UTERWeakfish fishing in Long Island Sound and Montauk
In Long Island Sound and Montauk, weakfish peak June and September and are around May–October, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. September: Fall weakfish mixed with the blues in Peconic and Gardiners.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Weakfish in Long Island Sound and Montauk, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MayArrivingPeconic Bay weakfish on the flood at night; bucktails with pork rind.
- JunePeak
- JulyAround
- AugustAround
- SeptemberPeakFall weakfish mixed with the blues in Peconic and Gardiners.
- OctoberLeaving
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish weakfish 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.
What to use for weakfish
- Live shrimpUnder a popping cork or free-lined, hooked under the horn on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook; on a jig head for the bottom. The universal inshore bait.
- Mud minnows (killifish)Lip-hooked on a jig head or a 1/0 hook dragged along the bottom — the flounder bait.
- BloodwormsA piece threaded on a #2 to 2/0 hook on a hi-lo or fish-finder rig — the striper, spot, croaker and white perch bait of the Chesapeake and the surf.
- Sand eelsFree-lined or on a light jig head for stripers, fluke and bluefish; strips teased on a fluke rig.
- Leader20–40 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook#1–4/0
- Jig head1/8–1/2 oz
- Braid10–30 lb
Feeds in 55–80°F water, best at 60–74°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch weakfish in Long Island Sound and Montauk?
Peak season is June and September. Weakfish are in Long Island Sound and Montauk May–October. September: Fall weakfish mixed with the blues in Peconic and Gardiners.
Where do weakfish hold in Long Island Sound and Montauk?
Look on channel edge, pass / inlet, bridge, fishing pier — around Sheepshead Bay, Freeport, Captree, Port Jefferson, Montauk, Orient.
What is the best bait for weakfish in Long Island Sound and Montauk?
Live bait: live shrimp, mud minnows (killifish), bloodworms, sand eels. Live shrimp: Under a popping cork or free-lined, hooked under the horn on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook; on a jig head for the bottom. The universal inshore bait. Tackle: leader 20–40 lb fluorocarbon, hook #1–4/0, jig head 1/8–1/2 oz, braid 10–30 lb.
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