SURF CITY STEVE'S NY OCEAN SURF REPORTSeptember 20, 2025 - Reading the Water from Montauk to Rockaway
What's up, surf rats. Steve here with your weekly beach report. Been walking the sand since before sunrise, and let me tell you - the ocean's been talking. That nor'easter earlier this week stirred things up real nice, carved out some beautiful cuts and holes. The bait's tight to the beach, and if you know how to read the water, you're gonna get rewarded.
I've been checking in with my sources from Montauk to Rockaway, and the story is the same everywhere: the fall run is on. The water's cooling, the bait is thick, and the fish are hungry. It's a beautiful thing.
Let's break it down by zone.
CURRENT CONDITIONS & ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORSWater Temperature: 68-70°F (Cooling, but still comfortable. The fish are active.)
Clarity: Mixed. Some spots are clean, others are still a little sandy. Find the clean water, find the fish.
Swell: The swell has been dropping, but there's still some nice waves. Good for surfing, even better for fishing.
Bait Situation: Peanut bunker and mullet are the main course. The birds will tell you where the bait is.
EASTERN ZONE: MONTAUK TO SHINNECOCK
MONTAUK POINT & DITCH PLAINS - ALBIE MADNESS
A classic fall run striper, the kind of fish that dreams are made of.
This is where the albie madness is in full swing. We're talking some of the best albie fishing in years. Ditch Plains and Montauk Point have been going off, with fish blitzing on peanut bunker right in the wash. The key is to match the hatch - small, epoxy jigs and Deadly Dicks are the ticket. There are also some nice striped bass mixed in, especially after dark. The Shinnecock Inlet jetties are also holding fish, with a mix of blues, shad, and bonito.
Species Active: False Albacore, Striped Bass, Bluefish, Bonito.
Hot Techniques:
• Casting and retrieving small, heavy jigs at high speed.
• Swimming plugs and darters at night for the bass.
• Live-lining mullet for the big girls.
CENTRAL ZONE: FIRE ISLAND TO MORICHES ROBERT MOSES & SMITH POINT - COCKTAIL BLUES & KEEPERSThe cocktail bluefish are everywhere. They're chewing hard on tins, jigs, and bucktails. It's a great time to get the kids out and get them on some fish. The keeper striper bite is also picking up, especially around the inlets and bridges. The fluke bite is still holding on, with some nice keepers being pulled from the surf. The key is to find the deeper cuts and holes.
What's Biting: Bluefish, Striped Bass, Fluke.
Winning Setup: Kastmasters and Hopkins lures for the blues. Bucktails and Gulp! for the fluke. Plugs and darters for the bass.
WESTERN ZONE: LONG BEACH TO ROCKAWAY
THE ROCKAWAY JETTY & THE NIGHT BITEThe night bite for bigger stripers is the story here. Live eels are the key, but some guys are also getting them on plugs. The porgy bite is also strong, with some nice fish being pulled from the piers and jetties. The weakfish are also around, but you have to put in the time to find them. Jamaica Bay is also holding a lot of fish, with a mix of bass, blues, and weakfish.
Species Active: Striped Bass, Porgies, Weakfish.
Hot Techniques:
• Fishing live eels at night.
• Casting plugs and darters around the jetties.
• Bottom fishing with clams and sandworms for the porgies.
7-DAY FORECAST & STRATEGYThe weather looks stable for the next week, which should keep the fish feeding. I expect the bite to only get better as we get deeper into the fall. The water will continue to cool, the bait will get more concentrated, and the fish will get more aggressive. It's going to be a great week to be on the water.
So get out there, be safe, and make it happen. This is the time of year we wait for. Don't miss it.
- Surf City Steve
