Western Long Island and NYC Fishing Report
- Finicky striped bass stack up in the North Shore bays.
- South Shore schoolies make for fast action, with big fish behind them.
- Less than 2 weeks remain for Blackfish season, with action to be found over nearshore wrecks & rocks.
- Uptick in largemouth bass activity as the weather warms and the spawn approaches.
- It’s early, but keep an eye out for porgies on the bottom, plus fluke and weakfish entering the bays.
John from Freeport Bait & Tackle reports:
“Striper action picked up on the South shore. Mostly schoolies but a few big overslot fish are also in the mix. More fish are going to be coming in over the next few weeks. Plugs and soft plastics are your best bet. We also have fresh bunker in the shop for chunking, which is key if you want to catch a big bass.”
Captain Josh Rogers of Gypsea Charters out of Brooklyn reported:
“Bass fishing has been off to a very good start! We have been fishing live bunker when we are able to net it, and they are inhaling the baits as soon as they hit the bottom. Flutter spoons have produced a few fish as well but not nearly as effective. Fishing should only get better and better as the temps rise and more bait moves into the area. Our night trips have also begun, drifting worms from 7pm to midnight. Our fluke season opens up on May 4th, and we are anticipating another great season. All reservations can now be made by visiting fishgypseany.com”
Brandon Weitz from Causeway Bait and Tackle in Wantagh told me:
“Stripers are in on the south shore! The beaches have schoolie to slot-size fish and some over slot fish in the mix too. Joe Baggs Swarters in chicken scratch or bone color have been doing the job. While out on the beach I saw birds but no visible bait, but they must be feeding on something. My guess is spearing or sand eels.”
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Here’s what local anglers have been posting on social media:
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If you have a catch you’d like to share, DM me on Instagram @nick_onthewater.
We’re finally here. Opening week. And yet, it feels underwhelming. Is it just me? I think we got spoiled last year. Not only was opening day on a Saturday, but it seemed that there was just way more bait around and, as a result, more actively feeding fish.
Last week, I got into my first kayak bass of the season followed by a day of beautiful weather to get skunked in. This week, I got skunked twice in a row on afternoon trips. The only consolation being it was 70 and gorgeous out.
While in the back bays, I found fish meandering under the surface, occasionally spooking them with my kayak or a lure, but seeing no interest in biting. Sporadic baitfish would skitter away from my plugs as I worked them across or just-under the surface of the water.
The bay was completely flat on Tuesday, with water temperatures in the upper 50’s to the low-60’s. On paper, conditions look great and we should have no problem getting bit. But this week’s been tough. When you do catch a bass, chances are it’s going to be schoolie or slot-sized at best.
» Check out the Eastern Long Island Fishing Report
Western Long Island and NYC Fishing Forecast
It can only get better from here. While the bite seems to have hit a lull on the North Shore, the South Shore is really starting to pick up as more migratory fish are moving in. From the NY Bight to as far east as Fire Island, stripers are being picked off the beach and inside the bays on plugs, soft plastics, and bait. In the bays, bunker have settled in and boat captains have been marking nice stacks of larger stripers on sonar.
The North Shore was a hotspot in March and early April, but this past week it seems the action has tapered off, including the size of the fish. While March saw many slot and overslot-size fish, most of the recent catches have been schoolie to slot size at best. The action itself has been much slower despite the increased presence of spearing. Paddletail shads and minnow plugs have been the lures of choice, with gliders in the mix for those who know.
Blackfish/tautog season is past the midpoint with less than 2 weeks remaining to catch them in NY until fall. While you’re out there togging, keep an eye out for porgy/scup which should be making an appearance in the bays very soon. The earliest I’ve ever caught a porgy was April 20th. I’ve seen dinghy’s and hi-lo rigs being casted from piers already, but no reports of catches yet. While I love stripers and tog, nothing signals the start of ‘fair-weather fishing season’ to me like that first scup does. Remember though, that porgy season doesn’t begin until May 1st and regulations have updated for vessel-based anglers.
Finally, freshwater bass action has been up, with a few of my buddies notching half-a-dozen bass and panfish in short stints off the banks. Lures of choice were spinnerbaits, the chatterbait + crawfish combo, curly-tail grubs (which also caught crappie & yellow-perch), and the unstoppable senko.
Soon enough we’ll hopefully have porgy, fluke, and weakfish in the rotation, plus more and bigger stripers across the whole island. The weather looks great for the weekend and most of next week. If you haven’t been out fishing yet, what are you waiting for?!
Good luck & tight lines!
The Western L.I./NYC Fishing Report is written and compiled by NYSDEC licensed kayak fishing guide, Nick Cancelliere (@nick_onthewater).