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).
Bill Falco (@fishlongisland) at Chasing Tails Bait & Tackle in Oakdale reports: “From bay blitzes, to beach runs, to oceans full of diving gannets… the fall run of stripers is showing no signs of slowing yet. The bay is stacked with solid fish roaming all over the place. Binoculars will help find some birds, and the bass are chilling right underneath. It’s getting cold, so the topwater poppers aren’t always working; toss swim shads, SP Minnows and small Mag Darters around the school and you’ll tie into some fish. The beach runs have been incredible. No “diaper stripers” yet, but there are some over-slot fish still ripping around the surf. Diamond jigs are a staple, but needlefish, and minnow plugs also get the job done when they’re being finicky. Hit ’em with a fatter bottle plug, or bucktail in the dark. The fish still in the ocean are big! Fish to thirty pounds and over have been coming up over the rails still, and in great numbers. Vertical jig, swim a shallow diver, or throw on a live bunker on an inline circle hook if you really need too. These big bass are chewing hard! The shop recently got restocked with a ton of gear for the end of the season—rods, reels, combos, lures, jigs, and so much more! Tog action is still going strong, too. Crabs, jigs, and rigs are flying out of the door as many anglers are getting on this great blackfish action before they’ve all gone to deeper waters.”
Captain Chris at the Montauk Anglers Club reports: “It was an interesting week for November in Montauk. With the arrival of the false albacore in big numbers, and a handful of opportunities to get on them, anglers found themselves locked into battle with double-digit albies. It’s unusual for them to show up in November, but a very welcome surprised. The stripers can be found underneath the albies from Shagwong to Turtle Cove—there are a lot of smaller fish in the mix with some slots. The blackfish bite remains steady with limits to go around and a couple of double-digit fish to keep things interesting. The black sea bass fishing is also as good as it gets, with jumbo size fish eating jigs. Offshore, the bluefin are still available.”
Steve at Wego Fishing Bait and Tackle in Southold reports: “The weatherman hates us on the North Fork. A guy called me around noon and said there are plenty of birds and baitfish, however, there is nothing feeding on them. Blackfishing is okay—the weather has been super volatile. There haven’t been many fishable days lately, but the water temperature is still favorable. I’ve caught my limit most times I go out tautog fishing. Many people are going to Fishers Island to look for fish because the local bass bite on the beaches is slow. Everything is focused around blackfish. The Race and Plum Gut seem to be dead, and the seals have added to the problem as well. Come down and get your gear! We’re shutting down for the season on December 1.”
Jeff at Whitewater Outfitters in Hampton Bays reports: “It’s been kind of a challenging stretch, especially for the boat guys due to wind, but there are plenty of fish out in the ocean and in the inlet. Surf wise, fishing has been good but it’s very “right place, right time”. We’ve seen a few false albacore moving in, which is interesting. Blackfish is still a good pick—they are slowly moving offshore, however, they seem to be chewing well. The North Fork is also experiencing a good blackfish bite. Offshore, the sea bass, cod, and blackfish have started chewing. Additionally, along the beaches from 90 to 100 feet, are bluefin ranging from 60 to 200 pounds. The Hudson Canyon is producing yellowfin and bluefin.”
Phil at Cow Harbor Bait and Tackle in Northport reports: “Bass fishing has slowed down the past couple days, so most guys are doing blackfish. The bass and blues have slowly left the area—we’re hoping they come back with the full moon. Guys on the Connecticut side are getting monster tautog; there are rumors of fish to 17 pounds being caught. The fish are starting to move a bit deeper into around 30 feet of water. We make our own jigs at the shop, from half ounce up to 2 ounces. Get ’em while they’re hot!”
Kyle Ellis (@kyle_lsx) and friend Dennis McKee (@dennknots) shared a surf fishing report: “This recent north wind has been steady and howling, so the surf has been laying down quite a bit. The sand eel bite is still going on, but this week, plugs with bulkier, bunker-like profiles also seem to be catching the eyes of hungry stripers. Color doesn’t seem to matter all that much, but time of tide does. Mag Darters, Hydro Minnows, SP Minnows, and other sand eel imitations will get you the strike you’re hoping for in that white water. With a bunch of schoolies coming up, we’re still seeing fish in the high teens to low-20-pound range. Staying tight to the plug and not burning it in was the key this evening. Even in shallow water, these fish are cruising and feeding in 3 feet or less.”
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Welp, it’s about that time I begin winding down my saltwater fishing efforts. I am by no means finished, however, I’ve been spending a large portion of my time having fun with schoolies in the dock lights. What makes this fishing fun is the fact that you can crush 40 to 50 fish a night with a super light fly rod. A short cast and sharp strip will have 5 to 10 fish at a time chasing your fly around the light.
While they aren’t massive, it’s a welcome sight. The fly of the month for me has been a Lou Tabory snake fly—his pattern seems to glide a few inches under the surface, like a Slug-go. The best part is that every eat is visible. If you’ve never seen one it’s made up of ostrich hurl, and deer belly hair. That said, I’ve been throwing around a variation made up of short hackle and deerhair belly. Looking ahead, I’ll likely continue pounding the dock lights until December.
Eastern Long Island Fishing Forecast
The bass bite seems to be spotty, but hot. When you can find them it’s solid, consistent fishing, so it’s about time to break out the light gear and hammer schoolies in the surf. Most of the larger fish are on their way out of town, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with fish in the high-teen to 20-pound range! A 7- to 8-foot rod with a 5000- to 6000-size reel is a blast. The usual suspects should work… SP minnows, Tsunami shads, Mag Darters, and diamond jigs.
If you’re looking for more consistent action, the blackfish bite is still hot. There are plenty of keeper blackfish on the North Fork in 20 to 30 feet of water. A light jighead and a halved green crab should do the trick. Take a 2-foot length of 30 pound leader and tie direct to your jig for the best results. If you’re on the shoreline, pack a small bucket, a pair of sharp scissors, and a few 1⁄2-ounce jigs. Cut a crab down the middle, trim the legs (or don’t) and thread your hook through the leg sockets to keep the bait on the hook through pesky bites from smaller fish.
Looking toward the future, we’re stepping into the final hours of the season, so brave the elements and get your last licks in before it’s too late!
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 compiled and written by NYSDEC licensed kayak fishing guide, Nick Cancelliere (@nick_onthewater).
- Plenty of keeper blackfish remain inshore.
- South Shore striped bass blitzes rage on, fueled by a mix of sand eels and bunker.
- Ghost hunters get tight on giant bluefin, weather permitting.
Brandon Weitz from Causeway Bait and Tackle in Wantagh told me: “We’ve probably sold 3,000 diamond jigs in the last month. That should tell you everything you need to know. The surf has been loaded with sand eels. At times they’re piling up on the beach and the birds are feasting on them. Surprisingly though, the bass won’t take topwater, they are super keyed-in. You could probably get it done on a Slug-go or Albie Snax XL, something that closely matches or resembles the sand eel profile. Tuna fishing has been insane when the weather cooperates. There have been fish from 60 inches to giants—mostly giants though, so it’s been rare of successful landings. Still, they’re around and not that far away. You could run to Jersey, but you’re just as likely to find them in our neck of the woods. Togging has stayed pretty good inshore; a lot of fishing still going on and keepers being brought home on green crabs and rigs. There’s been big shad showing up along the beaches, too, and if you fish teasers with your diamond jig you’re likely to hook ’em. It’s been an incredible fall, so get out there and fish!”
Jamie from Bay Park Fishing Station in Oceanside said: “The striped bass fishing is lights out. Sand eels and bunker are making for epic days with lots of topwater action and good action below the surface. There seem to be a lot of slot-size fish more than any other size. The bluefin tuna action has been consistent—sometimes they’re closer to New Jersey and sometimes closer to us, but in the same general area for the most part. The only problem has been the weather keeping most anglers from reaching them. We are still selling tons of crabs, which is an indicator that a lot of people are still togging, and from what we’ve heard, it’s still going strong with plenty of keepers around inshore. Overall, it’s been a fantastic November, stop in the shop for bait, fuel, or tackle and catch ‘em up!”
John from Freeport Bait and Tackle reports: “Tog continue to chew inshore, but it’s hard to pass up the incredible striped bass fishing taking place off the south shore right now. They’re on a mix of sand eels and bunker, so when the sand eels are around all you need is a diamond jig and you’re ready to catch! For fishing around bunker pods, live-lining is a good bet, as they aren’t always feeding on the surface and the bunker pods are super thick. If you’re in a boat, watch out for whales!”
Josh Rogers from Gypsea Charters out of Brooklyn reports: “Very good blackfishing this past week! The colder temperatures definitely had them growling. Multiple limits were taken with fish to 8 pounds. We will continue blackfishing until the NY season closes on Dec. 22nd. We have also been seeing lots of striped bass on the way to the tog grounds, so there is a good chance of catching them on the way in! Call/text (516) 659-3814 to reserve a spot on the boat!”
Doug Tobeck of Corazon Charters in Freeport said: “What a week! We started our split-day bluefin and striped bass trips. We connected with a bruiser that dumped most of our 80-class reel! After the bluefin slugfest we went striper fishing and found acres of them blitzing on bunker with the whales. If you’re able to get out there, go!”
Adrian Moeller of Rockfish Charters in Queens said: “Fishing has been really consistent this week with lots of bass on every trip to the mid 30s. Some days we find bunker and live line them, but most of the time we’re throwing plastics on diving birds eating peanut bunker. There’s tons of bass around and every trip is seeing lots of keepers, which has been rare this year. We have availability next week and then our season ends Dec. 1st! Call (347) 661 4501 to book.”
Al Rotunno of the Staten Island Fishing Club told me: “Striped bass fishing in Raritan Bay has busted wide open with many bass, ranging from schoolies to 48 inches plus, have been caught this week as bunker have started to flood the bay en route to their winter offshore grounds. Live-lining bunker and casting artificial baits and metal lures have worked well. Out front off Sandy Hook has also produced good bass action. Blackfish continue to also be a good bet up the river in NY Harbor and around structure and wrecks around the Bay. Green crabs have been the key to success using both jigs and rigs.
Bluefin tuna continue to put on a show almost daily between Sandy Hook and Atlantic City with the majority of overs being hooked up to the north and more keeper size fish to the south. Last week, Phil DeLorenzo and I boated a beautiful 62-inch bluefin tuna while pulling a Joe Shute ballyhoo rig way back. Luckily for us, it only took us 30 minutes of fishing to hook up, and another 30 minutes or so to the gaff. We saw dozens of tuna blow up along the lanes all day. Running and gunning, while popping and casting stickbaits and NLBNs or RonZs, have worked well when you find a pack of tuna willing to bite. The very next day in the same area was a totally different story, with many boats struggling to get a bite. These fish should stick around a little while longer, so get out and try if you can. Tight lines all!”
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Here’s what local anglers have been posting on social media:
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Are you sure you want to haul out the boat? Or send that surf reel in for service? The South Shore has been wild, with bunker and sand eel blitzes galore. Apparently, albies decided to make a late appearance out east, and the North Shore blackfish bite has continued to be excellent close to shore. Saturday night my buddy Rob gave me a call. It went something like this: “Blackfish on the North shore, you in?” I pondered the question for all of a millisecond and replied: “Sure.” Six hours later I was launching my kayak on a cold but calm November morning, with a bucket of crabs between my legs and a few paddletails close by in case the dock pets were active.
We paddled about 1 mile to a boulder field just a football-throw from shore. Our first drop yielded a 3-pound sea robin, followed by a few short tog and some scup. We bounced from rock to rock, finding steady blackfish and porgy action, before finding the motherlode on a particularly dense boulder field in 30 feet of water.
More-or-less every drop on that final spot resulted in quality tog, including 4 to 5 keepers between us. Rob was using white-legger crabs on a rig and had a noticeably better bite, while I was using plain old green crab on a jig, still getting bit enough to keep me satisfied. We also hooked a few monster oyster toadfish, which felt like reeling up a basketball from the bottom. We spent about an hour or two togging before the wind picked up fiercely and made the return trip a cold and wet experience.
As we paddled past the harbor, we spotted more peanut bunker stacked up and occasionally erupting from the surface, but not enough activity to steer us from togging. On a few occasions I marked a lot of large fish underneath the kayak on my sonar, most likely bass, and every now and then a small pod of bait would cause a surface disturbance. There was certainly some activity, but nothing like the madness happening on the South Shore.
Western Long Island Fishing Forecast
I assumed we would have great fishing well into November after a warm October, and it seems that assumption has been right so far. We still have an incredible amount of bunker off the South Shore, as well as sand eels, and striped bass have been blitzing on them alongside bluefin, dolphins, and whales. Furthermore, the blackfish bite close to shore continues to be excellent.
Diamond jigs have continued to produce easy bites off the beach, as well as from the boat when jigged vertically or by ‘squidding’ off the bottom. Here’s an article that goes in-depth on jigging from a boat. Likewise, when the sand eels are around or when the bass move in on the bunker, you can throw a topwater popper or plug and catch them in the most fun way possible.
Giant tuna have been within cell-phone range of the island. This wind has kept more boats off the water but it looks like a break is coming, and those looking to ghost hunt will get their window. Jigging, popping, trolling, or chunking should all be effective depending on what mood the tuna are in that day.
If you have the time, get out there and fish, because this really feels like a fall for the books. At least on the South Shore… The North Shore has been producing tog, but not much else for me. The bass are there, but it’s nowhere near the intensity of the ocean beaches.
One more thing: this Sunday, from 10:30 AM to 1:00 PM, the Long Island Beach Buggy Association (LIBBA) will be hosting a Holiday Coat & Toiletry drive at Captree Bait and Tackle. Look for the RVs in the parking lot to donate toiletries and warm clothing for those less fortunate, and then grab a fresh hot dog served by LIBBA President Cooky Rondinella (they’re world-famous, or so I’ve heard).
Thanks for reading, go fish.
The Western L.I./NYC Fishing Report is compiled and written by NYSDEC licensed kayak fishing guide, Nick Cancelliere (@nick_onthewater).