East End Fishing Report: July 31, 2026 — Porgy-Palooza and a Fluke Turnaround
Bottom Line: It's a Porgy Party
If you want a bent rod and a full cooler right now, drop a hi-lo rig baited with skimmer clam and go find the porgies. The bottom is paved with them from Cedar Point all the way east to Montauk, and after a lousy spring showing, they've finally arrived en masse. We saw stretches this week where it was lock-and-load — double-headers until you lost count, with plenty of solid two-pounders in the mix.
Out of Montauk it's flat-out silly. Capt. Hugh Chancey of Chancey Charters put his fares on a pile of jumbo scup up to three pounds this past Saturday. His take: if you like porgies, this is as good as it gets. Full limits are the norm right now.
Quick reg reminder: private-boat anglers can keep 30 porgies over 11 inches; from shore the minimum is 9.5 inches.
Fluke: The Bite Has Turned
The fluke fishing has come alive, especially at Montauk and out toward Block Island. A recent Ebb Tide Princess run with Capt. Anthony D'Arrigo produced some of the best quantity-and-quality flatfishing he's seen — averaging 30 to 35 fish per angler, with 16- to 18-inchers dominating the drifts and some beautiful sea bass mixed in. As he put it, he'd rather weed through fluke than sift through sea robins and shorts all day.
Closer to home, there are fluke around Cedar Point, but you need to time your drift — when the wind fights the tide out there, you're better off anchoring up and picking at porgies instead.
Heads up on regs: the fluke minimum jumps to 19.5 inches on August 1. Three-fish limit stays the same, so measure carefully before you put anything in the box.
Bass, Blues, and the Surf
Inside Three Mile Harbor and along Sammy's Beach, small bluefish and striped bass are running well — good light-tackle and kid-friendly action. The ocean surf has been giving up bluefish and hickory shad in the wash, and clam bait is moving fast for surfcasters working the beach for bass.
Watch Your Catch — Sharks Are Around
Standard summer reality out at Montauk: sharks are following the bait and the bass inshore, and a few anglers are losing fish at the boat. One recent episode had a mako cleanly chopping a striper in half boatside aboard the Sea Wife IV with Capt. Tom Cusimano filming, and a 250-pound dusky turned an angler's sea bass into an appetizer on the Ebb Tide Princess. Nothing new — it's a fish-eat-fish world out there. Just get your fish in quick and don't dawdle at the leader.
Offshore & Tournament Watch
The canyon crews are staying on the tuna as the yellowfin and bluefin bite builds. Mark your calendar: the Montauk Boatmen and Captains Association runs its Bluefin Tuna/Fluke Blowout from August 1 through 9, with weigh-in stations at Westlake Marina and the Montauk Anglers Club. Registration and details are at montaukcaptains.org.
The Read
Water's sitting around 72 degrees and the fishing is firing on multiple fronts. Porgies are the sure thing, fluke are the fun grind, and the harbor bass-and-blues will keep the kids busy. Bring extra clam and enjoy it.