UTERWhite marlin fishing in Long Island Sound and Montauk
In Long Island Sound and Montauk, white marlin peak August–September and are around August–October, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. August: Whites in the Hudson Canyon in warm years.
No note for October — see the months around it.
White marlin in Long Island Sound and Montauk, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MayNot here
- JuneNot here
- JulyNot here
- AugustPeakWhites in the Hudson Canyon in warm years.
- SeptemberPeak
- OctoberLeaving
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish white marlin 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 white marlin
- BallyhooRigged on a wire or mono trolling rig, skipping or swimming, behind a skirt or naked.
- Pilchards (whitebait)Free-lined or under a cork, hooked through the nose on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook. The one bait that catches everything inshore.
- Leader40–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook4/0–8/0
- Braid50–100 lb
Feeds in 72–86°F water, best at 76–82°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch white marlin in Long Island Sound and Montauk?
Peak season is August–September. White marlin are in Long Island Sound and Montauk August–October. August: Whites in the Hudson Canyon in warm years.
Where do white marlin hold in Long Island Sound and Montauk?
Look on ledge / hard bottom — around Sheepshead Bay, Freeport, Captree, Port Jefferson, Montauk, Orient.
What is the best bait for white marlin in Long Island Sound and Montauk?
Live bait: ballyhoo, pilchards (whitebait). Ballyhoo: Rigged on a wire or mono trolling rig, skipping or swimming, behind a skirt or naked. Tackle: leader 40–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 4/0–8/0, braid 50–100 lb.
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All about white marlin · Long Island & the Sound, the whole year