CROSS BAY BRIDGES, NY

I was recently looking at old photos of the Cross Bay Bridge. My guess was that they were from the 50s, but they could have been even earlier. There were several guys on the embankment adjacent to the bridge, but more impressive looking were the horde of anglers on top of the bridge, all with fishing rods in hand. Although times have changed and fishing from atop the bridge is off limits, the Cross Bay Bridge area is still a hotspot that is worth your attention. The North Channel Bridge is another hotspot within easy reach, and offers a plethora of opportunity, including bridge fishing from the bridge itself.

Both bridges are clearly marked on Capt Segull’s Nautical Chart number JH113. The Cross Bay, or South Channel Bridge, is the southernmost bridge connecting Howard Beach to the Rockaways, and spans Beach Channel. The North Channel Bridge is on the north side of Jamaica Bay, and the first bridge you hit on Cross Bay Blvd. before crossing Jamaica Bay.
Both areas are prime stop-over points for gamefish as they enter and exit Rockaway Inlet to and from Jamaica Bay. With water depths up to 40 feet in the North Channel and 30 feet on the Cross Bay, plus strong currents, the area will offer anglers good shots of stripers and blues, plus bottom dwelling blackfish, porgies, fluke, and sea bass.

I recently spoke with Jimmy Giordano of Bernie’s Bait and Tackle in Sheepshead Bay who gave me the low-down on the South Channel span, and to Anthony Iannone of Cross Bay Bait and Tackle, who gave me the lowdown on the North Channel structure. Both feel that the bridges, although not as active as in years past, are still quite productive on a fairly consistent basis.

For fluke, the hot bait this year appears to be a SPRO bucktail tipped with the Berkley Swimming Mullet. Fish the incoming tide, cast your bucktail and jig it slightly off the bottom for best results on the south bridge.
Moving to the North Channel, anglers like to “walk” the bridge and use a bucktail tipped with spearing and squid. For bottom bouncers, sand porgies are a load of fun to catch, although with today’s regulations, you may have to throw most of them back. Use a standard hi-lo rig tipped with clam or squid for best results.

You cannot fish from atop the South Channel Cross Bay, but you can do so on the North Channel. Early in the season, flounder pounders will find keeper size flatties in abundance with fish taking blood or sandworms. As summer takes hold, small weakfish will readily take sandworms and soft plastics in the early a.m. or after dark.

On the North Channel Bridge, there are two parking lots on the south side, and street legal parking on the north side. On the north side (Spring Creek area) there is approximately a mile of shoreline access. This area is great for stripers and blues throughout the season, according to Anthony. Tins, topwater lures and bait will all account for action.

Last but certainly not least is the outstanding snapper and crab action. According to both shops, kids have a ball catching snappers from late June through October. In fact, fluke sharpies will live-line snappers for outsized fluke. Blue claw crabs are on tap all summer with bunker heads producing quality crabbing from May through September.

The Cross Bay and North Channel bridges are just one of the many options for West End anglers. For shorebound anglers, access to the bridges is simple. Head south on Cross Bay Blvd. from any intersecting east/west roadways. The North Channel Bridge will be the first one you come to, while the Cross Bay will be on the south side of Jamaica Bay spanning Beach Channel. For boaters, both bridges are accessed from Grassy Bay/North Channel (North Channel Bridge) or through Beach Channel (Cross Bay Bridge).