UPDATED RECREATIONAL SALTWATER FISHING GUIDE / REGULATIONS HERE
Striped Bass
The most popular inshore game fish in the Mid-Atlantic and North East regions is the striped bass. These powerful game fish grow to huge sizes and provide anglers with great tackle testing fights when hooked on rod and reel. Stripers are also exceptional table fare for seafood lovers. The North Fork of Long Island has long been known as a hot spot for striped bass of all sizes. Striped bass begin arriving in area waters by early May, and it is a sure bet that our captains will be right on the fish as the action develops. Striped bass will be available to anglers off the North Fork until October, with prime times for big fish being June, July, and September.
Fluke
The North Fork of Long Island is famous for producing all sizes of fluke. However, what really turns on fluke anglers are the doormat-sized specimens over 10-pounds in weight, and these huge fluke consistently school up in good numbers in the bait filled waters of the North Fork by early May. Keep in mind, big fluke are a challenge to catch, but if you follow the instructions of our crews, you’re well on the way to landing some trophy-sized fish. June is also an excellent month for fluke fishing, but good catches can also be made all summer long by those who work at it. Fluke have delicate fillets and are among the most delicious fish in the sea.
Bluefish
Bluefish will show in late April, and these hard fighting, aggressive, eating machines are sure to test both an anglers skill and tackle. Bluefish provide a great fight when hooked, and they’re especially fun to catch on top water casted lures that produce explosive surface strikes. That being said, bluefish hooked in deep water will be a challenge for anglers of all ability levels. Blues will be caught off the North Fork from April to November. Bluefish are also quite good to eat as long as they are bled quickly after capture, and placed on ice.
Porgy
One of the most popular bottom fish available in the waters of the North Fork is the porgy. These hard fighting, determined scrappers provide anglers with consistent catches from early May until November. North Fork porgies can easily reach 4-pounds in weight, and the sheer numbers of these fish that swim in area waters is astounding. Porgies are a great fish to introduce young anglers to because they are both prolific, and fun to catch. Porgies are great on the grill or frying pan either cooked whole or cleaned into deliciously delicate, sweet fillets.
Sea Bass
The sea bass population has been growing by leaps and bounds the last few seasons. As a result, sea bass have been providing great catches for boats of the North Fork Captains Association. Big humpback sea bass with their assorted blue colored hues are among the most beautiful fish in area waterways. These jumbo- sized specimens are consistently encountered on the hard, rocky bottom that abounds off the North Fork. Sea bass to over 5-pounds in weight provide anglers with a great thrashing fight when hooked, and are among the most delicious fish in the sea whether broiled whole or cleaned to white, flaky fillets.
Blackfish
The waters of the North Fork abound with wrecks, reefs, and rocky shoals. All of these types of bottom are home to one of the most popular game fish in the world, the blackfish. Pound for pound blackfish are among the strongest, tenacious fighting fish in the sea. This ability to test both an angler’s skill and tackle are main reasons why blackfish have a very loyal following with a dedicated core of fishers. Blackfish flesh is considered a delicacy by some, and have few peers in the world of seafood cuisine. The season on blackfish is only open in the fall months in New York waters. However, once the fall season is underway angler’s travel from far and wide to the North Fork, in order to fish with some of the best blackfishing captains in the world.
