On July 3, 2011 Matthew Jokajtys caught this nice 32 inch blufish. He was fishing from a kayak on Manhasset Bay just before sunset. He was using a large bunker for bait. Fishing from a a kayak is becoming very popular with the younger crowd for several reasons. Its easy to transport not nearly as costly as maintaining a boat.

  Manhasset Bay, New York, is an embayment in western Long Island off Long Island Sound. Manhasset Bay is used extensively for a variety of recreational activities that include boating, rowing, water-skiing, wind surfing, and fishing. The Bay serves as a nursery and feeding area from spring through fall for striped bass, scup, bluefish, Atlantic silverside, menhaden, winter flounder, and blackfish.

  Bluefish are found from as far north as Nova Scotia and south to the gulf of Mexico. Bluefish range in size from snappers of seven inches to bruisers of nearly forty pounds. On average they run 5 to 15 pounds. Depending on the season, bluefish will feed on bunker, menhaden, grunts, striped anchovies, shrimp, and squid. Beside man Bluefish have oceanic predators, including striped bass, larger bluefish, fluke, weakfish, tuna, rays, dolphins, sharks, billfish, seals, and sea lions.

 In recent years chunking with bunker or other bait fish has become a very easy way for the novice and even experienced anglers to get hooked up with monster bluefish and big striped bass. Bunker is a very oily fish and really provides a fantastic scent trail that bluefish and striped bass can pick up and home in on. Whenever possible it is best to use fresh bunker, but it is always in big demand so you may not be able to locate any. Most bait and tackle shops also sell frozen bunker which will also work well. Make sure you have enough it can really get used up fast when the fish are in the feeding mood.

 Long Island has fantastic fishing year around. Long Island anglers can choose from a multitude of species including weakfish, striped bass, fluke, flounder, sea bass, blackfish, porgies, mackerel, cod, pollock, hake, haddock, bluefish, sharks, and tuna.

 If you would like to try your hand at some awesome saltwater fishing then visit our Long Island Fishing Charters And Party Boats page to learn more.

   The following links break down the best fishing options according to the month of the year. Certain times of the year present excellent fishing opportunities for differnt species and can help make the best of your limited free time.