UTERAtlantic mackerel fishing in Long Island Sound and Montauk
In Long Island Sound and Montauk, Atlantic mackerel peak April and are around March–April, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. April: Spring mackerel off Montauk and the Sound's eastern end.
Not in Long Island Sound and Montauk this month.
Atlantic mackerel in Long Island Sound and Montauk, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchArrivingFirst stripers stir; mackerel and cod. Warm afternoons in the back-bay creeks for schoolies; spring mackerel off Montauk if the run comes.
- AprilPeakSpring mackerel off Montauk and the Sound's eastern end.
- MayNot here
- JuneNot here
- JulyNot here
- AugustNot here
- SeptemberNot here
- OctoberNot here
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish Atlantic mackerel 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 Atlantic mackerel
- Leader20–40 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook#1–4/0
- Jig head1/8–1/2 oz
- Braid10–30 lb
Feeds in 44–68°F water, best at 48–62°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch Atlantic mackerel in Long Island Sound and Montauk?
Peak season is April. Atlantic mackerel are in Long Island Sound and Montauk March–April. April: Spring mackerel off Montauk and the Sound's eastern end.
Where do Atlantic mackerel hold in Long Island Sound and Montauk?
Look on fishing pier, dock / pilings, ledge / hard bottom, pass / inlet, channel edge — around Sheepshead Bay, Freeport, Captree, Port Jefferson, Montauk, Orient.
What is the best bait for Atlantic mackerel in Long Island Sound and Montauk?
Tackle: leader 20–40 lb fluorocarbon, hook #1–4/0, jig head 1/8–1/2 oz, braid 10–30 lb.
Fish it with the tide in your pocket
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All about Atlantic mackerel · Long Island & the Sound, the whole year