Saltwater fishing around Long Island shifts into high gear as the calendar turns to June. With warming water temperatures, more bait, and the striper migration in full swing, June offers one of the most productive and exciting months to be fishing. It is a saltwater playground, from the surf to the bays and offshore waters.
Even though there has been some good fishing in the last two months, June marks the true beginning of the season. Water temps along the north and south shores typically rise into the mid-60s to low 70s, making things very inviting for stripers, bluefish, fluke, porgies and seabass, which can be targeted on the 23rd. Later this month, the first shot at tuna offshore rolls around.
June is a banner month for striped bass fishing on Long Island. Migrating fish are on the move and resident fish populate the bays and estuaries. It is the one month of the year when trophy-size stripers can be caught from the tip of western Long Island in the NY Bight all the way to Montauk. The June full moon (June 11th) is one of the most productive moons for big fish in the Mecca, also known as Montauk. The July full moon may receive some more hype and fanfare, but the strawberry moon is not one to let pass by. I was lucky enough to have heard of an open boat trip aboard Grand Slam Charters a dozen years ago, with Captain Tom Mikoleski’s decree that June’s full moon is one of the most important ones that gets the least attention. Drifting eels on circle hooks from sunset to dark on an incoming tide has made for some of my most memorable catches. Captain Tom has since moved down to Florida, but there are a handful of charters that still offer this type of tri
You don’t need to just be in Montauk, across the south shore working bunker pods during the day and plugs by shore at night is sure to land a trophy when fishing around this full moon.
June is also prime time for big bluefish. Known for savage strikes and a relentless fighting spirit, blues can be found patrolling the same areas as striped bass. These toothy predators can be caught on topwater lures, jigs, and chunked bunker. Come to this battle prepared, as they live up to their reputation as tackle busters. There is no need for treble hooks as a single-tail hook on a popper or tin will do. As table fare, they rank at the bottom, except for a small few that have mastered a smoked bluefish dip. This is fishing for adrenaline and doing battle with pound-for-pound one of the best grapplers in our waters. Have extra leader material, plugs, diamond jigs and a fish gripper close by. Check leaders often to avoid heartbreak and take extra care in landing these bruisers. The goal is to catch fish, have fun and all your fingers by the time the bluefish leave.
Fluke fishing is only going to improve in the second month of the season. As bottom-dwelling ambush predators, fluke favor sandy flats, channel edges, and structure-rich areas where they can lie in wait for prey. The keeper to short ratio gets much better in June with warmer waters and more fish moving in from offshore. Fishbites and Gulp will usually outperform frozen spearing or Peruvian smelts. In the past few seasons, shore-based fluking has become popular. All that’s needed is a light tackle spinning setup and a single one or one and a half ounce bucktail tipped with gulp. You can up the odds with a dropper loop about 6-12 inches above the bucktail with a single hook also tipped with Gulp or Fishbites and target troughs along the beach from the top of incoming through the middle of outgoing on a slow retrieve along the bottom.
Porgies are in season and while overlooked, are a versatile fish. They’re present on just about any structure and easily caught with a small piece of clam. With a 9.5-inch minimum size by shore and 11-inch minimum by boat, with a bag limit of 30, they can be dinner, bait, or just a great way to bend a rod on a tough trip. They are delicious scaled and grilled whole, their filets fried or grilled, and trophy-sized stripers can’t say no to them when drifted on a circle hook. You will need a good number of them to make a meal, so when fishing a charter or party boat, be sure to take care of the mates as they clean a big Ziplock of white flakey and tasty filets.
The summer doldrums are about a month away. Enjoy the incredible variety and bounty while you can!