Fall surf fishing season continues on Long Island
Anglers surf fish off the West End II Jetty at Jones Beach. Credit: Ryan C. Jones
Wady Nunez smiles, inspects his hook for weeds and makes another cast.
“It’s a beautiful fall day and I’m squeezing in as much time as possible before the last of the fish head south,” he says.
Nunez, 41, from Brentwood, was trying his luck recently along a North Fork beach but he just as easily could have been casting at Jones Beach, Robert Moses State Park or Sunken Meadow. Come late fall, any stretch of open beach on Long Island holds the potential to produce that one last ferocious run of fish that surf anglers crave — the rush they call “The Blitz.”
NOW’S THE TIME
While anglers aboard boats that can reach deep water continue targeting bottom-dwelling favorites like cod and sea bass through year’s end, surf-casters are out of luck once a cold snap sends the remaining predators racing south toward warmer water. Fortunately, striped bass and bluefish, the primary local targets, tend to be migration laggards. That means if you haven’t had your fill just yet, there’s still time — if you act fast.
During mild fall seasons, the blitz might last from late October right through Thanksgiving. It starts with a splash of sand eels or other baitfish moving tightly along the beach. Add a little wind to put the fodder at a disadvantage in a roiled surf and predator species get riled. At the height of the run, they’ll tear into baitfish schools with ferocity. Some baitfish, in fact, choose to swim right up onto the sand rather than face the wrath of marauding stripers and chomping blues.
“Late-season blitzes can be pretty amazing,” says Sayville’s Mark Malenovsky, 61, a professional fishing guide who specializes in putting surf-casters in the action.
BEGINNER TIPS
If you’d like to join in, surf fishing guide Bill Wetzel, 52, of Wading River, advises anglers to find a couple good spots close to home and work those waters consistently rather than chasing reports of action up and down the coast.
“Pretty much any traditional late fall hot spot will eventually get a shot of fish this time of year, so you are better off getting to know a few spots intimately than trying to figure out a new spot each day.”
Wetzel also advises those new to surf fishing to buy the best gear they can afford.
“If you like the sport, consider it an investment. We are surrounded by surf that holds some really big fish — blues can top 20 pounds and stripers sometimes top 50 pounds — so you want quality gear capable of standing up to a trophy.”
BUNKER, TINS AND POPPERS
As for bait and lures, keep it simple.
“Diamond jigs and poppers are all you need if starting out,” Wetzel says. “They both cast well into a stiff wind and are virtually indestructible, which is important since bluefish have big teeth and cow bass have been known to simply crush inferior hooks. If you want to use real bait, cut bunker or skimmer clam work best.”
Nunez is taking no chances waiting for the next big blue or bass to come along and make his day. He hedges his bets by fishing cut bunker on the bottom with one rod in a sand spike while keeping a second stick rigged with a popping plug if surface action should suddenly erupt. Near his cooler lays a 10-pound bluefish that had fallen for a bunker bait.
“I really hope the blitzes come,” he muses, sending out another cast. “As long as the fish keep biting, I’ll be out here having fun. Every day, that is, except Thanksgiving. That one’s for spending time at home with family no matter how much the fish are blitzing.”
WHERE TO GO
The beauty of late-season surf fishing is that any open beach along the oceanfront or Long Island Sound holds potential to see a blitz. Traditional late-season hot spots with easy access include:
SOUTH SHORE
- Shinnecock East County Park
- Charles F. Altenkirch County Park (Shinnecock West)
- Smith Point Park (east of the pavilion)
- Robert Moses State Park (parking field 5 to Fire Island Lighthouse)
- Gilgo Beach
- Jones Beach (West End field 2)
NORTH SHORE
- Mattituck Inlet
- Goldsmith Inlet, Southold
- Sunken Meadow State Park (east of the pavilion)
- West Meadow Beach, Setauket
- Crab Meadow Beach, Northport
