Long Island and NYC Fishing Report
North Shore
Mark from Cow Harbor Bait and Tackle in Northport reports: “Little bass are now in the back harbors, and kids are catching them on clams and worms. Spearing are showing up in the bay. We’ve had reports of schoolies and even bigger fish to 20 pounds here and there. Tog fishing is tough, but if you figure them out in deep water, you should be in for a bite. The trout are still chewing too, which is a fun option for fly and light-tackle guys.”
From the North Shore bays, Ryan (@fish_the_northeast_) reports: “As we head into the last leg of April, spring striped bass fishing will continue to build. With more consistent weather upcoming we can expect more predictable fishing patterns. Harbors are still a go-to spot at this time, but bass can be found staging at the mouths of bays, especially around lower water. Right now, a good portion of my fish are coming from 7 to 14 feet but if I’m not finding them there, I’ll look to 15- to 25-foot ledges. The same lures I normally rely on are getting it done—4.5- to 7-inch Elias V Shads, 5-inch Mag Darters, and the Rapala X-Rap 12.”
In Western Long Island Sound, Nick Cancelliere (@nick_onthewater) reports: “The striped bass bite hasn’t really warmed up yet despite the temperatures. However, I have spotted adult bunker in the Western Sound for the first time this season, which means the big fish can’t be far behind (if they aren’t here already). An outgoing tide has been the most productive for me, and the early parts of incoming. I’m still able to elicit a topwater strike using Albie Snax and small topwater plugs, which is always fun, but most bites are coming on minnow plugs and skinny soft plastics.”
From the North Shore bays, Kyle Ellis (@kyle_lsx) reports: “ The fish have been super weird everywhere. The wind has been playing a huge role this spring. The best nights are always on the south wind. I’ll be catching fish and then the wind will suddenly switch directions, and the bite dies. I don’t know if it’s a coincidence or not, because at another spot it was blowing 30 and we were killing it. The bite is very confusing this year, but at least I’m catching them!”
Captain Kenny Schmitt of the Angler Fleet (@anglerfleet) in Port Washington reports “The Western Sound is hot. The trolling bite has been insane—it’s a great way to find a mass of fish. Once we find them, we’ve been dropping bucktails and crushing fish. The bass are also hitting plugs, it’s different everyday. They seem to be holding in 15 to 20 feet of water. There is a good mix of slot and over-slot fish, but there are more slots than shorts.”
Sean Conway (@long_island_fishing_guy) in Smithtown reports: “Freshwater action is still good, the bass are in pre-spawn mode. I had a few fish on weedless jigs, YUM Dingers, and the Lews Mach Shad swimbait. I’ve also been catching some fat crappies at night on topwater, as well as on the Mach Patroller (which is like a Whopper Plopper).”
-
Want to get in on the bite? Find an OTW-approved Charter Fishing Captain around Long Island and NYC!
South Shore
From the South Shore, Wulber Ruiz (@the_striper_hunt) reports: “I was on a sick bite earlier this week, the fish were chewing. The Yo-Zuri Mag Darter was the ticket. I had a ton of slot and over-slot fish for a few hours.”
Captain Josh Rogers Gypsea Charters in Brooklyn reported: “Excellent striped bass fishing continues! As the temps rise and the bait floods the bays, recent catches have been outstanding. Live bunker has been the ticket along with 9-inch Storm Shads. We will continue bass fishing until the fluke opener on May 4. Don’t forget, reservations are a must! We have two boats sailing from one convenient location in Brooklyn. Call or text 516-659-3814 for info and availability.”
Bill Falco (@fishlongisland) of Chasing Tails Bait and Tackle in Oakdale reports: “The weather is starting to heat up and so is the fishing. Striped bass have started to move all over the island. They’ve been spotted from Manhattan to Montauk. Back bays, docks, and the wide open beaches even have fish now. Get out there and get some! The shop is loaded with everything you could possibly need from poppers and darters to swimbaits and bucktails. Keep the arsenal big until you figure out what they’re gonna grab. I have a lot of luck early in the season with small swimbaits, bucktails, shallow divers like an SP or Mag Darter, and poppers. Once bass season is in full swing, the bluefish should be right behind them. A similar story seems to be happening in the freshwater as well. Now that we are finally getting some warmth, the water temperatures are rising, and fish are on the move. Largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, pickerel, trout, and all sorts of panfish are all out looking for a meal. For the bass and pickerel, they love to go after a small swimbait this time of year. They also love a good spinnerbait or buzzbait, and now is the time to start throwing those topwater lures during the morning and evening hours as well. Trout and panfish will eat small spinners, spoons, small jigs, and live worms.”
Giancarlo Baldan (@lurewalker) reported from the South Shore surf: “Me and the crew hit the South Shore with one goal: to find the fish we knew were there. As the sky lightened just enough to ditch the headlamps, the bite turned on. The bass weren’t hitting larger plugs—they were dialed in on smaller baitfish. That’s when the old timers started out-fishing all the younger guys on the beach. And there was one reason why: snap jigging. This technique has exploded over the past few years, and for good reason. It mimics the erratic action of a fleeing baitfish in the water column—an almost irresistible trigger for striped bass. For us, this was a first. It all came down to presentation: a rounded lead bucktail under a quarter ounce, no tail needed. Rigged on 10- to 15-lb mono and a rod around 6 feet, it’s a hyper-light setup built for precision. The key? As soon as your bait hits the water, get tension on the line. Snap it back, reel in the slack, and repeat. Don’t forget to fish with a semi-loose drag. You’ll lose more fish than you land if you try to muscle them through the undertow, especially when they’re riding the current right at the lip.”
Eric from Triton Charters (@tritonchartersny) in Freeport reports: “We’re about to start our season, and the fishing should be hot right out of the gate. The fish that stopped off in Raritan Bay are on there way over and we are excited to find some big bass. If it’s anything like last year, we should find some fish pushing 50 inches on bunker schools in the near future.”
New York City
Colin McElroy (@colintmcelroy) in NYC reports: “The bite has been dead according to many fishermen, but it finally picked up yesterday. There are some small bunker pods around and some big fish in the mix.”
Captain Arthur Cortes (@cortesoutfitters) in NYC reports: “With consistently good weather and rising water temperatures, stripers are becoming more active and are chasing topwater flies and lures in both shallow and deep water. Fish are moving into their feeding grounds nicely. This is just the beginning, and it’s only going to get better with each passing day.”
Ilan Moss (@ilanmoss) on the NYC beaches reports: “Yesterday I had great action on the incoming tides; good-size schoolies are hammering large herring-colored Flatwings that I tied. There’s nothing like catching fish on fly patterns you tied!”
Aaron Diener (@aarondiener) in NYC reports: “Bunker have arrived in the NYC area and bass are gobbling them up; paddletails and SP minnows have been the ticket to get these fish to eat. They are tight to the bunker schools.”
Karl Neumann (@kan313) in the NYC reports: “The fish have arrived near NYC and are chewing bunker and spearing. Usually we are throwing live bunker, but we were surprised to already see some topwater feeds! Aside from the bunker, the fish are readily hitting soft plastics. The bunker themselves are mixed sizes, from peanuts to jumbos. We are seeing mix sizes of bass too, with lots of slot-sized fish or just shy, with the occasional over slot. We haven’t really seen a push of those larger bass yet. I think after this new moon and warmer weather, we will have a solid push. Hopefully more bunker move in as well!”
Frank (@ny_frankii_fiish) in NYC reports: “This week definitely kicked off a lot better than the previous. There’s been a very consistent bite on bait and plugs during day and night hours. The ticket for me has been a white 1-ounce bucktail; get it into a rip and work it as slow as possible. If you make a few casts and don’t get any attention, move over a few feet and proceed to do the same thing. I’ve noticed the fish want it gliding right over the bottom. I made a run to the South Shore and picked up a few fish with the same tactic. Feels like a bit of a late start, but I can say that any day now, the fishing should be red hot.”
The Author’s Experience
This week I dialed into a nighttime bite in Raritan Bay on big metal lips and Daiwa SP Minnows; as the sun went down, the bite fired up. The ticket seemed to be white and chicken scratch colors. The fish are fired up, from the time they eat the plug until the time they are landed these bass thrash and move some serious water. That said, the bite has certainly been more productive during a south or west wind.
As the water temperatures warm up, I’m excited to throw giant soft plastics. My favorites are tandem rigged Slug-gos, black Hogys, and Lunker City Fin-S-Fish. Typically I fish these lures up in shallow water because they tend to glide and suspend beautifully, which attracts big fish!
Long Island & NYC Fishing Forecast
Over the next week, temperatures will be in the low 70s to 80s, which should make for a mean topwater bite. Try working a Doc, pencil, or small spook in shallow water. If you plan on fishing at night, a Magic Swimmer or metal lip should attract big fish on the surface. Bass are filling in on the Island—a fresh batch of fish should be invading the North and South Shore bays. Dialing into the tide and wind is key.
It’s only a few more weeks until the gator blues show. Break out the big single-hook plugs and prepare for some yellow-eyed demons!