Best Times & Seasons to Fish The Hamptons, NY (Full Guide)
The Hamptons is one of the most popular and best fishing spots on the eastern coastline. Knowing the best seasons and times of day to fish in the Hamptons can make a huge difference for your fishing success.
The best fishing season near The Hamptons is from May through October for bluefish, striped bass, marlin, mahi mahi, tuna, sharks, Atlantic cod, and flounder. The worst time to fish near the town of Montauk is winter through early spring.
| Fish Species | Best Seasons to Fish Near The Hamptons, NY |
| Bluefish | The best fishing season is from May through November. |
| Striped Bass | May through October is the best season. |
| Marlin | July through September is the best season. |
| Mahi Mahi | July through October is the best season. |
| Flounder | April through September is the prime flounder season near Montauk. |
| Weakfish | May through August is the prime weakfish season near Montauk. |
| Sharks | May through October is the best season. |
| Atlantic Cod | The best fishing season is from May through November. |
The Hamptons is a popular fishing destination in New York. The area impresses anglers with fish-filled waters and fish varieties. Here, it’s possible to catch both saltwater and freshwater species.
Fishing spots near the Hamptons attract fishermen of all ages and all skill levels. Here, you’ll manage to see beginners who master the art of fishing as well as experienced anglers who test their skills.
There is no bad time to fish the Hamptons. Fishing opportunities in the region are excellent all year-round. That’s why anglers visit the region throughout the year.
Are you planning your fishing adventures in the Hamptons? In this guide, you’ll manage to find the information that will help you get ready for a fishing trip and achieve the best results. We will talk you through the most important aspects of fishing in the Hamptons area.
Best Time to Fish the Hamptons
The Hamptons make it possible to fish from shore or try deep-sea fishing. So, you can select the fishing method that’s more to your liking. Anglers can fish in the Hamptons at any time of the year. That means that you can go fishing in the region whenever you want. The best time of the year to go fishing in the Hamptons depends a lot on the fish species that you are targeting and weather conditions.
Many different species can be caught in the area. There are fish species that bite all year-round. Nevertheless, it’s possible to catch some fish species during certain times of the year. It would be better to take a look at the fishing calendar for the Hamptons and study the bite times of target fish species carefully.
Those anglers, who want to get the best results, should fish the area when the vast majority of inshore and offshore fish species are active. The fishing season in the Hamptons area is high between the late spring and the early fall. That’s why it makes a lot of sense to fish in the area between May and September. Fishing is the most productive during these months.
Recommended Fishing Charters in The Hamptons
These Hamptons-based charters have earned great reviews from anglers and will offer you a tremendous service. The captains are knowledgeable, friendly, and are sure to put you on fish. By clicking the links below, you will be taken to the charter’s respective profile on Fishing Booker where you can read reviews, learn more about the charter, view photos, and book online at the best rate.
| Recommended Fishing Charter | Type of Fishing Offered |
| Captain Al’s Fishing Charters | Wrecks, Nearshore, Inshore & Offshore |
| Crunch Time Sport Fishing | Wrecks, Nearshore, Inshore & Offshore |
| November Rain Charters | Wrecks, Nearshore, Inshore & Offshore |
| Push The Limit Sportfishing | Wrecks, Nearshore, Inshore & Offshore |
| Bitchin Fishin Charters | Inshore & Offshore |
| Captain Chris Fishing Charters | Inshore |
The Hamptons Species Breakdown: Best Times & Seasons
The waters of the Hamptons impress anglers with their abundance of fish. It’s possible to fish for an array of species in the region. However, anglers should know when and where to fish in the Hamptons. Now, we’ll provide information on the most common fish species in the area.
Bluefish
The Hamptons is the perfect place for fishermen, who are interested in targeting bluefish. The season to fish for bluefish begins in May and lasts until November. Bluefish can be found near the Block Island Sound. It’s worth noting that bluefish bites well during low light conditions. Oftentimes, fish actively feed before sunrise. So, it would be better to go fishing in the early morning.
Porgy
Fishermen can also get bites of porgies during their fishing trips in the Hamptons. Porgy fishing is suitable both for beginners and highly experienced anglers. Anglers need to know that porgies bite well during the summer and fall months. Anglers, who target porgies in the Hamptons, usually get the best results between May and June. The chances to catch porgies are high in the Peconic Bay.
Flounder
It’s possible to fish for flounder in the Hamptons as well. Flounder is a very good fighter. Flounder actively feeds in the spring. So, it would be great to fish for flounder between the late summer and the early fall. Many anglers choose to go to Buckroe to enjoy flounder fishing.
Marlin
Marlin fishing is popular in the Hamptons and its surrounding areas as well. Anglers can target blue marling as well as white marlin in the region. The best time of the year to target marlin is between July and September. It’s worth noting that marlin fishing is very productive in this area. Fishermen should go to the East End of Long Island to target marlin. If you would like to catch marlin, go fishing either in the early morning or in the afternoon.
Sharks
The Hamptons provide anglers with great shark fishing opportunities. Anglers can fish for blue sharks, brown sharks, mako sharks as well as thresher sharks in the region. Sharks are large and strong. That’s why shark fishing is always interesting and exciting.
Sharks are well-known among fishermen for their aggressive bite. It’s also important to note that sharks are large, so they can give fishermen an impressive fight. The season to fish for sharks is high between June and October.
Montauk has gained huge popularity among anglers who choose to target sharks in the waters of the Hamptons. Oftentimes, sharks get active at dawn or at dusk. The chances to land a shark are high during these hours.
Black Sea Bass
It’s a great idea to target black sea bass in the waters of the Hamptons. The fish is the most active between May and December. Anglers usually get a lot of bites during these months. It would be great to visit the Peconic Bay if you want to fish for bass in the Hamptons area. The early morning is the best time of the day to fish for black sea bass.
Striped bass
Anglers can also target striped bass in the area. It’s widely known that striped bass is the perfect opponent. So, catching this fish is very exciting. Striped bass is the most active between May and November.
Fishermen, who would like to catch striped bass, should visit Gardiners Bay during their trip to the Hamptons. Anglers have a good chance to land striped bass during the morning and evening hours. That’s why you should fish for striped bass from dawn until 2 hours and from 2 hours before sunset until dusk.
Bluefin Tuna
And of course, anglers can enjoy tuna fishing during their trips. Fishermen can target various tuna species in the Hamptons. It’s possible to catch bigeye tuna, bluefin tuna, longfin tuna, and yellowfin tuna in the region.
The season to catch tuna starts in July and lasts until October. Montauk coast is the right fishing spot for anglers, who would like to target tuna. It’s important to know that tuna fishing is the most productive between dusk and dawn.
Weakfish
Weakfish is another fish that anglers can catch during their fishing adventures in the Hamptons. It makes sense to fish for weakfish in the waters of the Hamptons between May and August. The Peconic Bay is the perfect place for angling enthusiasts, who prefer to catch weakfish. Traditionally, anglers get bites of weakfish at first light. That means that the early morning is the best time of day to target weakfish.
I recommend this Penn Pursuit Spinning Rod & Reel combo (available on Amazon) for inshore and nearshore fishing. It can handle everything from redfish to snapper and king mackerel. The Penn Battalion Series Spinning Rod and the Penn Battle Spinning Reel are fantastic if you want to create your combo.
Best Time of Day to Fish the Hamptons
Ideally, you should fish the Hamptons at the dawn or at the dusk. When choosing the best time to go fishing, anglers should take into account several factors.
First of all, anglers need to decide what species of fish they are going to target during their trip to the Hamptons. After that, angling enthusiasts have to study the bite times of target fish species. Go fishing when your favorite species are the most active. On top of that, fishermen have to take into consideration weather conditions as well as tidal times.
The Hamptons Fishing & Tidal Impacts
It’s necessary to plan fishing trips with tide times in mind. It’s a great idea to fish near the high and low tides. That’s why it’s so important for anglers to know when tides are low and high in the area. Go fishing one hour before and one hour after high tides. Also, it makes sense to fish the Hamptons one hour before and one hour after low tides.
Storms & The Hamptons Fishing
Storms, as well as rainstorms, affect fishing in the Hamptons. Storms pose a threat to anglers and have an impact on fish. During the storms, fish usually go to the deep waters and stay inactive. However, fishing is often good after storms. Oftentimes, fish is hungry after storms. So, anglers find it easy to catch it.
Is Winter Fishing Bad or Good in the Hamptons?
As we have already mentioned, fish bite well in the Hamptons in the spring, summer, and fall. Anglers can enjoy winter fishing in the region as well. Some species of fish are active during the winter months. Winter is a great time to target cod, bluefin tuna, black sea bass as well as blackfish and porgy.
Night Fishing in the Hamptons
Night fishing in the Hamptons is also possible. Night trips are offered for fishermen in the area. Anglers can book a fishing trip to enjoy night fishing in the region between May and October. During the nighttime anglers can catch such fish species as bluefish, striped bass, flounder, and even sharks. These species of fish get active at night.
It’s important to know that night fishing has its own pros and cons. What is great about fishing at night is that it allows anglers to avoid fishing in hot weather. That’s the reason why many anglers find it comfortable to fish during the nighttime. On the other hand, fishing at night can be hard due to the lack of daylight. So, night fishing is not recommended for beginners.
Shore/Surf Fishing: Best Times & Seasons
Shore fishing is incredibly popular in the waters of the Hamptons. There are many spots where anglers can fish from shore. Anglers can try shore/surf fishing on beaches, in the bays, and from piers.
Among the most popular piers in the region are: Engineer Wharf Fishing Pier, James T. Wilson Fishing Pier, Sandy Bottom Lake Pier, and others. These spots offer fantastic opportunities to the anglers, who give a preference to shore/surf fishing.
Top 5 Fishing Spots in the Hamptons
There are many places to go fishing in the Hamptons. During a trip to the Hamptons, angling enthusiasts can visit both saltwater and freshwater fishing spots. So, every angler will find it easy to select a good fishing spot in the region. Now, it’s time to get familiar with the most popular fishing locations in the Hamptons and their surrounding areas.
Hampton Bays
Hampton Bays have a lot to offer to fishermen. Many anglers choose to visit Sears Bellows County Park during their trip to the Hamptons. And of course, fishing enthusiasts do this for a good reason. The reality is, one of the most popular fishing spots is located in the park. Here, anglers have an opportunity to fish in the legendary pond. Fish-filled waters of the pond allow anglers to catch such species as bass, bluegills, pickerel, perch, and many others. When fishing the waters of Hampton Bays, anglers get the best results in the summer.
Big Reed Pond
Big Reed Pond is another interesting pond in the Hamptons area. The pond is located in the eastern part of the Hamptons. Fishing in Big Reed Pond allows anglers to catch different species of fish such as black seabass, bluegill, largemouth bass, and summer flounder. It’s possible to fish the pond at any time of the year.
Peconic Bay
Peconic Bay is a system of bays. Several bays are connected to each other. And of course, anglers need to fish the bays. Anglers, who fish in the waters of Peconic Bay, often catch such species as bass, blues, porgies, and weakfish. Fishing in the Peconic Bay system is the most productive between June and September.
Shelter Island
Shelter Island is another popular fishing spot in the region. The waters of the island impress anglers with the abundance of fish. Among the species that you can target when fishing near Shelter Island are: bluefish, striped bass, and others. Here, fishing is the most productive between May and September.
Gardiners Bay
Gardiners Bay is a fishing spot that provides anglers with fantastic fishing opportunities. The fishing spot attracts angling enthusiasts, who are interested in targeting bluefish, blowfish, porgies, and striped bass. Fall is the best time of the year to fish Gardiners Bay.
For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish New York City, please check out this helpful article. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish Long Island, please check out this helpful article. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish Cape May, please check out this helpful article. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish Montauk, please check out this helpful article.
Booking Charters in the Hamptons
Booking a charter allows anglers to explore the best spots and enjoy deep sea fishing in the waters of the Hamptons. Local captains would be happy to help you get the most out of your fishing trip in the area.
– Best season to go
As we have already said, the fishing season in the Hamptons starts in May and lasts until September. The reality is, almost all species of fish are in season during these months. Nevertheless, the demand for fishing in the region is usually high during the summer months. That’s why fishing can be very expensive when the season is high. It’s recommended for anglers to visit the area either in May or in September. The demand for fishing is lower, but opportunities are excellent during these months.
– Morning vs. afternoon
When fishing in the Hamptons, you also need to select the time of the day. It’s worth noting that the vast majority of anglers give a preference to morning fishing. However, some anglers don’t want to wake up early in the morning. So, they choose to go fishing in the afternoon.
When choosing between morning and afternoon fishing, anglers have to take into account the time of the year. It would be better to go fishing in the morning during the summer months. Water cools down in the morning and that’s why fish bite well. Also, morning fishing is more comfortable in the summer. Nevertheless, it’s recommended to go fishing in the afternoon during the cold months.
– 1/2 day, full-day, multi-day charters
When planning fishing adventures, anglers have to decide how long a trip will last. Half-day, full-day, and multi-day charters are available for fishermen in the Hamptons.
Would you like to have a quick fishing trip in the Hamptons? If so, an angler has to book a 1/2 fishing charter. Half-day fishing trips are the cheapest option.
A full-day charter is suitable for anglers, who want to spend a day on the water. However, such a trip is more expensive.
Multi-day charters are worth considering if you need more than a full-day fishing trip. With such a trip, you can spend several days fishing. And of course, multi-day charters are more expensive than full-day fishing trips. It’s not a good choice for anglers, who are looking for affordable fishing.
