UTERLittle tunny fishing in Long Island Sound and Montauk
In Long Island Sound and Montauk, little tunny peak September–October and are around August–November, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. September: Montauk albie season — the Point and Shagwong; third week of September is the safe bet.
Peak; a storm can end it.
Little tunny in Long Island Sound and Montauk, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MayNot here
- JuneNot here
- JulyNot here
- AugustArriving
- SeptemberPeakMontauk albie season — the Point and Shagwong; third week of September is the safe bet.
- OctoberPeakPeak; a storm can end it.
- NovemberLeaving
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish little tunny 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 little tunny hold on.
What to use for little tunny
- Glass minnows (bay anchovies)Thrown by the handful as chum for Spanish, trout and ladyfish, or several on a tiny hook.
- 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 66–86°F water, best at 70–82°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch little tunny in Long Island Sound and Montauk?
Peak season is September–October. Little tunny are in Long Island Sound and Montauk August–November. September: Montauk albie season — the Point and Shagwong; third week of September is the safe bet.
Where do little tunny hold in Long Island Sound and Montauk?
Look on artificial reef, pass / inlet, beach / surf, wreck — around Sheepshead Bay, Freeport, Captree, Port Jefferson, Montauk, Orient.
What is the best bait for little tunny in Long Island Sound and Montauk?
Live bait: glass minnows (bay anchovies), pilchards (whitebait). Glass minnows (bay anchovies): Thrown by the handful as chum for Spanish, trout and ladyfish, or several on a tiny hook. 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 little tunny · Long Island & the Sound, the whole year