Best Times & Seasons to Fish Near Long Island, NY (Guide)

Long Island 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 Long Island can make a huge difference for your fishing success.

The best fishing season near Long Island is from May through October for bluefish, striped bass, marlin, mahi mahi, tuna, sharks, Atlantic cod, and flounder. The worst time to fish near Long Island is winter through early spring.

Fish Species	Best Seasons to Fish Near Long Island, 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 Long Island.
Weakfish	May through August is the prime weakfish season near Long Island.
Sharks	May through October is the best season.
Atlantic Cod	The best fishing season is from May through November.

In this guide, we’ll provide anglers with detailed information about fishing on Long Island. We’ll briefly describe the top fishing spots, most common fish species, best seasons to fish, peak fishing times, etc. Also, we’ll provide you with the tips that you need to follow to get the most out of your fishing trip to Long Island.

Best Time to Fish Long Island

As we have already said, it’s possible to fish on Long Island all year round. The destination provides anglers of all experience levels with endless fishing opportunities.

A fishing trip requires meticulous planning. Anglers need to decide where and when it’s best to go fishing on Long Island. It’s necessary to take into account weather, fishing methods as well as fish species that you are planning to target.   

All fish species are active between July and October. That means that you’ll get the best results if you go fishing during these months.  

However, you should aim to select the best times for a fishing trip. You need to know the fishing seasons for fish species that you are planning to catch. So, it would be better to study the bite times for fish species ahead of time and plan trips for the times when fishing is the most productive.  

Do you like to surf cast in the Long Island area? If so, you should go fishing either in the spring or in the fall months.  

Long Island Species Breakdown: Best Time

When planning a fishing trip to Long Island, so many anglers are eager to know what species of fish they will catch in the area. Now, we’ll briefly describe the most common fish species that you can catch near Long Island.

Bluefish

Bluefish is one of the most common fish species in the Long Island area. Robert Moses State Park is a fishing spot that attracts so many anglers, who are interested in targeting bluefish. Bluefish gets active between May and November. So, it would be better to go fishing during this period of time. Bluefish bites well in the early morning.    

Fluke

Many anglers prefer to target fluke in Long Island. It goes without saying that you will find it interesting to catch this fish. The season to catch fluke starts in April and lasts till September. Go to the East Coast to fish for fluke in the Long Island area. It’s possible to catch fluke either in the morning or in the late afternoon. 

Seabass

Fishermen in Long Island have a chance to catch seabass during their fishing trips. It’s important to note that catching this fish provides anglers with a lot of excitement. The season to catch seabass starts in June and lasts till the end of the year.

It’s recommended to catch seabass in the fishing spots with structures. Try to fish near structures. The chances to catch seabass are always high in such places. It’s a good idea to target seabass early in the morning or late in the evening. 

Cod

Cod is another fish that you can catch in Long Island. Catching this fish is a very interesting activity. Cod is bottom fish that can be found in the deep spots.

If you are planning to catch cod during a fishing trip, then go to Long Island between July and September and between November and January. The fish is the most active during these months. However, it’s possible to fish for cod all year-round. Ideally, you should fish for cod at night.    

Striped bass

A lot of anglers in Long Island also give a preference to striped bass fishing. Striped bass is also known as rockfish in the area. The fish always gives anglers a good fight. There are many fishing spots around the island where you can catch striped bass.

The season to fish for striped bass begins in the late spring and lasts till the late fall. The best time of day to target striped bass is the early morning.

Tuna

Long Island anglers, who prefer deep sea fishing, should try to target tuna during their fishing trips. Long Island is the area where you can catch all tuna species such as bluefin tuna, bigeye tuna, and yellowfin tuna.

The season to catch tuna in Long Island starts in July and lasts till October. Montauk is the best fishing spot to target tuna. The fish actively feeds between dusk and dawn. 

Mahi mahi

When fishing on Long Island, anglers have a chance to catch mahi mahi. Mahi mahi is an open ocean predator that is also known as dorado and dolphinfish.

You should try to catch mahi mahi in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. It would be great to target mahi mahi near shore. The fish is the most active between July and October. It’s recommended to fish for mahi mahi in the early morning.  

Sharks

Long Island is the perfect place to go if you are a fan of shark fishing. Here, you can take an offshore fishing trip to catch blue sharks, mako sharks as well as thresher sharks.

The sharks get active between June and October. Take a charter fishing trip to go to the Atlantic Ocean and enjoy catching sharks. Oftentimes, sharks are found near Long Beach and its surrounding areas. Anglers choose to catch at dusk and dawn. 

Marlin

Long Island offers great opportunities to anglers, who are interested in marlin fishing. The chances to catch marlin are high in the waters around Long Island. Here, fishermen can catch blue marlin as well as white marlin.

The fishing season for marlin starts in July and lasts till September. Give a preference to morning fishing if you would like to catch marlin.    

Weakfish

Weakfish is also known as gray sea trout. It’s important to point out that anglers often catch this fish in the coastal waters around Long Island.

The period of time between May and August is the best time of the year to catch weakfish in the Long Island area. Weakfish can be found near Fire Island. Weakfish bites well at first light in the morning.

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 to create your combo.

Recommended Fishing Charters in Long Island

These Long Island-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
Rockaway Fishing Charters	Inshore & Offshore
Reel To Reel Sportfishing	Inshore & Offshore
Stamford Fishing Charters	Inshore & Offshore
Starship Charters	Inshore & Offshore
Captain Al’s Fishing Charters	Inshore & Offshore
Crunch Time Sport Fishing	Inshore & Offshore

Best Time of Day to Fish Long Island

Anglers can enjoy fishing in Long Island all day long. You can go fishing in the early morning, between the late morning and afternoon, and between afternoon and dusk. 

When planning a Long Island fishing trip, you have to take into consideration weather conditions, tidal times, etc. And of course, you have to analyze the best times of day to catch species of fish that you are willing to target during a fishing trip in Long Island.

According to the opinions of so many anglers in Long Island, the best time of day to fish the area is when daylight hours are reduced. So, it makes a lot of sense to go fishing 2 hours after sunrise and 2 hours before sunset. Fish is the most active during these hours.    

Long Island Fishing & Tidal Impacts

There has been a lot of talk about the impact of tides on fishing. Anglers should plan their fishing trips with the tides in mind. It goes without saying that tides have an impact on fishing. 

The reality is, tides cause water to move. Water movement and an increase in current positively affect the activity of fish. Tides cause an increase in the activity of fish. Fish begin to feed actively and anglers can easily catch it.     

Storms & Long Island Fishing

Storms and rainstorms have an impact on fishing in Long Island. Storms, as well as strong winds, create problems for anglers. Without a doubt, anglers should avoid fishing during storms. On the other hand, it would be great to fish before and after storms. 

It’s important to know that storms stimulate bass and many other fish species to move and feed actively. Traditionally, such fish species as bass and trout hunt and feed aggressively before storms. Many fish species calm down and begin to feed actively after storms.       

Is Winter Fishing Bad or Good in Long Island?

Despite the fact that many fish species are active in Long Island between July and October, winter fishing in Long Island is very productive as well. Anglers can catch a variety of fish species during the winter months. Winter allows fishermen to catch bluegill, crappie, largemouth bass, yellow perch, white perch, and some other species of fish.     

Night Fishing in Long Island

Anglers in Long Island can enjoy fishing in the evening and at night. There are a lot of evening and night trips available for fishermen in the area. Among the species of fish that you can target in Long Island at night are bluefish, cod, seabass as well as striped bass (also known as stripers). There is no doubt that you’ll find it interesting to fish Long Island at night.     

For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish Montauk, please check out this helpful article.

Shore/Surf Fishing: Best Times & Seasons

The Long Island surf fishing season starts in April – May and lasts till November – December. Best times and seasons depend a lot on the species of fish that you are going to target. 

Such fish species as striped bass, bluefish, fluke, black sea bass, and porgy are the most active between May and November. The best time to catch blackfish is October – December. The chances to catch weakfish are high between May and August. It would be better to target cod between November and January. The best time to catch flounder is April – May. 

It’s not a problem to find surf fishing sports in the Long Island area. Anglers can always try surf fishing on the local beaches. No matter where you choose to go fishing, you’ll manage to get the fantastic experience and memories that last for a lifetime.     

Top 5 Fishing Spots in Long Island (Best Seasons)

Where to go fishing in Long Island? Anglers, who are planning their fishing trip to Long Island, usually want to get the answer to this question. In fact, there are a lot of good fishing spots for anglers of all experience levels. We’ll review some of the best Long Island fishing spots and give you useful information to help you get the most out of your trip.

Robert Moses State Park

The park is well-known among anglers, who like surf fishing and pier fishing. It’s a fishing spot where so many anglers choose to target bluefish as well as fluke. It’s the perfect place to go if you are an angler who likes golf. There is a golf course in the park. Here, you can enjoy fishing and playing golf. Fishing in Robert Moses State Park is available all year. 

Shinnecock Bay

Shinnecock Bay is a fishing spot where anglers can try different fishing methods. Rich plant resources make the bay an ideal fishing spot. It’s the place where you can try surf fishing, pier fishing, or book a fishing charter trip. Fishing is the most productive here between May and November. Anglers can catch a variety of fishing spaces including bluefish, flounder, kingfish, perch, striped bass, and weakfish. 

Montauk

Montauk is close to Block Island and Long Island Sounds. The town provides anglers with easy access to great fishing spots. Among the fishing species that you can catch in the town are: fluke, tuna, mackerel, striped bass, porgy, and sharks. The best time to go fishing in Montauk is between May and October. 

Fire Island 

Fire Island is a paradise for fishermen. Fishing is very diverse in this place. Here, anglers can enjoy surf fishing on beaches, inlets, and in the bays. You need to know that Fire Island impresses anglers with its abundance of fish. Among the fish species that you can catch when fishing on Fire Island are: black sea bass, bluefish, flounder, fluke, weakfish, and others. The best times of the year to go fishing on Fire Island are between May and October. The fish is the most active during these months. 

Lake Ronkonkoma

It’s important to note that Long Island provides anglers with fantastic fishing opportunities. There are both saltwater and freshwater fishing spots in the area. Lake Ronkonkoma is known as one of the largest freshwater lakes in the Long Island area. Here, you can catch largemouth bass, bluegill, chain pickerel, and other species of fish. If the weather allows, anglers can visit the lake and enjoy fishing in Lake Ronkonkoma any time of the year.        

Booking Charters in Long Island

Long Island charter fishing provides anglers with a fantastic experience. During your trip, you’ll manage to explore the top fishing spots and fish with an experienced guide.  

Best season to go

In fact, there is no bad time to go fishing on Long Island. It’s possible to visit the area to enjoy fishing any time of the year. The vast majority of fish species are active between April and December. It would be better to start getting ready for a fishing trip in advance. Analyze fish times for species of fish that you would like to target and select the best season to go. 

Morning vs. afternoon

A lot of anglers choose to fish in the morning. The temperature of the water is cooler during the morning hours. As a result, fish begin to feed actively. However, fishing in the morning has some disadvantages. You may find it difficult to wake up early in order to fish in the morning. So, it would be better to fish in the afternoon if you are not an early riser. Also, it’s recommended to fish in the afternoon during the cold months. The waters warm-up and that’s why fishing is more productive in the afternoon.   

1/2 day, full-day, multi-day charters

Anglers, who are interested in Long Island charter fishing, have a lot of options. Fishermen can consider 1/2 day, full-day and multi-day charters. It’s important to note that each option has its own pros and cons.  

If you are looking for the cheapest option, then book a half-day fishing trip. However, your fishing time will be limited. So, you can fish in the morning, in the afternoon or in the evening.

Let’s say that you want to spend the whole day on fishing. In this case, you have to book a full-day fishing trip. So, you’ll manage to fish in the morning, afternoon, and evening. On the other hand, this option is more expensive. 

There are also fishing trips that last several days. So, you need to book a multi-day charter if you want to spend more than one-day fishing. Keep in mind that multi-day charters are the most expensive option.     

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