Long Island and NYC Fishing Report- May 1, 2025

Mark from Cow Harbor Bait and Tackle in Northport reports: “Guys are out in the triangle trolling up slot-sized bass on Mojos. Inside the harbor, schoolies and slots are still chewing on spearing and sandworms, and guys are catching on swimming plugs. The back side of the new moon should make the bite hot. Bass fishing is the bread butter right now.”

Ryan (@fish_the_northeast_) reports: “Spring gator bluefish season is here and the key to finding them is all about the tide! The right part of the tide changes a bit each season, so it might take a few trips to narrow it down, but once you do, expect the bite to continue day after day. Everyone likes getting them on topwater, myself included, but at times they’ll only respond to something subsurface like the 6-inch Daiwa SP Minnow (barbs crushed) with a fast retrieve. On moon tides, when the current is really screaming, go with a bucktail. In deeper water and faster current situations, it may take swimming a bucktail along the bottom to get a bite. One lure I’ve been experimenting with is a 5-inch Z-Man DieZel Minnow and the results have been great. They’re tough enough to hold up to bluefish and have the benefit of a single hook.”

Tom Truehart (@northshoretommy) reports from the North Shore: “It’s been a cold and slow April but the fish finally decided to show up in good numbers around the middle of the western Sound. We went out after work one evening on an outgoing tide and the bite was on. The wind was kicking, but the fish were chewing good throughout the water column; we had them up top on Al Gags soft plastics and flutter spoons on the bottom. Last 2 hours of the outgoing seemed to produce the best results for me. Hopefully they stick around, because there seems to be plenty of bait in the area.”

Kyle Ellis (@kyle_lsx) in the North Shore back bays reports: “Striped bass are rolling into the south shore right now, but you’ll need to be strategic. There’s plenty of seaweed in open water, so timing is everything—fish the clean water windows and you’ll be rewarded. There are bigger bass, some pushing into the low 20-pound range, hitting metal lips. Plenty of slot-size fish are in the mix too. Put in the time, and you’ll find them.”

From the Western Sound, Nick Cancelliere (@nick_onthewater) reports: “We’re approaching my favorite time of year, when you can catch striped bass, bluefish, weakfish, fluke and porgies all in a day of fishing. We have been in a transition period on the north shore—we’re still waiting for bunker and larger fish to move in, while the holdovers seem to have either moved on or shut down. There are still tons of spearing in the back bays and they seem quite active, which has me tying on pink bucktails in case there are any weakfish around.”

Paul McCain at River Bay Outfitters in Baldwin reports: “Saltwater fishing has been tough, but the South Shore beaches are lighting up with bluefish and bass, so it’s time to take a stroll down the sand with your surf rod or fly rod. In fresh water, the Connetquot fish are setting up to spawn, and there are a few brookies around willing to chew. There isn’t a lot of insect activity, but hopefully things get better soon!”

Captain Josh Rogers of Gypsea Charters in Brooklyn reports: “Excellent striped bass fishing continues! A large body of fish has occupied the area with the new moon, and the bait is right on schedule. The spring run in Jamaica Bay is nothing short of spectacular with limits of slot on most trips and countless fish, some up to 40 pounds, released over the past week. We will begin flaking every day starting this Sunday, May 4. Both boats are available for charter for your desired species. Call/text (516)659-3814 for info and availability.”

 

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Bill Falco (@fishlongisland) of Chasing Tails Bait and Tackle in Oakdale reports: “More and more striped bass are starting to pop up all over the island. Don’t be fooled, though, it is still a grind. Water temperatures are still low and there just isn’t a ton of bait around our area yet. One day you’ll have a good bite going, then just as soon as you figure it out, they’re gone. Moon phases and big tides have a lot to do with that, so hopefully this week everything blows wide open. A few friends have already caught bluefish, so I have a great feeling about this spring once they finally arrive in better numbers. We’ve had bass in the back bays, on the boat in the bay flats, and out in the surf. Bring a solid arsenal of lures with you so you can figure out what they are keyed in on, and vary your retrieve. Sometimes they want it slow rolled, and sometimes they want it burned in as fast as possible. In the back bays and off the boat, we’re tossing poppers and shallow divers. In the surf, bottle plugs, shallow-diving minnow plugs, and soft plastics are pulling fish. With the bluefish already hot on their tails, this striped bass season should be a great one. One thing is for certain, we will be out there pretty much every day, looking for these fish and hopefully building a pattern. Things are starting to pop off in sweet water, too. Panfish are schooled up and doing their thing, bass and pickerel are out and about looking for a meal, and carp are slurping up baits. Panfish like sunnies, crappie, and perch are a fun and relatively easy catch. Just tie a jig on and put a float a couple feet above it, cast out and slowly pop it back to you. Or, even easier, just put a worm on a hook under a bobber. Bass and pickerel are starting to aggressively take lures, including topwater. Go slow and aim for the structure or the growing weed lines. I’ve already had a few fish come crashing out of the slop for a topwater smash.”

Nick Cherkas (@surfcasting_the_island) reports from the South Shore beaches: “Bass action remains steady coming off the moon, while bluefish seem to have taken over the day shift. Most of the bass have been falling victim to topwater, snap jigs and minnow plugs during the daytime while fish at night have been taken on darters.”

From the South Shore, Tony Trapani (@big_toeknee_) reports: “Blues have started to show up along the south shore a little earlier than normal, but we haven’t seen great numbers of fish just yet. It’s been a matter of being at the right place on the right tide. Solid stripers are mixed in but also not in massive numbers. The open beach from Jones to Smith Point have seen fish in the night to early-dawn hours. Most of the bass and blues being picked are falling to Swarters and other minnow plugs, and the occasional topwater.”

From the East End, Derek Monfort (@derek_sucks_at_fishing) reports: “Cold early-spring temps stalled most of the bait movement, but the second we got some warm days the bait flooded in and predatory fish were right behind them! This fluke ate a red and white Bass Assassin on a 3/8-ounce jighead while I was snap jigging for weakfish.”

Captain Arthur Cortes (@cortesoutfitters) in NYC reports: “Bass fishing is great; we’ve had multiple fish crush fly poppers while playing the bait-and-switch game. The bay is really heating up.”

Ilan Moss (@ilanmoss) on the NYC beaches reports “Flatwings and larger flies are the ticket for slot-size fish on the fly around NYC, including this beauty which put up a really nice fight on the 8wt. However, the action is very sporadic so you need to invest the time. That said, the fish seem really responsive to flies right now.”

Karl Neumann (@kan313), first mate on Rock Steady Charters in NYC reports: “The bay bite is definitely getting better with a more consistent run of fish throughout the tides hitting artificials and topwater plugs on the flats. The live bunker bite is also on fire!”

This past week I hammered my efforts around the new moon; I always chase larger fish during the 3 days leading up to and after a new or full moon. While we weren’t able to find quality fish the first two nights, the backside of the new moon brought silly fishing. Raritan Bay lit up with some large fish chewing monster metal lips. A wonderbread Back Bay plug seemed to outperform everything in our arsenal.

While the bite was hot on metal lips, these fish were technical and followed our offerings for some time before slipping up and demolishing our plugs near the boat. The fish seemed to stack up in 15-25 feet of water. Over several hours we had fish into the high 20-pound range. On Wednesday night, I went back out and the water was completely slicked out. The fish that I had in 15-25 feet were no longer there, so we slid into shallow water ranging from 6-10 feet. As the wind died down, we could hear nukes going off around us as bass slurped bunker. The first thing that came to mind was casting the floating Magic Swimmer. With a short lob cast and 10 cranks, it got hoovered down the gullet of a healthy fish.

There is nothing quite like breaking the silence of the night with a vicious topwater feed. In a few weeks I’ll be moving my boat back to the Western Sound to chase large, migrating fish!

Over the next week we’re going to see some air temperatures in the high 60s to low 70s during the day, while night time temperatures drop into the high 50s to low 60s. All things considered, fishing is pretty great right now. Bluefish have arrived on the south shore and there are plenty of decent bass around in the surf as well. If you’re looking to chase blues, you can’t go wrong with a few Super Strike Little Neck Poppers, diamond jigs, Mag Darters, and Deadly Dicks. Pack some heavier pre-tied spare leaders so that you’re not breaking off or busy re-tying. At night, you’ll be rewarded with large fish in the surf if you throw a metal lip, glider, or darter. The Alan’s custom glider and Gibbs Danny are my favorites, in chartreuse or bunker style patterns.

On the north shore, we are about to receive a big push of fish in the Western Sound. The water is warm enough to throw some large surface baits such as the Magic Swimmer, ?Hydro Pencil, and the Doc. That said, overcast and rainy conditions are ideal for these plugs so time your outings accordingly. Bunker should be flooding into the Sound any day now. Typically, I start seeing large schools the first week of May. We’re almost in full swing here guys! There should be bass strung across the entire Sound any day now.

If you’re into fluke fishing, May 4th marks the season opener! Nothing screams summer quite like catching fluke on bucktails. Now is the time to buy your Gulp, Pro-cure, bucktails, and leader. If you’re not sure which of the dozens of variations of Gulp to get, start with Swimming Mullets in chartreuse or pearl and adjust the size according to the size of your bucktail jig.