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: “The fall run of striped bass seems like it’s here to stick around for a while longer. The bay is absolutely loaded with quality bass in the schoolie- to over-slot range. They’re gorging themselves on schools of bait. My dad and I have been out a few days this week, and we’ve been smashing them. They’re biting well into sunset, and the schools are big. We pulled up on several brief blitzes, and when they went down, the fish just kept biting! Bring your binoculars and look for the birds, they’ll help to locate the schools of fish. Keep at it with shallow divers, swim shads, and small popping plugs. Figure out how they’re eating and it’s on. The ocean fish are chunky and plentiful; they’re smashing jigs, big shallow divers, bucktails, and metal lips. Surfcasters are still doing very well with diamond jigs and other sand eel imitations. Finesse shads or skinny swimbaits bounced off the bottom are putting in work, too. Tog action is still going very strong. There are plenty of nice crab crunchers sitting on the local structure, waiting to grab your bait.”
Captain Chris at the Montauk Anglers Club reports: “It was a really amazing week of fishing in Montauk when the weather permitted. The striped bass fishing was world class as it is this time of year in Montauk, with some extra large false albacore making their first real showing. On the flood tide, you can find batches of birds working over feeds. The fish are feeding on sand eels, bay anchovies, and squid. There have also been reports of slot-size striped bass filled with small weakfish. Tog fishing is about as good as it gets—we haven’t seen many double digits but we’ve seen tons of 8-pound class fish. If you’re a blackfish fanatic, now is the time to book your trip. Make sure you’re loaded up with green crabs and more importantly, white legger crabs. If there are fewer smaller fish around, drop down hermit crabs for a bigger fish! The next two weeks should see good fishing if we get nice weather. Remember, southwest wind and flood tide is always doable locally. You can check my Instagram for daily tide charts. Black sea bass fishing has been really good; get yourself a slow-pitch jig, head to your favorite sea bass spot, and drop it down to load up on some big ones. In the surf, the south side seems to be the the most productive. Anglers have been drilling away, catching mostly slot-size fish. Diamond jigs with red or green tails are the ticket. You can beef up the hooks on those diamond jigs with umbrella hook replacements.”
Sean Conway (@long_island_fishing_guy) on Eastern Long Island reports: “I’ve been having some luck jigging around docks locally with bucktails and the Nomad Squidtrex. I haven’t really hit the beach by myself recently. Got one schoolie last night, then fished some docks and had a few follows on the fly, but they wouldn’t commit. It might be time to hit the sand again.”
Joe Vukas (@joevukas) on the North Fork reports: “I was able to get out a few days ago. The Sound had small bass blitzing on anchovies but nothing large, and no albies were seen. I also found bass blitzing in Peconic on peanut bunker. I had a load of schoolies but again, nothing big. I wasn’t able to do a night session, so maybe there are some bigger bass around then. We had them on bucktails in the Sound and used the fly rod in the bay to cast small Deceivers.”
Jeff at Whitewater Outfitters in Hampton Bays reported: “Striped bass fishing in the bay, inlet, and ocean has been very good. In the ocean, it’s a matter of finding birds and fish. In the inlet, the fish chew plugs and live bait on the blind. Blackfishing on the south side is starting to get going on deeper wrecks. Sea bass are in 120 to 200 feet, and there are cod and pollock in the mix. On the north side near Orient, the blackfish bite is excellent. Tuna fishing in the canyons is very strong; the Hudson has yellowfin, bigeye, and swordfish. There are also ghost bluefin along the beaches—the giant fishing is insane as well.”
Phil at Cow Harbor Bait and Tackle in Northport reports: “Most people are blackfishing, but there are bass in the harbor and bluefish are showing up, too. The tide turns are super productive—the bait seems to be small peanuts, and the best fishing has been at the end of the incoming and start of the outgoing. Green crabs are the key for blackfish, and jigs are working best because the fish are still shallow. The next big cold snap should find some tog starting to move deep.”
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This past week, I hit my local bay with my fly rod and continued to hammer some schoolies on a fiberglass 8wt. If you’ve never fished with a fiberglass rod, it’s a blast. The fish tend to feel much larger due to the extreme parabolic properties of fiberglass. That said, I’m excited to get out for a full day this weekend. I’ll likely be chucking the fly at some slot-sized fish. My flies of choice have been a beefed-up Lefty’s Deceiver, a white Hollow Fleye, a jig hook Clouser, and a small foam popper. I’m hoping the bite stays alive.
Eastern Long Island Fishing Forecast
Welp, it’s November, which means the final push of the season for most! If you’re into going offshore, we’ll have a nice stretch of weather to do so. With ghost bluefin inshore, it’s time to put in a full day with the heavy spinning sticks. And for those who are roaming the beaches, the bite is still hot although the fishing seems to be more sporadic. You’ll need to bounce around to get on the bite. If you’re not seeing breaking fish or bird activity, work a new beat of water. When it’s on, it’s on. That said, the night bite is still strong. Needlefish, darters, and gliders should provide plenty of slot and over-slot stripers.
If you’re a fly fisherman, now is the perfect time to dial into a savage schoolie bite in the wash. An 8- or 10-weight setup should be able to cut through any headwind. As for fly choice, you can’t go wrong with an olive over white Clouser, Surf Candy, or Hollow Fleye.
If you’re into tog, the weather is perfect for a jetty or boulder field session on the North Shore. Simply pack a few jigs and flip some rocks along the beach; you should be able to find plenty of Asian crabs. Be sure to fish a long leader as blackfish can easily break you off on the beach when you’re not tugging on them vertically.
Looking ahead, I believe we’re in for a late run of fish. Striper fishing doesn’t seem to be slowing down and the weather is still on the warmer side. A Christmas bass doesn’t seem too far out of reach if things continue this way!
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).
- Striped bass blitzing across the south shore on sand eels and bunker
- North shore peanut bunker blitzes make for fast action with stripers.
- More ‘ghost’ bluefin activity near shore—all giants.
- Blackfish still biting inshore as the water remains relatively warm.
John from Freeport Bait and Tackle reports: “The blackfish bite is still going strong, however, it’s mostly short fish inshore now. We haven’t been hearing of or weighing as many keepers as we were earlier in the season, but there are still plenty of fish to catch on the bridge pilings and wrecks without having to leave the bays. Water temperatures have remained pretty warm for this time of year thanks to the weather. Out on the beaches, the striped bass action has been terrific. Sometimes it’s heartbreaking seeing them blitzing just out of casting distance on the bunker and sand eels, but more often than not, they move in close and you’ll be able to get non-stop action on a diamond jig. At night, anglers have been doing well with AVA jigs and soft plastics, catching quality bass in the 30-inch range. Note: we’ll be closed on Wednesdays for the rest of the season. Most rods and reels are on sale, so stop in the shop to find a great deal on your next setup!”
Brandon Weitz from Causeway Bait and Tackle in Wantagh told me: “It’s wild out there, we’ve seen some absolutely insane blitzes off the beaches, seemingly miles long belts of bunker getting harassed by striped bass and tuna. The tuna are all monster size, and not very far out. There are also sand eels, which are usually the culprits of topwater blitzes, but make sure you have large and small profile baits for matching either bunker or sand eels. Blackfishing has been decent inshore, but it should start shifting to an offshore bite soon once conditions get just a bit colder. It’s been a pretty warm fall however so we’re still seeing good action inshore! We have crabs and jigging world rods in stock which are perfect for light-tackle togging. Come visit!”
Jamie from Bay Park Fishing Station in Oceanside said: “Striped bass are blitzing on bunker and sand eels right off the beaches and within the inlets. Whether you’re on a boat or fishing from the beach, you’re pretty much guaranteed to catch something this time of year if you’re throwing a diamond jig, soft plastic, or minnow plug. There’s also incredible action south of the shipping lanes with bluefin tuna busting on bait balls. Ryan Whelan and crew reported ghosts just south of the lanes. We are fully stocked with all your striped bass and tuna needs!”
Josh Rogers from Gypsea Charters out of Brooklyn reports: “Huge improvement in blackfishing this past week! We have seen much better action lately, with keepers flying over the rail on most trips. As the water continues to cool, it should get better and better. Daniel from NJ nailed the big one of the week, weighing in just under 9 pounds. The upcoming weather looks great, and the bite is on!”
Doug Tobeck of Corazon Charters in Freeport said: “Its Nat Geo out there with unlimitzed blitzing stripers and breaching humpback whales. We are catching the bass on live bait and jigs mostly. With ghosts so close in, we’re offering split bluefin tuna and striped bass trips! The tuna are in the 60- to 100-inch range… big fish. Don’t miss the chance to have the trip of a lifetime while they’re still around!”
Adrian Moeller of Rockfish Charters in Queens said: “Just when we thought the fall run couldn’t get any better, it did! At this point there are hungry bass everywhere you look and it’s basically just a question of live bait or artificials to decide where to run that day. There are tons of schoolie and slot-size bass with acres of birds over them smoking peanut bunker, adult bunker, and sand eels. They’re hitting jigs and small plastics in the shallows, as well as topwater when the sand eels get pushed to the surface. When we have young kids on the boat we’re trolling the deep and getting into lots of double-headers and big fish to 45 pounds. And then there are the huge bunker schools off our beaches that have consistently produced bass for the past month, but you have to pick through the dogfish or hope for a topwater blitz. It’s nice to have lots of options depending on the wind on any given day. We have some charters available at the end of November, book online at rockfishcharters.com.”
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Here’s what local anglers have been posting on social media:
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It got better. The bunker belt off the south shore continues to see blitzes of striped bass ranging from schoolie to slot-size with cows being caught on live bunker. And there are still a ton of whales, so watch out. If you can help it, fish the outsides of the bunker schools rather than right in the middle to avoid run-ins with whales. The north shore daytime blitzes haven’t stopped, with peanut bunker erupting from the water and schoolie bass underneath. At night, it’s a much calmer scene, but the bass are there and you can usually see some surface activity underneath the lit-up sections of the harbor.
I’ve seen incredible Instagram reels of those ghost tuna thrashing through bait schools. It’s that time of the season when you can target bluefin one part of the day, and cap it off with fast-paced striper fishing on your way in. It’s a beautiful time of year. I don’t know if this was ever a thing, but lets call this the Fall Slam – blackfish, striped bass, and bluefin tuna, all in one day.
Many shore anglers are still finding a good bite for blackfish, but hooking a keeper is a bit of a challenge. Kayak anglers who are fishing bridge pilings and nearshore structure have still been able to find keepers, as are boat anglers anchoring above the wrecks.
Western Long Island Fishing Forecast
One beautiful weekend—no clouds in the forecast with temperatures at or above 60 degrees. My circadian rhythms are all messed up. It feels like early October instead of November. The only difference being no albies. It looks like we finally have some rain ahead—this past October was our driest in recorded history, so we really need it. I’ve seen a lot of recent social media posts from ponds across the island where the water levels are much lower than usual for this time of year. If you fish freshwater, you might want to visit your local honey hole to see how it’s faring through the drought.
Our options are pretty great right now—go to the beach and cast diamond jigs, pencils, or soft plastics for striped bass. Or, pitch out a rig tipped with crab for blackfish near the jetties and bridge pilings. If you have a boat, you can fish the wrecks in the early morning, then hit up the Great Wall of Bunker when you’ve finished feeding the tog.
Likewise, if you have the gear and license to do it, there are giant bluefin to be targeted not so far offshore. This is peak fall fishing, but it won’t last forever. If you have opportunity to get out there, take it. ‘Here today, gone tomorrow’ is the tagline of the fall. These fish are on the move and they’re feeding aggressively to fuel their long trip south.
I hope you get out there and make some memories. Thanks for reading, and tight lines.
The Western L.I./NYC Fishing Report is compiled and written by NYSDEC licensed kayak fishing guide, Nick Cancelliere (@nick_onthewater).