Fishing season is about to begin and things look promising for Kings Park. According to a World Fishing Network, Kings Park has been nominated as one of the best places to fish in the United States.
The network dedicated to all things fishing is running a nationwide contest called the Ultimate Fishing Town. The winning community will be awarded $25,000 to be used towards fishing-related causes. Smithtown, Freeport, Montauk and Huntington are also in the running.
Gary Nilsen of Sunrise Charter, who launches his charter boat from Nissequogue State Park, isn’t surprised by the nomination. He said he has people who come from all over to fish in Kings Park.
“Definitely a great fishing area,” said Nilsen.
John Richy, owner of the fishing supply store , said the Nissequogue River provides one of the best fishing opportunities on the North Shore.
St. James resident Joe Cravotta also finds the fishing in Kings Park to be excellent. He said he has seen fishers start at the rocks that jet out at Sunken Meadow and walk east all the way to Short Beach in Smithtown.
According to Cravotta and Nilsen, there are restrictions on how many fish a person can catch in Kings Park and surrounding areas, and the fish must also be over a certain size. The amount and size depends on the type, and the Department of Environmental Conservation performs random checks at the fishing sites.
“Most of the guys I fish with throw everything back,” said Cravotta.
Current Kings Park resident Jan C. Porinchak remembers coming to the area with his dad when he was younger to fish at the Nissequogue River. At the time, the area was known for winter flounder.
“My favorite spot to fish in Kings Park depends on the season,” said Porinchak.
Porinchak, who does most of his fishing from the shore, said today, like many, he goes to the river for striped bass in the spring, and bluefish and snapper bluefish in the late summer and early fall. He finds the park at the end of Old Dock Road and the shoreline of Nissequogue River State Park good places to start especially during the higher stages of the tide.
Porinchak also enjoys Sunken Meadow Park in the summer where he said the bluefish action can be very dependable. He has also seen people catch stripers and sea robins at Sunken Meadow.
Linda Henninger usually fishes in Northport, however like Porinchak, will head over to Sunken Meadow every once in awhile.
“You can usually find blues all along Sunken Meadow, just follow the birds,” said Henninger.
Fans of Kings Park fishing will be able to vote for the town from April 12 – May 3 at the WFN website, www.wfnfishingtown.com . According to the WFN, residents can also support nominations by adding photos, videos and essays before April 8.
