Spring is finally in the air and the fish are feeling it too. Bass are on the move in the back bays and tidal creeks according to Captain Craig Cantelmo of Van Staal reels. Bunker and silver sides are the main forage right now. Look for them to congregate in the deeper areas of the bay with muddy bottoms that warm fastest. Schoolie stripers will not be far behind. Craig suggests looking to Western Peconic Bays and the far reaches of South Shore Bays as good options. Late afternoon outgoing tides should get the fish warmed up and moving around. Soft baits fished slowly are a good bet.
Ken Morse of Tight Lines Tackle in Sag Harbor says Long Island floundering is “poor at best.” Fish have been few and far between. The last several evenings, however, have brought an influx of schoolie size bass into Sag Harbor.
To the west, Captain John McMurray of One More Cast Charters “splashed the boats” last week in Jamaica Bay for the first time this year. He has been having good luck on fly and light tackle for schoolie stripers, with some keepers mixed in. The size of the fish seems to be getting bigger each day out, especially with the nice weather last weekend. The bay is loaded with bunker, which should mean some big “pigs” lurking around, and it won’t be long until they get active enough to eat a fly or soft-plastic. Water temps are unusually high for this time of year. John’s guess is things are going to break open in a big way within the next week!
Check back every Wednesday for a new report.
-Tee Clarkson
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