Coastal conditions

Montauk Point

Shore · New York · New York Marine District

Back to home NOAA tide source

Current Coastal Rating

Fair · 63

Beta

Conditions are fair, but confidence is reduced because some coastal inputs are partial or prediction-based.

Scores are model-specific and are not directly comparable across water types.

Should I Go?

Consider

Trip conditions may be workable, but important cautions or data limitations remain.

Low confidence — Important source checks or coastal inputs were unavailable.

Evaluates trip conditions using weather, tides, currents, waves, daylight, and active alerts.

Recommendation scope

Shore

Boat and kayak conditions are not included in this recommendation.

Montauk Harbor tide and observations may differ from Point conditions; MTKN6 has no wave height.
Rocks, surge, and rip currents require local judgment; do not infer Point waves from another location.

About this recommendation

Uses StrikeTracks coastal policy 2026-07.

Service Status

Degraded

Recommendation confidence is low while the verdict remains Consider.

Recommended window

Saturday · 12:00 PM–3:00 PM EDT

Window score

Max wind: 6 mph
Max gust: 11 mph
Daylight: 100% of window
Tide state: rising
Peak current: 2.1 kn

Why

Strong daylight coverage supports the evaluated window.

Watch for

Tide timing uses a nearby prediction proxy.

Coastal conditions can change quickly. Review official alerts and current conditions before heading out.

Current Readings

Updated Sep 5, 2026, 9:26 AM

Source

NOAA CO-OPS
Montauk station
5.6 mi from destination

Water level: 1.5 ft MLLW
Water temperature: 72.9°F
Wind: N · 12 mph
Wind gust: 13 mph

Past 7 Days

Water level

Window Aug 29, 2026, 9:26 AM – Sep 5, 2026, 9:26 AM (rolling 168 hours)

Readings decreased over the available period.

1679 observations · from Aug 29, 2026, 9:30 AM · to Sep 5, 2026, 9:18 AM

NOAA CO-OPS · Montauk · Station 8510560
Nearby marine station
Approximately 5.6 mi from destination
Observation type: observed
Unit: ft
Datum: MLLW

Nearby coastal destinations

Block Island17.2 mi
Rhode Island · Southern New England · Shore
Approximately 17.2 miles away
Eastern Long Island Sound at New London23 mi
Connecticut · Southern New England · Sound
Approximately 23 miles away
Point Judith28 mi
Rhode Island · Southern New England · Harbor
Approximately 28 miles away

Predicted Tides

Predicted

Falling

Next low tide

Sep 5, 2026, 10:26 AM

In 59 min

0.6 ft MLLW

High · Sep 5, 2026, 3:47 AM · 1.9 ft MLLW

Following

High · Sep 5, 2026, 4:39 PM · 2.7 ft MLLW

Tide prediction proxy

Montauk Harbor · NOAA 8510560

This nearby station is used for tide timing. Predicted height does not represent exact water depth or exposed-flat conditions at this destination.

Predicted Tidal Current

Predicted

Current predicted speed is not available for this interval.

Next: Slack · 10:57 AM · 0.0 knots

Following: Max flood · 2:19 PM · 2.1 knots

Current prediction station at destination

Montauk Point, 1 mile northeast of · NOAA ACT2406 · 0.9 mi from destination

NOAA current station

Planning note

These values are tidal-current predictions, not real-time observed currents. They describe conditions near this prediction station rather than the entire surrounding coastal area.

Data coverage

This station provides max-current and slack-water events, but not a continuous current-speed timeline.

Tidal-current timing can differ from high and low tide timing.

Fishery Profile

Fishery Overview

Montauk Point exposed reefs and rips

An exposed point fishery focused on reefs, rips, boulder structure, and open-water bait movement—not a harbor-centered destination.

Fishery type: Exposed point
Reef rip
Fishing modes: Shore
Inshore boat
Habitat and structure: Exposed point · Reefs and boulder fields · Tide rips · Open-water bait corridors

Static seasonal guidance · Last reviewed Jul 20, 2026

Not a live bite forecast.

Fishery Targets

Bass, bluefish, and false albacore are the central migratory targets, while tautog are a secondary rock species and bonito appear in shorter warm-water periods.

Species images are AI-generated illustrations for visual reference and may simplify natural variation. Fishery records are based on the cited agency and editorial sources. About fish illustrations

Striped bass
Primary
Morone saxatilis
Currently in a typical seasonal window
Typical seasonal window: MAY — NOVEMBER
Bluefish
Primary
Pomatomus saltatrix
Currently in a typical seasonal window
Typical seasonal window: JUNE — OCTOBER
False albacore
Primary
Euthynnus alletteratus
Also called Little tunny
Currently in a typical seasonal window
Typical seasonal window: AUGUST — OCTOBER
Tautog
Secondary
Tautoga onitis
Currently in a typical seasonal window
Typical seasonal window: APRIL — MAY; SEPTEMBER — NOVEMBER
Atlantic bonito
Seasonal
Sarda sarda
Currently in a typical seasonal window
Typical seasonal window: JULY — SEPTEMBER

Typical Seasonal Targets

Striped bass — MAY — NOVEMBER
Bluefish — JUNE — OCTOBER
False albacore — AUGUST — OCTOBER
Tautog — APRIL — MAY; SEPTEMBER — NOVEMBER
Atlantic bonito — JULY — SEPTEMBER

Seasonal presence is general guidance and does not indicate current fish activity.

How to Fish Montauk Point

Typical September approaches include pelagic sight casting and rock jigging and rip and reef-edge casting for False albacore and Tautog.

Pelagic sight casting and rock jigging
Cast compact offerings to fast fish or jig protected rock structure when conditions permit.
Best for
- False albacore
- Tautog
- Atlantic bonito
Modes
- Shore
- Inshore boat
Setup
- Pelagic and rock setup
Rip and reef-edge casting
Present plugs and soft plastics along reef edges and current rips.
Best for
- Striped bass
- Bluefish
Modes
- Shore
- Inshore boat
Setup
- Point casting setup

Common Tackle Setups

Pelagic and rock setup
Compact casting and bottom setup for late-season pelagics and tautog.
Rod
Medium-fast spinning rod
Reel
High-quality smooth-drag reel
Main line
Light-to-medium braid
Leader
Clear leader for pelagics; heavier near rock
Terminal tackle
Light snaps and bottom jigs
Presentation
Keep compact lures ready for surface activity.
Used for
- Pelagic sight casting and rock jigging
Point casting setup
Long-casting tackle for exposed rip and reef edges.
Rod
9–11 ft shore rod or robust boat spinner
Reel
Sealed smooth-drag reel
Main line
Braid for distance
Leader
Rock-resistant leader
Terminal tackle
Strong snaps
Presentation
Use only stable, dry footing and avoid casting into unsafe surge.
Used for
- Rip and reef-edge casting

Typical September Lures and Flies

Common lure and fly families associated with this month’s techniques.

Compact casting metal
Lure
- False albacore
- Atlantic bonito
Shallow to midwater · Fast, steady
Lead showing fish and keep a fast, even retrieve
Epoxy-style casting jig
Lure
- False albacore
- Atlantic bonito
Shallow to midwater · Fast, steady, twitch
Cast beyond visible activity and retrieve through the edge of the school
Pencil-style surface plug
Lure
- Striped bass
- Bluefish
Surface · Sweep, twitch, pause
Work across current seams and keep the plug on top without excessive splash
Sinking swimming plug
Lure
- Striped bass
- Bluefish
Midwater to variable · Steady, sweep, slow
Count down to the strike zone before starting the retrieve
Soft-plastic sand eel
Lure
- Striped bass
- Bluefish
Shallow to midwater · Steady, twitch, slow
Swim or twitch just above the bottom on flats and bar edges
Tautog jig
Lure
- Tautog
Bottom · Jig, slow
Keep the jig close to structure and move it in short lifts

General seasonal guidance, not a live recommendation, product endorsement, or guarantee of success.

Access, Safety and Regulations

Access

Use designated public paths and legal shoreline access; respect park rules and avoid private or closed areas.

Primary hazards

Rogue waves, wet rock, fog, and strong current are serious hazards at an exposed point.

Fishery considerations

Rips and reef flow change with tide and wind. App tide and observations from Montauk Harbor may differ materially from conditions at the Point.
Wind and swell can rapidly make point and rock access unsafe.

Regulations

Size limits, seasons, and possession rules change. Verify the current official regulations before fishing.

View current recreational saltwater regulations

Fishery Sources

Editorial and agency sources supporting this fishery profile. Live and predicted conditions use the separate Data Sources section.

New York recreational saltwater fishing regulations (opens in a new tab)
New York State DEC
NOAA Fisheries Atlantic striped bass species page (opens in a new tab)
NOAA Fisheries
NOAA Fisheries little tunny species page (opens in a new tab)
NOAA Fisheries

Location and Access

Cataloged coastal fishing destination

Shore · New York

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Get Directions to Map Location

The map marker represents the cataloged waterbody or monitoring location and may not indicate legal parking or public access. Confirm access through the official information before visiting.

Data Sources

NOAA CO-OPS · Montauk Harbor · Station 8510560
Tide predictions, water level, water temperature, wind
Tide prediction proxy · 5.6 mi from destination
NOAA CO-OPS · Montauk Point, 1 mile northeast of · Station ACT2406
Predicted tidal currents (max/slack)
Current prediction station at destination · 0.9 mi from destination
NDBC · Montauk, NY (MTKN6) · Station MTKN6
Regional marine observations
Nearby marine station · 5.5 mi from destination

Planning limitation

Coastal conditions can vary over short distances. Predictions and remote observations are planning information, not guarantees of access or safety.