If you’re like me, you’ve been finding ways to scratch the itch of the fishing bug during the 0ff-season in the surf. Although I’m currently fishing freshwater to rid myself of “the bluefish bug”, no trout or largemouth bass of any size is going to feed my insatiable thirst for catching blues. Around 2016, we had a relatively slow season for blues in New York; since that lull, however, bluefish populations seem to have rebounded and stayed consistent. More often than not, I find myself dreaming of sunny, 60-degree weather and the arrival of springtime bluefish in Long Island’s back bays. When the blues show up, they make their presence known across the South shore before hitting the North side.

Read More: Big Bluefish in Quiet Long Island Backwaters
 
Around mid-summer to early autumn the bluefish have fully engulfed the waters around Long Island, particularly on the North Shore. From Manhasset to Mattituck, the bays are flooded with blues chasing adult menhaden. I live for the days where I can skip the gym, just because I found a good bluefish bite. Last year, the chopper bluefish made a strong showing for anglers around Long Island, but many overlook the Long Island Sound due to the allure of the vast, sandy beaches just a few miles south. A few years ago, Rich Janitschek of Fishaholic Fishing took the opportunity to explore the less-crowded North side of Montauk. There, he and a handful of anglers crushed brute bluefish at their feet for hours; a frequent occurrence in these waters. Bluefish populations look strong based on what we saw this past Fall, and we can only hope for some more days like Rich had in the above video. For more information regarding bluefish bites along Long Island’s North shore, click here.