When and where sea bass are fished out of Captree
Black sea bass fishing out of Captree centers on ocean reefs and wrecks, and the main choice is depth. Local boats often fish them alongside fluke on the same trip. Inlet, tide and forecast links are on the Captree port page. The wider picture is in the black sea bass fishing in the Atlantic Northeast and the Atlantic Northeast region guide.
When the fish are around
Local fleets run combo trips for fluke and black sea bass, so the sea bass fishing overlaps the fluke fishing out of this port. Seasonal movement and biology are covered in the black sea bass guide.
Where boats run
Boats work the named ocean reefs and wrecks, reaching them through Fire Island Inlet. The next section sorts the reefs by depth.
Reefs and structure that hold black sea bass
Four named reefs fall into two depth bands. The table lists them so you can match a reef to your sounder and your drift.
| Reef | Depth (ft) |
|---|---|
| Kismet Reef | 16 to 25 |
| Fisherman (Yellowbar) Reef | 25 to 40 |
| Hempstead Town Reef | 50 to 72 |
| Fire Island Reef | 62 to 73 |
Shallow reefs: Kismet and Fisherman (Yellowbar)
Kismet Reef runs 16 to 25 ft and Fisherman (Yellowbar) Reef runs 25 to 40 ft, so together they cover 16 to 40 ft.
Deeper reefs: Hempstead Town and Fire Island
Hempstead Town Reef runs 50 to 72 ft and Fire Island Reef runs 62 to 73 ft. Their ranges overlap between 62 and 72 ft.
Reef positions on any chart layer are for planning, not navigation. For the wider picture on reef fishing, see our reef fish guides.
How black sea bass are fished locally
Two local reports describe the approach: combo trips and bottom rigs.
- Combo trips: fluke and sea bass on the same outing
- Jigs: worked over wrecks and reefs
- Clam rigs: fished on the same structure
Fluke and sea bass combo trips
A Captree Fleet report describes combo trips for fluke and black sea bass. If you fish fluke from your own boat, you can add a reef stop to the same day and choose the reef by depth from the table above.
Jigs and clam rigs on wrecks and reefs
Chasing Tails Bait and Tackle in Oakdale reports that sea bass on local wrecks and reefs took jigs and clam rigs. This is a regional report from Oakdale, not from a Captree boat.
Black sea bass fishing out of Captree: who runs the trips
These Captree fleets list black sea bass.
| Fleet | Boats |
|---|---|
| Captree Princess & Pride Fleet | Captree Princess, Captree Pride |
| Laura Lee Fleet | Laura Lee (72 ft), Laura Lee Express (90 ft) |
| Island Spirit Charter Fleet | Island Spirit |
Captree Princess & Pride Fleet
Captain Joe DeVito runs the Captree Princess and Captain Ken Higgins runs the Captree Pride. Details are on the Captree Princess & Pride Fleet site.
Laura Lee Fleet
The fleet runs the Laura Lee (72 ft) and the Laura Lee Express (90 ft). See the Laura Lee Fleet out of Captree.
Island Spirit Charter Fleet
The Island Spirit is listed with the Island Spirit Charter Fleet.
FAQ about black sea bass fishing out of Captree
Which reefs suit a fluke and sea bass day out of Captree?
Choose by depth. Kismet (16 to 25 ft) and Fisherman (Yellowbar) (25 to 40 ft) make up the shallow band. Hempstead Town (50 to 72 ft) and Fire Island (62 to 73 ft) make up the deeper band. A Captree Fleet report describes combo trips for fluke and black sea bass.
What depth is Fire Island Reef?
Fire Island Reef sits at 62 to 73 ft, the deepest of the four named reefs.
What rigs do local reports mention for sea bass?
Jigs and clam rigs on local wrecks and reefs, according to Chasing Tails Bait and Tackle in Oakdale, a regional report.
Which fleets fish for black sea bass out of Captree?
The Captree Princess & Pride Fleet, the Laura Lee Fleet and the Island Spirit Charter Fleet.
Where do I find size and bag limits?
On the New York regulations page for state waters and in the federal rules for federal waters. Both are linked in the Regulations section above.
