The Best Fish Every New York Angler Should Target

Quick Take

• One fish on this list rates a perfect 10 on the fishiness scale, but anglers still have a compelling reason to make it a summer target. Check the fishiness rating →
• "Weakfish" sounds like a forgettable catch, but the name is deeply misleading. What's hiding beneath the name might just surprise you. Meet the real weakfish →
• One of these fish can literally change its appearance to match the seafloor, and that remarkable trait holds the key to where and when to catch it. Find flounder by camouflage →
• The most effective perch bait strategy works only if you deliberately use less of it, which is something many anglers get completely backwards. Use less bait for perch →

New York has over 165 fish species, and there are both freshwater and saltwater fishing opportunities for all seasons. While trout and salmon may be popular game fish, that’s not all you’ll find swimming around New York waters. Check out our list of the best fish to catch in New York, plus what they taste like, where to find them, and even tips on how to catch them.

Summer Flounder (Fluke)

Summer flounders, or flukes, are left-eyed flatfish native to the western Atlantic. Rightfully dubbed “the chameleons of the sea,” they can change colors to match the ocean floor. These fish typically weigh 1 to 3 pounds and measure 15–20 inches. However, some large females, often referred to as “doormats,” can weigh 20 pounds or more. Make sure to check New York’s Recreational Saltwater Fishing Regulations for any size limits.

What Does It Taste Like?

Summer flounders have a sweet taste and delicate texture. There’s minimal wateriness, and they’re not oily fish. They taste slightly fishy but are not as strong as other species. Since they’re full of B vitamins, flounders are a nutritional choice, too. They’re also low-fat fish, and they contain niacin, or vitamin B3, which helps your body turn food into energy. Overall, they’re a smart seafood choice and a fun fish to target.

Angling Tips

You’ll get the most bites using live bait for summer flounders. The best baits include sardines, mullet, mud minnows, crabs, shrimp, and shad. You’ll want to start fishing right after sunrise and in the late afternoon. If you can find a shipwreck site or area with reefs, you’ll be in the best spot for flounders. They’re also active at high tide. Look for them in the channels, grasses, and mouths of creeks. The best time to fish for flukes is mid-June through August, during the peak of New York’s marine season as the largest fish move away from the bays toward the ocean reefs. Top locations are Peconic Bay, Shelter Island, Gardiners Island, and Montauk off Long Island, as well as Jamaica Bay and Rockaway Beach around NYC.

Yellow Perch

Another of the best fish to catch in New York is yellow perch, as they are among the most widely distributed panfish in New York State. These popular game fish have stocky, olive-colored bodies with white bellies and vibrant fin colors. Yellow perch also have around seven dark vertical bars on their sides that fade towards the stomach. Adults typically measure 6 to 12 inches long and weigh between 0.25 and 1 pound.

What Does It Taste Like?

Pan-fried perch is a favorite of many throughout the country, as it tastes great in a lot of recipes. You can grill, poach, bake, sauté, or try making perch chowder. These fish have a mild, sweet flavor; it is clean and not overwhelmingly fishy. You won’t need a lot of seasoning to create the perfect meal.

Angling Tips

The best baits for perch fishing include maggots, lobworms, and prawns. Start by spreading maggots around the area you want to fish, but not too many. These are small fish, and you don’t want them to get full. Instead, focus on creating a feeding frenzy. Once the perch start going after the maggots, they’ll be more likely to take your bait. You can also try night fishing in 6-20 feet deep waters. The best time to fish for yellow perch is early spring, generally March through May, when they move to shallow water to spawn. Top locations to fish for perch are Oneida Lake, the Finger Lakes, Lake Erie, and Lake Champlain.

Bluefish

One of the most exciting saltwater species to target is bluefish. These fish are blue-green on the back, fading to silvery sides and belly. Bluefish are also famous for having large mouths full of razor-sharp teeth. Their lower jaw sticks out, and they have a deep fork in their tails. Their muscular swimming muscles help them reach high speeds, and they’re tenacious predators. Mature adults range from 3 to 15 pounds, but larger fish are often caught in coastal ocean waters and surf zones. Check the state’s Recreational Saltwater Fishing Regulations for any size limits.

What Does It Taste Like?

Some of the best ways to prepare bluefish include baking, poaching, or smoking the meat. However, you won’t enjoy eating bluefish if you don’t like fishy-tasting fish. On a fishiness scale from 1-10 with 10 being the fishiest tasting, bluefish are a hard 10. If you don’t mind fishy flavors, then eating bluefish can be good for you. The meat is full of omega-3 fatty acids, and they’re a good source of potassium.

Angling Tips

The best time to catch bluefish in New York is from late April through October, with the most aggressive feeding in July and August. Since they are aggressive feeders, catching bluefish is easier than you might think. Bluefish will eat shrimp, lobsters, and larval mollusks. Try using a variety of bait, and fish at dawn and dusk. Low-light conditions also give you an advantage, mainly if you target shallow water structures. Top locations include Jamaica Bay and the Hudson River around NYC, as well as the Long Island Sound, Fire Island Inlet, and Shinnecock Inlet on Long Island.

Black Sea Bass

Black sea bass are marine ray-finned fish. True to their name, larger black sea bass are usually completely black with hints of dark blue. Smaller specimens are typically more of a dark brown or dark gray. Their bellies are lighter, and their fins have spots. Black sea bass can weigh as much as 8 pounds; however, 4-pound catches are more common. They’re hermaphroditic fish, with the males being larger than the females. Be sure to check minimum size limits on the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation’s website before heading out to fish.

What Does It Taste Like?

Black sea bass are good table fare. They have a light, flaky texture and require minimal seasoning. You also won’t have to worry about an overpowering fishy flavor. Their white meat tastes a lot like grouper, mahi-mahi, and snapper. Pan-searing is the best preparation method so the fillets have crispy skin.

Angling Tips

There are a lot of techniques that work on these fish. However, one of the most successful techniques involves using bait rigs. They’ll also respond to jigging lures and bucktail jigs. The best times to target black sea bass are late spring through early summer (May to July) and early fall (September to October). Optimal temperatures bring the fish closer to inshore structures for feeding. Montauk is considered the best place to fish for black sea bass in New York due to its deep water reefs and rocky structures. Block Island Sound and Long Island Sound are also popular hotspots.

Weakfish

Last on our list of the best fish to catch in New York is weakfish. These fish have a white belly and dark green-black and light iridescent blue colors on their sides. The dorsal fin has a deep notch, and the tail is square instead of forked. Don’t let their name fool you; these fish are anything but weak. They have strong, muscular bodies and usually weigh 6-8 pounds. However, you could catch a lunker weighing well over 10 pounds.

What Does It Taste Like?

A lot of the fish on this list have a milder flavor. However, weakfish is a bit stronger tasting and makes for high-quality table fare. Statewide, it’s highly sought after. The taste has a salty tang and is the perfect choice for a fish fry. If you don’t want to fry it up, try broiling it.

Angling Tips

Weakfish migrate into bays and estuaries during the spring and summer. Some of the best fishing locations include Jamaica Bay, as well as Peconic Bay, Moriches Bay, and the Great South Bay on Long Island. Start by tipping your jigs with strips of squid. You can also use crabs or bloodworms. Once you get bites, stay put, you’ve found a weakfish hot spot. New York State enforces a daily limit, so check the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation for the current saltwater fishing regulations.