Stripers Dominate Long Island as Canyon Tuna Bite Kicks Into July

What's biting

What's next

With a waning gibbous moon on July 2, tidal exchanges are running strong and the nights still carry enough ambient light to keep surf anglers active along the oceanfront. Incoming tide windows at Shinnecock Inlet have been consistently productive for striped bass, per The Fisherman — Long Island Surf, with bucktails, swim shads, and eels accounting for the best action in the early-morning and after-dark hours. White Water Outfitters notes the Ponquogue Bridge area is also beginning to produce a few fluke on bucktail-and-Gulp combinations. Both windows should hold through the Independence Day weekend.

Striper fishing looks positioned to stay strong across the board into early July. East End sources from The Fisherman — Long Island East End confirm fish are spread from Montauk Point west through Southwest Ledge, held by large squid concentrations along the local rips. On the North Shore, Hi-Hook Bait and Tackle and Campsite Sport Shop in Huntington both report bass stacking at Eaton's Neck, buoy 15, and the Triangle, with trolling Mojo's, umbrella rigs, flutter spoons, and diamond jigs all producing slot-sized fish. Night-bite sessions at the South Shore inlets — eels, live spot, and bunker chunks — should remain reliable as long as bait holds in the water column.

Fluke action should continue to build. Chasing Tails Bait & Tackle in Oakdale notes flatties are now spreading beyond the channels into established summer staging areas, and The Fisherman — Long Island West End reports Sea Rogue Charters found ocean keepers to 4 pounds with a steady pick of ling and sea bass mixed in. Bay anglers still contending with a high ratio of shorts are encouraged to push toward inlet mouths and deeper channel edges, where keeper ratios should gradually improve as July water temperatures take hold.

Offshore, the timing is ideal heading into the holiday weekend. OTW Saltwater's July 1 Northeast Offshore Report describes tuna fishing as "on fire from Maryland to New England," with favorable canyon water conditions continuing to support the bite. West Atlantis is the standout right now — multiple East End marina sources in The Fisherman — Long Island East End report yellowfin tuna to 90 pounds, bigeye tuna, and the occasional swordfish. One critical regulatory note for offshore anglers: per On The Water — New York / Long Island, the Southern New England trophy bluefin tuna fishery closes effective July 3. Confirm current federal regulations before departing the dock.

Context

Long Island's early July typically marks a meaningful transition in the regional fishery. Spring-run stripers that pushed inshore through May and June begin dispersing toward deeper, cooler rips and oceanfront habitat, while summer staples — fluke, sea bass, porgy, and offshore tuna — take over as primary targets. This year the transition appears to be tracking close to historical norms, with the offshore canyon push arriving on a particularly strong note.

One notable theme running through the recent intel is that water temperatures stayed cooler than average through much of June. The Fisherman (Northeast)'s June 25 video forecast observed that the striper bite in Long Island Sound and around the East End remained exceptional with fish holding in areas they typically vacate earlier in warmer seasons. That cooler baseline likely explains why the Montauk Point bass bite has stayed red-hot into the first week of July rather than dispersing as it sometimes does by late June.

Fluke fishing appears to have run slightly behind schedule this year. Multiple South and West End sources noted the season "finally kicking" in the final days of June as water temperatures rose — in a typical year bay keepers start showing reliably around mid-to-late June. The catch-up is now clearly underway, and the ocean bite should normalize quickly as summer heat takes hold through July.

The offshore canyon picture is shaping up as a strong early-July benchmark. Yellowfin tuna to 90 pounds at West Atlantis, bigeyes, and swordfish in the mix represent a healthy cross-section of what these grounds can produce when conditions align in early summer, consistent with what the region typically expects by the first week of July in a productive offshore year.