Enjoy Long Island's Holiday Season Sweetwater Bite
Chunky largemouths are more active through the holiday season than you might expect. With weed cover receding, isolated structure or stick-up in relatively open water often hold solid fish. OutdoorTom.com photo.
There’s no doubt that November and December are either surf or wreck days for most Long Island anglers. With blackfish legal in the marine coastal district outside of the Long Island Sound area through December 22 this year (2025), stripers in marine waters south of George Washington Bridge on the approved menu through December 15, and both scup and black sea bass fair game through the end of the year, the salty side crew has significant choices.
Still, there is plenty to be said for hitting local freshwater lakes and ponds in the hopes of connecting with one last hawg or water wolf-class pickerel before the holiday season comes to a close. Indeed, there are some factors that make this time of year especially sweet from that perspective. For one, big fish tend to be vulnerable during this stretch as they try to bank extra calories for the colder months ahead. No doubt, many sweet water fans also enjoy the opportunity to step down to lightweight tackle and throw something other than soft-plastics and chatterbaits as the weed growth retreats. Not be overlooked, there is also considerably less competition on most freshwaters haunts this time of year as other sportsmen focus on adding saltwater fillets to their freezers or shift their aim to deer, turkey and small game seasons.
If you revel in the thought of having an unpressured and clean canvas on which to paint your freshwater casts at this time of year, the holiday season can be quite enjoyable and productive. With most waters now less pressured, the odds are bass, pickerel, trout and panfish will stay on their traditional late fall or early winter patterns. In the shallow, dishpan lakes and ponds here on Long Island, that usually means they’ll set up at the mouth of a cove, along a ledge not too far from the shoreline, on the deeper edge of any remaining weed lines, or near submerged structure in six to ten feet of water on lakes that run that deep.
A simple in-line spinner is all you need to turn the heads of pickerel in cold water. This beast fell for a Panther Martin Sonic Streamer. OutdoorTom.com photo.
On shallower ponds, both bass and panfish will likely head for the deepest area they can find, which is often right out in the middle. Here, you might expect them to hang close to the bottom later in the year but through Thanksgiving they often choose to suspend just three to four feet below the surface. That makes this an ideal time to break out the lightest spinning gear you own and use it to present smaller fineness-type lures, make the most of gin-clear waters, and enjoy giving a sporting edge to quarry of all sizes.
Dropping down to four- or six-pound test monofilament line or 8-pound braid in a neutral color with a light fluorocarbon leader can make a substantial difference in your November/December hook-up ratios. Unless pickerel are an issue, tie a small, lightweight jig, swimming plug, spinner or spinnerbait directly to the main line. If fishing in waters where toothy picks are regularly on patrol, a two-foot length of 10-pound-test leader will provide some protection against cut-offs.
Although you’ll still catch fish - especially larger bass and pickerel – between Halloween and Thanksgiving on larger offerings like wacky worms, spinnerbaits, jerk baits and jigs sporting creature-bait trailers, getting small with your presentations increases encounters with sunnies, yellow perch, white perch, crappies, walleye, trout and bronzebacks while still proving interesting to largemouths weighing up to 3 or 4 pounds. Sure, you can continue to key on the bass and pickerel using larger lures if you want, but to do so can really cut down on variety and the pace of the action as the water continues to cool.
Keep in mind that barring any serious cold fronts during November, you’ll likely continue to find plenty of fish relatively close to the surface. That makes this period ideal for tossing medium- to small-sized in-line spinners along the lines of a Blue Fox Super Vibrax or Panther Martin Sonic Streamer. Small (3.5-inch or smaller) Rapala Original Floating Minnows are also effective, as are Shimano World Minnow Jerkbaits, Road Runner Original Marabou Jigs, and Leland’s Lures Trout Magnets.
After Thanksgiving, it makes sense to go even smaller with your presentations. As water temperatures drop markedly, consider switching to a white, two-inch “Teenie” Mr. Twister Curly Tail Grub impaled on a JYG Crappie Jig or football-style head that can be worked over any hard bottom, jig a favorite ice-fishing lure tipped with a mealworm, or even try a bead-head Wooly Bugger, Wooly Worm or Stone Fly nymph suspended three- to five- feet below a small float. Simply cast out, give the float a slight wiggle once or twice per minute and set the hook if you sense any additional movement or feel added weight at the end of the line. This outfit entices both panfish and trout.
A light spinning stick and small Rapala Original Floating Minnow makes a great combination for scoring with early winter largemouths on Long Island’s shallow lakes and ponds. Be sure to dress for the weather. OutdoorTom.com photo.
Of course, you’ll always want to keep the lunkers honest. Even on a day when your small stuff is working great with a fun and feisty mixed-bag, it’s a good idea to toss a thin hair jig tipped with a smallish creature bait or a 3.5-inch Cow Jig Strip at some point. Consider working this around the perimeter of the panfish you’ve been catching and you might just tempt a bruiser that’s been lurking nearby. The key, however, is to not wait until the last second before taking your shot at the lunker of the day. Pull the switcheroo an hour after sunrise as the water begins to warm or two hours prior to sunset before it starts to cool for best results.
Of course, you’ll want to dress warm this time of year when hitting any Long Island lake or pond. It’s also important to choose your days wisely based on wind and weather conditions. Lastly, be aware that is mandatory to wear a life vest on New York State freshwaters between November 1 and May 1 – this includes anyone in a kayak, canoe johnboat or any recreational vessel less than 21 feet in length. The best of this fishing usually takes place in November and December, so right now is prime time to head out and give it a try. Good luck!
- Bryce Poyer
