Now what? I always find myself asking that question with the holidays behind us and at least three months ahead until any significant fishing in the area. There are still some opportunities for brave anglers willing to bundle up and scratch the itch for a bent rod.
Fly fishing for brown and rainbow trout is one option at the Connetquot River State Park in Oakdale. The regularly stocked waters of the park are a great way to spend a morning or afternoon. Spots are available by reservation and are $25 per person for 4 hours. You can reach the information desk at 631-581-1005 to check availability.
Other fresh and brackish water areas around the island are options for a few species, with white perch being the most sought after. You will need a NY State freshwater fishing license for this. In those brackish waters, especially ones with not many trees shading them can often have holdover bass lurking. Small paddletails or worms is the preferred presentation. In colder temps, if the bass are there they are moving slowly to preserve their energy. Ultra slow retrieves and patience is the key to getting a January catch.
A number of head boats around the island still fish throughout the winter for cod, hake, pollock and mackerel. It may not sound very inviting this time of year for most, but those braving the conditions are often rewarded with some tasty filets.
While I’ll venture out to some back bay areas a couple of times, I take mostly a grin and bear it approach. Getting the garage organized with all of my gear is always a new year’s resolution. Sometimes I actually keep the resolution, only to finish the fall run get things back to the chaos it is by January.
A big part of organizing is also maintenance. I fish both by boat and shore and in both scenarios prefer using plugs over bait. It’s mindless work, but replacing split rings and hooks is only going to tip the odds in our favor over the fish once the season starts. Just about all of the plugs I use I’ve swapped out the back treble for a single hook, with the hook point pointing away from the plug. I’ve also crushed the barbs on most of my trebles. It’s safer for the fish and for the angler. I know a few buddies that ended up at the ER at ungodly hours this past season with a treble deep into a finger or hand. With the run of big fish this past fall, I also heard of some heartache of lost fish when the 2nd treble lodged into a striper’s gill plate giving the fish leverage to break off.
A nice reprieve from the grind of maintenance and organizing is show season that kicks off in January. There’s plenty of flea markets, swap meets, and shows with local vendors and seminars. Then there’s the boat shows. This is arguably one of the best times of the year to upgrade or finally make the dream a reality.
The frustration facing many boaters looking for their first boat or a bigger one should be significantly lower this year. Financing has improved a lot with overall interest rates down and trending to move further down. The insane prices seen during covid and the ensuing supply chain meltdown is finally behind us. There are exceptional specials on many brands exhibiting at the NY Boat Show. There are deals to be made that will have you on the water come spring. Definitely take advantage of it if you’re in the market.
Keep it together the next few months, the fish will finally show up!