Long Island and NYC Fishing Report
- Stocked brook & rainbow trout readily eat black streamers in the rivers.
- Holdovers continue to bite along the East River and the back bays in the Western Long Island Sound.
- Herring are still hard to come by, but the dedicated are catching.
- Skim ice is no longer a factor, catch ‘em up from ponds to back bays.
Local kayak angler Jack Francesconi, known on IG as @togdawg, reported from the back-bays: “Perch were stacked up thick on sod banks near the creek mouths in about 3 to 4 feet of water. The water temperatures were around 40 degrees. I was hammering them on super light tackle–6 pound test and a 1/16-ounce jig with a 2-inch grub. Fish it super slow near the bottom with a couple of jigs every few cranks. I even hooked a nice size carp.”
Paul McCain of River Bay Outfitters in Baldwin told me:
“Fishing has been great, the water levels are good but visibility is poor. I’ve been whacking the trout on wooly buggers and mop flies. The warm weather makes for some great fishing especially in the rivers when you’re wading. As a result though, the rivers have been crowded so its important you reserve your beat early on the Connetquot if that’s where you intend to fish. Other options include the Nissequogue, Carmans, and upstate.
Tonight we’ll be having a free in-store presentation on Tenkara fly fishing at 6:30PM by Karin Miller! There will be free food as well. Stop-in and learn a new style of fishing!”
Bill Falco from Chasing Tails Bait & Tackle in Oakdale said:
“I’ve been bashing the stockers on the Connetquot lately as have many others. The trout fishing there is great right now. I tossed a black sex dungeon streamer fly all day and the brookies were all over it. Got some really nice ones including rainbows, although they were more finnicky. Streamer fishing is a lot of fun and catches bigger fish, give it a shot this week!”
Here’s what anglers have been posting on social media:
If you have a catch you’d like to share, DM me on Instagram @nick_onthewater.
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Long Island and NYC Fishing Forecast
Winter came and went. All the snow and ice that covered the ground last week has melted off, and the ponds are clear for fishing once again. Combined with mild spring-like temperatures, this could be an opportune time to hit up your local bass waters with a jerkbait, or cast to some stocked trout with spoons.
The weekend’s looking OK for getting out on the water, whether that’s wading, bank fishing, or pier fishing for herring. Sunday is forecasted for a wintry mix which could go either way. I don’t mind fishing through snow or a drizzle, but a downpour in winter is miserable. We’re also gaining daylight, which you may or may not have noticed. At around 5:00 p.m., the sun is still up. If you can slip out a little early from work, you can catch a pretty sunset and potentially some fish at the same time.
Your options are wide open – stocked brook, brown, and rainbow trout can be caught on spoons, flies, PowerBait, or pet-store mealworms and bread, depending on where you’re fishing. In the Connetquot, it sounds like the trout are readily attacking streamers which leads to plenty of rod-bending fun, especially for the larger rainbows in there, who are usually pickier than the brookies.
Yellow perch, sunfish, and bass can be found in most lakes across the island and depending on the water temperature, more active and willing to bite on jerkbaits, crappie magnets, or a simple bobber-and-worm setup. Last year, I was fly fishing a pool of moving water next to a guy fishing with worms and a bobber, and he caught everything from yellow perch, to bass, and even a bullhead catfish, which totally surprised me. I was casting nymphs and dry flies for a wide array of panfish from crappie to bluegill and yellow perch, but I was definitely getting outfished that day by the man with the worm-and-bobber.
I’m also confident that in this warmer weather the chain pickerel will be receptive to a topwater lure. That’s what I’ll be doing this weekend, and maybe trying for my first on the fly. I’m looking forward to wading shallow, encased in rain gear, while a gentle snow or ice mix falls around me. Try to appreciate the quiet serenity that is fishing in winter, and you might find yourself daydreaming about it on a hot summer day. When I’ve spent hours and weeks chasing blitz after blitz in the fall, I catch myself looking forward to when things quiet down and I can simply wade in a river, sight-casting to trout.
It doesn’t take long before I start to miss the striped bass, blues, and albies though.
Get out there and catch ‘em up! Tight lines.
The L.I./NYC Fishing Report is written and compiled by NYSDEC licensed kayak fishing guide, Nick Cancelliere (@nick_onthewater).
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