UTERYellowfin tuna fishing in Long Island Sound and Montauk
In Long Island Sound and Montauk, yellowfin tuna peak July–October and are around June–November, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. August: Overnight canyon trips to the Hudson and Block for yellowfin on the chunk.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Yellowfin tuna in Long Island Sound and Montauk, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MayNot here
- JuneArriving
- JulyPeak
- AugustPeakOvernight canyon trips to the Hudson and Block for yellowfin on the chunk.
- SeptemberPeak
- OctoberPeak
- NovemberLeaving
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish yellowfin 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 spots in the Long Island & the Sound map area — the kinds yellowfin tuna hold on.
What to use for yellowfin tuna
- Blue runners (hardtails)Nose-hooked and slow-trolled on a wire stinger rig for kings; bridled for sailfish and cobia.
- Menhaden (pogies)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined or slow-trolled; cut in chunks for the bottom.
- Threadfin herring (greenbacks)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined, or slow-trolled. Fragile — handle them wet and fast.
- Opelu (mackerel scad)Bridled live and slow-trolled or drifted down for ahi, ono and marlin; cut for bottom fishing.
- Leader40–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook4/0–8/0
- Braid50–100 lb
Feeds in 72–84°F water, best at 74–80°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch yellowfin tuna in Long Island Sound and Montauk?
Peak season is July–October. Yellowfin tuna are in Long Island Sound and Montauk June–November. August: Overnight canyon trips to the Hudson and Block for yellowfin on the chunk.
Where do yellowfin tuna hold in Long Island Sound and Montauk?
Look on ledge / hard bottom, wreck — around Sheepshead Bay, Freeport, Captree, Port Jefferson, Montauk, Orient.
What is the best bait for yellowfin tuna in Long Island Sound and Montauk?
Live bait: blue runners (hardtails), menhaden (pogies), threadfin herring (greenbacks), opelu (mackerel scad). Blue runners (hardtails): Nose-hooked and slow-trolled on a wire stinger rig for kings; bridled for sailfish and cobia. Tackle: leader 40–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 4/0–8/0, braid 50–100 lb.
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All about yellowfin tuna · Long Island & the Sound, the whole year