Fishing salt water bays, creeks, canals of south shore LI by inflatable boat (Merrick: houses)

[rhymobot]

Hi.

I am coming to visit NYC in May for about 9 days. I love fishing and I'll be bringing my 12 foot inflatable boat and electric trolling motor in my trunk.

I will fish freshwater up in Putnam and Orange counties and get a licence for that, but I also want to launch in salt water in bodies of water appropriate for an inflatable boat. I am considering Sheepshead Bay for somewhere in the city and also Pelham Bay Park. But it looks like most of the smaller bodies of water are on the south shore in Nassau County.

I've been researching using this:

http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/fish_mari...iboatramps.pdf

It shows where all boat ramps and docks are for both parks and marinas on LI. A few of them are right on small bays and creeks (northern ends of Oyster, East, and Merrick Bays). However, are these creeks/canals and small bays usually open to fishing? I think Jamaica Bay is a preserve and there is no fishing but I'm wondering about these small bodies of water mentioned are pretty much fair game. And in addition to that, do they usually hold some decent striper or blue fish populations? Or do you really have to move farther out and more into the ocean for that? Wouldn't want to spend all that time and trouble launching only to troll around for 2 hours without a hope of catching a decent fish.

Many of these creeks pass through the backyards and docks of dozens and dozens of houses and I was wondering if those areas would have "No Fishing" signs.


By the way, I already signed up for one of those free marine cards for salt water fishing.

Thanks.

[hotkarl]

You can fish anywhere pretty much. Might need a license. Don't eat what you catch unless you want to glow in the dark.

[superfly10]

I have a feeling, May this year, (depending when in May) might be a bit early for some sections of LI depending on the water temps after this frigid winter. That said, best bet is to pick creeks and harbors that have dark, muddy bottoms because they will warm faster.

I don't fish that far west often, but consider the North Shore as well if you have a car. Little Neck Bay has a strong early striped bass run. Further east, Cold Spring Harbor has lots of nooks and crannies. You might do well just working along the shores, fishing pilings etc. Most of these will fish better on a dropping tide as the bait gets flushed out.

Even further east, Stony Brook Harbor and Mount Sinai Harbor can both be perfect for what you want to do. Stony Brook (Porpoise Channel) has an extremely strong current, so be careful, but I know guys who do very well there with inflatable yaks. Mount Sinai has a nice push of water but is much more workable. It's got fantastic drop offs right off the marsh grass and some very productive skinny water spots a local guide fishes with her inflatable all the time. I used to live right on this harbor and would miss my train to NY often because fish would be busting when I was trying to leave for work!

Mt. Sinai is a good 1.5 hours from NYC if you have a car, but it's the perfect dark bottomed estuary you'd want for early season fishing.

Early season, soft plastics and lead heads do the trick.
good luck!

[rhymobot]

Thx for the responses. I'd be going around May 17th to start.

Here is my boat:



I think Little Neck Bay would be too big for my dingy. But Cold Spring looks ideal for my boat. Might have to check out those other harbors too if the wind ain't bad that day.