When the fish are here: the fall run
Striped bass fishing out of Captree is a fall run fishery, worked in Fire Island Inlet and the adjacent bay. Run timing shifts from year to year, and local reports show when it is on, so check them before you commit fuel and a tide. For the ramp, channels and conditions sources, see the Captree port page.
How striped bass move and feed is covered in our striped bass guide. For the wider migration, see the fall run along the Northeast coast (see also the Atlantic Northeast fishing guide).
- Season: the fall run
- Water: Fire Island Inlet and the adjacent bay
- Best bite per the local reporter: early morning
Where boats run: Fire Island Inlet and the bay
Boats from Captree work Fire Island Inlet and the adjacent bay. Captree Bait and Tackle names Demo and Cedar as producing spots. A tackle shop report reflects its reporter’s own trips, so use these as places to start looking and expect some variation.
Democrat Point (Demo)
Locals call Democrat Point Demo. Captree Bait and Tackle names it as a producing spot.
Cedar
Captree Bait and Tackle names Cedar alongside Demo in the same report, so read the two together.
Grounds and structure: four reefs by depth
The four named reefs near Captree are listed below by depth, shallow to deep. All appear on the state’s list of New York’s artificial reef locations.
| Reef | Depth (ft) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kismet Reef | 16 to 25 | Shallowest of the four |
| Fisherman (Yellowbar) Reef | 25 to 40 | Mid-depth, picks up where Kismet’s range ends |
| Hempstead Town Reef | 50 to 72 | Widest depth range of the four |
| Fire Island Reef | 62 to 73 | Deepest of the four |
Kismet and Yellowbar sit under 40 ft, while Hempstead Town and Fire Island run past 60 ft, so the two pairs call for different drift and jig plans. The depths are ranges across each reef site, not a single sounding. Chart layers such as Chart Contours are not for navigation.
How it’s fished here
Local methods and timing come from one tackle shop reporter, and the party boat fleets fish the same water.
Diamond jigs
Diamond jigs worked best for the Captree Bait and Tackle reporter. Match your drop to the reef depth you are on.
The early morning bite
The same reporter found the early morning bite strongest, so plan your departure around it.
Fleets that target stripers
Three Captree operators list striped bass among their trips:
- Captree Princess & Pride Fleet: Captree Princess, Captain Joe DeVito, and Captree Pride, Captain Ken Higgins.
- Laura Lee Fleet: Laura Lee (72 ft) and Laura Lee Express (90 ft).
- Island Princess Captree: open boat, with no captain named on the fetched pages.
If you fish more than stripers, see our guides to other coastal and offshore gamefish.
FAQ: Striped bass fishing out of Captree
When is the striper run at Captree?
The fall run. Timing shifts from year to year, so check local reports for when the fish are in. Captree Bait and Tackle is one source for what is producing.
Where do boats fish for striped bass out of Captree?
Boats work Fire Island Inlet and the adjacent bay. Captree Bait and Tackle names Demo (Democrat Point) and Cedar as producing spots.
How deep is Kismet Reef?
Kismet Reef runs 16 to 25 ft, the shallowest of the four reefs listed. Fire Island Reef runs 62 to 73 ft.
What works for stripers here?
Diamond jigs, with the early morning bite strongest, per the Captree Bait and Tackle reporter. That is one reporter’s result and may not hold on every trip.
Which Captree party boats fish stripers?
Captree Princess & Pride Fleet (Captree Princess, Captain Joe DeVito, and Captree Pride, Captain Ken Higgins), Laura Lee Fleet (Laura Lee and Laura Lee Express), and Island Princess Captree, an open boat.
