Top Fishing Spots on Long Island 🎣
It is no surprise that Long Island provides great fishing spots with plenty of lakes, ponds, and streams to choose from.
Keep reading to discover some of the best fishing locations for your next venture.
-Photo Credit: Google Maps, Massapequa Reservoir
1. Massapequa Reservoir: If you’re looking to fish on the shoreline, this location is a must. This reservoir is a popular spot for fishing as it is home to a variety of species including largemouth bass, pumpkinseed, bluegill, brown bullhead, carp, and American eel. During the spring and fall, this reservoir is also fully stocked with brown trout and rainbow trout. The western half of the pond is a great location to try and catch some sunfish or bass throughout the summer. The Massapequa Reservoir is located south of Clark Street and north of Sunrise Highway. Drive or take the LIRR Babylon Branch to Massapequa to access this fishing location in the Town of Oyster Bay. Learn more about the reservoir here.
-Photo Credit: Southards Pond Facebook Page, Matthew V DeLuna
2. Southards Pond: Southards Pond, located just south of Sunrise Highway in Babylon is a great scenic location to fish on the shoreline. The shoreline is 0.87 miles with plenty of spots to catch fish such as chain pickerel, largemouth bass, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, yellow perch, and carp. In addition, the pond is also stocked with brown trout, and rainbow trout. Southards Pond is closed from dusk till dawn and prohibits boating. Try this spot out today with easy wading access on the south end of the pond for some great catches. To find out more about Southards Pond, visit the New York State website today.
-Photo Credit: Google Maps, Laurel Lake, by Jared Poelman
3. Laurel Lake: With over 30 acres of land and some of the clearest water, Laurel Lake in Laurel is home to various types of fish. Their naturally reproducing fish include largemouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch, brown bullhead, and plenty more. They also stock brown trout and rainbow trout. Laurel Lake offers shoreline and hand-carry boat access for your fishing trip. To find this fishing spot, take the Long Island Expressway to Route 58 and drive east, where it then combines with Route 25. About six miles down, you should see a DEC access sign on the left where you can then drive through the town park to the back parking lot. For more information, click here.
-Photo Credit: Blydenburgh Lake Facebook Page, Al Chuang
4. Blydenburgh Lake: With a long history of producing huge largemouth bass, Blydenburgh Lake in Smithtown is a must-try spot to catch some great fish. Blydenburg has various dirt paths for access points along the shoreline, although wading is permitted. You can also rent rowboats between Memorial Day and Labor Day or launch your own at the boat dock on the south end. This spot is popular for largemouth bass, bluegills and yellow perch fishing, but also inhabits other fish species as well. When visiting this spot, a Suffolk County Green Key is needed for entry and a seasonal parking fee is required. To access Blydenburgh Lake, go through either the main entrance off NYS Rt. 454 across from the Denison Building in Hauppauge or off of New Mill Road south of NYS Rt. 25 in Smithtown. Learn more about this lake by visiting the Suffolk County Parks website.
-Photo Credit: Hempstead Lake State Park Facebook Page
5. Hempstead Lake: Located in Hempstead Lake State Park is the largest freshwater body in Nassau County, known as Hempstead Lake. You will find various fish species here such as bluegill, carp, goldfish, largemouth bass, and black crappie. This spot allows boats with a permit from the park, but does not allow use of canoes, car top boats, trailers and electric trolling motors. The park is closed from dusk till dawn. To enter, take exit 18 on the Southern State Parkway where you will make a right at the stop sign on the end of the exit ramp. For more information, visit the Hempstead Lake State Park website today.
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