July is one of the most exciting months for fishing in Long Island. Warm water temperatures, abundant bait, and a wide variety of fish create outstanding opportunities from the back bays to the offshore canyons. Whether you’re drifting the local reefs for fluke, working bunker schools for striped bass, or running offshore in search of giant bluefin tuna, July offers something for every fisherman.
Fluke are a summer favorite of South Shore fishing during July. With warmer water temps, large numbers of fluke settle onto sandy bottoms, channel edges, wrecks, and artificial reefs throughout the region, like Shinnecock Reef just southwest of the inlet.
Moriches Bay, Shinnecock Bay, Fire Island Inlet, and the numerous ocean reefs located just a few miles offshore. Anglers drifting bucktails tipped with Gulp or Fishbite baits, squid strips, or spearing see consistent action all through July. Later in the month, as snappers show up in the bays, they are an excellent bait as well. Take note that snapper are in fact bluefish and there is a 5-fish daily limit.
July is also the month when doormats begin to show up in deeper waters and off Montauk. Targeting fluke on deeper structure is your best bet at the elusive double-digit flattie.
While the migration of stripers has passed by most of the north and south shores, July can still provide excellent opportunities for dedicated fishermen. Early mornings, evenings, and nighttime tides are often the most productive periods as bass seek cooler water and actively feed on abundant baitfish. You will have to compete during the day with cocktail blues.
Bunker schools frequently hold striped bass along the beaches and near the inlets. Live-lining bunker, fishing fresh chunks, and casting large swimming and surface plugs remain productive techniques. During periods of strong current, bucktails and soft plastics fished around inlet rocks and bridge structures can produce quality fish.
The western South Shore beaches, as well as the waters surrounding Fire Island, Moriches Inlet, and Shinnecock Inlet, continue to attract bass throughout the month. Anglers willing to fish after dark often experience some of the most consistent action of the summer season. If you strike out with the bass that should be feeding on a bunker pod, don’t be surprised to cross paths with a shark or two.
For anglers looking to fill the cooler, black sea bass are among the most dependable species available during July. These aggressive bottom fish inhabit wrecks, rock piles, reefs, and hard-bottom structure throughout the South Shore’s nearshore waters. Bring a small cooler, though, because limits remain at 3 fish at a 16-inch minimum.
Sea bass fishing is ideal for families and anglers of all skill levels because action is often fast and steady. Traditional hi-lo rigs baited with squid strips, clam, or spearing remain effective, while jigs tipped with soft plastics have become increasingly popular, along with small diamond jigs with a green tube.
Many of the artificial reefs located off Long Island’s South Shore hold large populations of sea bass throughout the summer. Anglers targeting deeper wrecks frequently catch jumbo sea bass while also encountering porgies, triggerfish (may have to wait until August for triggers with water temps starting so low this year), and the occasional keeper fluke.
The excellent table quality of black sea bass makes them one of the most sought-after species during the summer months.
One of the most exciting developments in recent years has been the abundance of bluefin tuna found surprisingly close to Long Island’s shoreline. During July, schools of bluefin often feed on sand eels, squid, mackerel, and bunker within relatively short runs from South Shore ports. A solid bite of bluefin hunkered down 10-12 miles from most of the eastern inlets last July.
Captree, Freeport, Moriches, and Shinnecock regularly encounter tuna in waters ranging from 10 to 40 miles offshore. Surface feeds can erupt without warning, creating spectacular opportunities for fishermen casting poppers, stickbaits, and epoxy jigs.
When tuna are focused on smaller bait, vertical jigging and casting techniques can be extremely effective. The visual excitement of watching a 100-pound bluefin explode on a topwater lure is an experience that keeps anglers returning year after year.
Success often depends on locating bird activity, bait concentrations, and temperature breaks. Electronics, radar, and current fishing reports play an important role in finding productive water.
For those willing to make longer runs, all the way to Hudson Canyon, there are much bigger pelagics. Be prepared, have a plan. It’s truly an experience being that far out. When targeting tuna along offshore temperature breaks, canyon edges, and productive feeding zones south of Long Island.
Fish ranging from school-sized tuna to giants exceeding several hundred pounds may be encountered. Trolling spreader bars, cedar plugs, and skirted ballyhoo remains a proven tactic, while chunking and jigging can produce outstanding results when tuna are concentrated.
The offshore grounds frequently attract a variety of additional pelagic species, including mahi-mahi, yellowfin tuna, and occasional bigeye tuna. This diversity makes every offshore trip an adventure.
Weather windows become especially important during July, and successful offshore captains closely monitor forecasts to maximize both safety and fishing opportunities.
The South Shore of Long Island offers one of the most diverse saltwater fisheries in the Northeast, and July showcases that diversity at its finest. An angler can spend the morning drifting for fluke, switch to sea bass on a nearby wreck, chase striped bass during the evening tide, and run offshore for bluefin tuna when conditions allow.
With healthy bait populations, warm summer weather, and a wide range of available species, July remains a favorite month among local fishermen. Whether fishing from a private boat, a kayak, the beach, or aboard a charter vessel, the opportunities are nearly endless.
For anglers seeking action, variety, and the chance at a trophy catch, few places can rival the South Shore of Long Island during the heart of summer.