Montauk
The Point · Block Island Sound
Long Island, NY, USA
Open live forecast →Target species: Striper and Bluefish.
Weekly AI Outlook as of 06/05/26
Prime early June striper fishing with water temperatures climbing into the mid-60s and stable conditions through Friday before weekend winds pick up. This is peak season for Montauk's legendary cow bass, with both day and night opportunities strong. Focus dawn and dusk surface action early in the week, then transition to deeper presentations as winds build Saturday. Large hollow fleyes and deceiver patterns are the ticket for the bigger fish moving through the rips.
- Surf: Manageable conditions through Friday with 13-18mph winds, then building to 22mph weekend — plan early week surface sessions
- Activity: Peak cow striper season with large bass in the rips — dawn surface feeds and night fishing both productive
- Water Temp: Mid-60s — optimal range for aggressive feeding behavior, stable temperatures throughout the water column
- Best Window: Dawn surface action through Friday, night fishing heats up as June progresses — avoid weekend afternoon winds
Generated weekly from live USGS gauge readings, weather forecasts, and recent fly shop reports. Updates Friday mornings.
About this Water
- Coastal Flats
- Best months: May–Nov, peak Oct
Montauk Point — 'the End' — is the legendary focal point of northeastern striper fishing. Striped bass, bluefish, and false albacore congregate around the rocky point, lighthouse rips, and Montauk Inlet from May through November. October brings a spectacular convergence of migratory fish, swirling gannets, and salty nor'easters that defines what striper fishing on the fly is all about.
Montauk's fall blitz — bass, blues, and albacore pushing bait to the surface simultaneously around the lighthouse point — is one of the great spectacles of East Coast striper fishing.
January Outlook
January is the deep off-season at Montauk. The striper migration has ended and virtually no stripers are present. The beach fishing and rip fishing are closed for the season in practical terms. However, January does offer consistent cod and pollock fishing from charter boats in the deeper offshore water. Winter blackfish (tautog) on the rocky bottom near the point are a popular alternative for local anglers. A handful of dedicated surfcasters check the point for any winter holdover bass, but results are rare.
Productive Patterns
- Bucktail (cod/pollock)
- Diamond Jig (sea bass)
- Crab/Clam (tautog)
- Herring Fly (cod)
Tips
January Montauk is for offshore groundfishing rather than stripers. Charter boats run cod and pollock trips to Butterfish Hole and Cox's Ledge when weather permits. Tautog (blackfish) on the rocky reef near the point can be excellent for gear anglers. Check conditions carefully — January weather on the east end is harsh.
Water Notes
Water 38-43°F. Too cold for striper. Cod and pollock active in deeper offshore water. Heavy NW and NE winds dominate. January is primarily an offshore groundfish month.
February Outlook
February remains firmly off-season for stripers at Montauk. The water is at its coldest of the year and no meaningful bass are present inshore. Winter offshore fishing continues with cod and pollock. The occasional holdover striper in the harbor is rare enough to make news among local anglers. Sea ducks are a common sight off the point. By late February the first hints of spring are discussed in the tackle shops but the fish are still weeks away.
Productive Patterns
- Diamond Jig (pollock offshore)
- Bucktail (cod)
- Crab Pattern (tautog, rocky structure)
- Sea Worm (winter flounder, harbor)
Tips
Late February produces the first winter flounder in Montauk Harbor — a sign that spring is coming. Tautog on the rocky reefs at the point can be excellent on calm February days. Charter boats continue offshore groundfish trips. Plan striper season logistics in February rather than making a fishing trip.
Water Notes
Water 36-42°F. Coldest water of the year. No stripers. Cod, pollock, tautog, and winter flounder are the February species. Ice in the harbor possible in very cold years.
March Outlook
March brings the first genuine hints of the season to come. Water temps begin rising and the local tackle shops start buzzing with migration reports from further south. Holdover stripers occasionally appear in Montauk Harbor by mid-March. The real migration is still weeks away but false albacore rumors and bluefish sightings from the Jersey Shore signal that spring is moving up the coast. Winter flounder are in the harbor channels and are excellent in March.
Productive Patterns
- Herring Fly (harbor stripers, if present)
- White Bucktail (schoolie bass, late month)
- Sea Worm (winter flounder)
- Diamond Jig (pollock)
Tips
March is the anticipation month at Montauk. Check the reports from New Jersey — when bluefish arrive at Barnegat Inlet, Montauk is about 4-6 weeks behind. First schoolie stripers sometimes appear at the harbor entrance by late March in mild years. Pollock are still biting offshore. The Montauk fishing community is optimistic and energetic in March.
Water Notes
Water 40-48°F. Slowly warming. First striper sightings possible late in the month. Winter flounder in the harbor are peak March. The season's energy builds.
April Outlook
April marks the beginning of the Montauk striper season as schoolie bass arrive ahead of the main migration. Fish school on the rips and sand bars around the Point. Consistent spring action before crowds arrive.
Productive Patterns
- Clouser Minnow (chart/white)
- Deceiver
- Hollow Fleye (white)
- Bucktail Jig
Tips
Fish the incoming tide on the Montauk Lighthouse rip. Sand bar fishing is productive wading at dawn. Bluefish often accompany the stripers in April.
Water Notes
Water 42-52°F. Cold but fish are active. Dress warmly. Waders are essential in April.
May Outlook
May is outstanding with the full striper migration in progress. Large bass move through Montauk Point on their way north. Bait is concentrated and fish are actively feeding. This is the best month for numbers and size.
Productive Patterns
- Hollow Fleye
- Bunker Fly (large)
- Deceiver
- Clouser
Tips
Daytime rip fishing is productive. Dawn fishing on the surf at the lighthouse rocks. Bunker schools attract large stripers — match the bait size when bunker are present.
Water Notes
Water 52-62°F. Prime striper conditions. Stable spring weather with favorable SW winds.
June Outlook
June offers continued excellent striper fishing with some of the largest bass of the year. Bluefish are ferocious in the rips. False albacore begin showing by late June. Night fishing picks up.
Productive Patterns
- Hollow Fleye (large)
- Albie Anchovy
- Bluefish Deceiver
- Night Fly (dark)
Tips
Night fishing in June for large stripers in the Montauk Rips. Dawn surface action can be extraordinary. First false albacore appear in late June.
Water Notes
Water 60-68°F. Early summer pattern. Stable and fishable all day in early June.
July Outlook
July brings summer fishing with stripers more scattered but false albacore making regular appearances. Night striper fishing remains excellent. Bluefish and bonito add variety to the offshore action.
Productive Patterns
- Albie Fly (sand lance)
- Bluefish Popper
- Striper Night Fly
- Clouser (bonito)
Tips
Early morning and evening striper fishing. Mid-day false albacore blitzes can be explosive — be ready to run when birds work offshore. Night fishing at the rips for bass.
Water Notes
Water 68-72°F. Summer conditions. Wind-driven chop makes offshore rough at times. Best fishing at dawn and dusk.
August Outlook
August is albie season at Montauk. False albacore schools blitz sand lance bait in open water daily. Stripers are summer-resident fish in the rips and rocks. Night fishing is consistently good.
Productive Patterns
- Albie Anchovy
- Epoxy Sand Lance
- Striper Deceiver (night)
- Bluefish Popper
Tips
Follow the birds for albie schools. Multiple blitzes per day in August. Stripers are best at night. Bonito and Spanish mackerel add to the action.
Water Notes
Water 70-74°F. Summer pattern. Afternoon sea breeze can limit offshore fishing. Mornings are typically calm.
September Outlook
September is legendary at Montauk. The fall migration begins with huge schools of stripers, bluefish, and albies competing for bait. Dawn blitzes at the Point can be extraordinary with multiple species in the same school.
Productive Patterns
- Hollow Fleye
- Albie Anchovy
- Bluefish Deceiver
- Bunker Fly
Tips
Be at the Point at first light in September. Multiple species blitzing simultaneously. Watch for gannets — they indicate large baitfish schools with big stripers underneath.
Water Notes
Water 66-72°F. Fall migration begins. Stable and productive through September.
October Outlook
October is peak Montauk season. Massive fall migration with the largest stripers of the year. Albies are abundant. Cow bass (40-50 inch fish) become more common. This is the month that legends are made.
Productive Patterns
- Hollow Fleye (large bunker)
- Cow Bass Fly
- Albie Anchovy
- Deceiver (dark)
Tips
The fall runs are most predictable in October. Dawn fishing at the tip is mandatory — fish move through on the tide. Cow bass need bigger patterns and heavier rods (10-12 wt).
Water Notes
Water 58-66°F. Fall weather brings instability but fish through the fronts. Post-front northwest wind days can be excellent.
November Outlook
November has outstanding striper fishing as the migration peaks then tapers off. Large bass are still present in good numbers early in the month. The season ends by Thanksgiving for most anglers.
Productive Patterns
- Hollow Fleye (bunker)
- Cow Bass Fly
- Deceiver (olive/white)
- Bucktail
Tips
Early November is still excellent — fish through the 15th at minimum. The large bunker schools attract cow bass. Late November fish are heading south rapidly.
Water Notes
Water 50-58°F. Cold but fishable. Dress for the conditions. Last chances for the season.
December Outlook
December marks the end of the striper season at Montauk and the beginning of the off-season. The migration has passed by mid-November and December is primarily an offshore groundfishing month. Tautog (blackfish) fishing on the rocky bottom near the point can be excellent in early December before the water temperature drops below their preferred range. A few cow-sized stripers occasionally linger near the warm power plant outflows in the harbor through early December in mild years — a known local pattern for trophy fish.
Productive Patterns
- Tautog Crab (rocky reef)
- Bucktail (cod/pollock offshore)
- Hollow Fleye (harbor holdovers, if present)
- Diamond Jig (pollock)
Tips
Early December can still produce occasional striper action in the harbor near the LIPA power plant outfall, where warm water holds winter-resident fish. Tautog on the rocky reefs near the point in December can be excellent — 10-15 lb fish are possible. The season is wrapping up; offshore groundfishing transitions to the primary option.
Water Notes
Water 44-50°F. Rapidly cooling through December. Stripers largely absent by mid-month. Tautog excellent on rocky structure. Offshore cod/pollock season beginning.
Access & Approach
Montauk State Park lighthouse area provides excellent public shore access. The inlet and harbor require a boat for some of the best water. New York saltwater fishing registration required. Captain's Cove and local charter captains are essential for offshore blitz conditions.
Nearby Fly Shops
- RI Striped Bass
Regulations & License
Fishing in New York requires a current license. Always verify season dates, bag limits, and any special-regulation waters before you fish.
New York fishing regulations & license →
Nearby Waters
Closest Waters
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About Current
Montauk conditions on Current combine real-time flow data (USGS, WSC, CDEC, CEHQ), weather, tide predictions, hatch probabilities calibrated to this specific water, and recent fly shop reports from the area.
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