Charter boats and lakes where kids can learn to fish
Taylor Serino, 6, and brother Grant, 4, didn't get anything on their first fishing outing in Patchogue. "The fish were kind of mocking us," their mom says. Credit: Laura Serino
Looking for something unique to do with the kids this summer? How about fishing?
Long Island has plenty of places to dangle a line — party boats in the ocean, bays or Sound; freshwater lakes; docks that jut like fingers into waterways.
All you need is a basic, well-made fishing rod and appropriate bait. Following are some angling outings to try.
SALTWATER
CAPTAIN LOU FLEET, 31 Woodcleft Ave., Freeport, 516-623-5823, captloufleet.com Cost $44 adults, $32 seniors and children (ages 4-12), plus gratuity. Hours 8 a.m.-noon and 1-5 p.m. Take advantage of $3 rod rentals; bait and tackle included. Fishing excursions on the waters of Great South Bay and the Atlantic for fluke (in season), sea bass, blackfish, porgies, mackerel, cod, pollock, bluefish, weakfish, striped bass and more.
THE CAPTREE FLEET, Captree State Park, 631-669-6464; captreefleet.com Hours: Fleet runs daily half-day or full-day trips (open and charter), sightseeing and dive cruises. Reservations not necessary for open-boat fishing.
JAMES JOSEPH FISHING, 84 N. New York Ave., Huntington, jamesjosephfishing.com, 631-651-8235. Hours: 4:30-8:30 p.m. daily. Fluke fishing, half-day (4-hour) trips, call or check website for schedule. Bluefish and striped bass fishing. Cost $45 adults, $43 seniors, $30 ages 12 and younger. Free parking.
JONES BEACH FISHING PIERS, Field 10, 565 Bay Parkway, Wantagh, 631-559-5938. Cost $10 Jones Beach parking fee. Four “finger piers” jut into Great South Bay. Bring a rod and other necessities. A bait station rents rods and reels.
LAZY BONES, 474 W. Lake Dr., Montauk, behind Swallow Restaurant, 631-668-5671, montauksportfishing.com/lazybones, Cost $50 adults, $35 12 and younger, bait, rod, tackle, fish cleaning and bagging; snacks, drinks and coolers allowed. Hours: 8-noon and 1-5 p.m. daily May 18- mid-Sept. Starts season with fluke and ends with stripped bass and bluefish; reservations strongly recommended.
PATCHOGUE, MASCOT DOCK, South Ocean Avenue, Patchogue. This dock is available for everyone to fish for snappers and bluefish. Hours: Parking lot by dock is open to everyone for no charge until 6 p.m. From 6-11 p.m., only village residents can park in this lot, nonresidents cannot park there after 6 p.m. but are permitted to walk in.
PORT JEFFERSON OSPREY, 118 W. Broadway, Port Jefferson, 631-331-4153, ospreyfishing.com Full-day, half-day 2.5 hour trips for kids 8 and under, and evening open-boat fishing trips, plus sunset charters. Cost About $50-$70 ($40-$55 younger than 14).
SHINNECOCK STAR, 365 Dune Rd., Oaklands Marina, Hampton Bays, 631-728-4563, shinnecockstar.com. Cost: Check website or call; includes rod, reel, bait, cleaning and bagging. Snacks available, but bring lunch. Hours: 7-11 a.m., noon-4 p.m. and 5-8 p.m. (charters) Memorial Day-Labor Day; 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Labor Day-Memorial Day.
THE VIKING FLEET, Montauk Harbor, 631-668-5700; vikingfleet.com Cost $50, $30 ages 5-12, free 4 and younger; rods, tackle and bait provided. Reservations recommended. Hours: 8 a.m.-noon or 1-5 p.m. daily. This boat fishes for fluke in the ocean waters around Montauk. Food and beverages available, coolers allowed. See website for full fishing schedule.
FRESHWATER
BELMONT LAKE STATE PARK, North Babylon, 631-667-5055, nwsdy.li/blsp Cost $8 parking fee. Fishing anywhere around the lake. Fishing is permitted from rowboats weekends only May 4-June 23 and Aug. 31-Oct. 14; Mon.-Fri. June 24-Aug. 30. Freshwater fishing license required.
HEMPSTEAD LAKE STATE PARK, West Hempstead, 516-766-1029, nwsdy.li/hlsp Cost $8 parking fee April-Oct. Fishing is permitted on Hempstead Lake and South and McDonald ponds; trout are stocked in the two ponds in the fall.
SOUTHAVEN COUNTY PARK, Victory Avenue, Brookhaven, 631-854-1414; co.suffolk.ny.us Cost $7 park entrance fee; $4 with Suffolk County Green Key Card. Fish from the shoreline of Hards Lake, which is part of the Carmans River, and you might catch brook or rainbow trout, largemouth bass, perch or bluegills. If they meet state length requirements, you can take the fish home.
SUNKEN MEADOW STATE PARK, Kings Park, 631-269-4333 Cost $10 parking fee May-Sept, $8 parking fee April-May and Sept-Nov. Fishing is permitted on Long Island Sound from beachfront, east and west of swimming areas, and in Sunken Meadow Creek east of bridge.
WANTAGH PARK, 1 King Rd., Wantagh, 516-571-7460, nwsdy.li/wanpark. Cost $10 parking fee on weekends for nonresidents. Fishing pier is on the south end of the park.
Beth Whitehouse writes about families, parenting and great things to do with the kids on Long Island. She’s been a Newsday editor and shared a 1997 Newsday staff Pulitzer Prize for coverage of the crash of TWA Flight 800.
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