Bay Rats & Buoys

Bay Rats and Buoys Episode 40 – Montauk Canyon Challenge Special! 

Welcome to a special edition of Bay Rats and Buoys filmed on location at the legendary Montauk Yacht Club during the Montauk Canyon Challenge — one of the biggest tuna tournaments on the East Coast!

With 85 boats entered and over $1 million in Calcutta prize money on the line, this tournament is pure adrenaline from the dock to the deep. In Episode 40, we dive into the action and get a firsthand look at what makes this event a staple of the offshore fishing world. From canyon strategy to bigeye dreams, this is a must-listen for any offshore angler or tournament junkie!

Follow the leaderboard live at MontaukCanyonChallenge.com to see which boats are hauling in monsters and who’s chasing the check!

PLUS — don’t miss our just-released recap video of the Bay Rats and Buoys First Annual Striped Bass Invitational, now streaming at SandCityCharter.com! We tagged 65 striped bass for conservation and hosted one hell of a tournament in the Long Island Sound. Huge thanks to all the captains, sponsors, and supporters who made it unforgettable.

Episode 40 is available now on YouTube and wherever you stream your podcasts! Hit that like, subscribe, and share button to help us grow the Bay Rats crew. New episodes drop every Thursday at 6PM!

https://sandcitycharter.com/podcast/

Captain’s Weekly Fishing Report – Mid-July Update! 

The summer heat is here and the water temps are cranking — 81° in the harbor and 76° out in the Long Island Sound! While the striped bass bite has slowed down a bit, live-lining bunker continues to produce the best results. Bunker pods have been showing nicely on the surface this week, giving us some exciting visuals and solid chances at quality fish.

On the bottom, the action hasn’t missed a beat! We’re out daily chasing fluke, sea bass, and porgy, and the cooler is filling up fast. Whether you’re looking for steady rod-bending action or a shot at a doormat fluke, this is prime time to get out and fish our local waters.

Charters are running morning, noon, and night, so grab your friends, your kids, or your crew and book a trip with us while the summer bite is on! 

https://sandcitycharter.com/podcast/

Bay Rats & Buoys Podcast – Episode 38 

“Striped Bass Still Chewing in July!”

In Episode 38 of Bay Rats & Buoys, the striped bass bite is still red hot—and yes, it’s July! Despite rising water temps just shy of 73°, we’re still hammering quality bass daily. In this episode, Captain Gaige and First Mate Kory break down the one technique that’s absolutely crushing it right now. Whether you’re a seasoned angler or just looking to get in on the summer action, this is the tip you need to know!

Bottom fishing is also lighting up, and we’re seeing a wide variety of species coming over the rail. Northern kingfish are now in the mix, adding to the fun alongside black sea bass, porgy, fluke, and gator blues. We had a blast this week with local families bringing their out-of-town guests aboard Sand City Charter for unforgettable summer memories.

Charters are running 7 days a week—morning, noon, and night, and the action hasn’t slowed down. July is shaping up to be one of the best fishing months of the season, so now is the time to book and get in on the bite.

As we roll into the 4th of July weekend, we want to remind all boaters to put safety first. It’s one of the busiest weekends on the water—enjoy it, celebrate responsibly, and have a great time out there!

Subscribe, like, and follow for more tips, techniques, and fishing reports from the crew that lives it every day. Tight lines! 

https://sandcitycharter.com/podcast/

This past weekend marked the incredible launch of the Bay Rats & Buoys First Annual Striped Bass Invitational, and what a weekend it was! Over 65 striped bass were tagged and released with Gray's FishTag Research to support conservation and scientific tracking of this iconic species.

The excitement began Saturday morning at the Captains Meeting hosted at Whalestale Northport, where tournament shirts, rulers, Gray’s fish tags, tag applicators, and sponsor swag were distributed. Special thanks to CLiX Fueling, and shoutout to Howard and Steven for showing up in person to support the event!

Sunday morning, boats lined up just north of the Huntington Lighthouse for a shotgun start. Anglers battled through a north squall with 5-foot waves that added intensity to the first two hours of fishing. The first fish was on the deck just 30 minutes into the competition!

Teams captured epic footage and tagged dozens of bass — with the winning fish coming in at 46 inches, landed on a porgy chunk by Eric Huebsch, Mike & Andrew Viola!  

Bay Rats & Buoys is incredibly proud to have brought the fishing community together for a cause that matters. A huge thank you to all of our sponsors, anglers, and supporters — this event wouldn’t have been possible without you.

We’re already looking ahead to next year’s tournament, and the planning starts now! Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and follow us on social media to stay updated on future events, tagging efforts, and Bay Rats & Buoys adventures!

Tagging and Bragging! 

https://sandcitycharter.com/podcast/

Bay Rats & Buoys Ep. 35: Rain Blitz of 2025!

Jurassic Park on the Long Island Sound — monster striped bass up to 45 inches blowing up live bait! Capt. Gaige & Kory break down the red-hot bite, from flutter spoons to topwater, trolling, and more. Rain didn’t stop us — it delivered! Shoutout to Matt & Joe from Mt. Sinai for joining the action.

Book your trip at SandCityCharter.com and register for our First Annual Striped Bass Invitational on June 22, 2025!

https://sandcitycharter.com/podcast/

In this week’s action-packed episode of Bay Rats and Buoys, the bluefish have officially invaded the North Shore! These toothy torpedoes are pushing massive schools of bait into the back bays and lighting up the surface with explosive topwater strikes. It’s a thrilling time to be on the water, with birds working hard and both bass and blues feeding aggressively across the Long Island Sound.

While striped bass are still chewing, they’ve become noticeably more selective—favoring live bait presentations like bunker, butterfish, sand eels, and mackerel over artificial lures. But when the bite turns on, the topwater hits are nothing short of epic. We break down what’s working best this week, including our go-to lures and the bait that’s triggering the biggest blowups.

Water temps in the Sound are still holding around 60°F, and with air temps on the rise, we expect the bite to continue heating up as well. This is the prime time to chase trophy fish and soak in all the life happening on the water—from blitzing birds to bait balls getting crushed.

Plus, we’ve got updates on slot limits and key insight from the DEC. And don’t miss the wild moment when Chef Rob lands what can only be described as an “alligator”!

Subscribe now and join Captain Gaige and the crew for a wild ride in Episode 34—packed with big hits, tight lines, and conservation tips that matter. Don’t forget to like, comment, and share with your fellow anglers. Tight lines and we’ll see you on the Sound!

Bay Rats and Buoys – Where the fish stories are real and the action never stops!

https://sandcitycharter.com/podcast/

Bay Rats & Buoys Podcast | Season 2, Episode 33 Topwater Explosions, Fluke Frenzy & Big Blues Crushing Bait! 

This week on Bay Rats & Buoys Episode 33 we’re podcasting from the boat in Huntington Harbor as the topwater bite goes nuclear and bluefish finally show up in our area! Striped bass were blowing up spooks and Super Strikes with ferocity, including 40-inch fish smashing plugs all around the boat. The rip was alive with life and flutter spoons—especially gold and chartreuse—were getting hammered. Even a few young sailors from the local fleet got in on the action, hooking up with big bass on their own flutter spoons!

We also had a bottom fishing charter for the books, hosting a fun-loving family from Kentucky visiting Grandma in Huntington. The kids, aged 4 and 6, had an absolute blast reeling in porgy, fluke, puffer fish, sea robins, and even a couple keeper fluke! The smiles were nonstop and the action never slowed.

Midweek, our crew from Idea Stream Marketing hit the water for a Networking on the Water trip with Dean and Noah. The bass lit up right on the mid-ebb tide, and the topwater fireworks continued.

This episode is packed with hot bites, happy kids, and prime conditions—and it’s only heating up from here.

 Don’t forget to register for the Bay Rats & Buoys First Annual Striped Bass Tournament, happening Sunday, June 22, 2025 in the Long Island Sound!

Want in on the action? Head to SandCityCharter.com to book your private striped bass charter today. We’ve got weekday availability, flexible scheduling, and no crowds. Now’s the time to get out, hook a monster, and make some unforgettable memories on the water.

https://sandcitycharter.com/podcast/

Bay Rats & Buoys Podcast | Season 2, Episode 32: Foggy Mornings, Topwater Blowups & Striped Bass Tagging

In this week’s Episode 32 of Bay Rats & Buoys, Captain Gaige is back on the boat diving into a fog-filled stretch that turned into some of the best topwater striped bass action we’ve seen all season! With two straight days of thick morning fog, the bass were dialed in on sand eels, exploding on spooks and surface plugs—and spitting up bait on deck when landed.

We made some key adjustments this week, swapping out our treble hooks for BKK inline singles for safer, faster releases on all our tagged fish. In this episode, we not only show you what’s in Captain Gaige’s personal striper lure bag, but we also walk through our tagging process so you can see how we contribute to striped bass conservation firsthand.

Whether you’re a tackle junkie, a topwater addict, or just here to learn what’s working right now in the Long Island Sound, this episode is packed with tips and real-time action.

Sign up today for the Bay Rats & Buoys First Annual Striped Bass Invitational, happening Sunday, June 22, 2025. The bite is on, the fish are here, and the chance to tag a 40-pounder is real!

Want to get in on the action? Visit SandCityCharter.com and book your private striped bass charter today. We’ve got weekday availability with no crowds, and we’re super flexible to get you out when the fish are chewing. Don’t miss this window—now’s the time to get out, make memories, and hook up with a trophy striper!

https://sandcitycharter.com/podcast/

Welcome to Bay Rats and Buoys Episode 31! In this action-packed episode, Captain Gaige shares what we’re using right now to catch big striped bass in the Long Island Sound. From live bait tips to top-producing lures like Doc Spooks, white mini mojos, and trolling rigs, we break down the tackle, techniques, and tides that are working best for catching keeper striped bass and overs this spring.

We also feature the epic Mother’s Day striped bass trip with the Cavasos family—Mom kicks it off with a fat 35” over slot, Dad follows with a 36”, and the two 10-year-old daughters crush it in the fighting chair, each landing a 31” striped bass!

Captain Gaige also shares tips on VHF Channel 16 etiquette, mooring safety, and staying aware when navigating high-traffic areas. With big waves rolling in Tuesday, we still found the bite heating up with topwater action and jigging success.

Whether you’re a fisherman, angler, boater, charter captain, or just obsessed with striped bass fishing, this episode has the gear, tactics, and coastal fishing insight you need.

Subscribe for weekly striped bass fishing reports, podcast clips, gear reviews, and tournament updates!

https://sandcitycharter.com/podcast/

Bay Rats & Buoys Podcast | Season 2, Episode 30: Lights-Out Bass Bite & Changing Conditions

In this week’s episode of Bay Rats & Buoys Season 2, we’re podcasting straight from the boat in Huntington Harbor as the striped bass fishing action heats up! For four straight days, the bite was absolutely lights out, with bass crushing everything we threw at them—until Friday, when the bite abruptly shut off as the water temps shifted. But don’t worry—by the weekend and midweek, the bass were back on the chew, this time favoring white mojos over last week’s go-to chartreuse. Tune in as we break down the lure changes, strategies, and what’s working best when we’re not live-lining bunker or chunking for big bass.

We’re also kicking off fluke and porgy season, as party boats flood in from Queens, Bronx, City Island, Mamaroneck, and New Rochelle, all looking to cash in on the incredible fishing happening right here in our backyard. We know how lucky we are to fish these waters—and if you’re ready to experience it for yourself, now’s the time! Book your private fishing charter at SandCityCharter.com and let’s get you on the bite.

Don’t forget to sign up for the Bay Rats & Buoys First Annual Striped Bass Invitational, happening Sunday, June 22, 2025, in the Long Island Sound! With water temps fluctuating between 52-57 degrees, and 40-pound bass cruising our area, this is prime time to get out and fish. We’ve got weekday charters with no crowds, so hit us up and let’s chase some trophy stripers while the action’s hot!

https://sandcitycharter.com/podcast/