Long Island and NYC Fishing Report
Eastern Long Island
The Eastern Long Island Fishing Report is compiled and written by writer/blogger and fly-fishing industry professional, Jack Larizadeh (@jack.lariz).
Paul from the Peconic Star in Greenport reports: “Porgy fishing is spectacular and the sea bass are coming over the rail in numbers. Additionally, we’re seeing Atlantic and chub mackerel smash our rigs every other drop. We also just had a heavy push of bluefish move in as well, and those fish range anywhere from 2 to 10 pounds. The fishing is hot regardless of the tide. That said, it seems as though the porgies are coming in on the ebb, and blues are chewing more on the flood tide. The porgies are up to 2.5 pounds. We’ve also been seeing a ton of sharks close to home including threshers, puppy makos, and great whites up to 10 feet long around The Gut and Plum Island.”
Jeff at Whitewater Outfitters in Hampton Bays reports: “The offshore fishing is killer; there are tons of smaller bluefin with larger bluefin mixed in within just a few miles of the shoreline. Over by Montauk, guys are slamming bluefin within 17 miles of shore. The class of fish are either in the 30- to 40-inch range or 60- to 65-inch range. The yellowfin are moving in as well, and they are currently feeding in 150 to 300 feet of water. As for bigeye, we’re finding fish all around the Hudson Canyon.”
Captain Stu from Northport Charters reports: “We are still bending the rod and bringing in fluke, porgies, cocktail blues, spot, and some weakfish. It was a productive week with both charters and Kids Camp bringing in some beautiful fluke and jumbo porgies! With all the bait now in our area—adult and peanut bunker, spot (croakers) and spearing—our August fishing spots are producing some nice results! Some of these jumbo porgies weigh up to 2 1/2 pounds. Snappers are all over the bays and still moving in, and on most trips, we are catching cocktail blues and some weakfish here and there.”
Captain Chris at the Montauk Anglers Club reports: “The highlight of the week had to be the inshore bluefin bite. Within 15 miles of the point due south, whales, dolphins, bluefin tuna, and green (Atlantic) bonito were plentiful. There was also a showing of extra, extra large, false albacore. Bluefin were caught in a variety of ways, including straight-tail and fork-tail soft plastics, with pink and green being the hot colors; but for anglers using streaker jigs, pink was more productive. Chatter side, trackers absolutely crushed. There were reports of boats catching over 20 fish in a few hours. A few anglers were taxed by mako sharks. Inshore, the bottom fishing was the highlight. Porgies were thick, caught on bait and small jigs. Black sea bass made a showing and the Lazybones landed a 4-pound sea bass on a half day trip! Fluke fishing has been really good, especially on the better weather days. There have not been many double-digit fish caught, but there are lots of fluke in the 9-pound range. Meanwhile, during the day around Block Island, striped bass are feeding aggressively.”
Phil at Cow Harbor Bait and Tackle in Northport reports: “The water is fairly warm still, and the sea bass are spotty but guys are getting them as bycatch while porgy fishing. Most of them are small, but an occasional keeper is mixed in. As for bluefish, guys are getting them deep on diamond jigs. There was also a nice push of cocktail blues and snappers in the bay, which makes for a ton of fun for the kids. If you plan on fishing, hit the porgy grounds with some clam chum, you won’t be disappointed.”
Steve at Wego Bait and Tackle in Southold reports: “Out in The Race and in The Gut they’ve been pulling up bass, however, The Race seems much hotter right now. Both rips have some mega bluefish in them; The Gut is mostly bluefish. During slack at The Race, we’re also seeing tons of sea bass. In the bay there are weakfish and cocktail blues at Jessups, and locally, we just got a heavy push of snappers in our creeks. Out off of Montauk, the tuna fishing has been insane.”
Jose at Saltwaters Bait & Tackle in West Islip reports: “Nothing too different from last week. We’ve got lots of short fluke and snapper bluefish locally, and on the outisde, sea bass and fluke fishing remains pretty hot. The beach guys are crushing cocktail blues and sea robins. Cobia are moving in from out west as bunker pods press east, bringing lots of sharks. The Montauk tuna bite is hot, and the fish are feeding deep.”
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This tuesday was phenomenal. Leaving from Connecticut, I headed to the tuna grounds with Captain Joe Diorio. As we passed Montauk and slid into tuna waters we were greeted by an endless sea of whales and dolphins. Drifting by each whale we watched as tuna streaked up the screen. With 3 friends on board we made quick work of the bluefin. The day started with a nasty jig bite. All three of us were hooking up; the ticket seemed to be the Joe Baggs, UVT, and Nomad jigs in bright pink or green.
That said, as the morning progressed the fish seemed to rise higher in the column. With plenty of whales off the bow I chucked a Madd Mantis popper that got annihilated on the pause. While the fish missed the plug, it was insane to watch the tuna smash my offering with killer intent. By 10:00 AM, the tuna were just 30 feet under the boat. With that in mind, I knew I had a shot on the fly. I quickly rigged up my G. Loomis 12 weight and Cheeky Limitless 450 with full-sink line and a straight section of 60-pound flurocarbon. Armed with a yellow over white Deciever, I began casting and dredging my fly line through the column. Within seconds, a 30- to 40-pound tuna smashed my fly and shredded me into my backing. I was shocked, my jaw immediately dropped. My reel began to spin at lightning speed. As I battled the fish I was in awe of it’s power. My drag was locked and the fish was still ripping line off my spool with ease. As I settled into the battle I began to apply maximum side pressure. Slowly but surely the tuna started coming up through the column. As it approached 25 feet I could see the bright flash of its body. However, the tuna refused to budge and had me pinned vertical for a solid 15 minutes. Eventually, I pointed the rod vertically down in the column and began to slowly pull the rod toward my hip, repeating the process. Once the fish hit the surface, we quickly grabbed the tail and landed it. It was a 45-minute battle of pure power.
Now you’re probably thinking, lightning only strikes once… at least thats what I thought. Within the span of just a few hours, we boated 4 more tuna on the fly. Each battle lasted 30 to 45 minutes. The largest fish went roughly 40 pounds. I’ve caught my fair share of albies, but this was a totally different battle. There is no give to these fish, each crank of the reel is earned.
Looking ahead, I’m going to be doing a lot more tuna fishing on the fly.
Eastern Long Island Fishing Forecast
Considering the insane amount of tuna chewing, I’d recommend jumping on a friend’s boat or finding an open-boat tuna opportunity as quickly as possible. If you can swing it, the fish are slamming jigs and poppers. With tons of sand eels in the area, it’s crucial to move your jig slowly. Half cranks of the reel and light taps of the rod work best. Once you get a hit, be ready to give the fish multiple hook sets. Don’t be afraid to put some heat on these speedsters.
In terms of gear, there are a few different options. Here’s a list to put things in better perspective, the setups go from light to heavy:
Light jigging setup
Shimano Saragosa 10K paired with a Shimano Trevala PX, 250gram and 50-pound-test braided line
Heavy jigging setup
Shimano Saragosa 20K paired with a Shimano Grappler, 250gram and 65-pound-test braided line
Light popping setup
Shimano Grappler 7’2″ paired with an 8K Shimano Saragosa and 30-pound-test braided line
Heavy popping setup
Shimano Grappler 7’6″ paired with a 14K Shimano Saragosa and 50-pound-test Power Pro Maxcuatro
GET OUT THERE!
The Eastern Long Island Fishing Report is compiled and written by writer/blogger and fly-fishing industry professional, Jack Larizadeh (@jack.lariz).
Western Long Island & NYC
The Western L.I./NYC Fishing Report is compiled and written by NYSDEC licensed kayak fishing guide, Nick Cancelliere (@nick_onthewater).
- Bluefish blitz on small bait north to south.
- Bonito start lining the South Shore; Atlantic mackerel make an appearance.
- Good porgy bite on both shores.
- Keeper sea bass hit clam and Gulp on the South Shore reefs.
Jamie from Bay Park Fishing Station in Oceanside said: “Bluefish have been chasing bait around the bays and the channels, while fluke are still biting well on Gulp and spearing on the reefs and close to shore. Cobia are still around, but the sharks are becoming more of a nuisance. Bluefin tuna are being caught inside the shipping lanes, but the yellowfin remain further out toward the canyons. We’re open 7-days a week and have everything you need no matter the species you’re after!”
John from Freeport Bait & Tackle reports: “Keeper sea bass have been chewing at Cholera Reef on clams and chartreuse Gulp. We’ve also had a big push of mackerel in the ocean which are an excellent bait and also happen to be delicious. Bonito reports have been coming in as well! Porgies are abundant in Freeport and Baldwin, and snapper and medium-sized bluefish have been tearing through the spearing and peanut bunker around the bays and piers. Sheepshead are also a possibility on the bridges, along with fluke and striped bass. We have the new Tsunami SaltX II spinning reel in stock and big discounts on various rods and reels. Stop in the shop today and gear up for the fall run!”
Brandon Weitz from Causeway Bait & Tackle in Wantagh told me: “The bluefish have been crazy this week, plus bonito have shown up outside the south shore inlets. Fluking has been really good, too, whether you’re fishing the ocean or inside the bays. But right now, my main game has been heading offshore for bluefin and yellowfin. The bluefin bite has been really good but we had to go far to find some yellowfin action. Let’s hope for an epic fall!”
Captain Josh Rogers of Gypsea Charters out of Brooklyn reported: “Some good, some slow, and some really excellent days over this past week. Depending on the conditions, the short life has been very good with nice keepers in the mix. Most trips are seeing between 20 and 30 keepers a trip with many in the 4-to-6-pound range. The ocean bite is alive and well! Many limits have been taken over the course of the last week and there’s a ton of bait around. Book a trip online at fishgypseany.com.”
Adrian Moeller of Rockfish Charters in Howard Beach said: “We’ve been out for bluefin every day this week and the fishing has been very consistent. There are a lot of school-size tuna around that are a blast to catch on light tackle, with the occasional overs and giants mixed in, hitting jigs, RonZ’s, and live bait. You never know what the bite will be, which is why it’s some of our most exciting fishing of the year! We have a few dates left in August, see our full schedule and book online at rockfishcharters.com or call (237) 661-4501.”
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Al Rotunno of the Staten Island Fishing Club reports: “Fishing in Raritan Bay has been generally slow aside from some fluke, cownose rays, and spot. Jimmy “The Fish” Barker reported a decent catch of fluke by the AB reef with large bluefin tuna showing up nearby around the Rockaways. Pushing slightly offshore, school to mid-sized (and the occasional giant) bluefin tuna have filled in inside the shipping lanes and the surrounding inshore lumps. Jigging and dead-sticking RonZ lures did the trick this week. I, along with Phil DeLorenzo, Paul Spina, and Pat Salvo caught a bunch of schoolie bluefin and also a few around 55 inches. Bonito and albies can also be taken from this same area. Plus, cobia are still being caught along Long Island with the bunker schools!”
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Here’s what local anglers have been posting on social media:
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(If you have a catch you’d like to share, DM me on Instagram @nick_onthewater.)
The weather this week was awesome. Mornings in the 60s, afternoons in the low 80s. And the fishing has been good, too.
In my neck of the woods, bluefish have finally started to make some ruckus. Pre-storm, we had a large amount of bunker (and in some spots, we still do) but post-storm, it seems that rain bait and other small baits like peanut bunker have largely taken their place. Bluefish are now blitzing on these baits mid-day, and their small size means that birds have joined in on the action, making it feel that much closer to fall.
Monday morning, my buddy Frank invited me out with him on his boat for a quick pre-work run-and-gun fishing trip. Frank managed to land a nice bluefish underneath a long stretch of bay anchovies and in between a few nice-sized porgy. We initially began jigging deep water wrecks hoping for sea bass and stripers. Despite a lit-up sonar, we had zero bites and instead moved shallow. That was when we noticed the terns working the surface and a few visible boils.
When we got within casting distance of the boils, which were happening in a shallow boulder field, we saw rain bait erupting from the water and immediately tied on small metal jigs to hopefully have ourselves a bluefish derby. However, the bait was either too thick or the bluefish were spread thin. It took a lot of casting and retrieving just to hook that first and only blue of the day, but what worked for Frank was a slow and steady retrieve closer to the bottom, as opposed to a spirited retrieve that would keep the jig closer to the top, splashing along the surface.
My buddy Rob on the south shore has been launching his kayak inside the bays all week and finding limits of fluke on Gulp. The past couple of weeks have been really good for inshore fluking, with a lot of keepers to be found on the channel ledges and near the bridges. He was sending me pictures of fluke limits almost daily this past week. Likewise, my buddy Frank ran into a big school of bonito while fluking outside the inlet. Hopefully albies will be right behind the bones, as they were in New England.
Western Long Island Fishing Forecast
We have another storm in the Caribbean that will bring big swells and strong southerly winds this weekend. As of right now though, Saturday is going to be clear, cool, and breezy. My advice would be to make time this week to hit the open water, meaning today and tomorrow. Friday looks all-around perfect with highs in the low 80s and barely any wind for most of the morning. Try this handy AI excuse generator if you need to take a sick day. Hopefully my boss doesn’t actually read any of my reports.
Bluefish have been around in force during the day time, and soon the striped bass will join them. Night fishing has been picking up with the cooler, 60-degree overnight temps. Morning schoolie action is becoming a thing again in my area, with bait clouds getting burst under the docks. Small baits like epoxy jigs, Albie Snax, or anything with a slim or short profile will help you match the hatch. When the water is dirty, you might want to try something like a Rebel Jumpin’ Minnow, or any topwater with a rattle in it, to attract more attention. Likewise, a Mag Darter or similar swimming plug is always deadly for me this time of year, especially for bluefish.
The August transition is in full swing, and every day just feels a little more like fall. After a scorching summer, I forgot how good 70-degree weather feels. The water has been dirty from storm runoff, which might impact the bite in some places, so stick to bright-colors like pink, chartreuse, and white, and baits that vibrate or produce sound. Find the bait and you’ll find the fish, whether you’re fishing from shore or by vessel. Terns and gulls should make small bait schools easy to spot, and during the day bluefish should be blitzing on them.
We’re in that ‘calm before the storm’ period where bait is plentiful, the water is at its warmest, and it’s just a matter of when things will finally pop off. Fishing an inlet gets really exciting this time of year. Get out there and be the first to a blitz!
The Western L.I./NYC Fishing Report is compiled and written by NYSDEC licensed kayak fishing guide, Nick Cancelliere (@nick_onthewater).