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.
Eastern Zone: Montauk to Shinnecock 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.
Central Zone: Fire Island to Moriches The 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.
Western Zone: Long Beach to Rockaway The 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.
The Arsenal So what's working? It's all about matching the hatch. The bait is small, so you need to be throwing small lures. Deadly Dicks, Joe Baggs resin jigs, and small diamond jigs are all working well. For the bigger bass, live eels are the way to go. And don't forget the old reliable bucktail jig. It's a classic for a reason.
The 7-Day Forecast The 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
Eastern Zone: Montauk to Shinnecock 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.
Central Zone: Fire Island to Moriches The 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.
Western Zone: Long Beach to Rockaway The 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.
The Arsenal So what's working? It's all about matching the hatch. The bait is small, so you need to be throwing small lures. Deadly Dicks, Joe Baggs resin jigs, and small diamond jigs are all working well. For the bigger bass, live eels are the way to go. And don't forget the old reliable bucktail jig. It's a classic for a reason.
The 7-Day Forecast The 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
Last edited by a moderator:
