Scup

Season in Long Island

Peak months: Jun.

NY Sea Grant: first fish arrive late April to early May, June is the best month, catches stay good into September, and by October larger schools move offshore and south. NOAA NEFSC: scup leave as coastal bottom water drops below 10 C and winter offshore. OTW: jumbo porgies to 2 lb still coming from the Sound on October 8, 2026. (Our inference)

Season by region

Where to find them

Shallow North Shore water from shore with sandworms and clams in summer; bridges, piers and bulkheads in the bays; bigger fish on Sound, Gardiners Bay and Peconic hard bottom and ocean reefs by boat.

Schools feeding about a foot off the bottom (NY Sea Grant).

What to look for

Hard bottom, mussel beds and structure edges in the bays and Sound.

Bait

Clams, Sandworms. Hi-lo bottom rig with small baitholder hooks, sinker just heavy enough for depth and current..

Leader

NY Sea Grant: light, sturdy rod (about 5 ft) with 15 lb line and baitholder hooks.

Common mistakes

• Hooks too big for a small mouth
• Sinker too heavy to feel the quick bites
• Sorting through shorts without moving to find bigger fish

Landing

Swing it up; small fish.

Handling

• Sharp dorsal spine

Smooth the dorsal fin back before gripping.

Keep or release

Fine-flavored but bony (NY Sea Grant). Check the New York size, bag and season.

Recipes for scup

Typical: Sand porgy about 1/2 lb, bay porgy about 1 lb. Large: Humpbacks 1.5 to over 3 lb; few grow over 6 lb. NY record 6.25 lb (1978).

New York (marine waters) limits

• Minimum: 9.5 in TL shore-based anglers; 11 in TL vessel-based anglers
• Maximum: none
• Bag: 30 per angler
• Season: May 1 to Dec 31
• Party/charter boat anglers: 11 in minimum; 30 fish May 1 to Aug 31, 40 fish Sept 1 to Oct 31, 30 fish Nov 1 to Dec 31
• A party/charter customer who lands and keeps more than 30 scup from Sept 1 to Oct 31 must get a dated original fare receipt from the licensed vessel

Last checked 2026-10-17. A summary, not legal advice; the official rules win. New York State DEC fishing regulations.

Sources

• New York Sea Grant fish profile: Porgy (scup) (Cornell, 2001) (Official source)
• NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-NE-149: EFH source document, scup (1999) (Official source)
• On The Water: Long Island and NYC Fishing Report, August 27, 2026 (Angler knowledge)
• On The Water: Long Island and NYC Fishing Report, October 8, 2026 (Angler knowledge)
• NYSDEC Marine Recreational Angler Records Program (Official source)
• NYSDEC Recreational Saltwater Fishing Regulations: size, possession limits and seasons (fish table last changed May 12, 2026; shark table last changed Aug 27, 2025) (Official source)

All the fish of Long Island