May 11, 2026 - 10:33:58
Mike at Saltwaters Bait & Tackle reported the striped bass bite was very similar to last week with nighttime plug action continuing from the local beaches. Clams and bunker chunks are still producing during the daytime hours, especially around Demo, Cedar, and Gilgo. While a few bluefish were reported earlier in the week, activity on them has quieted down for now, although most anglers expect more to arrive shortly with warming water temperatures.
May 11, 2026 - 10:33:53
At Saltwaters Bait and Tackle in West Islip I heard the fluke bite is good in the State Channel. Anglers using Spro bucktails, standard spearing and squid combos and strip baits should be able to cull a few keepers. Stripers are in the bays, and along the open ocean. How do you like catching stripers? Trolling, chunking, live baiting, topwater lures and swimmers? Well, the good news is whatever you like to throw, you can catch bass, so hit the water, the action is rock solid.
May 04, 2026 - 10:27:42
Mike at Saltwaters Bait and Tackle said the surf striper bite turned in another strong week, with all of the Robert Moses sand beaches producing consistently. Nighttime anglers are finding success with SP Minnows, darters, and bottle plugs, while daytime efforts are best focused on bunker and clams, along with tins and bucktails. Fish to over 40 inches have been reported, signaling a solid push of quality bass into the zone.
May 04, 2026 - 10:27:37
At Saltwaters Bait and Tackle in West Islip I heard of a bass explosion this week with fish from the ocean to back bay. Bass Assassins, bait, topwater and anything else you throw will catch you a bass in the Great South Bay areas. On the fluke front, it looks like a solid opener as by-catch reports have come in all week. On the bluefish front, reports from the Long Beach pier were rumored, but nothing locally yet.
