Action on the saltwater side continues to heat up all across Long Island. Striped bass are beginning to become steady pickings in most places, at least for shorts, with a few bigger fish mixed in as well. Bluefish and weakfish have also started showing more signs of life while flounder scores remain limited in scope. Freshwater action continues on the upswing as well. As the lakes begin to get warm so does the fishing.
Striper scores on the western end of the Island exploded this week according to John from Hudson Park Bait and Tackle. There has been very hot fishing with some bass stretching the tape to 30 inches in recent days around Throgs Neck Bridge and Mamaroneck Harbor. George from Captain Kayak also reports bass up to 30-inches out of Great South and Manhasset Bay. Ed Mannone and Mike Barto weighed in two keepers pushing 30-pounds with Mark at Bay Park Fishing Station. These fish were caught in 40-feet of water using large Montauk Striper Spoons. Robert from Sea Isle Tackle tells of improving action out of Jones Inlet and near the Wantagh Bridge for schoolie bass. Anglers are finding increasingly better success from the beaches as well, says John from Terminal Tackle. The Port Jeff and Mt. Sinai area have been particularly productive as the bunker schools there are still quite thick. Fly-fishing and casting with small plugs has also seen success with both shorts and keeper bass. This news comes from Carmine at The Campsite, who noted Oyster Bay and Centre Island as being among the hot spots. A mix of bass and blues have been showing up in Great Kills, as well as Floyd Bennet Field near the back of the airport, as reported by Stretch from Stella Maris Marina.
Bluefish ranging from 8 to 10 pounds, along with a few weakfish, have been reported in the back waters of Shinnecock Bay and at the Quogue Canal said Rich from White Water Outfitters . There was also a good showing of 3- to 4-pound weakfish in Shinnecock Canal early in the week with the yellowfins hammering Bass Assassins and small bucktails tipped with curly-tailed grubs. Although not in season until May 17, fluke have also begun to show signs of life. Captain Joe from the Jib VI at Captree adds in that striper catches have been best on out-going tides so far and the action has been reliably steady.
On the freshwater front, the warm air continues to heat up the lakes and raise the level of action. Although the season for largemouth bass doesn’t begin until the first Saturday in June, bucketmouths are growing more aggressive as they get ready to spawn in the coming weeks. Paul from River Bay Outfitters has noticed good fishing across the Island as he visits lakes to work his sponsored clean ups, which can be found on his website: www.riverbayoutfitters.com. The carp action continues to please in Nassau and western Suffolk county ponds while trout remain both willing and plentiful in rivers and streams across the Island.
Fishing Forecast for Long Island
These early weeks of fishing have shown very promising signs of things to come. With hot striper action already keeping anglers busy, now is the time to get in on the fun and sharpen your skills with the numerous schoolies and occasional good-sized keeper. Also, keep your eyes on the beaches as birds have already been seen diving along both the South Shore and Long Island Sound beaches and there is no better sign of good fishing ahead.
I am glad everyone out there is tearing it up with this “hot” bite. I’ve been out walking beaches and on a kayak probably a dozen times since striper opening with a big zero! No signs of fish, no bait save for a couple of schools of bunker happily swimming along with nothing chasing them, just big blue clear barren water (like my bath tub)…. Arrrgh! Guess I’m doing everything wrong. To everyone else, keep ripping it up! And thank you to On The Water for good reading every week!
Tackle shops make money by creating something that barely exists into a frenzy. I also have walked beaches for hours with nothing in sight and then read “reports” of action on the beach I was on at the time I was on it. Very suspect.
Yesterday two stripers near Throgs Neck bridge, one 27 inches the other 29.5. In the afternoon, two keeper flounders in little neck bay.
Same here. Credibility once lost is very hard to regain. Apparently someone is not telling the truth.
Guys it’s early. You must fish the tides right now. With it been windy you must pick your days!!! Must ! I been out 20 times in the pass 3 weeks and caught over 5 nice weaks 20 bass. Only 2 keeps. Tons of fluke. Mostly shorts. But the fish are there. Bay bays when water is clean and out going tide. Hot color is pink and green for fluke. White and pink for weaks and bass just want bait. Bunker #1 gulp#2 very very slow reel. If you think your reeling to slow go slower. Also stop reeling and wait 30 sec then reel. The weaks are hitting that. Early morn and dusk to dawn. The spots I can say. That’s for you to put your time in. If your working and only fish when you can, that’s hard. I’m retired, so I fish every morn and every night. Weather permitting. 20 pound braid. Weaks will not hit on larger braid!!!