GREEN ISLAND, NY ACCESS AREA
Framed by the Wantagh and Meadowbrook bridges, this maze of marshes and channels has long been a haven for most of the inshore species that frequent the Island’s South Shore waters.
More than a decade after the groundwork was laid for the Green Island Access Area, it finally opened to the public last season, providing anglers with unencumbered access to these fish-rich waters. Located in the southwest corner of the Third Wantagh Bridge at the southern tip of Green Island, the area features a state of the art fishing pier that runs under and perpendicular to the bridge. Access is from the extreme right lane of the toll booths just south of the Second Wantagh Bridge.
Opened in July, it didn’t take long for the pier to begin yielding dividends. Ed Walsh, manager of Jones Beach Fishing Station, just a long cast west of Green Island, said his customers reported a number of nice fluke from the pier in July and August, with a couple of anglers even managing to limit out with keepers. Due to the strong currents that sweep through this area, he advised that you concentrate your efforts around the turn of the tide, ideally one hour before to one hour after high slack water. Bucktails dressed with Berkley Gulp accounted for their share of fluke here. Some decent blackfish were taken by his customers in the fall, and sea bass were occasionally reported by customers as well. Although flounder numbers are way down, this are was known to produce good catches during better times.
The quality of the striper action in this area is already well documented, and the parking area gives serious surfmen access to miles of productive shoreline surrounding both the Second and Third Wantagh bridges, with the best fishing taking place under the cover of darkness or at first light. Bucktails or soft plastics worked along the bridges’ shadow lines will produce stripers from early May through November on night tides. Topwater plugs and swimming plugs can be especially effective at first light when worked from the banks east and west of the parking area. Bluefish, some that range into the teens, are always a possibility in this area, especially when schools of bunker settle into the channels, and weakfish are also a possibility from the banks bordering the bridges in the area.
You will need a State Sportfishng ($30) or Beach Vehicle Permit ($65) in order to park at the Green Island Access Area. The permits are available at the Jones Beach and Robert Moses administration offices, as well as the permit office located at State Park Headquarters in Belmont Lake State Park.
