Long Island and NYC Fishing Report
Eastern Long Island
The Eastern Long Island Fishing Report is compiled and written by writer/blogger and fly-fishing industry professional, Jack Larizadeh (@jack.lariz).
Mark at Cow Harbor Bait and Tackle in Northport reports:
“There are still big bass being caught on topwater, and primary the baits are still adult bunker and mackerel. The most effective plugs are Doc’s, Yo-Zuri poppers, and any other larger topwater plugs. As for fluke, the bite is hot. They are still east of Eatons chewing on sand eels. Overall, we’re seeing a ton of different bait around including sand eels, peeler crabs, spearing, and of course, bunker and mackerel.”
Bill at Chasing Tails Bait and Tackle in Oakdale reports:
“Striped bass reports just keep pouring in. Bass action is super hot in the inlet, ocean, and on the open beaches. Lots of fish are being caught on shallow-diving plugs, bucktails, flutter spoons, and jigs. Poppers are getting whacked too when the fish push bait up to the surface. On the beach, bottle plugs, darters, bucktails, and swim shads are getting smacked up. Solid bass and massive bluefish are running up and down the shoreline. Blues will eat pretty much anything, but they’re all over tins, SP minnows, and bottle plugs. Fluke season is off to a great start. The channels are absolutely loaded with big flatfish. Bucktails tipped with a jig strip or a soft plastic jig on a light rod is the way to go. Our special shop rigs tipped with squid and spearing always put quality fish in the boat too. Weakfish are in the mix as well, holding deep and choking down small jigs and giant worms. The shop favorites are Jelly Worms and Bass Assassins. In other news, the cinder worms are beginning to hatch. If your a fly guy get out there and fish!”
Captain Derrick of the Hampon Lady in Hampton Bays reports:
“The porgy fishing has been real good, we’ve been poking around for fluke and weakfish as well. The fluke vary in size but they can be anywhere from 2 to 7 pounds; on the other hand, weakfish can be anywhere from 2 to 8 pounds. Drifting clams and squid has been killer.”
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Jeff Lomonaco at White Water Outfitters in Hampton Bays reports “The bluefish are chomping heavy right now. Shinnecock and Peconic are loaded. Bass fishing is good, I heard Bunker are forming out front, and bass are hanging just below them. Inside ther bay there is tons of big fish. As for bottom fishing, fluke is still a grind locally however the porgy bite is red hot.”
Will King (@willie_fish) from Fire Island reported:
“Local bass fishing has slowed down with only a dozen or so bass each trip combined with countless bluefish that have made their way out of the spawn zones and into the bays eating everything in sight. Fishing has also been hampered by a large slip-gut bloom as the water temperatures have risen slightly over the last 7 days. Expect fishing to be slower while this slip-gut is present.”
Pete Henderson of Endorfin Charters in Connecticut reports:
“Big bass are on the New York side toward Eatons Neck, the primary bait is alewives. Fish are chewing large topwater plugs, if you catch yourself in Connecticut I have plenty of days left to target a trophy fish.”
From Eastern Long Island, Sergio Diaz reports:
“There are big bluefish along the beaches from Jones to Shinnecock. These fish are easy to attract on spinning gear and a little more challenging on the fly. As for Central Long Island Sound, there are plenty of bass and some larger fish are willing to chew topwater plugs and flies.”
Captain Dave Flanagan of North Island Fly out of Smithtown reports:
“The bass fishing is on fire and big bluefish have just joined the party. The entire central LIS has a good concentration of big bass. They are settled in the rips and they’re beginning to move along the beaches in search of bunker pods, which finally made their appearance in good numbers this week. We’ve been consistently catching fish in the 15- to 30-pound range and a good amount of fish in the 40-pound class. Large fly patterns are deadly this time of the year if you want your shot at a giant bass. Large topwaters have been a favorite to entice fish on the light tackle side. Pictured below is Mike Rosenberg, who won a ½-day trip at the Ward Melville Fishing Club show over the winter, with an extra large striper taken on a Yo-Zuri Mag Popper. I’m hearing the fluke fishing is as good as it gets right now as well, due to the sand eels. While I’m booked up for June, I have plenty of availability in July.”
Captain Chris at the Montauk Anglers Club reports:
“The striper fishing has slowed down a little bit since last week. There are still plenty of slot-size and over-slot-size fish to be caught. With the arrival of this full moon, we will start seeing some very large fish. It seems as if the striped bass bypassed a big part of their migration and bee-lined right for Montauk this year. After all that east wind we had, the birds have disappeared, and there are still fish blitzing on the surface. In other news, the bluefish have returned in decent numbers along the surf and the southside to the lighthouse. As for bottom fishing, the fluke fishing is getting better every day. There seems to be more of a high keeper-to-short ratio. After this moon, I believe the fluke fishing will be red hot. Come visit us at Montauk Anglers Club, we have Surfmaster cards and registration forms for pick up and we are getting more tackle on the shelves every day at the most competitive prices in Montauk. Hope to see you soon.”
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This past weekend was epic, after fishing 6 to 7 days a week for about a month and a half, I was finally able to find some big bass in the western Sound. On Saturday the water was slicked out with a slight breeze out of the east. As I left the dock everything felt right, I charged toward my familiar spot with a plugging rod and a fly rod. As I turned the boat off I looked at my Garmin and noted that there were fish at 50 feet—not a lot, but enough to drop down on. I quickly grabbed the flutter spoon and dropped it straight to the bottom. As I flipped the bail a 30-pound bass annihilated my flutter spoon, I was immediately jolted to the corner of the boat by a monster. I knew this was my best fish of the season. Working it up the column I slowly saw color. Eventually, we were able to land the beast. That fish alone made my year. That said, I immediately switched over to fly. Armed with a 10 weight and full-sink line, I launched a brown over white flat wing off the back of the boat. As the fly sank slowly through the column I felt the distinct thud, I set the hook and held on. My excess line shot through the guides like a lightning bolt, and seconds later the fish was 10, 20, 30, and then 40 feet into my backing. At this point, I had maximum side pressure and a tight drag, slowly but surely I pumped the fish through the column to the surface. I was staring at my personal best bass on fly, a thick and long 30-pound fish. Not going to lie I teared up a little bit. After a quick camera shot, I revived the beast and watched it slide deep into the abyss. Looking back on this weekend, it’s probably the best day on the water I’ve ever had.
Eastern Long Island Fishing Forecast
Over the next few days, we’ll have some warmer air temps in the 70s. The full moon is today, May 23rd, which means strong currents, exasperated tides, and BIG bass. With an influx of bunker it’s time to break out the large darters and gliders and find some moving water at night. The key is to understand which way the sweep is moving, always work your plug with the sweep rather than away. If it’s moving left to right, cast diagonally into the seam and allow the plug to swing. The most productive plugs for the job include the Yo-Zuri Twitchbait, Superstrike Darter, North Bar Darter, and Scabelly Glider. If you’re looking to cash in on some bluefish action, hit the south shore inlets and jetties; by this time you’ll be able to find fish finning and bobbing in the waves like submarines. Diamond jigs and Cotton Cordell pencils are both low-cost options when targeting yellow-eyed demons. As for fluke, break out some mid-sized plastics and jigheads. You can’t go wrong with menhaden Pro-Cure on a Z-Man plastic or a Zoom fluke. Be sure to coat the plastic with a healthy amount of Pro-Cure goop. Looking ahead to June, the live eel bite should heat up soon. Hit your local shop and purchase some circle hooks and eels if you’re looking to target big bass as the summer months approach.
The Eastern Long Island Fishing Report is compiled and written by writer/blogger and fly-fishing industry professional, Jack Larizadeh (@jack.lariz).
Western Long Island & NYC
The Western L.I./NYC Fishing Report is written and compiled by NYSDEC licensed kayak fishing guide, Nick Cancelliere (@nick_onthewater).
- Larger stripers over 20 pounds move in on the North Shore.
- Awesome bass & bluefish bite continues across the South Shore surf.
- Fluke biting well on both shores.
- Party boats on the North Shore are finding piles of porgy to fill coolers.
John from Freeport Bait & Tackle told me:
“Fluking in the back bays has been on fire! Fish up to 27 inches are being caught mainly on local spearing and Berkley Gulp Shrimp. We weighed a 7.5-pound fluke caught by Joe Mazza on Gulp! The pier and surf fishermen are still hammering gator blues with SP Minnows, spoons, and diamond jigs. Fresh bunker has been coming in daily and is the perfect bait for bluefish and striped bass. Weakfish have also showed up in the area and they’re hitting sandworms and Gulp jerk shads. We have rod and reel sales going on for Memorial Day weekend, so stop by the shop and get ready to catch some fish! Live eels and killies will be in stock starting next week.”
Brandon Weitz from Causeway Bait and Tackle in Wantagh reported:
“I got out recently in the boat but we didn’t see much bass on the ocean side. Most of the action has been inside the bays and the channels. It’s been a bit slow this past week on the bridges, a customer recently chummed clam and still got skunked fishing the pilings at night. This full moon could be to blame. Despite the not-so-great boat action, the surf is still on fire with blues. Fluke have been getting caught too on Gulp & bucktails right off the beach lip. You don’t need to cast far, just work a light jig with a teaser and you’re sure to find one.”
Captain Josh Rogers of Gypsea Charters out of Brooklyn reported:
“We saw some good fishing this past week, with very nice-sized keeper fluke coming up on all trips. The short life is good at times, and non-existent at others. By day’s end, those working the baits are often rewarded with more fish to take home. Most keepers have been in the 4- to 6-pound range, as is typical with early season fishing in Jamaica Bay. Call/text (516) 659-3814 or visit fishgypseany.com to get in on the action!”
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Captain Adrian Moeller of Rockfish Charters in Queens said:
“Fishing on the Rockfish this week was pretty amazing. We were out daily mixing things up – looking for trophy bass in the ocean and for 30- to 40-inch fish in the bay. Bunker has been real easy to net and the slot-sized striped bass are close to the bait. It’s a question of catching a handful of fish of a lifetime, or lots of smaller ones. Sometimes both! Mornings are still more consistent than afternoons for us, but we seem to be catching more big fish later in the day once the boat traffic dies down. Visit rockfishcharters.com to see our schedule!”
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Al Rotunno of the Staten Island Fishing Club reports:
“Striped bass fishing continues to improve in Raritan Bay with waves of larger migratory bass moving through and being caught by anglers live-lining bunker or trolling mojos and Maja bunker spoons. Bunker are making more of a presence in Raritan Bay, but still less than usual for this time of year. Club members, Capt. Marek and George Panetta, did well chunking one evening this past week with very good success on over-slot bass.
This same crew, in addition to John Roca and Paul, did very well bottom fishing in the ocean, catching a ton of ling, sea bass and cod. I changed it up and did a little fluking in and around Jamaica Bay on Gypsea Charters and picked away at fluke catching many shorts and managing over a dozen keepers with a small crowd, which was a company event/charter.
Jumbo bass are still being caught oceanside by anglers drifting eels, with Phil DeLorenzo and Dave Ashwal catching bass up to 48 pounds this week. The warmer weather we have had lately should really get things going. Get out there and fish! Tight lines!”
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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.
Feels like summer. Just need those north shore bluefish to show up and really make it official. But until then, there’s been plenty of striped bass around, both in the bays and in the Sound. On the south shore, both striped bass and bluefish have been biting in the surf and in the back bay channels. Fluke have started to become a regular sight on both shores as well, and I was able to land my first on the south shore, in addition to a nice blue, including my first on topwater this year. My buddy Rob took home two keeper fluke and has been seeing good action in the back bays of the south shore. Bucktails and Gulp–same strategy, new season.
This past weekend, I took to the Sound in search of those big, migratory stripers coming out of the Hudson. I could only find slot-size fish for the most part, but my buddy Frank managed to land a nice 24-pound fish on the tube-and-worm. He also encountered some steady surface action but the bass were extremely finicky and refused all topwater offerings. I experienced the same the following day, trolling a tube for a couple of striped bass but nothing noteworthy. Attempts to jig and work a surface lure came up empty and the tube was the lure that saved the day from a skunking.
The last bit of fishing I did this week was some night-time chunking with my buddy Shawn from Cow Harbor Bait & Tackle. We were both desperate to catch some big bass, and Shawn had a handful of fresh bunker he wanted to put to use.
We waded out into crystal-clear water on the north shore under the bright full-moon and while Shawn held his chunkin’ stick, I worked a few different lures; a blurple needlefish, blurple Rebel Jumpin’ Minnow, and a white paddletail shad. Our only “catch”, if it even qualifies, was an adult-sized bunker that got snagged on Shawn’s line. We look at it as a gift and set to live-lining that bunker right-away. Somehow, even that penultimate big-bass presentation was ignored. When the clock struck 1:00 a.m, we called it a night.
It was encouraging to see bunker at all when they’ve been so sparse this season. Additionally, I saw big pods of spearing close to shore, which bodes well for the fluke bite. Despite the lack of fishing success, I’m optimistic about what’s to come this weekend, with perfect weather conditions ahead.
Western Long Island and NYC Fishing Forecast
Low wind and 70 degrees. It’s going to be a hectic Memorial Day weekend, with boaters and bathers everywhere. We’re fully in it now as far as fishing goes – fluke are a common catch in the channels, especially keeper-sized ones, whether you’re on the north shore or the south shore. Weakfish have yet to make a big showing on the north shore but their presence is definitely felt in the back-bays of the south shore. If bluefish are a nuisance, consider using a small-profile plug like the Rapala X-Rap, or small twitchbaits to avoid racking up expenses on lost tackle.
With a heavy showing of spearing on the north shore, I highly recommend throwing a slim profile like the Berkely Gulp Jerk Shad on a small jighead, somewhere between 1/4- to 3/8-ounce. Walk the beach casting out just past the beach lip, and work a tight-line retrieve, jigging every couple of seconds to provoke a reaction bite from fluke waiting to ambush. You’ll most likely get bit just a few feet from where you’re standing.
Stripers have been getting bigger every day on the north shore, and the presence of adult bunker means larger paddletails, topwater plugs, or chunking and live-lining are all good bets to entice fish over 40 inches. It’s only a matter of time before cousin bluey decides to show up and either ruin the party or be the life of it, depending on your perception. With plenty of bait around and not much harassing it yet, I think it will be pretty obvious when the blues arrive in my neck of the woods.
On this day last year, I caught my first blue while jigging for stripers and, oddly enough, didn’t see another one until June—but when I did, they were everywhere. Bait schools would frantically roll in from the middle grounds of the Sound and blitzes would erupt seemingly out of nowhere. Thousands of blues would fill the back bays, their fins visible above the surface. You would cast a topwater lure into the pile and watch them all fight over it. It was nuts. Hopefully, we’ll see a repeat of last year’s awesome bluefish run on the north shore.
It’s certainly been an awesome spring bluefish run on the south shore. Since April, anglers have been catching dozens of blues per outing both from the piers, in the back bays, and the beaches and inlets. Working a pencil out in the surf has a good chance of getting blown up by a blue or a fresh striper that just moved in. This is the best time of the year folks! Fish every chance you can get and never miss a day. Let this report tell you what’s out there and what’s been biting, then go and make your own report. Then share that report with me so I have something to write about next week.
Thanks for reading, have a fun & safe Memorial Day weekend, and if you are a veteran or active-duty – thank you for your service.
The Western L.I./NYC Fishing Report is written and compiled by NYSDEC licensed kayak fishing guide, Nick Cancelliere (@nick_onthewater).