What a great month for fishing July is. For striper obsessed anglers like me, it’s a transition. Most of the Long Island waters have gotten too warm for a consistent and dependable striper bite except for Montauk. There’s still bass and blues around but most of the herd has made their move east and north. The urgency to catch those big cows that graced our shores in June turns to catching smaller bass and the occasional over in the inlets and back bays and while the bunker pods are still around. The bass and blues aren’t the only ones picking away at those pods.
An aggressive and delicious southern visitor that’s making Long Island a regular stop each summer is cobia. It’s become less of a head scratcher catch on the western and central south shore and almost a dependable species to target in July and August. They’re not easy to catch with their speed of attack, but when you are lucky enough to hook one it’s an amazing fight. I really hope they push a bit further east this July and give anglers from Smith Point to Montauk some memorable catches.
Also on the pods are sharks. There’s been a bunch of new regulations for shark fishing set forth this past April. Non stainless steel, non-offset circle hooks must be used, no longer than an 18-inch metal leader if targeting sharks by shore and a long list of prohibited and allowed species. Know the rules before you try for a shark by visiting the New York State DEC site. Common thresher sharks are allowable and one of the most popular species to target and there’s plenty of fishing tales out there of catching them when not targeting them. Their proximity to shore and feeding on bunker stunned by their whipping tail make them accessible. Be careful though, bunker aren’t the only thing they’ll whip that tail at and it’s going to hurt if they get you while trying to land one.
It’s not just whales and dolphins that have wowed all of us in recent years just off our beaches but also Giant Bluefin Tuna. During June’s spectacular striper fishing when the enormous bunker pods too, there were a number of striper anglers outgunned on their gear but enjoyed a spooling by 500-pound class fish. While the giants have moved on for the most part by July, smaller bluefin along with yellowfin tuna are on the chew and it doesn’t take a trip all the way to the edge to catch them. Mid shore wrecks like Coimbra come alive in July. 30-40 mile runs instead of 100-120 mile runs make a tuna trip doable for many that couldn’t make those further runs. While trolling is still a pretty popular way to catch these tuna, using jigs and poppers on beefed up spinning gear has really gained popularity year after year. The adrenaline rush is unmatched to have an 80–120-pound tuna smash a popper. It’s not a bad idea to stuff the live well with peanut bunker which is easy to find in creeks and back bay spots. Tossing a handful out to catch the tuna’s interest is going to make those poppers and jigs that much more appealing.
On the inshore front for bottom fishing, it is prime time for fluke. The bite’s been solid and improving through June but kind of confined to more bay fishing. July is the time for big doormats in the ocean. A high low rig with bucktails tipped with fish bites or gulp is the way to go. With the scent soaked into these artificial baits they’ve been outfishing spearing and smelts for years. One exception though when doormat hunting is using snappers, dead or live. Seabass and porgies are on the chew as well and often by catch when drifting for fluke.
While the adrenaline rush of a tuna, or a 50-pound striper in Montauk sticks in most angler’s minds when fishing in July there’s a lot more memories made. Summer vacation time being in full swing, warm days and plenty of fish of all varieties present the opportunity to fish with friends and family that typically don’t fish. It’s a great time of year to take younger kids for a half day trip on a head boat or charter. It’s even a better time to take out those friends that don’t fish much but have always wanted to.
Catch ‘em up!