## Captain Tony's Professional Fishing Forecast: Long Island & NYC Waters
**For the Week of September 30, 2025**
Fellow Captains and Guides,
This report is tailored to provide comprehensive and actionable data for planning your upcoming charters across Long Island and NYC waters. We'll focus on critical factors such as weather, tides, bait, and general fishing trends to ensure client success and operational safety.
### **Weather & Marine Conditions: Critical for Charter Planning**
Understanding the marine forecast is paramount for safe and productive trips. For the coming week, expect a mixed bag of conditions that will influence fish behavior and charter viability.
* **Wind Forecast:** Early week shows moderate southerly winds (10-15 knots), shifting to a more easterly direction (15-20 knots) by mid-week. This easterly shift could bring choppier conditions, particularly in exposed areas of the Atlantic and the eastern Sound. Plan your routes and target locations accordingly, prioritizing sheltered bays or western Sound areas during stronger easterlies.
* **Swell Predictions:** Offshore, swells are anticipated to build from 2-3 feet early in the week to 4-6 feet by Thursday, driven by the sustained easterly flow. Inshore, expect less significant swell, but chop will increase with wind. Always monitor real-time buoy data and consider client comfort and vessel capabilities when venturing out.
* **Visibility:** Generally good, but localized fog patches are possible during early morning hours, especially in protected bays. Ensure all navigation and safety equipment is fully operational.
### **Tide Predictions: Maximizing Feeding Windows**
Tidal movements are a primary driver of fish activity. This week's lunar phase indicates strong tidal currents, which can be highly beneficial for targeting active feeders.
* **New York Harbor & East River:** Expect strong outgoing tides to concentrate baitfish at choke points and structure, making areas around the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, Ambrose Channel, and the East River bridges prime locations for striped bass and bluefish. Incoming tides will push bait into shallower flats and estuaries.
* **Long Island Sound:** Peak currents around the major points and rips will be productive. Focus on the hours leading up to and immediately following slack tide for species like scup and blackfish around rocky bottoms.
### **Bait Availability: The Key to Success**
Reports indicate a healthy presence of key bait species, which is encouraging for predatory fish activity.
* **Menhaden (Bunker):** Large schools are still prevalent in the bays and nearshore ocean, particularly around the inlets. Live-lining or chunking bunker remains a top technique for larger striped bass and bluefish.
* **Peanut Bunker & Spearing:** Abundant in the estuaries and along the beaches, providing forage for smaller gamefish and a reliable option for light tackle and fly fishing.
* **Mackerel & Herring:** Starting to show in deeper waters, indicating the potential for offshore species to move closer to shore as water temperatures begin their seasonal decline.
### **General Fishing Trends & Target Species**
Overall, fishing remains strong with a diverse range of species available.
* **Striped Bass:** Excellent action reported from the western Sound, New York Harbor, and along the South Shore inlets. Both live bait and artificials (plugs, soft plastics) are producing. Focus on structure and current seams.
* **Bluefish:** Widespread and aggressive, often found mixed with striped bass. Topwater lures and metal jigs are effective. Exercise caution with their sharp teeth.
* **Fluke (Summer Flounder):** Still a viable target in deeper channels and cooler pockets, though their season is winding down. Bucktails tipped with Gulp! or natural bait are working.
* **Blackfish (Tautog):** Reports are picking up around rocky structures and wrecks in the Sound and nearshore ocean. Green crabs and fiddler crabs are the baits of choice. Ensure you are aware of current regulations.
* **Scup (Porgy):** Abundant on hard bottom throughout the Sound and nearshore ocean. A great option for consistent action and client engagement.
### **Safety Information & Regulations: Non-Negotiable**
As professional operators, adherence to safety protocols and regulations is paramount.
* **Vessel Safety Checks:** Conduct thorough pre-trip checks of all safety equipment, including PFDs, flares, first-aid kits, and communication devices.
* **VHF Monitoring:** Maintain constant watch on VHF Channel 16 and monitor weather updates from NOAA Weather Radio.
* **Commercial Fishing Regulations:** Stay current with all federal and state regulations, including size limits, bag limits, and season closures for all target species. Ignorance is not an excuse, and compliance protects our industry.
### **Client Success Stories: Building Your Reputation**
Encourage your clients to share their catches and experiences. High-quality photos and testimonials are invaluable for marketing and building your charter business. A successful trip is not just about the fish caught, but the overall experience provided.
Stay safe, fish hard, and may your charters be prosperous.
Captain Tony
*Professional Charter Guide & Urban Fishing Veteran*
**For the Week of September 30, 2025**
Fellow Captains and Guides,
This report is tailored to provide comprehensive and actionable data for planning your upcoming charters across Long Island and NYC waters. We'll focus on critical factors such as weather, tides, bait, and general fishing trends to ensure client success and operational safety.
### **Weather & Marine Conditions: Critical for Charter Planning**
Understanding the marine forecast is paramount for safe and productive trips. For the coming week, expect a mixed bag of conditions that will influence fish behavior and charter viability.
* **Wind Forecast:** Early week shows moderate southerly winds (10-15 knots), shifting to a more easterly direction (15-20 knots) by mid-week. This easterly shift could bring choppier conditions, particularly in exposed areas of the Atlantic and the eastern Sound. Plan your routes and target locations accordingly, prioritizing sheltered bays or western Sound areas during stronger easterlies.
* **Swell Predictions:** Offshore, swells are anticipated to build from 2-3 feet early in the week to 4-6 feet by Thursday, driven by the sustained easterly flow. Inshore, expect less significant swell, but chop will increase with wind. Always monitor real-time buoy data and consider client comfort and vessel capabilities when venturing out.
* **Visibility:** Generally good, but localized fog patches are possible during early morning hours, especially in protected bays. Ensure all navigation and safety equipment is fully operational.
### **Tide Predictions: Maximizing Feeding Windows**
Tidal movements are a primary driver of fish activity. This week's lunar phase indicates strong tidal currents, which can be highly beneficial for targeting active feeders.
* **New York Harbor & East River:** Expect strong outgoing tides to concentrate baitfish at choke points and structure, making areas around the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, Ambrose Channel, and the East River bridges prime locations for striped bass and bluefish. Incoming tides will push bait into shallower flats and estuaries.
* **Long Island Sound:** Peak currents around the major points and rips will be productive. Focus on the hours leading up to and immediately following slack tide for species like scup and blackfish around rocky bottoms.
### **Bait Availability: The Key to Success**
Reports indicate a healthy presence of key bait species, which is encouraging for predatory fish activity.
* **Menhaden (Bunker):** Large schools are still prevalent in the bays and nearshore ocean, particularly around the inlets. Live-lining or chunking bunker remains a top technique for larger striped bass and bluefish.
* **Peanut Bunker & Spearing:** Abundant in the estuaries and along the beaches, providing forage for smaller gamefish and a reliable option for light tackle and fly fishing.
* **Mackerel & Herring:** Starting to show in deeper waters, indicating the potential for offshore species to move closer to shore as water temperatures begin their seasonal decline.
### **General Fishing Trends & Target Species**
Overall, fishing remains strong with a diverse range of species available.
* **Striped Bass:** Excellent action reported from the western Sound, New York Harbor, and along the South Shore inlets. Both live bait and artificials (plugs, soft plastics) are producing. Focus on structure and current seams.
* **Bluefish:** Widespread and aggressive, often found mixed with striped bass. Topwater lures and metal jigs are effective. Exercise caution with their sharp teeth.
* **Fluke (Summer Flounder):** Still a viable target in deeper channels and cooler pockets, though their season is winding down. Bucktails tipped with Gulp! or natural bait are working.
* **Blackfish (Tautog):** Reports are picking up around rocky structures and wrecks in the Sound and nearshore ocean. Green crabs and fiddler crabs are the baits of choice. Ensure you are aware of current regulations.
* **Scup (Porgy):** Abundant on hard bottom throughout the Sound and nearshore ocean. A great option for consistent action and client engagement.
### **Safety Information & Regulations: Non-Negotiable**
As professional operators, adherence to safety protocols and regulations is paramount.
* **Vessel Safety Checks:** Conduct thorough pre-trip checks of all safety equipment, including PFDs, flares, first-aid kits, and communication devices.
* **VHF Monitoring:** Maintain constant watch on VHF Channel 16 and monitor weather updates from NOAA Weather Radio.
* **Commercial Fishing Regulations:** Stay current with all federal and state regulations, including size limits, bag limits, and season closures for all target species. Ignorance is not an excuse, and compliance protects our industry.
### **Client Success Stories: Building Your Reputation**
Encourage your clients to share their catches and experiences. High-quality photos and testimonials are invaluable for marketing and building your charter business. A successful trip is not just about the fish caught, but the overall experience provided.
Stay safe, fish hard, and may your charters be prosperous.
Captain Tony
*Professional Charter Guide & Urban Fishing Veteran*
