Montauk Bass Bite Firing on Squid and Sand Eels as South Shore Fluke Improve

What's biting

What's next

With the Montauk striper bite running strong heading into the final week of June, the short-term outlook favors continued action for anglers who can work the rips and structure early. The first quarter moon this week means moderate tidal exchanges, not the ripping spring tides that accompany a full moon, but enough current movement to concentrate baitfish on the points, shoals, and channel edges. Dawn and dusk windows remain the most reliable for surface and shallow presentations; once the sun climbs, fish tend to drop or move to deeper structure.

On The Water's June 19 migration map notes that bigger bass are now concentrating on sand eels, squid, bunker, and herring as the season shifts from spring migration to summer residency. That bait-forage lock is a reliable pattern: match the hatch and stay close to areas where current is pushing baitfish schools. Chunking squid or live-lining near the Montauk rips has been the go-to approach per On The Water's June 18 report, and both should remain productive through the weekend.

Fluke fishing in the South Shore bays and Peconics is trending upward. Over the next 48 to 72 hours, if wind stays light, expect the keeper bite to continue improving as midday warmth pushes fish off the flats and into deeper channel edges where drifting bucktails and Gulp-tipped rigs have historically produced. Bay drifts are most effective on a gentle wind tide with minimal chop.

Bluefish should be a near-certainty along the ocean beaches as midsummer arrives; they typically follow the same bait schools the stripers are keyed on. With the NY DEC's updated 5-fish bag limit (no size minimum) now in effect, anglers looking for table fare have a relaxed target. Scup fishing over structure and wrecks provides consistent light-tackle action and a strong midday backup when the bass bite quiets.

Worth monitoring closely: On The Water has reported giant bluefin tuna appearing within sight of land off New York City, an exceptional offshore opportunity for equipped boats. If those fish hold in the area through the weekend, the window is narrow and worth prioritizing.

The Saltwater Edge Blog out of Rhode Island notes that cooler-than-expected water temperatures have been holding through the region this June, a condition that typically extends the quality striper window. If those temps persist along Long Island's south coast, expect the Montauk bite to stay reliable into early July rather than fading with summer heat.

Context

Late June marks the traditional pivot for Long Island saltwater fishing, when the spring striper migration gives way to a resident summer pattern. Larger fish settle around offshore structure, the rips off Montauk Point, and the canyon edge approaches, while a portion of the run continues northeast toward New England. On The Water's June 19 migration map explicitly notes this seasonal shift: bigger bass concentrating on forage rather than transiting, which is consistent with what is typically expected in the third week of June.

Fluke season is at or near its peak window through late June and into July. The South Shore bays and Peconic estuary system are traditional producer grounds at this time of year, with the best keeper action typically coming as bay water temperatures climb and fish push onto the mid-bay channel edges.

The NY DEC newsletters this season flagged multiple regulatory adjustments, including black sea bass regulation changes, a revised bluefish bag limit, and the opening of recreational scup and summer flounder seasons. These fall in line with the typical late-spring-to-summer regulatory calendar for New York marine waters. Anglers should verify current rules directly with NY DEC Saltwater Fishing and Boating before keeping fish, as in-season adjustments have been active this year.

The appearance of bluefin tuna in nearshore New York waters, as reported by On The Water, is historically not unprecedented for late June. The species has been documented moving close to the beach while targeting bait migrations, but it remains an exceptional rather than routine occurrence and conditions shift quickly.

One honest caveat: no environmental buoy or gauge data was available for this report cycle, so we cannot confirm current water temperatures against historical averages or characterize this season as early, late, or on-schedule from a temperature standpoint. The Saltwater Edge Blog's Rhode Island reading of cooler-than-normal late-June temps is the closest available regional signal, but conditions can vary substantially across the 100-plus miles from Block Island Sound to the western South Shore bays.