Long Island and NYC Fishing Report
North Shore
The Angler Fleet (@anglerfleet) out of Port Washington reports: “Opening day of blackfish did not disappoint! The bite started off slow, but despite tough wind and tide conditions, we got the job done with a full boat limit and fish up to 7 lbs. The star of our fleet is our 23’ Mako, equipped with Spot-Lock — essential for early-season togging, especially for those chasing a giant. With the water still being warm, the bite is only going to get better.”
Captain Skippy Charters out of Mount Sinai reports: “We are happy to say that fall fishing is in full swing in the central Long Island Sound! Keep your eyes out for birds and have your epoxy jigs and Deadly Dicks ready for bonito and cocktail bluefish. The topwater striped bass bite remained strong this week with fish ranging from schoolies to over 25 lbs. hammering spooks and pencil poppers. We have been working with Gray FishTag giving anglers a unique opportunity to catch, tag, name, and release large striped bass all in the name of science. This week, I want to give a shout out to my wife, Christina, who tagged and released a big bass named “Juniper” (after our niece born October 6), that she caught on a topwater scouting mission. The best time of the year is upon us with the opening of blackfish season! After a solid opening day with keeper-size fish being caught on jigs in shallow water, the nor’easter put a huge damper on things. Once the water settles, the bite should pick up right back up where it left off. If you’re not togging, the porgy bite remains phenomenal and big sea bass are being caught in the deep. We are currently running private 1-4 passenger mixed-bag trips targeting mainly blackfish for the rest of the season.”
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Mark at Cow Harbor Tackle in Northport reports: “Blackfish has been hot. Guys are getting them in shallow water ranging from 10 to 30 feet. The shore guys are crushing them. This weekend is looking killer for the boat guys; the wind has been tough over the last week. Before the wind though, guys were scouting early on and catching and releasing plenty of blackfish. It should remain good for some time. The bass fishing has improved — tons of schoolies are in the harbors and guys are picking away slowly but surely. Visit cowharbortackle.com or call 631-239-1631.”
Andrew Bernat (@tactical_bassin26) in the Western Sound reports: “Trophy-class tog in the shallows. Western Long Island anglers are experiencing exceptional blackfish action as the fall season reaches its peak. Reports across the region confirm a strong shallow-water bite, with fish stacked up in 4 to 10 feet of water and several double-digit tog hitting the deck. Light jigs have been the top producers, especially when paired with fresh green crabs. The subtle presentation and sensitivity of the light-tackle approach are proving essential in these calm, clear shallows, allowing anglers to detect even the softest takes from wary fish. Most successful outings are coming from rocky shorelines, wreck edges, and boulder fields close to shore, particularly during slower tidal stages. Anglers who maintain precision and stay tight to structure are being rewarded with consistent action and trophy-class results. With water temperatures cooling and conditions stabilizing, the western Long Island tog fishery is in full swing. The combination of accessibility, light-tackle challenge, and true trophy potential makes this stretch of coastline one of the most productive blackfish zones in the Northeast right now.”
On the Eastern Sound beaches, Tony Trapani (@big_toeknee_) reports: “Striped bass pushed in hard yesterday afternoon on the sand beaches. Albies were aggressively feeding this morning, slamming silversides at the top of the tide and during the first few hours of outgoing. They were hugging the beach!”
From the Central Sound, Sean Conway (@long_island_fishing_guy) reported: “Bass are picky recently and not many around off the beach. In the back bays there’s small bait and shrimp that bass seem to be keyed in on. Under dock lights, there are schools of peanuts, bay anchovies, and spearing with bass ranging from 15 to 31 inches crashing on them.”
South Shore
Captain Arthur Cortes of Cortes Outfitters (@cortes.outfitters) in NYC reports: “Big bass have arrived in our area, from Debs Inlet west. With some luck and knowledge, you can catch these beautiful fish. The fall run has begun, and the bass are large. Our fly choice has been a Beast Hollow in white, and our lure of choice is a Yo-Zuri popper in bone. Call 347-326-4750 or visit www.cortesoutfitters.com to book a trip.”
Colin McElroy (@colintmcelroy) reports: “Some big bass in the mix from Rockaways to Raritan Bay. Boats are getting them good, weather permitting, on live bunker and lures. Jamaica Bay is full of peanuts ready to be flushed out onto the ocean beaches. Slot fish are slowly moving in. The back side of the nor’easter will likely bring more fish into the zone. The migration is on!”
Captain Josh Rogers of Gypsea Charters out of Brooklyn reported: “Opening day blackfish did not disappoint! Despite a few days of rain and hard winds, we had a good showing of keeper blackfish on both boats with plenty of short life to keep you interested. Big fish of the day went just over 8 pounds, a true beauty! The bass fishing has also picked up as new bodies of bait and fish continue to flood into the area. We are looking forward to another great fall run.”
Captain Doug Touback of Corazon Charters out of Freeport reports: “The storm was big enough to impact our fishing. We are waiting for the dust to settle and will focus on tuna and bass. Both should bring great results. We will be looking for the giant bluefin tuna to move in and we will split our bass trips with giant trips. We are thankful how good the yellowfin bite was before the storm — it kept us eating well!”
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From the South Shore, Nick Cherkas (@surfcasting_the_island) reports: “Walking against my shadow during the October full moon made for a nearly nonexistent bite for me on most outings. While cocktail blues have continued to dominate the surf, a small body of large stripers moved in on the moon. They provided short-lived action on very specific tides relative to the location you were fishing. We will have to wait and see what the October new moon has in store for us.”
Scott Monahan (@bonesyfishing) on the South Shore reports: “A decent wave of sporadic, big front line bass moved through before the storm. You have to put the time in to get in front of the solitary giants. The nor’easter had some fish chewing in the white water on Swarters, bottles and bucktails if you braved the conditions. It was a slower pick than expected following the storm in the calmer water. I’m hoping when the water clears up and bait gathers again, some patterns of fish will start to develop. My biggest fish have come on the 7-inch olive martini limited Swarter.”
Gary Huang (@gh_fishing26) on the South Shore reports: “On the morning right before the nor’easter, I headed out before dawn in search of a big bass. I started the day bucktailing on the beginning of the incoming and didn’t get a single hit for hours. As the sun rose and the tide picked up, I made my way down the beach and towards my car, almost ready to call it quits. I decided to tie on an A27 green tube diamond jig as a last ditch effort. On my third cast beyond the building whitecaps, my rod doubled over and the drag started screaming. It didn’t feel as chaotic as a blue, as deadweight as a dogfish or big skate, and certainly not like any other bass I fought before. The fish constantly changed directions, bringing me up and down the beach. With its violent but controlled head shakes, I knew I probably had a trophy striper on my line. When I finally had it close to shore, I made sure that every time a big wave hit, I reeled in all the slack quickly. Finally, I had it on the sand and couldn’t believe my eyes. With my rod, I estimated the fish at around 45 inches — by far my new PB. I revived it and released it after a few pictures, along with my car keys that fell in the water and washed away amid the mayhem. The ocean gives and takes, and it was a tradeoff I’d take all over again!”
Bill Falco (@fishlongisland) at Chasing Tails Bait & Tackle in Oakdale reports: “Storm report! That nasty wind and rain brought in the first wave of big bass off of the beaches. “If it’s blowing, I’m going”, was the catch phrase of the week. Brave surfcasters were rewarded handsomely. Bottle plugs and darters picked up the majority of the fish, and some wild souls were chucking needles and getting lucky as well. We are fully stocked with Super Strike lures and everything you need for the fall run in the surf. Boat guys did very well ripping through the inlets and into the open ocean. The inlets all the way down the south shore are loaded up with great striper action, so get on ‘em! Last day of fluke season was great; good reports of fish in the 6- to 7-pound range came in all day. That also marked the first day of tautog season, and folks went crazy! Jigs, rigs, and lots of crabs left the shop. Reports are good, plenty of fish to catch and the keepers are thick. The shop is loaded with tog gear all season.”
Captain Scott Worth of North Fork Light Tackle Charters reports: “We fished hard before the nor’easter and the albies really chewed their faces off! Just start to finish amazing albie fishing, with a couple of 10-pound-plus fish in the mix. I’m very excited for the wind to lay down this weekend and get back on it. I anticipate some good bass blitzes as well.”
Captain Peter Douma (@doum_flies) of Windward Outfitters reports: “Before the wind, we had some of the best albie fishing of the fall here in Montauk. Mornings have seen the most action, but really any time of day can lead to fish. As the fish got picky throughout the day, dropping to 12-pound tippet really increased our hookup rate on the spooky fish. Fly choice mattered less than leader choice, but #2 surf candies and sliders seemed to get the most hits. On the spin side, Albie Snax and small Hard Snax worked well. Not only did we see numbers, but we saw really good size. Lots of 6 to 8 pounders, but plenty of fish into the mid-teens have been around. Looking for bait balls close to shore was probably the most productive approach, but there are still lots of fish in 60 feet of water or more, away from the crowds. On the bass front, the best action has still been to the east, and locally it’s been best on the sand beaches. Lots of mackerel, sand eels, and even bunker have started to fill in. Blitzes are few and far between, but any day they could start to fire up with water temps finally coming down.”
The Author’s Experience
I was finally able to get out last night in the deep Western Sound. While the air temperature suggested a potential bite, the water is still a bit warm for a bridge bite. That said, I eeked out a couple schoolies on plastics and flies. It’s only a matter of weeks before the Western Sound lights up with a good night bite. Hopefully I can make my way over to the South Shore to cash in on a good surf bite!
Long Island & NYC Fishing Forecast
Welp, for the last couple days, this storm has really riled things up. I’ve been seeing pictures of monster surf on the South Shore beaches and in Montauk. I even saw a video of a couple of people surfing on the inside of Montauk Inlet. It’s safe to say that the storm hit the reset button on the epic albie bite. No, I’m not saying that the albies are completely gone, but I believe that the giant wolf pack that were stationed in Montauk are on the move. Who knows what direction they headed, or if they’re even still inshore. The storm really cooled things down. With September being warmer than normal, it was a little scary that the weather and water hadn’t cooled down faster. While the storm put a halt to fishing for a few days, it gave us the much needed temperature drop to activate migratory and resident bass. It finally feels like fall, and (hopefully) that means an epic sand eel bite and the possibility of a fantastic bunker bite if you can find them. It’s evident that there’s been a bunker shortage this year, but we can still find big fish on sand eels. Speaking of sand eels, my favorite lures for the open beach include a Deadly Dick, diamond jig, needlefish, and Gibbs pencil popper.
As for tautog, it’s been lights out. Everyone I know is crushing big blackfish in just 10 feet of water or less. The theme seems to be keeper-size fish holding in shallow, rocky water in hard-to-reach places. A lot of people I’m speaking to are breaking off big tog in the rocks, so if you’re on a steady bite and you’re picking up nice keepers, don’t hesitate to make the switch to some heavier leader. A 30-pound leader should do it, my favorite being Cortland line. As for jigs, Magic Tail Outfitters and Joe Baggs have you covered.
Fall fishing is still heating up and it’s looking good for a big push of fish into December.