Surf City Steve's Complete Ocean Beach Report - November 28, 2025
SURF CONDITIONS - TODAY'S A NO-GO
Yo, what's good surf crew! Let me save you a trip to the beach today - it's blown out. We're looking at west winds 25-30 knots with gusts pushing 35, and the ocean's responding with 5-8 foot seas, occasionally hitting 10. The surf's a churned-up mess of whitewash and confusion. Even if you could cast into this wind (you can't), the fish aren't feeding in these conditions.
But here's the silver lining: these late November blows set up excellent fishing for the following day. Saturday's forecast shows winds backing off significantly - 15-20 knots becoming 10-15 by afternoon. Seas will drop to 3-5 feet with offshore winds as the swell arrives. That's prime time for surf fishing, and that's when you want to be on the beach.
THE STRIPER SITUATION - STILL IN THE GAME
The fall run's still happening, and that's the headline. We're in late November, the water's cold, and we're supposed to be winding down. But the fish didn't get the memo. Stripers from schoolie size up to 20 pounds are still being taken all along the beach from Robert Moses to Southampton.
The pattern's been sporadic but productive. We're not seeing the consistent blitzes we had in October, but when the fish show up, it's game on. The issue right now is that the fish are often just out of casting range. Boat guys are picking away at a decent wave of bass that's passing by offshore, while we're watching from the beach. It's frustrating as hell, but it's part of the surf game.
When the fish do come within range - and they do - it's been a mixed bag of productivity. Swimmers are working, metals are working, topwater plugs are working. The key is having multiple options rigged and ready, because the fish are telling you what they want on any given day.
The bunker movement has been the main driver of fish activity. Bait of all sizes is moving west along the beach, and the stripers are following. When you find birds working, you've found your spot. When you see bait in the wash, get a lure in front of it. The fish are feeding opportunistically, hitting whatever's available.
ZONE BREAKDOWN - ROBERT MOSES TO SOUTHAMPTON
Robert Moses to Jones Beach (Western Zone):
The western beaches have been seeing the most consistent action. Bass are chasing bunker pods, and when the bait comes within casting range, the fishing's been excellent. The pattern's been best on the moving tide, particularly the outgoing when bait gets swept along the beach.
Large shads - 6 to 9 inches - have been the most productive lure. White, bunker patterns, and chartreuse are all working. Poppers are producing when fish are up and feeding aggressively, which has been happening on calm mornings. Metals - Kastmasters, Hopkins, Deadly Dicks - are working when you need distance or when fish are deeper in the water column.
The jetties and groins have been holding fish, particularly around the tide changes. Work the structure thoroughly - cast parallel to the rocks, work the pockets, hit the deeper water on the ocean side. Fish are using these structures as ambush points.
Fire Island to Moriches (Central Zone):
The central beaches have been fishing, but the action's been more spread out than in the western zone. You need to cover water and find the fish. The old "fish where you parked" approach isn't working - you need to walk, explore, and adapt.
When you find bait, work it hard. The fish are there, but they're not always feeding aggressively. Sometimes you need to make multiple casts to the same spot before a fish commits. Persistence pays off.
The inlets - Fire Island, Moriches - have been productive on the outgoing tide. Fish stage just outside the inlet mouth and in the channel, feeding on bait that gets swept out. The current's been strong, so you need heavy jigs or bucktails to maintain bottom contact. This is technical fishing, but it produces quality fish.
Shinnecock to Southampton (Eastern Zone):
The eastern beaches are still producing, giving surfcasters a last bit of action before winter. The fish are running from schoolies to the occasional 20-pounder, with most in the 24-30 inch range. These are solid fish, and they're catchable if you put in the time.
Shinnecock Inlet has been productive, particularly on the outgoing tide. The current rips through there, so heavy gear is necessary. Bucktails, large shads, and eels are all working. The fish are feeding in the current, so you need to get your lure down and keep it in the strike zone.
The beaches east of the inlet have been seeing sporadic action. It's not consistent, but when it happens, it's worth it. Early morning and late evening have been the most productive times, with some nighttime action for those willing to brave the cold.
LURE SELECTION & TECHNIQUES
Large Shads (6-9 inches): These have been the workhorses. White, bunker patterns, chartreuse. Retrieve varies based on conditions - slow and steady in calm water, faster and more erratic in rough water. Work the entire water column until you find where fish are feeding.
Poppers: For when fish are up and feeding aggressively. Early morning on calm days has been prime time. Walk-the-dog retrieve, create commotion, trigger reaction strikes. Have one rigged and ready.
Metals (Kastmasters, Hopkins, Deadly Dicks): For distance and for deeper fish. 2-4 ounces depending on conditions. Cast, let sink, retrieve with sharp jigs to imitate fleeing baitfish. Work fast, cover water, find active fish.
Bucktails: For inlet fishing and deeper water. 2-4 ounces with a teaser. Bounce bottom, maintain contact, work the current. This is old-school effective.
Eels (live or rigged): For quality fish, particularly at night. Fish slow, work structure, be patient. This isn't a numbers game - it's about targeting bigger fish.
SURF FORECAST & ANALYSIS
Friday, November 28: Blown out. West winds 25-30 knots gusting to 35. Ocean 5-8 feet, occasionally 10. Short period swell from the west. Whitewash, confusion, unfishable. Stay home.
Saturday, November 29: Improving significantly. Winds 15-20 knots becoming 10-15 by afternoon. Swell dropping to 3-5 feet. Offshore winds as swell arrives - this is key. Clean water, manageable waves, feeding fish. This is your prime day. Surf forecast shows 2.5-3 feet, which is perfect for fishing.
Sunday, November 30: Building conditions. South winds increasing 15-20 knots. Swell building to 4-6 feet. Showers developing throughout the day. Morning window looks good - clean water, offshore winds initially. Afternoon deteriorates as winds go onshore and rain moves in. Fish the morning, call it early.
Monday, December 1: Post-frontal. Northwest winds 15-20 knots. Swell 4-6 feet but cleaning up. Offshore winds again. Good fishing conditions, particularly in the morning.
Water temperature's in the upper 40s to low 50s, which is cold but not shut-down cold. We're seeing the seasonal decline, but the fish are still here. The bunker are still moving west. The bite's still happening. We've got a window - maybe two weeks, maybe three - before winter shuts everything down.
STEVE'S GAME PLAN
Saturday: This is your day. Get to the beach early - dawn patrol. Winds are offshore, swell's manageable, water's clean. Fish will be feeding after yesterday's blow. Start with the western beaches (Robert Moses to Jones Beach) where the action's been most consistent. Have multiple lures rigged - shads, poppers, metals. Be mobile, cover water, find the fish.
Sunday Morning: Another window before conditions deteriorate. Early start is critical - you want to be fishing at first light. Offshore winds initially, then switching onshore. Fish the morning tide, then get off the beach before the rain moves in.
Monday: Post-frontal conditions. Northwest winds, offshore again. This could be excellent. Fish are often active after a front passes. Focus on structure - jetties, groins, inlet mouths.
General Strategy: Find the bait, find the fish. When you see birds working, get there. When you see bait in the wash, get a lure in front of it. Be mobile - don't sit in one spot if it's not producing. Cover water, explore, adapt. The fish are here, but you need to find them.
THE REAL TALK
Look, I'm not gonna sugarcoat it - we're in the final stretch of the season. The water's cold, the weather's getting rougher, and the fish are going to start their winter migration soon. But right now, right this moment, there are striped bass swimming along our beaches. Quality fish. Fish worth chasing.
The boat guys are having a field day because they can get to the fish that are just out of our casting range. That's frustrating, but it's the game we play. When the fish come within range - and they do - we get our shots. And when we connect, it's worth all the cold mornings and fishless days.
This weekend offers a solid weather window. Saturday's looking prime - offshore winds, clean water, manageable swell. That's when you want to be on the beach. Sunday morning offers another window. Monday looks good for post-frontal action.
I've been surfcasting these beaches for years, and I've learned that the best fishermen aren't the ones with the most expensive gear or the secret spots. They're the ones who show up, put in the time, adapt to conditions, and keep casting even when it's cold and the fish aren't cooperating. That's the game.
We've got a few weeks left. Maybe less, maybe a little more. But the fish are still here. The bunker are still moving. The bite's still happening. Bundle up, check the forecast, grab your gear, and get to the beach. Winter's coming, but it ain't here yet.
Tight lines and clean waves,
Surf City Steve
Robert Moses to Southampton
SURF CONDITIONS - TODAY'S A NO-GO Yo, what's good surf crew! Let me save you a trip to the beach today - it's blown out. We're looking at west winds 25-30 knots with gusts pushing 35, and the ocean's responding with 5-8 foot seas, occasionally hitting 10. The surf's a churned-up mess of whitewash and confusion. Even if you could cast into this wind (you can't), the fish aren't feeding in these conditions.
But here's the silver lining: these late November blows set up excellent fishing for the following day. Saturday's forecast shows winds backing off significantly - 15-20 knots becoming 10-15 by afternoon. Seas will drop to 3-5 feet with offshore winds as the swell arrives. That's prime time for surf fishing, and that's when you want to be on the beach.
THE STRIPER SITUATION - STILL IN THE GAME The fall run's still happening, and that's the headline. We're in late November, the water's cold, and we're supposed to be winding down. But the fish didn't get the memo. Stripers from schoolie size up to 20 pounds are still being taken all along the beach from Robert Moses to Southampton.
The pattern's been sporadic but productive. We're not seeing the consistent blitzes we had in October, but when the fish show up, it's game on. The issue right now is that the fish are often just out of casting range. Boat guys are picking away at a decent wave of bass that's passing by offshore, while we're watching from the beach. It's frustrating as hell, but it's part of the surf game.
When the fish do come within range - and they do - it's been a mixed bag of productivity. Swimmers are working, metals are working, topwater plugs are working. The key is having multiple options rigged and ready, because the fish are telling you what they want on any given day.
The bunker movement has been the main driver of fish activity. Bait of all sizes is moving west along the beach, and the stripers are following. When you find birds working, you've found your spot. When you see bait in the wash, get a lure in front of it. The fish are feeding opportunistically, hitting whatever's available.
ZONE BREAKDOWN - ROBERT MOSES TO SOUTHAMPTON Robert Moses to Jones Beach (Western Zone):
The western beaches have been seeing the most consistent action. Bass are chasing bunker pods, and when the bait comes within casting range, the fishing's been excellent. The pattern's been best on the moving tide, particularly the outgoing when bait gets swept along the beach.
Large shads - 6 to 9 inches - have been the most productive lure. White, bunker patterns, and chartreuse are all working. Poppers are producing when fish are up and feeding aggressively, which has been happening on calm mornings. Metals - Kastmasters, Hopkins, Deadly Dicks - are working when you need distance or when fish are deeper in the water column.
The jetties and groins have been holding fish, particularly around the tide changes. Work the structure thoroughly - cast parallel to the rocks, work the pockets, hit the deeper water on the ocean side. Fish are using these structures as ambush points.
Fire Island to Moriches (Central Zone):
The central beaches have been fishing, but the action's been more spread out than in the western zone. You need to cover water and find the fish. The old "fish where you parked" approach isn't working - you need to walk, explore, and adapt.
When you find bait, work it hard. The fish are there, but they're not always feeding aggressively. Sometimes you need to make multiple casts to the same spot before a fish commits. Persistence pays off.
The inlets - Fire Island, Moriches - have been productive on the outgoing tide. Fish stage just outside the inlet mouth and in the channel, feeding on bait that gets swept out. The current's been strong, so you need heavy jigs or bucktails to maintain bottom contact. This is technical fishing, but it produces quality fish.
Shinnecock to Southampton (Eastern Zone):
The eastern beaches are still producing, giving surfcasters a last bit of action before winter. The fish are running from schoolies to the occasional 20-pounder, with most in the 24-30 inch range. These are solid fish, and they're catchable if you put in the time.
Shinnecock Inlet has been productive, particularly on the outgoing tide. The current rips through there, so heavy gear is necessary. Bucktails, large shads, and eels are all working. The fish are feeding in the current, so you need to get your lure down and keep it in the strike zone.
The beaches east of the inlet have been seeing sporadic action. It's not consistent, but when it happens, it's worth it. Early morning and late evening have been the most productive times, with some nighttime action for those willing to brave the cold.
LURE SELECTION & TECHNIQUES Large Shads (6-9 inches): These have been the workhorses. White, bunker patterns, chartreuse. Retrieve varies based on conditions - slow and steady in calm water, faster and more erratic in rough water. Work the entire water column until you find where fish are feeding.
Poppers: For when fish are up and feeding aggressively. Early morning on calm days has been prime time. Walk-the-dog retrieve, create commotion, trigger reaction strikes. Have one rigged and ready.
Metals (Kastmasters, Hopkins, Deadly Dicks): For distance and for deeper fish. 2-4 ounces depending on conditions. Cast, let sink, retrieve with sharp jigs to imitate fleeing baitfish. Work fast, cover water, find active fish.
Bucktails: For inlet fishing and deeper water. 2-4 ounces with a teaser. Bounce bottom, maintain contact, work the current. This is old-school effective.
Eels (live or rigged): For quality fish, particularly at night. Fish slow, work structure, be patient. This isn't a numbers game - it's about targeting bigger fish.
SURF FORECAST & ANALYSIS Friday, November 28: Blown out. West winds 25-30 knots gusting to 35. Ocean 5-8 feet, occasionally 10. Short period swell from the west. Whitewash, confusion, unfishable. Stay home.
Saturday, November 29: Improving significantly. Winds 15-20 knots becoming 10-15 by afternoon. Swell dropping to 3-5 feet. Offshore winds as swell arrives - this is key. Clean water, manageable waves, feeding fish. This is your prime day. Surf forecast shows 2.5-3 feet, which is perfect for fishing.
Sunday, November 30: Building conditions. South winds increasing 15-20 knots. Swell building to 4-6 feet. Showers developing throughout the day. Morning window looks good - clean water, offshore winds initially. Afternoon deteriorates as winds go onshore and rain moves in. Fish the morning, call it early.
Monday, December 1: Post-frontal. Northwest winds 15-20 knots. Swell 4-6 feet but cleaning up. Offshore winds again. Good fishing conditions, particularly in the morning.
Water temperature's in the upper 40s to low 50s, which is cold but not shut-down cold. We're seeing the seasonal decline, but the fish are still here. The bunker are still moving west. The bite's still happening. We've got a window - maybe two weeks, maybe three - before winter shuts everything down.
STEVE'S GAME PLAN Saturday: This is your day. Get to the beach early - dawn patrol. Winds are offshore, swell's manageable, water's clean. Fish will be feeding after yesterday's blow. Start with the western beaches (Robert Moses to Jones Beach) where the action's been most consistent. Have multiple lures rigged - shads, poppers, metals. Be mobile, cover water, find the fish.
Sunday Morning: Another window before conditions deteriorate. Early start is critical - you want to be fishing at first light. Offshore winds initially, then switching onshore. Fish the morning tide, then get off the beach before the rain moves in.
Monday: Post-frontal conditions. Northwest winds, offshore again. This could be excellent. Fish are often active after a front passes. Focus on structure - jetties, groins, inlet mouths.
General Strategy: Find the bait, find the fish. When you see birds working, get there. When you see bait in the wash, get a lure in front of it. Be mobile - don't sit in one spot if it's not producing. Cover water, explore, adapt. The fish are here, but you need to find them.
THE REAL TALK Look, I'm not gonna sugarcoat it - we're in the final stretch of the season. The water's cold, the weather's getting rougher, and the fish are going to start their winter migration soon. But right now, right this moment, there are striped bass swimming along our beaches. Quality fish. Fish worth chasing.
The boat guys are having a field day because they can get to the fish that are just out of our casting range. That's frustrating, but it's the game we play. When the fish come within range - and they do - we get our shots. And when we connect, it's worth all the cold mornings and fishless days.
This weekend offers a solid weather window. Saturday's looking prime - offshore winds, clean water, manageable swell. That's when you want to be on the beach. Sunday morning offers another window. Monday looks good for post-frontal action.
I've been surfcasting these beaches for years, and I've learned that the best fishermen aren't the ones with the most expensive gear or the secret spots. They're the ones who show up, put in the time, adapt to conditions, and keep casting even when it's cold and the fish aren't cooperating. That's the game.
We've got a few weeks left. Maybe less, maybe a little more. But the fish are still here. The bunker are still moving. The bite's still happening. Bundle up, check the forecast, grab your gear, and get to the beach. Winter's coming, but it ain't here yet.
Tight lines and clean waves,
Surf City Steve
Robert Moses to Southampton
