40.555 N / 73.925 W
Breezy Point is the terminus of the Rockaway Peninsula. It consists predominantly of dune/beach shoreline terrain, with a rock jetty at the tip of the point that extends well outward into the ocean. This famous stretch of boulders is widely known as the Breezy Point Jetty. Although the jetty is part of Gateway National Recreation Area, Breezy Point is a tightly knit community that prefers to keep non-resident traffic to a minimum. Therefore make sure you keep the area cleaner than when you arrived and there should be no problems. There is a guard gate at the end of the road and unless you have four-wheel-drive and a permit, you will not be permitted on the beach. For anglers willing to hike roughly a half hour to the jetty, there is a “Commoner” parking lot where you can park and walk to the jetty. A permit is required for the parking lot, as well as for beach access which can easily be obtained at the Fort Tilden Visitor Center just down the block, or by calling 718-338-3338 for info on other National Park offices where parking and beach permits can be purchased, and to check on current access restrictions.
To get to the Breezy Point Jetty, take the Belt Parkway to Exit 11S (Flatbush Ave.) and cross over the Marine Parkway Bridge. Once you cross over the bridge, bear right and take the road to the end. The jetty attracts myriad baitfish and a host of game and bottom dwelling species through the course of the season, which is beneficial to both surfcasters and boating anglers alike. However this area is truly a surf fisherman’s dream as permit requirements and the prohibition of swimming at the jetty generally keep the beach going crowds away. As is the case with most South Shore inlets that line Long Island, the bottom at Breezy Point consists of sand. However, since the rocks are tightly clustered, they create all kinds of eddies and rip patterns during a moving tide, which is a death sentence for forage baitfish.
Things really come alive beginning in May with the arrival of fluke, weakfish, stripers and blues. Shore bound anglers will score well casting on either side of the jetty with swimming plugs, top waters, bucktails and soft plastics. All are effective on the “big four,” particularly during the end of the tides as the current is slacking.
Sinker bouncers looking for a tasty treat target kingfish from the beach or the rock jetty from July through October, along with the potential for anything from scup to black drum potentially mixing into the catch. Standard hi-lo, porgy and tandem tied rigs baited with squid, worms or clam will help put a nice catch together for a family dinner or two of assorted species.
Fall signals the return of some serious action with all four gamefish and speedsters such as bonito and false albacore added to the menu. Tins and spoons such as Deadly Dicks, Swedish Pimples, Crocodiles, Need-L-Fish and assorted imitation flies will certainly dupe the speedsters.
While the fishing can be exceptional here, safety should be your first priority. Make sure your waders or boots are equipped with corkers or metal studs. Watch the breakers and when it gets downright nasty stay away from the water line. Too many anglers have been swept off this jetty over the years, so think safety first and use common sense.
For current information on fishing the jetty or the general area, it’s tough to find better advice than from the guys at Bernie’s Bait & Tackle, 3035 Emmons Avenue, Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn NY 11235. They can be reached at 718-646-7600. They can handle all your bait & tackle needs and steer you in the right direction.
