Living on Long Island, one of the favorite pastimes for families is fishing. Surrounded by water on all sides, Long Island is a prime fishing area. Fishing has many health benefits. Being outside and active makes you feel better and encourages a healthier way of life. It allows you to de-stress. The thrill of pursuing and catching fish is an age-old need and even if you have a bad day of fishing, it still beats a day in the office.
Fishing offers you the chance to improve your self-esteem through respect for the environment, mastering a skill and achieving personal goals. Obviously, the thrill is in catching a fish, but you need to practice patience, a talent that needs to be developed. It is a lifetime skill and an activity that can be enjoyed at any age. It is best when shared throughout the generations. It is something you can do alone or with friends. Quite a bit of social development occurs.
There are many ways to enjoy this sport, but if you don’t know how or don’t have the right equipment, the place to start is at Atlantic Outfitters in Port Washington. The store, located at 405 Main St., has everything you need to gear up for the sport including bait, fishing rods and boat rentals. There is a bait machine outside so you can get going on those late night and early morning excursions, which is usually when the fish are biting, without missing a beat.
When fishing, fisherman should always consider sun protection and wear a hat and long sleeve shirt—and don’t forget to bring plenty of sunscreen. Don’t be fooled when it is overcast—clouds don’t guarantee that you won’t get any sun, the sun’s rays are the most potent. It is a good idea to wear clothing that incorporates SPF in the weave of the fabric.
Once you are set with clothing and equipment, you are ready to catch some fish. When casting a line, fishermen typically use a technique called angling. That is why you hear the term angler in fishing. An angler is a person who fishes with a hook and a line.
If you are into more ambitious fishing, you can book a charter. The Angler Fleet, located at Inspiration Wharf, 405 Main St. in Port Washington, has open boat fishing. Trips are available daily to fish for striped bass, bluefish and fluke. For more information, visit their website at www.theangler.com.
So go outdoors and explore the beauty and majesty of fishing. It can lower your blood pressure and give you the thrill of the hunt.
Here are some other locations to enjoy fishing:
Captree State Park
3500 Ocean Parkway, Babylon
Municipal Fishing Pier
700 Magnolia Blvd., Long Beach
Port Washington Town Dock & Walkway
Main Street, Port Washington
Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery & Aquarium
1660 Route 25, Cold Spring Harbor
Harborfront Park
East Broadway, Port Jefferson
Montauk Point State Park
2000 Montauk Highway, Montauk
Lake Ronkonkoma
Ronkonkoma
Laurel Lake
Laurel
