Long Island, Metro NY - Long Island Surf Fishing Reports

Bob from Bob’s Bait and Tackle let me know Cedar and Robert Moses stretches had both bluefish and bass taking topwater poppers and tins like diamond jigs, and Kastmasters. Some of the bluefish made their way inside the Fire Island Inlet as well and were casing some commotion on the inside. The dock at Tanner Park had a good pick of stripers for those using sandworms fished along the bottom.

Rich from Dick’s B&T said he did hear the rumor of bluefish showing up at the Smith Point Bridge area. The bayside, inside the Narrows had bass SP Minnows, Mag Darters and small poppers. The ocean side of Smith’s had a nice run of bass as well near Great Gun and at the inlet. Some casters were picking at bass on clam at the Gun and inlet but poppers and SP Minnows were working along the sand beach stretch as well.

Pablo from J&J Sports in Patchogue reported stripers being caught in and around the Patchogue River on sandworms, bunker chunks and some swim shads fished in the early parts of the day. He did hear some rumors of bluefish being caught from the Smith Point Bridge area on SP Minnows and Super Strike Poppers. He also heard the weakfish made a showing inside the Quogue Canal and were jumping all over Bass Assassins, NLBN shads and small paddletails.

Mike at Saltwaters Bait and Tackle in West Islip let me know the bluefish and weakfish joined the party this last week inside the bay. Weakfish were reported from the docks of the north side of the bay while bluefish were had at Cedar and inside the Fire Island Inlet, near Robert Moses Bridge. Stripers were still being picked away at from the north side docks in the West Islip, Sayville and Babylon areas on bunker chunks if you could get them, poppers and swim shads from Tsunami and NLBN.

Mark from Cow Harbor Bait and Tackle reported a very solid end to the tog season with some real “donkey togs” weighed into the shop during the last week. He said the fish have been coming from the local North Shore beaches by the power plant and green crabs have been getting the nod over clams. Some schoolies stripers have been roaming the back Northport Harbor as well smacking small swim shads and Yo-Zuri poppers.

Up on the western North Shore, Blaise from Duffy’s Bait & Tackle in Glenwood Landing reported a good closing week to the shore tog season up in the Hempstead area. The jetty produced fish to about 5 pounds on clam and green crabs. Inside the harbor he said that the striper bite was still solid but bait was still the number one option over the lures. If you could snag a bunker or toss out a fresh chunk that was like candy for the bass. Clam and sandworms had their fair share of striper as well.

Sue at Miller Place Bait and Tackle on the North Shore told me the striper bite on the Sound beaches has been excellent with fish from 25 to 32 inches. She said Cedar in Mt. Sinai, Rocky Point, and Wading River beaches have all been good bets. The jetty at Mt. Sinai was also a good choice for shore togging with green crabs.

Scott over at East End Bait and Tackle reported the east and west sides of the Shinnecock Inlet have been productive during the day and after dark with swimming plugs. Some of the fish are into the slot. He also heard of bluefish on the beaches to the west.

Ken over at Tight Lines Tackle on the South Fork reported an excellent run of sand beach from Mecox to Sag Main to Georgics. He received many phone calls for Doc Spooks, big Mar Darters, Yo-Zuri Hydro Twitchbaits. Some casters said metal lip swimmers were working as well. Bunker fueled the bite and the stripers were right on them. Saturday night saw very good shots of fish at the cuts. The Sunday morning bite has fish into the 30-inch class as well. A few rumors of bluefish have made their way out in the Southampton area.

Mike at Bernie's Bait and Tackle reported the striper bite slowed a little. Some signs of porgies at the jetty at Breezy are starting to show themselves. They have heard some rumors of bluefish showing up. The did mention some bunker were roaming inside Jamaica Bay