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).
Captain Chris at the Montauk Anglers Club reports: “Another week of first-class light-tackle bass fishing around the point. The Lazybones has been getting a couple of trips in a week. Pay attention to their social media pages to book them. Down the beach, you can still find false albacore blitzing. Bottom fishing has been excellent, black sea bass are plentiful, and keeper blackfish are also thick—there seem to be some really good ones around. There have been some bonito around, and the bluefin have been feeding in the same areas they were this summer.”
Steve at Wego Fishing Bait and Tackle in Southold reports: “The bass finally showed up on the North Fork and while most fish are schoolie size, some are pushing 12 to 15 pounds. We’ve had no daytime bite up until 4 or 5 days ago. And now, we have four days of wind incoming, so let’s see what it does to the bass; it could go either way. As for bait, there are a ton of bunker around, however, there aren’t many fish on them. Blackfishing is still pretty good, but the fish are beginning to move into deeper water. Last I was out was on Sunday, and I reached a quick limit.”
Jeff at Whitewater Outfitters in Hampton Bays reports: “A good amount of bass on sand eels out front; the further west you go, the better. There are plenty of fish around, and blackfishing is still good on the North Fork and near Fisher’s Island. Tuna are still available, too; the bluefin are in close with the bass. There are plenty of giants around— the fish have been right on time this year, and bass have been chewing well since mid-October. We have a few weeks left before the smaller schoolies move in to wrap up the season.”
Bill from Chasing Tails Bait and Tackle in Oakdale reported: “I love writing these reports every week, they just stay insane! The ocean bite is wild, giant bass are sitting here and seemingly eating every possible bit of bait. The bunker pods are loaded with hungry bass, most are easily in the 20- to 30-pound range with a bunch of 40-pound-class fish still lurking. A few reports of fish besting 50 pounds have come into the shop as well. That’s crazy for this time of year. That being said, the bay is also loaded up with scattered schools of smaller, but still quality striped bass. They are finding the pods of bait and sticking with them, even if you don’t see them spraying on top; odds are they are lurking just below the surface. The beach run of fish is still very good—lots of over-slot fish, with plenty of unders and schoolies to keep things interesting. Needlefish, darters, bucktails, SP’s and of course, diamond jigs, are the go-to lures right now. The shop is loaded up with all those fall essentials. The tuna bite is also crazy right now; they’re close by, smashing jigs and poppers. I’m almost getting bored of eating fresh sashimi and sushi a few days a week…almost. Tog action is still going hard, too. Some mondo blackfish have been caught this season, and that’s keeping everyone out fishing for their own! Now is the time to find that double-digit tog of your dreams. We have crabs, jigs, rigs, and plenty of solid rods and reels to keep you going til the season ends.”
Phil at Cow Harbor Bait and Tackle in Northport reports: “Most of the blackfish have moved into slightly deeper water; guys are catching fish in 30 feet plus. The anglers fishing in 60 feet of water or more seem to be having the best luck. The fish are definitely moving so it’s a hit or miss bit, you’ve just gotta work for them. There are bass in the back bays and in the Sound, and a few blitzing fish around on schools of peanut bunker. There are also squid available locally at night, and herring should be hitting the docks in no time.”
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This week I wasn’t able to sneak out. I spent most of my free time at the vise, tying up some fun new saltwater fly patterns. Lately, I’ve been restocking my popper box with massive 7/0 foam poppers. The recipe is pretty simple; I measure my popping head on the hook shank, leave enough room for the foam to sit comfortably on the hook, and then I start my thread directly behind the end of the foam. After beginning my thread wraps I tie in an all-white squimpish fiber brush and simply wrap the brush forward to just behind the edge of the first thread wrap. Often times, fibers can get stuck under the wraps so I use a little bodkin or hook to free the stray fibers. At the end of the tying session, I’m left with a 7-inch popper with a massive, thick body! As for the fishing, I am still sticking with bass in the dock lights when I can get out on warm, calmer nights.
Eastern Long Island Fishing Forecast
Over the next week, we’re going to see daytime temps start in the 50s and dip into the 40s. The next three days are going to be filled with a gnarly wind, but if you’re brave enough to hit the beach, you might be rewarded. As for nighttime, the weather is going to be in the low 40s to high 30s. If you’re looking to keep the rod bent, tog is the move. There are plenty of fun headboats on the island running full-day tog charters, and most are fishing shallow water in the 25- to 30-foot range. However, as temperatures drop, they’ll likely be fishing in some even deeper water. Be sure to bring a light spinning rod and a medium to heavy conventional setup so that you’re prepared for any situation. My favorite light-tackle setup is a 5000-size Stradic spooled with 20-pound-test braid paired with an old Shimano Trevala light spinning rod. For conventional, I prefer an Avet SX G-series paired with 40-pound-test braid and a medium-heavy Jigging World rod. As for jigs, 1/2- to 2-ounce Tsunami, JoeBaggs, or Bottom Sweeper jigs do the trick. On the conventional setup, you can’t go wrong with a snafu or slider rig.
Looking toward the future, the tog are going to be moving deep, and the over-slot bass across the island are going to be replaced by schoolie bass. Nevertheless, there’s plenty of fish left to be caught heading into the week of Thanksgiving.
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).
- Incredible giant bluefin and striped bass action within cell range of the city.
- Consistent beach fishing for striped bass, with a mix of sand eels and bunker.
- The tog train can’t be stopped; great togging continues off the bridges and inshore.
Brandon Weitz from Causeway Bait and Tackle in Wantagh told me: “It continues to be insane out there. Another big group of bass have rolled in from the east and it should extend the fun for a week or two longer. Surfcasters have had no issues finding fish from the beach on diamond jigs, plugs, and poppers. The sand eels and bunker continue to stick around, you might just have to go a bit further west to stay on them as the season progresses. Tuna action continues to be wild, sometimes you can see them feeding from the beach! You can troll if you want, but a lot of anglers have been hooking up on jig and pop tackle.”
Jamie from Bay Park Fishing Station in Oceanside said: “Epic all-day bass blitzes have been going on for miles. We’ve spotted tuna blitzing on bunker from depths of 130 feet to as shallow as 30 feet! Most fish are being taken 12-miles offshore on swimming plugs/stickbaits. We’re open 7 days a week with everything you need to get in on the action!“
John from Freeport Bait and Tackle reports: “Not much has changed other than the rain! Bass are being caught by the dozen on diamond jigs, flutter spoons, and soft plastics. Whether you’re fishing the beach or from a boat, the action has been fast and furious out there. Find the bait, find the fish! Togging also continues to produce keepers close to shore. Green crabs have been selling fast and the bridges and nearshore wrecks are still full of life.”
Josh Rogers from Gypsea Charters out of Brooklyn reports: “Very good ocean blackfishing this past week with fish up to 7 pounds. We have been bouncing around the wrecks in all different depths, each producing quality keepers and plenty of short life to keep things active. As the water temperatures continue to cool, the bite should continue through the end of the season on December 22.”
Doug Tobeck of Corazon Charters in Freeport said: “The bass beat-down goes on! Epic fishing. We have broken out our slow-pitch jig rods for ultralight jigging action. The slot fish have moved in so there are plenty of keepers to bring home if you’d like. Mixed in with the slots are 30- to 45-pound fish, which keeps us on our toes. The bluefin fishing seems to have gotten even stronger. Fishing should remain good for the next 2 weeks and maybe even longer! We are doing split bluefin and striped bass trips. Get updates at corazonfishing.com.”
Adrian Moeller of Rockfish Charters in Queens said: “Fishing’s been very good on the Rockfish this week with lots of different types of bait around and what feels like an unlimited number of striped bass on them! Peanut bunker are still flooding out of the bay, rain bait and sand eels are a little further out, and of course, medium and XL-size adult bunker have been huddled near the beaches. We usually start out live-lining on the schools, then switch over to casting plastics under diving birds. Yesterday, we had a new body of bigger bass show up with the whole boat hooked up at once to 40-inch fish. The beaches are alive with whale feeds and even bluefin tuna smashing through the bunker schools around the feeding bass. Pretty wild way to wrap up our fall run! We have 3 trips left this year. Call (347) 661-4501 or book now at rockfishcharters.com”
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Here’s what local anglers have been posting on social media:
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This past weekend I witnessed one of the most incredible tuna feeds of my lifetime and got to enjoy some of the bass activity off the South Shore. Our goal was to steam 10 miles offshore for bluefin, and hit the bass on the way in or out. It took less than 30 minutes for our crew of 5 to each tally a bass within sight of the beach. We quickly stowed the light-tackle gear, pulled out the tuna rods, and spent the rest of the day trolling and chasing down birds. While we blanked on tuna, we came home with a lot of memories and consolation striped bass.
Western Long Island Fishing Forecast
If you can find a way 10 miles offshore, please, do it. Get out there—whether you have to pay for a charter, are fortunate enough to own a boat, or are fortunate to be friends with someone who does. The fish are bigger (like, a few hundred pounds bigger) and you’ll find space from the fleets that are hammering the striped bass close to shore. If you don’t have the gear for tuna, you’ll still find bass well within the 3-mile range, and the spectacle alone is worth the trip for someone who has never tuna fished before.
That said, there’s still plenty of fun to be had from shore. Take the above from somebody who, until the past couple of years, hasn’t been on many trips that weren’t aboard party boats. The South Shore beaches still have bunker and sand eels getting pinned in the surf. The best advice I can give you is, if there’s no life where you are, you should move. Especially if it’s already mid-day.
Follow the birds and the bait. If you’re on a pod of bait but nothing’s happening, just wait. There are a ton of fish around, and having a bait pod all to yourself is a rare thing right now. Keep an eye on the fleet; if you see boats close-in, that’s a good place to start from the beach.
Now, on to another fish that’s made for a great fall–blackfish have continued to chew on the bridges and nearshore structure of the North and South Shores. Saturday, a buddy of mine claimed to have landed at least 150 tog on a boat trip with a handful of anglers, with the biggest up to 6 pounds. Not bad at all. This was on the South Shore. It’s been a similar situation on the North Shore, with lots of tog action to be had in 30 feet of water less than a mile out. I’ll be tog fishing with Dave Flanagan, a.k.a. North Island Fly, this weekend and I’m hoping the bite stays consistent.
As of today, we finally got some rain. I don’t know where I first heard them, but the words “Rain is a blessing from heaven” come to mind for me every time it rains. It’s certainly a positive perspective on ‘bad’ weather, and I’d say its meaning is emphasized with the drought we’ve been experiencing. Let’s hope this storm doesn’t put a damper on any of the incredible fall action we’ve been fortunate to enjoy.
From what I’ve seen and heard out east, it looks like we have another push of big bass to look forward to. Likewise, the ghost tuna fishing has not slowed down one bit. Several of the die-hards I’ve talked to this week have reported similar scenes to the ones I described as recently as yesterday.
Thank you for reading, go catch something to be thankful for!
The Western L.I./NYC Fishing Report is compiled and written by NYSDEC licensed kayak fishing guide, Nick Cancelliere (@nick_onthewater).