April 20, 2026 - 10:32:25
Mike at Saltwaters Bait & Tackle said Cedar Beach is producing bass to 35 inches on diamond jigs, with SP Minnows and Mag Darters also accounting for steady action. The docks in Babylon are starting to come alive as well, with fish hitting soft plastics around structure and current. He also noted that even larger fish are being reported from the western Long Island Sound harbors, hinting at some bigger biomass building in those protected waters.
April 20, 2026 - 10:32:20
At Saltwaters Bait and Tackle in West Islip I heard there are bass around as the season really kicked it up a notch. Anglers reported stripers in the bay and along the open beaches. Small blackfish are around at the local pieces, while a few blackfish were weighed in from the outside reef, with fish to 4 pounds. The flounder bite has been the best the shop has seen in years, however bear in mind, it is not the return of flounder, but it may be worth the effort to grab one or two for the table. In talking with Mike from the shop, could the return be directly attributed to the cold winter? Could the flounder have come in from the shelf? When we had good flounder fishing, the bay always froze over…so we will see what comes down the road. Until then, enjoy a flounder or two, but just bear in mind, one fat one makes a pretty good dinner so throw that second one back.
April 13, 2026 - 10:43:52
Mike at Saltwaters Bait and Tackle in West Islip let me know he’s heard of some small stripers being caught on worms and small soft plastics rigged on jigheads from the local Islip docks. To the west, he got word that Little Neck and Manhasset are starting to see steady action, with stripers being caught after dark by casters using swimming plugs like SP Minnows and Mag Darters. As is typical this time of year, nighttime remains the best window for larger fish.
April 13, 2026 - 10:43:47
At Saltwaters Bait and Tackle in West Islip I heard several anglers scored with flounder. The shop heard of flounder from the Babylon area all the way to Montauk. Could this be the year we see a few “good” catches? Locally, the shop heard of three separate catches in and around the local hot spots. On the north side of the bay, reports of school bass have filtered in as well. On the blackfish front, it was not a bang up week, but several fish in the 3 to 4-pound class were weighed in.
April 10, 2026 - 11:31:16
At Saltwaters Bait and Tackle in West Islip I heard there are schoolie bass roaming around the bay. Try the mouths of the north side creeks as the bait begins to flow outward. Small bucktails and swim shads will probably garner the most attention. As for blackfish, it was a slow start and hopefully will pick up as the weeks move on. Striped season opens the 15th, with fluke following May 4. The shop is fully stocked and ready to go.
April 10, 2026 - 11:31:16
Mike at Saltwaters Bait & Tackle reported no major surf bite yet, but did mention some small stripers showing in the western Sound harbors. Most of that action has been on smaller swimming plugs fished after dark. With a stretch of warmer weather in the forecast, he expects that bite to expand quickly into the bays and eventually along the open beach.
