Long Island and NYC Fishing Report
North Shore
The Angler Fleet (@anglerfleet) out of Port Washington reports: “Although we enjoyed the sight of dolphins in the western Sound, their departure was welcome. This past week’s fluke bite has been sporadic—on one trip you can’t keep them out of the boat, and the next feels like a grind. Still, with slower action but quality fish around, everyone has a good shot at a doormat. Despite the minimum size limit increase back in early August, our keeper productivity hasn’t diminished. To get in on the action, call or text (718)-659-8181 or visit our website for booking info.”
Captain Arthur Cortes of Cortes Outfitters (@cortes.outfitters) in NYC reports: “Weakfish are in! They are mostly staying close to the bottom, but at times, they can be seen blitzing on peanut bunker alongside bluefish and school-sized stripers. We’re also waiting for Hurricane Erin to pass to see if it brings albies and/or bonito inshore. Our lure of choice has been a pink and white 1-ounce bucktail. Our fly of choice is a 3-inch peanut bunker pattern with a pink throat. To get in on the action, call or text 347-326-4750 or visit our website for booking info.”
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Want to get in on the bite? Find an OTW-approved Charter Fishing Captain around Long Island and NYC
Mark at Cow Harbor reports: “People are still catching bass, though the bite has slowed down. Live bait, trolling, and diamond jigging are still producing results. Blues in the 8- to 10-pound range have also shown up in the area. Porgy fishing remains strong, and there are a few keeper fluke in 50 to 80 feet of water. Visit cowharbortackle.com or call 631-239-1631 for your bait and tackle needs.”
Captain Scott Worth on the North Fork reports: “Needing a change of pace from chasing tuna, I took my 6-year-old son Declan bass fishing out east. We casted Albie Snax along the rocky shorelines and hooked into some nice bass. The fish were on high alert with all the brown sharks cruising around, but we managed to get them to eat and safely bring them to the boat!”
South Shore
Brandon Weitz at Causeway Bait and Tackle in Wantagh reports: “Up until this week and Hurricane Erin, the fluke fishing had been insane on all the local reefs. Bluefish have been going absolutely wild at Jones Inlet, all the way to the Green Island fishing piers—birds diving, blues blitzing on spearing. Tuna fishing has also been good, and hopefully, the bite continues once this hurricane passes!”
Captain Doug Touback of Corazon Fishing Charters in Freeport reports: “Fluke—the final frontier! Fishing was fantastic before the blow. When inshore reefs got crowded, we pushed off and found isolated fish. The coming storm is significant with strong winds, but my prediction is the fishing will bounce back. Had this storm arrived a week or two later, we would’ve been in trouble.”
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Want to get in on the bite? Find an OTW-approved Charter Fishing Captain around Long Island and NYC
The Captree Fleet (@captreefleet) reports: “Fun action this week with some beautiful fish mixed in. Everything you need to fish is included in the fare at no extra cost. Fluke fishing has been excellent both in the bay and the ocean, with keepers to 8 lbs. Sea bass action is also strong, with boats limiting out. Now’s the time to join us. Gift certificates are available in our office or online—good on any of our member boats. Call 631-669-6464 or visit our website.”
Captain Adam Ross of Tuna Cartel reports: “This past week brought thrilling giant bluefin action—we pulled the hook on the right bite, but the fish are out there! We also ran an overnight canyon trip: steady yellowfin and swordfish under the stars, with bigeyes showing but staying deep due to boat traffic. After Hurricane Erin, we’ll be back full throttle as we gear up for the fall run.”
Bill Falco at Chasing Tails Bait & Tackle (@chasingtailsbait) in Oakdale reports: “Fluke fishing has been consistent both inside and outside the bays. Inside, plenty of shorts to cull through, but big ‘hammers’ are lurking. Incoming tides produce best. Outside, larger flatties and solid sea bass are being caught—the deeper and farther out, the better. Local docks are packed with snapper blues and blue claw crabs, both of which provide tons of fun! Summer striper action has been hit-or-miss, but a few are around in prime hours. On Monday, while having fun with cocktail blues, a slot-sized bass grabbed my bucktail and gave me a great run. Hopefully, this storm fires them up.”
From the tuna grounds, Anthony Ferrandino of Go Deep MTK (@godeepmtk) reports: “Coming out of the new moon, a big push of white bait moved inshore. Walking out deep on the tides and putting in hours overnight, we picked a few striped bass under 25 inches off the sandbar, with some bigger 30 to 35-pound fish showing at sunrise. I’ve also heard whispers of even larger ones. Most were taken on small lures—the 40g Slob Slammer hybrid epoxy jigs bounced slowly, and a few on ½- to ¾-ounce bucktails with pork rinds in the white water. Before the hurricane winds kicked in, gator blues up to 20 lbs were smashing bait against the rocks, making for nonstop daytime action. The hubcap porgies have also moved in heavy—great fun on 60- to 80-gram jigs and light gear, but watch out for threshers; they’ve been taking plenty of hooked fish. After the hurricane, I’m expecting hungry fish and strong action. As the water cools, the fluke should push off the shoals, and the long-term forecast looks promising for a productive fall run—if we can avoid a direct hurricane hit.”
Haskell’s Bait & Tackle in East Quogue reports: “This week, the striper bite improved on live bait in the back bays, and early morning plug fishing is also producing. Fluke fishing in Moriches is getting better, though most are smaller fish by the inlet. Shinnecock fluking has been tough this year.”
From the tuna grounds, Tom Truehart (@northshoretommy) reports : “We left Fire Island at 2:30 AM this past Saturday in search of yellowfin—and found them. Skipping my inshore bluefin grounds wasn’t easy, but the boys wanted meat on deck, and I was eager to find yellowfin. Reports were scattered, so we ran about 65 miles southeast of Fire Island. At first, slicks with chicks produced nothing, but after an hour of searching, @chrisderienzo58 hooked a monster yellowfin on a jig. After a 20-minute fight, more fish showed around the boat. Later, moving northwest, we came across another feed just 40 miles from home—whales, dolphins, and tuna chicks everywhere. We hooked another yellowfin there before heading back in.”
Kyle Ellis (@kyle_lsx) on the South Shore beaches reports: “There are still bass around this August, and some of them are solid size. But lately, the beaches feel deserted—hardly anyone out. Patterns from past seasons haven’t held up, so I’ve been walking long stretches looking for bait. Pockets of spearing and sand eels near structure have been the key. Stick with smaller, narrow-profile lures—needlefish, Hydro Minnows, Swarters, and soft plastics. Be careful wading; sharks are thicker than I’ve ever seen. Weeds have also been heavy in recent months. It just comes down to walking until you find the right stretch—put in the time and you’ll find fish.”
The Author’s Experience
With a hankering for tuna, I spent the day fishing with Colin of Joe Diorio Guide Service, joined by my friends Matt and Chris. Though both were tuna rookies, they made it happen!
The bite started early at 6 AM, with whales and dolphins surrounding the boat. I cast a JoeBaggs Skipper and worked it slowly when a tuna blasted it sideways, launching into the air. Though it missed the hooks, I twitched it twice more and got crushed again—this time hooking solid. Moments later, I had the first fish of the day in hand.
Soon after, Matt got smoked on the surface and landed his first tuna ever—a chunky school fish on topwater. Finally, Chris had a near miss just 15 feet from the boat. After a lull, we reset on some tuna chicks and began jigging. I hooked another fish while Matt missed one on a blind-casted Skipper. At 11 AM, Chris finally landed one on the jig.
Then, with 20 minutes left in the day, Captain Carter made a blind cast with a Skipper that was immediately crushed by a monster tuna. The first run peeled 100 yards. Carter fought it for 45 minutes before tiring, so I took over for another 45. Then Matt stepped in, and we rotated for 3.5 hours until finally bringing the giant boatside. The yellow-and-white Skipper hung from its jaw—it had to be over 70 inches. After the hook was removed, Matt jumped in for a hero shot before the release.
It was the most fun I never want to have again—big bluefin tuna are truly a force of nature.
Long Island & NYC Fishing Forecast
A gnarly storm is rolling into the island as we speak, with Montauk seeing 16- to 18-foot seas. Things are stirred up, and tuna anglers might finally catch up on some sleep while the dust settles.
The annual Bluefish Tournament runs August 23–24, with first place paying out $25K. Bluefish have been funky this year—sometimes found in the back bays of the North Shore, other times on bunker schools in the middle of the Sound. Toss a live bunker or work a Doc around the edges of a school for a shot at gators.
The new moon on August 23rd will bring stronger currents—striped bass thrive in those conditions. Montauk looks like the place, though it’s been sharky, so wade cautiously. Bottle darters, needlefish, big pencils, and Mag Darters are the go-to plugs.
Once the storm resets things, expect a push of bones, Spanish mackerel, and dare I say… ALBIES! Casting jigs are always a safe bet. I love a good ol’ JoeBaggs, Game On, or Kraken Jigz—new to the market! Bright colors are the way to go. Skip them across the surface or reel them in just under the surface. Look for swirls, big splashes or scattered bait and cast around.
Speaking of albies, run-and-gun tactics are key—watch for gunshot-style splashes. A 7- to 8-foot medium-action rod with a 5000-size reel, 10- to 20-pound braid, and 20-pound fluoro leader is perfect. Albies also love a soft plastic such as a small Slug-Go or Albie Snax. Rig it up with an Owner TwistLock hook and twitch it fast on the surface.
For fly anglers, albies are the ultimate fun! A 10 wt fast-action rod with a large-arbor reel and 200+ yards of hollowcore backing is ideal. Leaders consisting of 30-20-12 lb fluoro sections have always worked well for me. My top flies are all produced by Fulling Mill, as I don’t have much time to tie these days. My favorite patterns include the Whalley’s Money Minnow, Sparkle Minnows, and Cowen’s Silverside, all in size 2. These can be found on the Fulling Mill fly fishing website.
The fall transition is almost here, and it’s shaping up to be an exciting one. The time for sleep is over… WE RIDE AT DAWN!