Albies Blitz Long Island Ahead of Nor'easter's Push
Water off Montauk sat at 67.3°F this week (NOAA CO-OPS station 8510560), still warm enough to keep the fall run's headline act rolling through the surf. False albacore have taken over the East End: White Water Outfitters in Hampton Bays reports good numbers around Shinnecock Inlet on small metals and epoxy jigs, Tight Lines Tackle in Southampton calls albies "plentiful" around Montauk and Shinnecock, and On The Water's September 24 Long Island report notes albies pushing off both forks. River Bay Outfitters in Baldwin says fly anglers are finding them on sparse baitfish patterns and long casts from the South Shore to Montauk, while WeGo Bait and Tackle on the North Fork has them showing on small resin jigs along the Sound side. Striped bass are building behind them — On The Water notes stripers "becoming more active" in Long Island Sound, and Cow Harbor Bait and Tackle describes a strengthening after-dark bite from Asharoken east toward Sunken Meadow, with fish in the 10- to 20-pound range on bunker chunks and live eels. Bluefish remain a dependable backup from Point Lookout to the West End, and fluke are still filling coolers on the South Shore this late in the season, per Ebb Tide and Double D Charters out of Montauk, where a double-digit fish came over the rail Friday.
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What's biting
What's next
The next 2-3 days hinge on the nor'easter The Fisherman (Northeast) flagged in its September 24 Long Island forecast, which is moving through the region and could keep boats tied up for a stretch. That's not bad news once it clears: Double D Charters in Montauk expects striped bass action to "break wide open" once the northeast wind settles down, and with this week's Full Moon already stacking extra water and bait, the days right behind the blow are worth planning around for both the albie blitz and an accelerating bass push. Double D also notes early October bass dates on the East End are already filling up, a sign captains expect the migration to build quickly from here.
Inshore, look for bluefish and fluke to hold steady through the rough weather, then for weakfish to keep filling in after dark as water continues to cool, per Taylor Renee Charters and Miller Place Bait and Tackle. On the North Shore, gear is being prepped for the blackfish debut, but that bite has not opened yet — Shamrock Charterboat and Angler Fleet are both still waiting on the season to start.
Context
This is peak fall-run timing for Long Island and Montauk: false albacore arriving in force as bait pushes out of the back bays, and striped bass in the early stages of their southbound migration, a pattern that typically accelerates through October as water keeps cooling. The wider Northeast fall run has been described as a slow starter this year, but Long Island's mix of albies, holdover fluke and a building bass bite suggests the region is tracking on schedule rather than lagging behind it. Blackfish season remains a few weeks off locally, with North Shore boats still in the prep stage ahead of the debut.
Synthesized from real-time NOAA buoy data, USGS stream gauges, and current reports across regional fishing blogs, captain updates, and angler forums. Check local regulations before keeping fish. Never trust a single source for a trip decision.
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