Stripers start showing on Long Island beaches after the nor'easter
Striped bass are starting to show on Long Island's beaches after last week's nor'easter, with NOAA station 8510560 reading 65.3°F. Tight Lines Tackle on the South Fork reports stripers caught off Montauk Point on bucktails before the storm, and expects the storm-damaged beaches to fish well as conditions settle. Ebb Tide in East End says stripers have already started showing along the beaches. The Fisherman's Long Island video forecast has better striped bass along the eastern beaches, and back bays are producing fish as conditions improve. On The Water says the bass have woken up, though the storm scattered the false albacore. Fluke are still around: Captain Dave III runs daily fluke trips from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. On the North Shore, Shamrock Charterboat in New Rochelle reported big weakfish aboard on a windy Monday trip.
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What's biting
What's next
Expect the bite to build as the water settles. Tight Lines Tackle expects the cuts, bars and troughs the storm left on the East End beaches to become productive once conditions calm, and White Water Outfitters in Hampton Bays says the upcoming moon has historically brought a striper push into the Shinnecock area. Water temps of 65 to 67°F across the three NOAA stations are what shops are counting on to move fish in.
On the South Shore, Fishfinder II says bay fluke were very good before the storm and may have pushed toward inlets, cuts and channels, though quality fish should remain in the bays. River Bay Outfitters in Baldwin reports fluke on the fly have been good over shallow flats and sandy areas, but fish may move out after the storm. Captree Bait and Tackle expects the bite to bounce back by the weekend. Captain Dave III targets bluefish Friday and Saturday nights from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. until November, and Shinnecock Star keeps chasing fluke through the October 15 close.
Plan around the tides. Station 8510560 has its next high at 3:39 a.m. EDT and its next low at 10:21 a.m. EDT. Station 8516945 has a high at 6:17 a.m. and a low at 12:52 p.m. EDT. Check state regs before harvesting any fish.
Context
Early October sits in the fall transition on eastern Long Island. Stripers typically move into the surf and bays as the water cools and bait pushes through, which matches what shops and charters describe after this storm. Bluefish and striped bass typically overlap through the fall, so night bluefish trips and daytime bass fishing can run side by side this month. False albacore usually hold near the bait offshore as the water cools, so a settled stretch of weather matters more than any single good tide. Fluke typically drift from the bays toward the inlets as the season closes.
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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