned rig over the past couple of weeks, I’m going to be giving the wacky rig more time in my freshwater rotation. The steady, slow fall on the pause plus the ‘flapping’ action when twitched looked like it would be irresistible for a cold-water bass. I rigged a classic senko worm weightless on a neko rig hook with an o-ring.
Next outing, I’m going to bring a few nail weights and try the ‘Neko’ rig, which is a weighted wacky rig presentation that sits vertically on the bottom similar to a ned rig when paused.
Long Island and NYC Fishing Forecast
My recommendation would be to target the sweetwater for yellow perch, crappie, bass, or pickerel. I’ve seen a lot of anglers stymie their cabin fever this winter with the consistent action offered by the ‘slime darts’ or esox niger. Just a couple of weeks ago, I was able to produce a topwater hit on a low 40-degree morning.
Several anglers have found consistent action in the East River for holdover striped bass. Bucktails tipped with soft plastics, or just a small paddle tail on a light jighead was producing. The bite seems to be mainly tide dependent though, and the anglers getting tight had to put in the work to find the optimal periods that the fish were willing to bite.
We’re in for another storm with high winds. Even if you don’t live near the water, remember that high winds can knock down tree limbs or entire trees, and that can make fishing a pond or river surrounded by trees dangerous. Be smart in making your fishing plans and don’t risk your life just to catch a fish.
If you live on the South Shore or any area threatened by coastal flooding – I hope you stay safe. Thanks for reading, and tight lines.
The L.I./NYC Fishing Report is written and compiled by NYSDEC licensed kayak fishing guide, Nick Cancelliere (@nick_onthewater).