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 from Chasing Tails Bait and Tackle in Oakdale reported: “Bass season is over on the 15th but I’m not sure the stripers know that. We’re still getting reports of solid bass from our diehard boat and surf guys. Boat anglers are still seeing some fish in the 20- to 25-pound range, with more schoolies and little guys in the surf. Fish low and slow for your best chance at a bite. There are plenty of cod, ling, and other wreck fish hanging out on the reefs and wrecks outside. It’s cold, but the fish don’t mind and they’re chewing hard. Tog are out there too, crunching every crab they can get as they settle into their deeper rock piles. Freshwater fishing is getting more popular now as the temperatures drop. Trout, white perch, yellow perch, bass, and pickerel will all eat during the cold months. For trout, your best bet is fly fishing. Hang a nymph under an indicator and drift pockets, or bust the bank and strip small streamers. White perch are hard to locate and get a bead on, but they’re a schooling fish, so once you find one, you found them all. We like to toss worms around until we find them, then switch to small jigs. For the yellow perch, bass, and pickerel in the lakes, fish very low and very slow. Find the sunny banks with some structure and you’ll be on them.
On The Water’s Nick C. hit the Connetquot River this past weekend and reported: “The trout were eating everything, there’s a lot of small, aggressive fish, but I still had a bunch of medium-sized ones as well. If you’re looking for a larger fish, you can’t go wrong with a big streamer.”
Whitewater Outfitters in Hampton Bays reports: “There are still a couple bass kicking around, but most of them have moved on. Some guys are switching over to fishing tidal creeks for white perch, or hitting the freshwater ponds for bass and pickerel. For white perch, grab a 6-foot ultralight rod with a 1000-size reel and fish earthworms, trout magnets, and curly tail grubs—they all seem to do the trick.”
Phil at Cow Harbor Bait and Tackle in Northport reports: “The local ponds further west have yellow perch, largemouth, and pickerel, while the ponds that were stocked last year may also have some holdover trout. I’d recommend using crappie and trout magnets as well as micro-sized baits, whether it be spoons or soft plastics.”
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This Sunday looked to be my final trip of the year. My friend Chris and I hit a nighttime striper bite deep in the Western Sound. With low tide coming at 11:00 PM we hopped on the boat and ripped over to our spot just as the tide flipped. While the first 40 minutes were dead, we eventually found fish on white NLBNs, and other assorted white paddletails. The fish seem to be glued to the bottom in roughly 15 to 30 feet of water. As the tide kicked in, we eventually came tight to an 18-pound fish that inhaled the NLBN—to say the least were grateful to see some quality fish still around.
Eastern Long Island Fishing Forecast
Welp, it’s almost the middle of December. Unless you’re into offshore wreck fishing for sea bass and cod, the saltwater season is all but over. For those looking to keep the rod bent, it’s a great time to fish the freshwater ponds, rivers, and salt ponds along the island for white perch, yellow perch, largemouth, and pickerel. For these fish, a light 7-foot spinning rod and 2500-size reel spooled with 6-pound test is all you need. As for lures, Mepps spinners, small jerkbaits, and small plastics all work great.
If you’re looking to do some lock and load trout fishing, the Connetquot is always a great option. While it costs $25 dollars per four hour session, it’s an amazing fishery filled with plenty of brookies, browns, and rainbows. If you take a trip over to the Connetquot I’d recommend using a 3wt, 4x leader, and an indicator nymph rig with a squirmy worm or mop fly. If you’re into streamer fishing, you can’t go wrong with a bright Wooly Bugger.
If winter fishing isn’t your thing it’s a great time to tie flies or bucktails.
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 season closes Sunday, Dec. 15 and the action remains consistent outside the inlets.
- Keeper-size blackfish (tog) are being caught mostly on the deeper wrecks now, with plenty of limits being reported by the charters.
- Stocked trout biting well on the Connetquot.
Brandon Weitz from Causeway Bait and Tackle in Wantagh told me: “The few reports we had came on Saturday outside the inlet–striped bass are still going at it. This weather has kept most people tied up at the dock if they haven’t hauled out already. The blackfish are still chewing, but at this point they’re mostly deep. The season is finally winding down it seems. If you’re willing to make the run to New Jersey, they still have ghost bluefin running around to be caught on spinning or trolling gear.”
Jamie from Bay Park Fishing Station in Oceanside said: “Striped bass are still blitzing off the beaches in 30 to 40 feet of water. When the weather permits, the boats are still having great trips with plenty of keeper and over-slot striped bass being caught. Blackfish anglers have been mostly going offshore in the deeper wrecks and finding plenty of keepers and steady action on crabs of all kinds. The action should stay consistent right up to the end of the season on December 15th for stripers and December 22nd for blackfish!”
Josh Rogers from Gypsea Charters out of Brooklyn reports: “We continue to see good blackfishing on most trips. Although the weather has not been on our side, the fish have been biting when we have been able to sail. Loads of action, lots of shorts, and plenty of keepers in the mix. At times, it is up and down fishing like the old days. We will continue to sail by reservation-only until the NYS blackfish season closes on the 22nd.”
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Here’s what local anglers have been posting on social media:
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Most of the reports this week came Saturday outside the inlets. They told of striped bass fishing that was much quieter than the past few weeks. It’s safe to say things are winding down—the severe weather this week has really put the brakes on the season after a full-throttle fall run.
I opted for another fly fishing session on the Connetquot River this past weekend. But before getting there, I stopped to see my friend Paul McCain at River Bay Outfitters in Baldwin. I picked up a few new streamers and nymphs that he recommended, the kind you can’t buy find at the local big-box stores.
Contrary to my last trip, I had good action on small streamers this time. I even had some fish take a dry fly, although they were mostly smaller ones that had recently escaped the hatchery. I gill-hooked one fish and took it home with me, as required by the park rules.
When I got home, I filleted it, leaving the skin-on, and seasoned it generously with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then dropped it into a cast-iron skillet with hot butter. I served the fish over some leftover broccoli rabe with a baked sweet potato on the side for a healthy and delicious meal in under 20 minutes.
Some people might poo-poo the idea of eating stocked fish, but as with bluefish, it’s all about how you cook ‘em. In this case, I opted for some fresh-caught trout over the blackfish that has been sitting in my freezer for a couple of weeks.
Western Long Island Fishing Forecast
We’re coming down to the last few days of the 2024 striped bass season. There are still holdovers to be caught in the bays and a few stragglers outside the inlets and off the beaches. Party boats have continued to sail for stripers and blackfish, landing keeper fish and filling limits for both species.
The Connetquot is full of trout and a good place to find steady, consistent freshwater action. If you want more of the fall run blitz action, it’s still going on in Jersey. As for me, I’ll be going on one last tog trip to cap off the season and put a bend in a new Jigging World rod I got for Christmas recently.
It’s coming down to the wire. Make the best of it! 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).