MONTAUK HARBOR ENTRANCE

41 05.00’ / 71 56.35’

There’s the Light, North Bar, False Bar, Evan’s Rock, Jones Reef, Scotts, Shagwong, Turtle Cove, Browns, Kings, Caswells, Coconuts, the Indians and a host of others that have provided memorable fishing at some point in time for most of those who make the trek east.
With all of those great spots to fish and the diversity they offer casters, I suppose I shouldn’t be too surprised that one of the most obvious locations for surfcasters to target is overlooked by the vast majority of beach rats.

Wherever you travel along the coast, inlets are always a prime target of anglers in that area, and for good reason. Most are framed by jetties that attract blackfish, cunners, sea bass, crabs, lobsters, porgies and a host of other species that seek shelter in the jetty rocks. Stripers and blues are fond of including all of them in their diets, and the currents that funnel through these openings provide prime feeding stations. Jetties or not, all of these openings are major thoroughfares for bait and fish moving from between bays or harbors and the ocean.

I’ve always been surprised at how little play the mouth of Montauk Harbor gets from the throngs of surfcasters that descend upon Montauk every fall. While some of the more easily accessible spots can at times be shoulder to shoulder when the bite is on, you’ll find little company at the harbor entrance most times, particularly at night. One exception in recent years has been the number of casters and flyrodders working the shoreline adjacent to the west jetty for albies. This has become a popular destination for those looking to do battle with these speedsters when they show up, usually during September.

The area is a good option when a big surf has roiled the waters of the Point or rendered them otherwise unfishable. I’ve had some very good nights in the pocket of the west jetty when most casters either headed home or slept the night away due to storm tossed conditions on the north and south sides. An outgoing tide and winds out of the southeast or east tend to load up the western pocket with bait, and the jetty offers enough protection to be able to throw swimming plugs like Bombers, Redfins or SP Minnows, or lighter versions of needlefish plugs. To be fair, most of the fish I’ve taken here have been schoolies with a handful of fish to maybe 18 pounds, but it beats passing the night away sleeping in your truck or cashing in your chips and heading home. I’ve also had an occasional big bluefish mix in with the bass here.

The pocket of the east jetty on the Gin Beach side attracts its share of bait and is always worth a look, especially when the more “famous” spots are shy of fish. The jetties themselves are always worth some effort and can at times produce some quality bass. I had one good fall with big fish off the east jetty until someone set a bunch of pots that made fishing it nearly impossible. Live eels accounted for several good nights of fish in the 30-pound class at a time when there was little doing in the more traditional spots. I targeted the area after speaking to a diver who told me he saw several 40- and 50-pound stripers off the tip of the jetty the previous day. I found no 40s or 50s but I was pretty happy with those 30s.

Access to both sides of the inlet couldn’t be easier. Large parking lots border the entrance to the harbor. The east side is an Easthampton Town Beach but during the fall resident restrictions are relaxed. There is no issue on the west side as the lot serves the general public and those patronizing Gosmans. This area is no cure-all to fishless days or nights, but it should be included on your itinerary, especially when all of Montauk’s “famous hotspots” serve up goose eggs.