As the 2024 fishing season comes to a close on Long Island, it’s time to reflect on what was an exciting, challenging, and, at times, unpredictable year on the water. From the early season’s anticipation to the fall’s final blitzes, anglers across the Island were treated to a mix of species, surprising weather patterns (for the good and bad), and the kind of experiences that Long Island fishing can only offer.
The season began with a cooler-than-usual spring that delayed water temperatures from rising, which in turn pushed back the arrival of striped bass and bluefish in the region. March and April, typically when we see the first waves of schoolie stripers in the western bays and tidal rivers, were notably quieter. It wasn’t until early-May that consistent reports of striped bass trickled in, with early catches dominated by smaller fish. But once the fish did roll in, back bays and the early season in Montauk were on fire. One interesting note was the amount of large redfish being caught during the months of May and June from the surf.
When the bite did turn on, it was worth the wait. As May transitioned into June, larger striped bass moved into the Long Island Sound and the South Shore beaches and of course Montauk and orient. The shift to warmer temperatures brought in the blues, limited, for a few weeks, the action along the North Shore was South Shore bays was solid. They did seem to get up and vanish quickly though and never made a fall return.
Cobia also showed in decent numbers this season as well. Not as good as the previous but they were still targetable. The one species I did not hear much about were sheepshead this year.
The summer months were extremely productive for LI anglers, particularly for fluke enthusiasts. The 2024 season for fluke was challenging for some, but for those fishing the South Shore Bays, we saw one of the best runs in years. I was receiving reports almost daily of double digit fish being plucked from the shallows of Moriches, Fire Island and the West End. Some of the bigger fish eclipsed the 14-pound mark. Regulations became tight with the split season of 19 and 19-1/2 inches and many anglers found themselves weeding through shorts to get to the keepers in some cases but in others, finding a limit was not tough at all. Nonetheless, the action was phenomenal. While the summer was steady, it was the September and early October fluke run that was nuts. Another neat thing was fluke being caught in places where they typically don’t show up in numbers.
The sea bass fishing was okay this summer. The artificial reefs off Fire Island and the Rockaways were hot spots for catching limits of jumbo sea bass. Montauk always produced, along with the typical porgies. The fall portion of the season saw the size and numbers of sea bass increase, along with the bag limit, which is always a treat.
One huge highlight of the ’24 season was the accessibility and duration of bluefin tuna of all sizes being around. The eastern portion of the island had a run of these fish that we have not seen in years either and they were so close that the boat that normally couldn’t get in on the action were crushing them. Another positive was that most of the fish were being caught jigging which is a ton of fun in itself. The tuna bite is still going on into the later days of November as I write this.
While the false albacore were scarce in inshore waters this season, the bonito took their place and showed up in extremely high numbers around most of the South Shore inlets. The albies bade a brief showing earlier in the fall but actually showed up hot and heavy during November on the east end and they were some of the biggest ones most albie fishermen have seen. They most have been stuck offshore fattening up before coming inshore again.
The 2024 striped bass run was one for the books, especially as the fall progressed. By early October, massive sand eels schools spurred striped bass into their annual migration with the main body setting up from Montauk to the west end of the island. Shore and boat anglers alike were treated to days when the water seemed to boil with bass, chasing sand eels and bunker. One good thing about a sand eel run is the fish sticking around for months, which they did. The late portion of the fall saw some bigger fish setting up on the bunker pods off the South Shore.
Tog fishing rounded out the fall this year with reporting on tons of fish being caught on the North Shore and along the South Shore inlets and bridges. I didn’t hear of any monsters being caught but shorts and legal fish were plenty. I got my fill on this fishery, being that it’s one of my favorites to do in the shallow rocky areas of the island. Tog fishing on the eastern end of the island should be hot until the close in December and I’m betting that reports of some bigger fish will emerge as well.
While 2024 had its high points, there were also signs that Long Island’s fisheries are under pressure in some places. The persistent challenge of maintaining healthy fish stocks is a concern shared by many in the local angling community. Reports of illegal poaching, declining numbers, and overfished stocks have sparked ongoing conversations about the need for stricter enforcement and sustainable practices. Some heated topics are coming up regarding conservation come December of ’24 and the winter of ’25. Sea bass and fluke will stay the same for next year but other things could change. We will just have to see how the chips fall in the coming months. I highly suggest following along and staying involved.
Nevertheless, the camaraderie among Long Island anglers remains strong. Whether fishing from a boat, kayak, or the surf, the shared passion for the sport and respect for the local waters is what makes this community special.
