Mapping out your plan of attack for the spring run of weakfish between the forks.
The Peconic Bay, located between the North and South Forks of Long Island, is a thriving fishery that comes back alive each spring with nearly all Northeast species found here in abundance. Luckily for me, the Peconic is right in my backyard for fishing! This is the bay I learned to fish on starting with casting off the back bay docks for snappers when I was younger. Over the years I have continued to grow my fishing resume, and while I’m an avid offshore angler, the Peconic is a special place close to home.
Out of all the saltwater species that make their way through the bay at some point throughout the season, weakfish have particularly piqued my interest. For one, they are not easy to catch (until they are) and one season they’ll be seen in abundance and then next completely disappear. I’ve heard stories about weakfish runs in the 70s when they were so thick and commonly considered a nuisance, with fish over 12 pounds common and some fish pushing 16 to 18-plus pounds not abnormal.
Nowadays, for the time I’ve been fishing the Peconic, I’ve seen good years and not so good years. Typically, the weakfish run heats up locally in the Peconic around May through June, with smaller fish making up a steady bite during the main summer months of June through August, and then another push of larger fish can come through as the fall runs kicks into full swing September through November. Of course, it’s important to keep in mind that with this whacky weather we’ve been seeing in recent years, it’s very possible that the season gets bumped up or pushed back depending on the weather conditions in that given year.
Where They Live
First and foremost, a funny saying people would always tell me at the tackle store that I would roll my eyes at but has become evidently true is that “you can’t catch what’s not there.” So, the golden question is, where are they? Each season is different as some “hot” spots tend to produce better than others, but I’ll name a few for starters that are worth exploring. I don’t believe in “spot burning” because these “secret” spots have been honey holes for longer than I’ve been alive, let alone fishing.
If you want early season action, try the buoy in Noyac Bay and the surrounding ledges and drop offs. Working your way over to Shelter Island, both the Green Lawns area and the north side of Shelter Island near Greenport and the North Ferry slip also tend to produce well; the north side features good bottom and productive currents. Same rule applies here, drift the sharp ledges and drop offs, and points and areas where different currents converge & intersect. These underwater ledges make for perfect spots for weakfish to ambush smaller baitfish. You will typically find that baitfish get trapped in the currents and edges around these points and sharp cutoffs (I learned this from previous Fisherman Magazine articles and the “try it for yourself” method).
Working your way towards Jessups Neck is a great spot that tends to stay hot throughout the spring and into the summer months. The actual point features a sandbar with the deeper sections near the buoy holding fish along the bottom. The middle grounds as you work your way west commonly see fisherman catching weakfish as bycatch while targeting other species like porgies during the spring run. Robins Island also holds some great water and bottom contours that will be a great early season spot.
A few other areas include Nassau point and the area near Roses Grove. All these “secret spots” can be found on a nautical map or through Navionics, and this information was generously shared by far better fisherman than myself such as Ken Morse, owner of Tight Lines Tackle in Southampton. While I hope this article will help many of you target weakfish and land a true “tiderunner”, there is no substitute for up to date local knowledge from your local tackle shops; always be sure to check in with them before heading out.
Triggering Factors
I have found that typically the key to these various hot spots is tide, and it’s the change in the tide that seems to fire up the bite. Whether it is flood to ebb or ebb to flood, each season and person tends to have a preference, but as long as you’re fishing during that shift while the tide is moving the outcome tends to be quite promising.
A secondary factor is light, so like many species around our area it definitely can’t hurt to be fishing at first light & last light. With that said, I have found that if the tide is working in the middle of a bright sunny day you’ll be pleased with the numbers of fish brought to the net!
Riggings & Offerings
There are numerous ways to catch these weakfish, from bait to artificial plastics to various jigs and lures. My preference is typically a hi/lo rig with a larger jig or lure at the bottom for weight – try classic diamond jigs or other sand eel imitation styles like Hogy lures, with a smaller teaser up top that can consist of a simple hook with feather and Gulp or small jighead with a soft plastic. Single bucktails or jig heads with Berkley Grubs or other soft plastics in orange and pink always seem to produce as well for us.
If artificial lures aren’t your thing, feel free to bring bait which tends to work well all season long. Fresh squid strips, sandworms, and even larger strip baits like sea robin are primo baits and will keep the action hot.
Regarding rods and reel selections for this type of finesse fishing, your typical inshore bay setup will do quite well here. I like 7-foot rods with 2500 to 3000-size class reels. Ten to 20-pound braid with 15 to 25-pound fluorocarbon at the business end will be a key ingredient to a successful presentation. I tend to add a snap or snap swivel at the end so I can quickly change out lures, but each fisherman has their preference and many will just tie direct contact.
Attentive Observing
Before we dive into other tackle tips, if you’re fishing on a private boat and controlling the electronics, be sure you have a good grasp of how to read your charts and fishfinder. Weakfish have a large swim bladder and tend to show up quite nicely on the fish finder. This means you can slowly drift a spot and pay close attention to which “holes” the weakfish might be stacked up in. Once you find a particular honey hole, I like to mark it on my GPS and continue to drift presentations until I find the ticket for that day.
Pay attention to any odd twitches or movement in your line as sometimes that weakfish bite is not as apparent as other species like fluke, stripers, bluefish etc. The subtle nature of this bite warrants light tackle being a perfect combo for a successful bite. Light tackle allows you to cast freely and pay special attention to your bait if you get hit on the fall which is common; minimizing unnecessary slack at all times in your line and being ready to hook set will help maximize your opportunities even when the bite appears to be more subtle.
| “GET THE NET!” |
| The weakfish gets its name from the “weak” jaw muscles that tend to tear easily when hooked, so be sure to use a net to carefully lift the big ones into the boat to prevent your tiderunner from swimming away right at the boat. |
If you aren’t going on your own boat or a friend’s boat, there are plenty of local charter boats that sail to the bountiful weakfish grounds in the Peconic starting this spring. Call your local tackle store to find out which charter boats sail frequently and hop aboard.
As always, feel free to message me directly with any questions ranging from where to go to how to cook them up at East End Angler on Instagram or via email at eastendanglers@gmail.com. Get out there this season and target these unicorns so you can have a chance at catching a true “tiderunner.”
