🎣 Oakdale Yacht Fishing Report
Great South Bay & Fire Island – Week of April 28, 2026
Spring is officially knocking—and if you’ve been waiting for the right time to get back on the water, this is it.
Despite a tough stretch of weather that kept many anglers at the dock, the fish didn’t go anywhere. In fact, this past week confirmed what we’ve been waiting for:
👉 Striped bass have fully arrived across the South Shore.
🟢 Striped Bass: The Main Event
Stripers are the story right now—and they’re spread out across the entire system.
Anglers fishing the Great South Bay, Fire Island Inlet, Moriches Bay, and surrounding backwaters are consistently finding fish in the 28–35 inch range, with both slot fish and overs mixed in.
The most productive areas this week:
- Back bays and marsh systems
- Inlet zones and bridges
- North side of the bay and dock lines
What’s working:
- SP Minnows
- Swim shads
- Bucktail jigs
- Poppers early in the morning
- Sandworms and bait for consistent action
We’re also starting to see bunker push into the bays, which is always a major signal. When the bait shows up like this, the bigger fish are never far behind.
Best bite windows:
Early morning and the incoming tide have been producing the most consistent action.
📌 The key takeaway:
The fish are here. The only thing missing this week was angler pressure.
🟡 Fluke Season Is Almost Here
Fluke season opens May 4th, and early signs are very encouraging.
There have already been reports of:
- Fluke being caught and released
- Fish staging in bay systems
Early season fluke typically hold in:
- Shallow, warmer back bay waters
- Channel edges throughout the Great South Bay
- Areas like Green Island and surrounding flats
If water temperatures stabilize, we could be looking at a very strong opening week.
🔵 Blackfish: Final Shot of the Season
If you’ve been meaning to get one last tog trip in—this is your window.
- Blackfish season closes this week
- Some fish are still being caught inside, especially around structure like the Moses Bridge
- Ocean trips are still producing fish up to around 7 pounds
After this week, that door closes until fall.
⚪ Flounder: Quiet for Now
Flounder made a brief early appearance a couple of weeks ago, but reports have gone quiet.
They’re likely still around, but:
- Bass are dominating the bite
- Anglers are focusing their efforts elsewhere
Keep an eye on this as temperatures rise.
🌊 Conditions: The Real Story This Week
The biggest factor this week wasn’t the fish—it was the conditions.
- Water temperatures dropped nearly 10 degrees in some areas
- Wind and weather dirtied up the water
- Bait shifted deeper
- Bite windows became shorter and more timing-dependent
When conditions like this hit in early spring, the fish don’t disappear—they just adjust.
🧠 Strategy for the Week Ahead
If you’re heading out, a few adjustments will make all the difference:
- Downsize your presentations in dirty water
- Focus on deeper zones when the bite slows
- Target incoming tides and warmer water pockets
- Cover ground—fish are moving with changing conditions
This is a classic “grind it out and get rewarded” pattern right now.
👀 What’s Next
Everything is lining up for a big shift.
As soon as we get:
- A few warm nights
- Stabilizing water temps
- Cleaner water
👉 This fishery is going to turn on fast.
We’re also watching closely for:
- A stronger bunker push
- The arrival of bluefish
- More consistent fluke reports after opening day
🎯 Oakdale Outlook
We are right on the edge of full spring fishing.
- Stripers are here and feeding
- Fluke season is days away
- Conditions are the only thing holding it back
Once that flips…
💥 The Great South Bay is going to light up.
📍 Get in the Action
Whether you’re planning your first trip of the season or gearing up for fluke opener, now is the time to get ready.
Need a place to keep your boat in the middle of it all?
📍 Oakdale Yacht – Connetquot River
📞 (631) 589-1087
Tight Lines 🎣
— Oakdale Yacht