UTERAtlantic bluefin tuna fishing in Long Island Sound and Montauk
In Long Island Sound and Montauk, Atlantic bluefin tuna peak July–October and are around June–November, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. July: Bluefin on the sand eels south of Montauk and on the Coxes Ledge; topwater and jigs.
Bluefin blitzing within sight of the south shore beaches some falls.
Atlantic bluefin tuna in Long Island Sound and Montauk, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MayNot here
- JuneArriving
- JulyPeakBluefin on the sand eels south of Montauk and on the Coxes Ledge; topwater and jigs.
- AugustPeakCanyon tuna; bonito and the albies' first arrival. Overnight trips to the Hudson and Block canyons; bonito on epoxy jigs at Montauk and the Race; mahi under the pot buoys.
- SeptemberPeak
- OctoberPeakBluefin blitzing within sight of the south shore beaches some falls.
- NovemberLeaving
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish Atlantic bluefin tuna near Sheepshead Bay, Freeport, Captree
New York Harbor, Jamaica Bay and the lower Hudson; Long Island's south shore surf and inlets backed by Great South Bay and the Moriches and Shinnecock bays; the Peconic and Gardiners bays between the forks; Montauk Point's boulder fields and rips; and Long Island Sound — rocky reefs, harbors and the Connecticut river mouths on the north side, the Race at the east end. Offshore to the Hudson and Block canyons.
Fish Scouter charts 1,272 wreck, 3 artificial reef spots in the Long Island & the Sound map area — the kinds Atlantic bluefin tuna hold on.
What to use for Atlantic bluefin tuna
- Menhaden (pogies)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined or slow-trolled; cut in chunks for the bottom.
- SquidStrips on a bottom rig for snapper, grunts and porgies; whole on a deep-drop rig.
- HerringCut-plug for salmon: head off at an angle, guts out, two hooks in tandem so it spins slow behind a flasher or a banana weight. Whole and live on a circle hook for stripers where the herring run.
- Sand eelsFree-lined or on a light jig head for stripers, fluke and bluefish; strips teased on a fluke rig.
- Leader40–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook4/0–8/0
- Braid50–100 lb
Feeds in 50–76°F water, best at 58–70°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch Atlantic bluefin tuna in Long Island Sound and Montauk?
Peak season is July–October. Atlantic bluefin tuna are in Long Island Sound and Montauk June–November. July: Bluefin on the sand eels south of Montauk and on the Coxes Ledge; topwater and jigs.
Where do Atlantic bluefin tuna hold in Long Island Sound and Montauk?
Look on ledge / hard bottom, wreck, artificial reef — around Sheepshead Bay, Freeport, Captree, Port Jefferson, Montauk, Orient.
What is the best bait for Atlantic bluefin tuna in Long Island Sound and Montauk?
Live bait: menhaden (pogies), squid, herring, sand eels. Menhaden (pogies): Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined or slow-trolled; cut in chunks for the bottom. Tackle: leader 40–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 4/0–8/0, braid 50–100 lb.
Fish it with the tide in your pocket
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All about Atlantic bluefin tuna · Long Island & the Sound, the whole year