Long Island and NYC Fishing Report
North Shore
The Angler Fleet (@anglerfleet) out of Port Washington reports: “Tog fishing has been steady, with plenty of action and lots of solid fish coming over the rails. As the water cools, we’ve been focusing on those deep-water pieces, searching for trophies. The bass bite has also stayed strong, with consistent morning action keeping rods bent.”
Captain Arthur Cortes of Cortes Outfitters (@cortes.outfitters) in NYC reports: “ When weather and wind conditions permit, stripers around New York City have been consistently found in the bay and off Coney Island. The size of the fish we’ve been observing range from small schoolies to slot fish. Thire predominant food sources are sand eels and peanut bunker. Our fly of choice this week is a sand-eel candy, and our go-to lure is a silver SP Minnow. Call 347-326-4750 or visit cortesoutfitters.com to book a trip.”
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Mark at Cow Harbor Tackle in Northport reports: “The bass are getting smaller every week, but there are plenty of squid around. The tog fishing is still really good in the Sound; depths ranging from 50 to 60 feet are super conducive to steady action. If you can get away with fishing a jig it’s definitely better, but the snafu rig has also been producing. There are tons of fish still on the South Shore, and in the Sound it’s winding down. Visit cowharbortackle.com or call 631-239-1631.”
Wego Fishing Bait and Tackle in Southold reports: “The wind blew for days, but water temperatures are still warm so the tog fishing should remain steady into December. Green crabs and white crabs are the move, and jigs and snafu rigs are working best. I prefer the snafu because it allows me to use a whole crab with a double-hook rig. As for bass, the fish are hit or miss. One day they are here, the next they are gone. The bait I’m seeing includes squid, the rare butterfish, and whiting.”
South Shore
Captain Jess Rogers of Gypsea Charters out of Brooklyn reported: “Despite the wind, we were able to get a few more trips in this past week. The striped bass fishing remains excellent, with fish of all sizes infiltrating our local waters. Shads, jigs, live bait — it does not matter, they are inhaling everything! On the blackfish front, we have seen stellar catches with drop-and-stick action and loads of keepers in the mix. Many lucky anglers have been going home with limit catches and others with just a few fillets. As the temps continue to drop, the fishing should remain excellent!”
Captain Adrian Moeller of Rockfish Charters out of Queens reports: “This has been one of the worst fall run weather windows we’ve ever seen and unfortunately, we’ve had to cancel a lot of trips. When we do manage to get out the fishing is phenomenal. There are adult bunker, peanut bunker, sand eels, stripers from slot-size to 40-pounds and bluefin tuna all within easy reach of our local inlets. Hopefully this weekend into next week will bring some better weather and we’ll be able to make some new reports.”
Captain Doug Toback of Corazon Charters (@corazonfishing) out of Freeport reports: “Bass fishing has been holding up steady. There have been some giant bluefin tuna mixed in with the bass, which adds another element of excitement. We expect the bass fishing to hold through December with the bluefin being easier to target for catch and release. As the fall progresses the schools will get tighter and the average size will decrease, but there will be big fish in smaller numbers. We can always target trophies if that’s on your bucket list!”
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The Captree Fleet (@captreefleet) reports: “The boats are catching limits of striped bass and some oversized fish to 41 pounds. Blackfish action has been steady and we’re catching them up to 7.1 pounds. Please check our boat’s websites for sailing times and what they are targeting. Most of our fleet is limited capacity, so make your reservation online. Everything you need to fish is right on the boat included in the fare at no extra cost. Get your gift certificates online! They can be used on any of our Members Boats. The Fleet charter boats are now booking trips for the 2026 season.”
From the South Shore surf, Scott Monahan (@bonesyfishing) reports: “The last full moon saw a good push of big fish on the beaches. As we moved further off the full moon the bite trickled down a bit. There are still smaller fish in and under the slot being picked on the beaches. Most fish are being caught on bucktails, diamond jigs, Miracle Minnows and sand-eel-style paddletails. This new moon should bring a push of bigger fish to the beaches and inlets. Just after first light and right around sunset are the most productive times to catch at the moment. Hit those beaches and put some time in around this new moon if you’re looking for a few bigger fish to end the fall run. Catch ’em up!”
Bill Falco (@fishlongisland) at Chasing Tails Bait & Tackle in Oakdale reports: “Slow report week with these 40 mph gusts, but it’s been solid fishing from everyone I’ve spoken to. There are still tons of bass on the beach for surfcasters. Some really good ones too. Needlefish, bottle plugs, darters and of course, diamond jigs, have been pulling the majority of the catches. On the boats, guys are getting on incredible bites that last for a good while. Lots of swim shads, diamond jigs, SP Minnows spooks, and poppers are getting smashed up by bass. Blackfish action is nonstop at the local wrecks and reefs, and even the inlets are still holding some good ones for the shore-based anglers. Jigs, rigs, and plenty of crabs are the keys for a good day. If you can get out this time of year, go as often as you can! The bite is hot and the weather is getting cold.”
White Water Outfitters in Hampton Bays reports: “The bass fishing is still good, but the fish are getting smaller. The sand eel bite is strong on bucktails and diamond jigs. The blackfish on the North Fork are still chewing, and the deeper reefs are seeing solid results. Random tuna sightings are happening as well but the weather has been tough for boaters lately.”
Captain Peter Douma (@doum_flies) of Windward Outfitters in Montauk reports: “The bass are here, when you can actually get out. The single biggest issue in Montauk has just been leaving the inlet. Wind, for the most part, has just been brutal, but when you can get out, it’s worth it. It seems like lately, as long as you have moving water you’ll find fish. Peanuts, bay anchovies, and spike weakfish have been making up most of the bait, and what’s been mostly slot-size fish, are happy to chase them around. They have been blitzing at times, but sinking lines have worked best for me with flies. Can’t go wrong with a bucktail either. The sand beaches are still pretty good for the surfcasters. We haven’t had a return of albies yet, but we’ll get one more chance if the weather cooperates again.”
The Author’s Experience
This past weekend I fished both New York and New Jersey. On Saturday, I went out with my good friend Captain Ben Burdine of Apex Angling. While Ben normally keeps his boat in Connecticut, he moved his new Regulator to New Jersey to do some ghost hunting. When Saturday came around we were certainly armed to do just that. Leaving the dock just after sunrise, we made our way into 100 feet of water off the New Jersey coast and were greeted immediately by gannets and busting fish. While we couldn’t keep up with the tuna on the surface, a pod of five or six fish flooded the screen. Naturally, I dropped an NLBN down to the marks and it got smoked. In no time, we had a beautiful rec. size fish to the boat. With safe handling and quick release the fish shot off strong. Fighting these inshore tuna is no joke. They rip!
On Sunday, I went out with my buddies Andrew Bernat and Matt Malone in Manhasset Bay. From the jump we had blitzing schoolies, which we caught on bucktails and Docs. After a bit of fun, we hit some local bridges and plucked away at slot-size fish. By the afternoon, we were focused on tog. As Andrew put us on the first spot I dropped my crab down and hooked a big fish. There was nothing I could do to stop this fish. It pulled me into a piling and broke off, which is something that’s happened to me three or four times this season already. Some heavy wind and rain moved in shortly after, making it difficult to maintain contact with our tog jigs on the bottom. At one point, a deep fog rolled in, which was a bit sketchy. Luckily, I was sheltered from the cold by my new Tak Waterman jacket—the Waterman Shell. Definitely worth checking out!
We kept fishing for three more hours, but unfortunately, we didn’t get our keepers. However, we had plenty of fun with small fish. As day turned to night, we whipped out some live eels, three-way rigs and weighted soft plastics. The game plan was to hit bridge pilings to pitch the eels and plastics. We proceeded to pluck fish to 20 pounds.
All around it was a good weekend full of mixed species.
Long Island & NYC Fishing Forecast
The bite is still hot on the South Shore. The bass are chewing and diamond jigs and Deadly Dicks are producing plenty of fish. Bomb out a cast and begin a steady retrieve; don’t hesitate to play around with different retrieve speeds. Also, make sure that you have a few different tube colors on your diamond jigs. Dark green and red are staples. If you can’t get your hands on diamond jigs—the shops may be running short—shads, Joe Baggs Miracle Minnows, and Tsunami Sand Eels also crush.
In the Sound, we are seeing pushes of schoolies and 20-pound fish at the mouths of western Sound bays. These fish are chewing on peanut bunker, and the birds are a dead giveaway. Ideal baits include swim shads, small pencil poppers, and diamond jigs or deep-bodied metals.
As for blackfishing, the North Shore still has an epic run of big tog. As water temperatures continue to drop, the tog will push off into deeper water. While early season tog hangout in 3 to 15 feet, the late season tog are going to be in 30 to 60 feet of water or more. If you’re a die-hard jig fisherman, it can be tough to fish them in deeper water so don’t be afraid to break out a conventional setup and a classic dropper rig with a single hook.
There is plenty of season left! Hit the beaches hard and you’ll be rewarded.