24 replies to this topic

[burgep]

Since the striper run this year wasn't so good (that's what I see online), I'd like to do freshwater spin fishing for some largemouth bass on LI. Does anyone have recommendations? For one thing, I've heard Laurel Lake in Peconic is good, but Lake Ronkonkoma not so good. Any advice is appreciated.

[pequa1]

Laurel Lake is further east, in Cutchogue. Access is tough but supposedly worth it. The Peconic River itself can provide good fishing, just don't even think about eating them. they begin to glow as the sun gets lower...
Many have said Blydenburgh (Smithtown/Hauppaugue) is good, not sure about needing to be a Suffolk resident though.
All that said, and I recall that Prospect Park in Crooklyn is good.

but go on noreast.com, a fishing website, not this one, for the most info on fishing !!

[angelonm]

Im not giving any secrets away but Peconic Lake has big Largemouth.

[mattj]

What's with all the Peconic pollution talk. Ive only fished it recently once. And probably years ago when I was a kid. But don't really remember. Is it really that bad?

[RogueBurn]

I hear near Albany there is a legendary Large Mouth Butt.....ah Bass. Our Governor.

Trick is trying to catch him.

Usually reported near large gatherings of prospective voters

[pequa1]

What's with all the Peconic pollution talk. Ive only fished it recently once. And probably years ago when I was a kid. But don't really remember. Is it really that bad?

Yes.
http://www.bnl.gov/g...t_Report_v1.pdf
In addition, the Peconic River Sportsmans Club in nearby Manorville requires catch and release only from their members and guests, all species.
Not sure if the pollutants are all from the Brookhaven National Lab at the river's headwaters, or also from leaching into the groundwaters from the old Navy owned Grumman facility in Calverton.
an older article, from 1999, discusses the impact of 50 years of nuclear energy use and experimentation at the BNL.
http://www.nytimes.c...ion-037869.html
But to the original poster, Nassau county has required C and R only for largemouth for at least a decade. I doubt thats just for conservation of the fish.

[Bang stick]

I used to fish a lot for bass, if you want to consume them keep the smallest legal ones you catch. the bigger they get the more they seem to taste like mud. Laurel lake is good for a variety of fish, don't know the regs anymore.

[mattj]

I don't care to eat anything freshwater from around here so I guess it doesn't matter.

Would swan pond be something else to worry about? I know that's across from the old Grumman right?

[pequa1]

Swan Pond, if thats the one south of the Peconic River Sportsmens Club, may be a pretty good bass lake still. I stopped to check it out once, and returned home (60 miles !!) with a dead garter snake wrapped around my CVC joints, lol ! It looked good and "fishy" to me I recall, but that was probably 15 years ago when I stopped. I think the several lakes (actually all part of the Peconic with just some man made partial dams and waterfalls in between at Riverhead and a little west would be where I would fish if I still did freshwater.
Artists Lake, in Middle Island across from what used to be either a Kmart or Walmart, reportedly has a lot of action catching wise, but most fish are small. Again, peruse the freshwater forum in noreast.com.

[mongo]

What's with all the Peconic pollution talk. Ive only fished it recently once. And probably years ago when I was a kid. But don't really remember. Is it really that bad?

I have fished just a bout every where on LI that is possible to fish....Laurel is awsome, Brown and rainbows, More Bass than you could ever want to catch, PITA to get down to with a lot of gear....If you want to eat the fish, I only eat fish from there....Best fishing, easy access, Lots of big fish is the Peconic, access is a DEC parking area on rt25. Across from Frosty Flake ice cream..I have a 14ft jon boat and its easy in easy out..Water is full of vegitation, and a bit brown, The DEC said its tanic acid from rotten leaves...I catch and release there. I use a Heddon torpedo top water in the evenings, Biggest bass on LI....I have seen carp in there down by the power lines that must weigh 30 lbs...dont know how they survive in such shallow water, its inly 3 to 4 ft deep at best...

[AkunaMatata]

Peconic Lake/River has some good spots. I personally have not had a largemouth yet this year, but they're out there. I have had a few good sized smallmouths back in May... Unfortunately I haven't had a day to head out since bass season actually started.

[Dchilde]

Laurel Lake is further east, in Cutchogue. Access is tough but supposedly worth it.

it should be of no surprise that Laurel lake is NOT in Cutchogue, it is located in.......wait for it...........


LAUREL!!!!

[PeepSight]

I would try the Sloppy Tuna in Montauk.....lotsa large mouths there.

[mattj]

I have fished just a bout every where on LI that is possible to fish....Laurel is awsome, Brown and rainbows, More Bass than you could ever want to catch, PITA to get down to with a lot of gear....If you want to eat the fish, I only eat fish from there....Best fishing, easy access, Lots of big fish is the Peconic, access is a DEC parking area on rt25. Across from Frosty Flake ice cream..I have a 14ft jon boat and its easy in easy out..Water is full of vegitation, and a bit brown, The DEC said its tanic acid from rotten leaves...I catch and release there. I use a Heddon torpedo top water in the evenings, Biggest bass on LI....I have seen carp in there down by the power lines that must weigh 30 lbs...dont know how they survive in such shallow water, its inly 3 to 4 ft deep at best...

I might have to try laurel this weekend. My buddy and I went to Peconic a few weeks ago in the boat and got nothing. But that's fishing. Will try it again but laurel is now the next "out east" trip I make.

Best to go with the waders or is possible to lug the plastic pontoon boat in? Thanks for the info.

[Ballistic]

Yes.
http://www.bnl.gov/g...t_Report_v1.pdf
In addition, the Peconic River Sportsmans Club in nearby Manorville requires catch and release only from their members and guests, all species.
Not sure if the pollutants are all from the Brookhaven National Lab at the river's headwaters, or also from leaching into the groundwaters from the old Navy owned Grumman facility in Calverton.
an older article, from 1999, discusses the impact of 50 years of nuclear energy use and experimentation at the BNL.
http://www.nytimes.c...ion-037869.html
But to the original poster, Nassau county has required C and R only for largemouth for at least a decade. I doubt thats just for conservation of the fish.

Please don't spread misinformation. Peconic river is clean, hence the report. The ammount of pollutants BNL leeched into the river, over a 30 year period, was less than the pollution caused by someone dropping their smoke detector into the river. That's not a figurative statement, it's literal. The problem is people hear "lab", "radiation" "pollution" and "water" all in a single sentence and they lose their mind because a Baldwin brother told them to. Nuclear protection guidelines are so strict it requires handling of a situation long before it's a serious problem when the slightest issue it detected.

C&R policies have to do entirely with conservation, not pollution from BNL or anywhere else.

Edited by Ballistic, July 16 2014 - 08:18 AM.

[burgep]

Gentlemen: Thank you for all the responses and good info! I'm thinking of heading out to Laurel Lake and Peconic River this week. Let's see if I can manage it. Best of luck to all of you in your fishing.

[mongo]

I was fishing Peconic on Friday nite...super weedy, Didnt catch any monsters, but always catch.....Laurel is next stop.. Just to the right of the path, there is a dropoff that goes down to 30ft if you go off the shore....In my younger years I carried a boat and gear down to the lake and mapped it with a fish finder......

[Waynes5216]

Anyone know if McKay Lake by old Grumman has boat launch access or any access type whatsoever??? Thanks in advance.

[VtwinHP]

Since the striper run this year wasn't so good (that's what I see online), I'd like to do freshwater spin fishing for some largemouth bass on LI. Does anyone have recommendations? For one thing, I've heard Laurel Lake in Peconic is good, but Lake Ronkonkoma not so good. Any advice is appreciated.

That's all nice and enjoy those mudsharks but the Striper Run is doing just fine !

[rubbermittens]

What's with all the Peconic pollution talk. Ive only fished it recently once. And probably years ago when I was a kid. But don't really remember. Is it really that bad?

They dont call long Island a waste dump for no reason, The waters are filthy