Long Island, Metro NY - North Shore Fishing Reports

Mike at Fishing East Coast Bait and Tackle in Little Neck reports bass remains plentiful in Little Neck and Manhasset Bays both during the daytime, but especially at night. Poppers are best during the night tides, whereas bunker chunks have been best during the daytime hours. The bite has been best at the start of an ebbtide. Shore bound anglers casting sandworms from the banks of Little Neck Bay surprisingly have been doing quite well with winter flounder. Some shop regulars have reported catching as many as 5 keeper black backs per tide. Perhaps the flounder are making a slow but progressive comeback? Only time will tell. Mike did hear of some fluke being taken, but it comes from the Captree State Park open and charter boats. A few porgies are coming from the City Island waters, but again, these reports are unconfirmed. Water temperatures are in the 50 to 51 degree range, which is still quite cold for any serious porgy or fluke activity.

Capt. Pat Barrett of the Shamrock Charterboat in New Rochelle reports that he will begin fishing this coming Saturday, May 18, kicking the season off with striped bass and possibly fluke. Once the fluke move closer to the waters of New Rochelle, the boat will be targeting them, however, starting Sunday, May 26, the ever so popular Sunset Fishing trips will be starting and is open to the public. Capt. Pat is now accepting charters for the 2024 season with plenty of prime dates still available. A call to the captain at (914) 552-3050 seals the deal for a great day on the water with a great captain and crew.

Nuno DeCosta Tyalure Professional Tackle & Gear in Rye NY reports striped bass fishing remains excellent and consistent with trolling Tyalure bunker spoons and umbrella rigs during a swift moving tide producing well, while custom designed Tyalure flutter spoons are producing best around the time the tide is slacking. Porgy fishing has been decent on worm and clam baits in the local waters, especially off the Rye Playland. Fluke fishing is just starting to get underway with a few fish coming from Smithtown Bay with bucktails tipped with spearing, squid and Berkley Gulp all doing the job in 15 to 30 feet of water. The recreational season for giant tuna is now closed, however, there are massive schools of bluefish offshore and heading this way which bodes well for when the season re-opens. Ballyhoo and side trackers are producing best. Speaking of ballyhoo, Nuno has them in stock and will continue to have them throughout the entire season. The shop is open every day and equipped with all your inshore and offshore needs with all tuna essentials as well as offshore baits and chum. You can purchase gear at their store in Rye or online at tyalure.com. Gift certificates are always available and make a great birthday or special occasion gift for the special angler in your life. Please keep checking their website for spectacular clearance sales and discounted items throughout the spring and summer. Tyalure Professional Tackle and Gear is your one stop shopping store for all your fishing gear, boots and foul weather gear.

Aboard the open boat the Rip Tide III in City Island Capt. Carl reports porgy fishing is off to a slow start. The average angler puts 5 to 8 scup in the bucket, while the sharpies see 12 to 14 fish apiece. The pool fish averages around 2 pounds. Additional catches include striped bass and out of season blackfish. On Saturday, 4 stripers were taken on porgy bait with 2 being slot size and 2 being oversize. Anglers also caught and released 5 keeper size blackfish. No weakfish, bluefish or fluke taken yet as the water remains much to chilly for the warm blooded species.

Blaise from Duffy’s Bait and Tackle in Glenwood Landing reports still plenty of bass inside Hempstead Harbor and out in the Sound. Trolling and jigging catch the bass. Blaise did know of some porgies being taken at Crescent Beach on clams and worms and some fluke had been taken off of Matinecock Point. Bucktails and Berkeley gulp are the culprits. The first bluefish report of the season came from Jim Santis with a bluefish of approximately 7 pounds. Blaise did hear of a few flounder being caught inside Oyster Bay.

On Cold Spring Charters in Cold Spring Harbor, Capt. Herb Hahn has replaced his engine on the boat and will be sailing his first trip of 2024 this coming Friday targeting stripers, fluke and scup. The good captain still has some prime dates available for the spring stripers, porgies and fluke, summer bluefish, sea bass and scup and fall stripers and blackfish. To set up a charter, give Capt. Herb a call at (516) 641-3401.

Carmine at Campsite Sport Shop in Huntington reports plenty of bass are hitting bunker spoons and umbrella rigs while being trolled on wire line. In addition to trolling, Carmine said that diamond and clutter jigs are also duping bass to 35 pounds. The bass bite has been especially strong by buoy 15 on outgoing tide. Carmine has heard of a few keeper fluke hitting hi/lo rigs baited with Berkley Gulp from the Sand City area. Some porgies supposedly are also in the area; however Carmine admits the reports are unconfirmed.

Over from Rob at Hi-Hook Bait and Tackle in Huntington reports excellent bass fishing at buoy 15 as well as the rest of the Triangle. Trolling Mojo’s or umbrella rigs produces best on a moving tide, while clutter spoons are the way to go as the tide is slacking. Some fluke are coming from Smithtown Bay slamming Spro Prime Bucktails tipped with pink and white Berkley Gulp. No one has come back to the shop with any porgy reports.

Candy from Caraftis Fishing Station in Port Jefferson reports striped bass are gulping down bunker chunks and clam bellies inside the harbor as well as out in the Sound by buoy 11 and the Middle Grounds. Diamond jigs are producing best outside in the Sound. No reports of scup at this time, however Candy did hear of a few nice fluke coming from Sand City and on the Mount Misery Shoal slamming bucktails tipped with spearing or Gulp.

Capt. Mark DeJong of the Celtic Quest Fleet in Port Jefferson reports excellent porgy fishing this week aboard the Jamesport boat the Celtic Grace. Anglers enjoy a steady pick of fish throughout the day, often hitting their limit well before day’s end. A stray weakfish or fluke find their way aboard the boat, however there will be many more weakies to be taken in the coming days ahead. From the Celtic Quest in Port Jeff, the boat will continue sailing their Diamond Jigging striper trips starting this Monday May 13 with trip times of 7:30 a.m to 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. To book your trips from both Port Jefferson and Jamesport, please visit the Celtic Quest website.

Jim Flora of Miller Place Bait and Tackle reports diamond jigs at buoy 11 and the Middle Grounds are accounting for stripers to 35 pounds during the outgoing tide. The only fluke reports are coming from the Smithtown Bay area with Spro Bucktails tipped with spearing and squid combos, or with Berkley Gulp. No word of porgies at the present time, however Jim feels there should be plenty of scup around Cranes Neck and Old Field Point waiting for your worm and clam baits.

Capt. Brian of Captain Skippy Charters in Mount Sinai reports he will kick off the season this Wednesday May 15th chasing stripers, fluke and porgies. Capt. Brian is now accepting charters for the 2024 season. Call (631) 252-6536 to book a trip or reserve a date.

Kathleen from Ralphs Fishing Station in Mt. Sinai reports very little fishing activity at the moment as most boats are still out of the water. The anglers that are able to get out are finding a few striped bass at the Middle Grounds which are slamming slow worked diamond jigs. There has been no feedback of any fluke or porgies being taken as of yet. There are still a few small stripers taking rubber shads and Bass Assassins in the back of the harbor.

Phil of Cow Harbor Bait and Tackle in Northport reports plenty of striped bass being trolled up at the Triangle with Mojo’s and umbrella rigs made up of swim shads are producing bass to 38 pounds, respectively. When the current isn’t pushing to hard, clutter spoons and diamond jigs have also been effective. There are also smaller bass slamming shiny spoons or rubber tails attached to a triangle jighead in the back of the bays and harbors. Just find the peanut bunker and you’ll find the bass. There has been no reports of any fluke, porgies or weakfish at the moment, however that should all change by next week’s report.

Capt. Sean Crean of Port of Call Charters in Northport reports striper fishing remains excellent on nearly every trip while fluking continues to build momentum. If you would like to charter the boat or head out on one of their many open boat trips, then give Capt. Sean a call at (631) 896-6709 or a visit to their website will seal the deal.

Craig from WeGo Bait and Tackle in Southold reports the Peconic’s have come alive with porgies, fluke, weakfish and striped bass. The scup can be found in all their usual spring haunts which include Jessup Neck, Rose Grove, Nassau Point, Robins Island and Rogers Rock. Clams and worms on hi/lo rigs are producing just fine however small diamond jigs at slack tide have also been extremely effective. Both drifting and anchoring work well. Should you decide on anchoring, chumming is paramount for a good score. Weakfish can be found inside Noyack Bay as well as east and west of Jessup Neck in 35 to 40 feet of water with diamond jigs and red tube teasers working over the weakies nicely. Quite a few jumbo sea bass are also being caught on the weakfish grounds smacking diamond jigs intended for the weakfish. Fluke fishing started off at a fast pace with many limits to 27 inches coming from the Green Lawns. However the bite fizzled out after just 3 days into the season. Most anglers believe that the flatties moved into the western portion of the Peconic’s where there are loads of butterfish on the spawn. Striped bass are still roaming the bays and are now feeding at the Plum Gut and the Race. Diamond jigs or 3x3 rigs baited with bunker chunks are the key during an outgoing tide both during the day and nighttime. The night squid bite under the lights is now in full swing with the Greenport Railroad Dock your best option.

Capt. Paul of the Peconic Star in Greenport reports porgy fishing is as good as it gets with easy limits for all on board. Please note that starting May 15th, the Peconic Star IV will be sailing two half day trips on the weekend. The morning trip hours are 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and the afternoon trip will be from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. These trips will be Captain’s choice. Meanwhile, the Peconic Star III will continue to sail full day daily from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for porgies. For more information, call Capt. Paul at (631) 522-2002 or Capt. Speedy at (516) 551-4548.

Adam at North Country Gas Bait and Tackle in St. James reports an amazing catch by Karl and his three sons off of Sand City. The four anglers limited out on fluke the largest fluke being caught by Karl’s son Ray of 6.7 pounds. A strip of squid and a spearing nailed the big flattie. The porgy bite is holding up well as the private vessel the “Shuck Nut” fished in 30 feet of water off Cranes Neck Tim from JP Morgan, Chase tangled with some stripers at his regular honey hole, which is outside of the Nissequogue River. Tim nailed his keepers in a half hour time he was using a 047 diamond jig with no tube.

Capt. Guy of Captain Guy’s Charters in Port Chester reports excellent bass fishing with many mixed size fish as close as Rye Playland. The captain still has dates available for stripers, blues, fluke and fall time blackfish. Please call Capt. Guy to book a full or half day trip throughout the season at (845) 528-5733.